Below is a list of many tips you can use to win more games on FIFA 09. Hopefully, these tips will help you become a better FIFA player and improve your rank. If you're interested in learning about rank, look here, but for now, here is the tip sheet.

  • Lay off the sprint button! Sprinting is useful, but not all the time. Many players have the habit of always holding down the sprint button which gives them a lack of control over the ball. Only use the sprint button when you have space to run on to in front of you.
  • Don't be afraid to pass back in order to keep possession.
  • Don't immediately dive in and try to steal the ball from your opponent, regroup and try to track back with a defender before going right at the opposition with a defensive player.
  • By holding down LB on Xbox or L1 on Playstation, you can trigger your players to make an offensive run, consider playing a through ball to them when the time is right.
  • Utilize D-pad controls!
  • Take the time to practice free kicks, it will pay off when you put in every one online.
  • Setting up your team according to what team you will be playing is worth it. Learn how formations work and set up your starting eleven along with subs that will do well against your opponent's team.
  • Don't always be so quick to hold down the pressure button and chase down the man with the ball. Sometimes only resorting to this cuts off your angle, and you may be better off just naturally running into his path before holding down the pressure button to take the ball.
  • When approaching the goal and you see a teammate running next to you across to the other side of the goal, try playing it to him for the easy tap in.
  • Using the finesse shot for finishing is very useful.
  • Play a game against the CPU offline before you venture online for the first time that day to get warmed up. Sounds odd, but if you're serious about rank I'd recommend trying this.
  • Use your wide players, especially if they are pacy. They are a dangerous form of attack that many forget about.
  • Don't always use the traditional lofted cross, consider also using the low cross and ground cross for your strikers to put away.
  • Consider manual controls, you don't have much control over the default assisted controls. See more on the Assisted vs. Manual debate here.
  • A good move to learn to utilize is the rainbow/inverted rainbow. It's quick to execute on the controller, effective, and is a flashy way to get past the defender.
  • Take advantage of the early cross which you can execute by holding down LB on Xbox or L1 on Playstation as you're charging up the power bar for your cross.
  • Although many players use this regularly, this is for the small percentage of players that do not know how useful it is: Using the through ball is one of the most precious tricks in your arsenal, do not underestimate it, and watch out for it being used against you!
  • Practice makes perfect, so use the arena to practice your penalty kicks.
  • When playing online in FIFA 09, keep in mind that Manchester United is probably the best team to use, but many players will see using them as rather cheap, so change it up a bit if you typically only use Manchester United.
  • Possess the ball. By keeping solid possession of the ball, you run the opposing team to shreds for when you play in that killer pass for a striker to run onto and put away.
  • Notice your team's strong players. When playing with a team like Liverpool with an undoubted star player such as Torres or Gerrard, utilize this and get the ball to one of them whenever possible.
  • When playing with a team with such a strong passing game as Barcelona, take advantage of this!
  • Take advantage of your fastest players, speed is one of the most important attributes in FIFA 09.
  • Like the last tip, keep in mind that strong players have a significant edge over ones that are only a bit less strong or large than them.
  • When you have a tall forward such as Peter Crouch, try to get as many lofted crosses in as possible.

 

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