3. Shooting
The most important aspect of any match; shooting.
While shooting is not as difficult in FIFA 17, you still need to learn some basic information about shooting in FIFA 18. First and foremost, the harder the shot, the better. Whether it’s rifling penalties or absolute drillers from 3-to-30 yards out, power is an absolute must. With the exception of headers and chips (try to avoid at all costs), every shot you take should have a moderate degree of power behind it. Very seldom to weak, slow rolling shots find their way past the keeper.
Always aim for the top corners of the net. Point the left stick up and towards either side of the net. Meanwhile, hold down the ‘B’ button for as long as you see fit. The key is to make the shot either so fast and accurate that it’s out of reach for the keeper, or so hard that it’ll rebound back into play following a save. This goes for long-shots as well. If your opponent is giving you space and not closing you down, don’t hesitate to rifle a shot in from 30-40 yards out. You’ll be surprised with how many of those shots go in. In terms of headers, simply tap ‘B’ and let the game work its magic. Don’t try to aim your headers, the keeper will likely block it. Headers are very hit or miss in FIFA.
In one-on-one situations with the keeper, you have four options. First, the chip shot. One-on-one situations are just about the only time to use chip shots (LB + B). Next, finesse shots (RB + B). Much like chips, finesse shots should be used selectively in certain situations. One-on-one’s with the keeper are a perfect time to finesse the one man that you have to beat. Double tap the ‘B’ button to activate the ‘low shot’. Low shots are used to fool the keeper as they slide into the corner of the net. Sometimes, nutmegging the keeper is an option. Nutmegs are more common in FIFA than they should be, use that to your advantage. Lastly, simply shoot it. However, be warned, you must be confident in your placement ability to be able to slip it past the keeper in these situations.
As far as set pieces go, those are relatively simple. For penalties, the two best options are to simply shoot the ball straight at the keeper (most users are jumpy and pick a side to go to before the ball is even kicked) or shoot a bullet into the top corner of either side of the net. On free kicks, simply aim the left stick to the left or right of the post and shoot (B) and use the ‘LS’ to bend the kick over the wall and into the top corner.
Shooting is one of the most difficult aspects of the game, as there are so many different ways to shoot. Master each style and adapt to your style of play. After all, fast-paced online gaming iis mostly muscle memory, so get used to it.