Finally got my hands on with FIFA 12 today. I played with it for about 3 hours, and the AI would just beat me every time, I just have no idea how to do it properly. I mean, I play left back for my club so I know how to jockey and when to tackle. But, I can't keep up with the strikers. Anyone have any tips on how to use the system properly?

I rarely use the button that makes your player contain the opposition. The tackle button is really useful, which you can also press whilst running alongside the opposition ti slow them down or take a bad touch. A handy tip that's worked for me, switch the tackle and the team mate contain buttons around, so RB/R1 is tackle and B/Circle is team mate contain. I find it a lot easier to use that way. Out of curiosity, are you on PS3 or 360?

@markini6: Xbox :)

I am still struggling with it. Been playing FIFA for years and years, so it may just take time to get used to it. Might have to try switching the buttons around like markini6 suggested. Pretty frustrating for now though...

@hojufixter: I used to think that I was pretty good at it, not now haha.

@EnchantedEcho: I'm in the exact same boat. Used to think my pressing defense style was awesome, now I am leaking goals all over the place. Is anyone else also struggling to land slide tackles? Guys are just striding right over the top me all the time.

It is hard to get used to but it doesn't seem inherently bad (not yet at least) so hopefully by the end of the week I'll have got the hang of it. Just stand off your man and try to put the opposition in a position where they only have one option and try to get 2 guys in there as well.

The change of standing tackle from x (or A) to circle (or b) is probably the main thing i cant get used to yet, keep running along side players holding x and wondering why my player is doing nothing.

I find getting the AI to contain a player is great (as long as you remember to let go of r1 each time a nearer player is passed - otherwise the player on the initial r1 press will sprint for as long as you hold) - really helps to be able to move yourself onto the 'runner' awaiting a cross, or slide in and take a ground ball out of play whilst the AI limits the angle to which the ball can be played.

I definitely think it's an improvement, just one thats going to take a bit longer to get used to, twinned with the fact the ball has it's own separate physics now, and there's a lot more loose balls and deflections off body parts, adds an element of more 'realism' to it as such.

As regards to slide tackling, it is a lot harder, hell the firts thing i decided to do was try to test out the new contact engine and see how ragdolly it was, took me a good game and a half to actually connect with a foul from a slide tackle. All i can advise with regards to playing the AI is try to make slides from switching to a closer player and not running too much into it, i could be wrong, but my usual method of 'select a player a good 40 yards away, make a beeline straight towards guy in possesion and slide him' doesnt work half as well now as just switching to a guy 10 yards away and making a quick slide. Otherwise they seem to always anticipate it from your run and easily sidestep it.

Managed to get a handle on it.

The important thing is to switch players often when defending so that you can maintain your defensive structure. That really has not mattered before so it can take a bit of getting use to. But as a left back just imagine your Full Back screaming at you to keep in your shape, and it will all work out.

Oh and COME ON MELBOURNE VICTORY

One other thing that I would like to add is that you shouldn't charge at the opponent when they have the ball like you would usually do in the older games. You can easily grind most attacks to a halt if you just hold your ground and use the contain button to close down space he could run to and also any other player in a good position he could pass to. You also don't have to use any buttons to take the ball away from the opponent, good positioning is much more important that when you pound the buttons.

I am no master of tactical defending but I have drastically reduced the number of errors I've made (and goals I've received) since the demo just by following these tips. Also if you knock down the difficulty by one peg while you get your bearings you could have an easier time grasping the basics of the system. I just put it up to Professional again today and I've been doing fine so far.

I had a short transitional period to TD and my conclusion once I became used to it is that you just have to retrain your brain to defend more like you would in real football than in previous FIFA games. No more blind homing missile charging. You'll naturally get used to it, practice makes perfect. I also don't have any issues with the button layout (old FIFAs had shoot as standing tackle anyway).

It doesnt seem to be useful at all to me. The tackle button ist just not very effective. I just want back to FIFA 11 controls after trying to get the hang of tactical defending for some days.