FIFA 21 is finally available, and most players should be busy building their own FIFA Ultimate Team. Which formation should you play this year? We present you with 4 strong formations and tactics in detail.
A lot has changed in terms of gameplay in FIFA 21. This results in the fact that the title plays completely different in comparison to its predecessor. This again means that most of the tactics from the last spin-off won't work here. Don't worry, we are here for you: try these 4 strong FIFA 21 formations and tactics!
FIFA 21: The Best Formations for the Start
Perhaps the most important gameplay innovation in FIFA 21 is that crosses and headers are dangerous again this year. Going all in forwards will sometimes give you an advantage. This results in a different meta compared to FIFA 20 and tactics that are unique to FIFA 21.
4-2-3-1 - Compact and Strong on the Wing
Already in FIFA 20, this formation was popular, but this year nothing changes. The advantage of the 4-2-3-1 is that you have two defensive midfielders in front of your own defensive line. They can support the defense and join the offensive game.
Three COM players allow fast wing runs, but can also build up effective attacks in the middle. FIFA professional Benedikt "SaLz0r" Saltzer from VfL Wolfsburg is also a fan of the formation.
The player instructions:
- Defensive midfielders: One player should have a "Stay behind when attacking" set, the other one may calmly join the offensive
- Outer CAM players: For the item "Attacking Support" the option "Get Forward" is recommended
- Medium CAM player: At the "Freedom of Position" you should select "Free Roam".
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4-3-3 (4) - Full Throttle Via External
To involve the wing players even more in the game, you can also bet on the offensive variant of the 4-3-3. Here, two CDM players stand in front of the defense, while a central offensive midfielder supplies the striker and the wing players with passes.
This formation is extremely offensive and therefore prone to mistakes - if you lose the ball you run the risk of being countered. On the other hand, ideally, you will score more goals with this formation
- READ MORE: FIFA 21 Top 3 Players at Each Position
Player instructions:
- Defensive midfielders: One player should have a "Stay behind when attacking" set, the other player may join the offensive
- LW and RW: For "Support Runs" select "Get In Behind", for "Attacking Support" the option "Get Forward" is recommended
- Striker: Set "Defense overflow" in the "Offensive runs" item
4-2-2-2 - A Healthy Mixture
This formation was our favorite in FIFA 20 and works also in FIFA 21 very well. It is a bit more compact than the classic 4-4-2 (which also works well) and offers the advantage that there are two strikers in the front - but there is a gap in the middle due to the lack of tens.
EarlyGame Tip: Give the two CAM players under "Positioning Freedom" the option "Free Roam" - this way the players sometimes move into the center or push the attack forward via the outer lane. One of the two strikers should get "Get In Behind", the other stays with "Mixed Attack".
- READ MORE: Best FIFA 21 Bundesliga Starting Eleven
4-1-2-1-2 - The Rhombus Always Works
The so-called rhombus does a good job in FIFA 21. Here, only one defensive midfielder stands in front of the defenders, but a tenner behind the two tips distributes the balls to the strikers or the two wing players who start tempo runs over the outside.
Alternatively, you can try the narrow diamond 4-1-2-1-2 (2), which is similar but not quite as wide. This formation is recommended if you want to counterattack and switch the game quickly. What's especially important are fast forwards and a good CAM player with a high passing score.
All four formations have already worked well in our FIFA 21 tests. However, this year's meta is not yet finalized, so it could be that some other formations will prove to be useful - but that will only become clear in the upcoming tests and experiences.
You can read more about FIFA 21 and esports on EarlyGame. We present to you the most important FIFA 21 improvements.
