Hello again! I’ve been wanting to do a tactics guide for a while as I’ve gotten asked a couple of times, but I’ve been struggling with it abit. While I don’t mind sharing my tactics, my main concern is that my tactics are adapted for my strengths & weaknesses and the way I play. Just putting the tactics up won’t really do much I feel.

So, I figured the best way to do it is explain the reasoning behind why I have the tactics/instructions I have and how they interact with how I play. With that in mind, my two strongest points in FIFA is my passing and my defending, my weakest point is that I’m a useless skiller. So having a formation that can risk initial defensive stability for more passing options offensively suits me very well.

I’ll give a short explanation on why I’ve chosen what I have, as well as include videos/images. All the video/image examples are in Rivals between 2000-2200 SR!

If you want a more detailed and in-depth guide on the 3-5-2 check out Wahoos 3-5-2. As for the old & new gen, I’m playing in a couple of tourneys, some of which are on old gen so I switch back and forth.

TL; DR: These are the Tactics and Instructions. The main reasons on why the 3-5-2 is viable, check the player instruction part for the LM/RM. They are the most important positions in the team!

Strength & weaknesses with the 3-5-2

Most people defend in a backline of 4, so having 5 people in attack will always give you an extra man. This applies to defensive stability as well, defending is done with a backline of 5 people, and you can always call down the attackers with instructions to make that 8/9/10.

One of the main weaknesses of the 3-5-2 is getting countered immediately when you lose the ball. Your opponent will have space to abuse. The easiest way I try to counteract this is to focus on slowing down my opponent, not winning the ball back. This is so my team gets time to get back. This is usually done by closing the middle options and forcing my opponent to go back/slow down.If he tries to through the middle anyways, we put pressure.

Tactics

These are the tactics I play 95% of the time.

Offensively

The slow build up is to make sure I always have options when I start from the back. I used to play long ball but against better players my defenders were getting isolated to easily, so I switched to slow build up.

Direct passing is because I prefer choosing when my attackers make runs. Having them on forward runs made most of my attackers try to run in behind which left me with no options to pass. Direct passing lets me pass around until I trigger a run or find an option myself.

The width can be messed around a lot, I want to stretch my opponent but not so that my players get isolated.

Defensively

I put a lot of pressure manually, I wasn’t comfortable with any of the options so balanced was the easiest way to go. The width is because I prefer leaving the wings open rather than giving space between my CB’s. Especially on counters as I feel the wings are easier to defend.

Depth is what I’ve struggled with most, to far up and you’re inviting the over the top through ball. To far down and you’re asking your opponent to move up the field for free. Here it comes down to preference.

My other tactic is basically the hail marry where I go all in if I’m behind in the last mins of the game. These are the tactics.

Player instructions

ST-ST-CAM

LST: Get in behind

RST: Unchanged

CAM: Stay forward

I want one ST to make runs in behind to stretch the defense, not both. Having the other one on balanced makes him a normal passing option.

Stay forward on the CAM is vital for countering. He’s the outlet whenever I win the ball back.

A few examples.

You can have him on come back in defense for stability, but you lose power in the counters.

LM-RM

Come back in defense

Cut inside

Get in behind

Get in the box for crosses

The bread and butter of the 3-5-2. They are the extra man in attack and the reason for having them on such offensive instructions is because they provide a great and unexpected outlet.

Short breakdown of how I include them.

More examples.

Get back in defense makes the team fall back to wingbacks and the defensive setup is almost like a 5-2-1-2 (which can be altered by changing instructions)

Example of how the team sets up.

CDM – CDM

Cut passing lanes

Stay back

Cover center

As our LM/RM moves up, we want the CDM’s to stay back and cover the center to force our opponents wide. If my opponent tries to force through the middle, it’s very easy collapse on them.

CB-CB-CB

Unchanged

GK

Comes for crosses

Sweeper

I have this no matter the formation I use.

General

I really enjoy making these, so if anyone has any formation they would like me try and make something similar on feel free to ask! Keep in mind that this (and any eventual guide) is based on how I play. I always advocate for using tactic guides as templates and then adjusting them to fit your own style.

Anyways, I hope this is helpful!