First and foremost it sounds like you were playing Seasons mode. The same as I play.
In regards to a kit clash. It sucks when it happens and I wish EA would take us to a screen where we could chose our opponents kit colour in terms of home, away or third kit. Other than that you can quit before kick off to avoid the issue.
As for defending. It was made harder after the winter refresh. BUT, it was needed to be that way. Nothing more frustrating than dominating an opponent and them getting bailed out by the AI poking a leg out and winning the ball back. Some people in DIV1 are terrible at defending and I bet these people relied heavily on the AI to bail them out. I have always tried to flick around the controller quickly to move defenders about and try and close gaps. I still get done by people at times but also can defend in moments. The game needed harder defence. If you dominate someone you should win more times than not.
The person who said try UFL must be joking. I have downloaded it and played it since day one and there are issues. No other football game comes close to this in terms of football. Does this game have issues and frustrations? Of course. But UFL or Efootball don't come close to this. Whether people like to admit that it's true.
I have moments where I am left shaking my head with goals I conceded or my defenders falling over each other. But more times than not you can play some form of football.
You have more freedom on the pitch with EAFC after the winter refresh. UFL you are marked all over the field and through balls and basic passes are Intercepted most of the time because the opponent can actually run in front of you before the pass happens to blocking the ball.
What is your W D L record like?
There are people out there who don't lose many games. Sure, some play a grotty way. But plenty also play some good football and create good chances from good play.
The game is not perfect by any means but you can play football and play tactically. IMO.
I think some people expect the AI to play for them and do the lot. From an opponent point of view and as someone who works hard on the controller to close spaces down and to create chances that annoys me. The human should have to work hard on the controller. What happens after that happens. There will always be some games where someone is purely better or just tactically have the upper hand. What else can you do.
But as for people expecting the AI to man mark everywhere for them. Just no. I don't expect it or want it. The human player should be forced to work hard.
blue166: to answer/reply to your questions/comments:
Yes, I play Seasons, and only that. The whole Ultimate Team thing blows, same as the Career mode.
Kit clashes: I know I could have left the game. But after 20 consecutive games only facing Real Madrid, I wanted to give it a go. Fact is that, before they started this EA FC-nonsense, I never experienced a kit clash.
My W D L record: I'll be honest: it's not good. Not because I'm not a good player, I just don't care enough if I get to a higher division or not, so I quit the game when I'm not enjoying it. Most of the time from being frustrated and disappointed over the mess this game is, when I see unnatural behaviour in the game or when nothing is working the way it should. I paid good money for it, I'm entitled to expect something in return. I'm also playing to relax and to have fun, not to prove my manhood.
At some point you are comparing the current EAFC with UFL or EFootball. I have no experience with the other two, I'm comparing with previous versions of EA, or with what it could have been. Some 10 years ago, there was this big rivalry between PES and EA, that pushed both to unlimited heights. It was like comparing Lamborghini with Rolls. PES had an amazing game engine back then. At some point, some of the developers of PES went to EA along with the technology, and EA created one of the best versions of this game ever made. And thus killed the rivalry, the competition and also the pursuit to create an even better game. Instead they started experimenting with new game engines, but it's just not working. What you now say is, that it is better to drive around in a 70's Lada than on a crippled horse, while, if they would have kept following the same path from 10 years ago, we would have flying cars by now.
The game is not perfect by any means but you can play football and play tactically.
The game is not perfect. Period. You can put 22 guys on a field, throw a ball in there and call it football. You can also put a carrot between a sandwich and call it a hotdog. It looks like it but it's not the same. And tactically? They killed tactics with the new system. I've tried literally every formation with 4 and 5 defenders with all settings to defense and a defense line all the way back to try to counter the speed of Mbappe and Vini Jr., and still constantly seeing myself in situations where I'm having max. 2 defenders facing 4 attackers. There's nothing you can do about it. The previous tactics system was customizable in every way, at least you had the opportunity to overrule the flaws in the game.
I'm not saying AI needs to recover the ball automatically. That was the case in the previous EAFC24, where defenders rushed towards a player in possession of the ball like wasps to a Pepsi. In '25 it's the other way around. Defense is non existing. What I expect from an AI in a sports game is, that it is at least intelligent enough to read the game. When a team is attacking with 3 attackers, your team needs to rush back, not having a chat around the midfield circle or even run away to the other side of the field. When a cross comes, a defender needs to be on the right side of the attacker, so you can switch to it and at least do something about it, not standing 5 meters away from the attacker. When there is a setting that says a defender can step out to intercept a ball when it comes near him, I expect him to behave like that. Instead, nothing happens. I have two box-to-box midfields, but I don't see any of them in the box when I'm attacking, nor in the box while defending. Etc etc..
I'm not picking a fight and you are entitled to have your own opinion, but for me this is not a good game. It might look better than 10 years ago, but game play, tactics and inline menus where much better back then. This is an age where AI can write your scientific paper for you, we should expect much more from a game than this
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