Wait, I haven't really noticed a difference in the defending in any of the 4 FIFAs I have (09-12). Yes they said the were 'fixing' it so there wouldn't be one-button defending in the newest one, but IMO it's no different than the old system.

I think they're trying to move away from the one-button defending, but they really did a crap job in in FIFA 12. Until they get rid of the contain button entirely, it's going to be crap. After all, we don't have a button to just slip the offensive past defenders do we?

Well, you can't use it the whole game as you just run your energy out

That's what most people do anyway.

Hey have you had 20+ shots on target and 65% possession? Can't beat their 70 rated goalkeeper because we've given him a stat boost because his team is worse than yours? Well at least we're going to let them score every time they push the shoot button, even though you have the best goalkeeper and defense in the game.

I've lost 8 games on Ultimate Team (currently on 108 wins), not one of them was by more than 1 goal, and most of them were 1-0 wins for the opposition, with a 90th minute header, their first shot in the entire game. EA claim they don't buff or nerf anyone, but they mention this mysterious moral and chemistry system. Essentially what they do is, if you're dominating against a team worse than yours, they will throw in the FA Cup curve ball, that special thing that makes league 2 teams beat Premier League teams. So suddenly all your hard work is wiped out by a chemistry and moral boost for the other team. You don't get it so much in Ultimate Team, but if you've ever played Pro Clubs then you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

The new defending system is awful, it allows people who were useless at defending on the previous game to just hold one button and let it do the work for you. Personally I don't use it, but I was already good at defending in FIFA 11.

I think you're getting confused, in Fifa 11 you only had to hold in X and your player ran and tackled. In this one you actually have to time your tackles. The old system sucked, holding in 1 button meant everyone could defend.

IIRC with the new one it's just A to contain and X to block, so it's juut two butttns now instead of one.

I really don't use the contain and tackle buttons. Enough VP has left me pretty damn good at predicting what people are going to do with the ball. If I ever use one-button defence, it's the cheapest of all, the secondary player.

Quote from DeKo :

I think you're getting confused, in Fifa 11 you only had to hold in X and your player ran and tackled. In this one you actually have to time your tackles. The old system sucked, holding in 1 button meant everyone could defend.

But the players would only run in and tackle, once you dodge the tackle then you're past them. The new system enables them to auto-track your run, so if they keep hold of that magic button you won't be able to shake them off no matter what you do. Then they just need to call in the 2nd player, who will charge in and make the tackle, exactly like they would in FIFA 11. So basically they kept the old system, and included a new one, so now defending takes no skill at all.

I'm like Rappa Z though, I've played so much I can predict just about everything people are going to do.