EA SPORTS FIFA 15 Attacking Corner Tips

Scoring from corners is definitely more challenging in FIFA 15.

Whipping the ball into the box and hoping for the best isn’t going to end in celebration all that often, but a well-crafted corner can boost your chances of hitting the back of the net.

This week we’re looking at three corner types I use daily in online play that have helped me to create more scoring chances, and view corners as real opportunities to get on the scoresheet.

SHORT CORNER
This is by far the corner technique that I create the most shooting chances with in FIFA 15. It works well because, once you’ve successfully played the first pass out to a nearby team-mate, it’s very difficult for your opponent to predict what you’re going to do next, which of course makes it tough to defend against.

I almost always play a short corner the first time I win one, then face out towards the edge of the area and look for a pass to a team-mate running in. If I can get the ball to them then I’ll try a first-time shot or – if there isn’t the space to shoot or I can’t strike the ball with my player’s dominant foot – I can keep the ball moving with a short pass, or dribble into the box and look to make space that way. I usually find that the defending players rush out towards the ball when I pick it up in this area, so it’s possible to pick a path past them with a few quick changes of direction using the left stick.

Once I’ve tried that corner once, opponents often seem to expect something similar next time and will look to cut off my pass to the player running into the box. When that happens I’ll face the edge of the area like before, but instead of passing I turn back towards the goal and either drive for the box or whip over a low cross. This can catch opponents out as there’s a good chance their momentum will be going in the wrong direction away from goal, so turning back in with my player creates the space I need.

Once you’ve mixed those corners up a few times it’ll be difficult for your opponent to read what’s coming next, and if you’re unpredictable then you have the advantage.

To play a short corner simply hold LT or L2 to bring a receiver towards the ball and be ready to hit the short pass button once they’re in position. Things to look out for here are the identity of your team-mate and the position of the defenders. Sometimes I find that the player running in for the short pass is not the one I want to have the ball, perhaps because he isn’t my best passer, dribbler or crosser, so when that happens I usually go for something else. Similarly, if the opponent is on to what I’m doing and has had time to follow my attacking player out towards the corner – reducing the space I’ll have once I pass to him – then I’ll try something different again, which brings me nicely on to my second corner technique.

FAKE SHORT CORNER
This one is all about taking your time and making it seemingly obvious to your opponent that you’re going to attempt a short corner. The hope is that one of the defenders in the penalty area follows your player out towards the corner taker, leaving more space in the box for everyone else to move around. Of course this means you’ll have one less attacker in the area too, but in my experience it’s easier to get a shot away on goal after a corner if there are fewer players from either side who could get in the way.

If your opponent manually controls the defender following your player to the ball, it means they’re not selecting their most effective defender and matching him up with your most dangerous attacker, again slightly improving your chances of getting to it first.

Now you can choose to whip the ball in directly using the long pass button, aiming for your player who’s best in the air, or you can opt to control the receiver and try to create more space using a few techniques we’ll look at next. Either way you should have the element of surprise on your side as, hopefully, your opponent will be preparing to defend against a short corner rather than a cross – especially if you’ve played one or two short corners in the game already. Again, it’s all about being unpredictable.

CONTROL THE RECEIVER
In FIFA 15 it’s possible to take control of a player off the ball when attacking corners. Just hit the right stick when you get to the screen where you’d normally line up the cross, and you’ll notice the camera angle change to show the player you now have selected.

If you don’t like the chosen player then you can flick the right stick in the direction of a team-mate to take control of them instead and, when you’re happy, you can then move them around in the box using the left stick. If you press the shoot button next then you’ll notice your player jostling for position or spinning away from his marker in an attempt to find space, and once you’re happy with their position then you can call for the ball by pressing the short pass button. Now the cross won’t always go straight to your chosen player – that would be too easy – but if you’ve created some space using smart movement with the left stick or by engaging in a physical battle then you’ll have a better chance of getting to it first.

This corner really is worth experimenting with, as there are all kinds of possibilities. For example I’ll run to the front post and go for a flick on, sprint one way before changing direction sharply to try to lose my marker or look to attack the ball on the edge of the six-yard box. Just remember to always have your best header of the ball selected and to mix up what you’re doing to keep your opponent guessing.

Once you’ve used any combination of these techniques in a game your opponent should be wary of conceding corners to you, and when you do win one they’re likely to try to second guess what you’re going to do next, which I always think is an advantage to the attacking player.

So they’re the three corners I use the most, I hope they help you create more chances too. As always, thanks for reading and have a great weekend.

Thanks for reading,
Darren
@darren_cross