mamessier
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FIFA 13 – Guide on How to Win More Headers
For me, headers have always been the most frustrating part of FIFA. Sometimes, it's very hard to understand exactly what caused you to loss a header. On defense, it's kind of a hopeless feeling we've all gotten used to when we watch the ball going in the back of the net, despite hammering our controller to prevent it. Frustration can rise even more when we notice we can't accomplish the same exploits as our opponents when it comes to headers. So, here's a guide on how to win more of them. Hope that helps!
Have the “Auto-Switch” setting selected at “Air Balls” (basic)
This is the most obvious tip of all, but you never know what people might have set on their hospitality settings! Most good players use the “Auto-Switch” settings set on “Air Balls”. The CPU provides the fastest player switching when it comes to air balls and every second counts when it comes to setting up an important header. Trust the CPU on this one. Even the most careful player will eventually make a mistake on the Manual Switch setting, so don’t overestimate your abilities when it comes to switching players and concentre on other areas of your game.
Know who the tallest players on the team are and be able to spot them on the pitch
There are two things that affect the ability of a player to win headers and pull off good ones: his heading stats and his height. No matter what team you’re using, you will want to spend some time in the menus to figure out who’s the best at pulling off headers. Some teams will have a strong tall forward ready to cause havoc, but some other teams may require you to pull up a player from the back like a tall defender to attempt good headers at the opposing net. Also, make sure that you recognize the appearence of your player of the pitch (hair, skin color, etc.) so that you always know where your headers are more likely to succeed on the field. For example, the huge Drogba from Chelsea was easily spottable last year. They’re not all that distinct, but eventually you should be able to distinguish just about any player.
Use the Right Trigger to roam freely with your player
The CPU is generally pretty good at setting up your player for a good header, but as you participate in more advanced games against better players, you will find yourself in situations where you must take things under your control. To “unlock” your player and allow him to run freely around the pitch, hold the Right Trigger and move the left joystick. Be careful and really make sure you know what you’re doing because putting your player out of position isn’t good either! Be smooth on the joystick too – it won’t take much to take your player out of play.
Scoring on offense. Use small taps up close or longer tap to score from afar.
Scoring with headers on offense depends on whether you’re near the net or not. If you’re just looking to hammer the ball into the net, tapping the B button will generally be enough to get results on a regular basis. However, if your lob or corner lands closer to the edges of the box, you will need to pull off a single tap, which you will need to hold longer depending on the desired strength of the header. These shots are harder to pull off… but they’re the most satisfying too! In that case you need to evaluate the right strength to make the ball pass just over the goalie’s reach.
Clearing the ball on defense (long tap and release)
Clearing the ball on defense with your headers if something you really don’t want to miss. A big mistake will often result on a goal, so there’s no room for error. I found that charging up your header as soon as the ball is in the air and to release the button when the ball arrives is the best technique to clear the ball. With one tap, you’re less likely to make a mistake, and your header will certainly always be at maximum strength to make sure the ball goes out of danger each time. However, before charging up your header, you should always make sure that you have the right player selected first – mistakes can always happen, even on the CPU-end of things.
In conclusion, heading the ball can be less frustrating if you know some of the different elements involved. Don’t forget the different YouTube videos available on this very subject. The heading mechanics have relatively stayed the game in recent years so all those videos from previous version could teach you something useful. Let’s still hope EA brings a new twists to headers in its next versions because it is pretty obvious that we’re due for a little makeover here!
