EAFC 26: Core gameplay responsiveness and imbalanced AI issues

EA FC 26 currently feels unfinished due to several fundamental gameplay problems. These aren’t minor tuning issues, but core systems that directly affect how football is played in the game. Below are key pain points that consistently affect matches.

TLDR: 
The most important issue across all of these points is input responsiveness and imbalanced AI. Strong AI defending can be acceptable if user inputs are fast and reliable. Currently, delayed inputs combined with highly reactive AI create an uneven and frustrating experience.

It has been 3 months already since the game was released. In the first 2 weeks, I felt EA had a good game and then suddenly everything went downhill. The game suddenly feels like an unfinished product with all the subsequent patches. I still think there is a good game hiding behind those broken patches. I return to the game post every patch hoping EA would have realise this.

For me, it comes down to the game maker's(EA) perspective on the following points to have a playable football(soccer) game:

1. Player movement and inertia feel inconsistent.
   Basic mechanics like turning, stopping, and acceleration don’t behave naturally, making players feel disconnected from user input.
2. Passing responsiveness is delayed
   Assisted and semi assistance passing is extremely laggy with many passes in the wrong direction. Even with manual settings, passes often register late or are underpowered, breaking basic buildup play.
3. Triggered runs are unreliable.
   Commands to send teammates on runs frequently fail to activate or trigger too late to be useful.
4. Shot inputs are overridden by delayed execution.
   In many cases, pressing shoot results in a tackle animation because the input is processed after the defender arrives.
5. Shielding the ball lacks effectiveness.
   Defensive AI regularly wins the ball before shielding inputs take effect, making hold-up play unrealistic.
6. AI defending appears overly dominant.
   Many players rely heavily on AI-controlled defenders to make perfectly timed tackles from unrealistic angles, reducing the need for manual defending or switching.
7. Manual defensive reads are not rewarded.
   Correctly stepping into passing lanes often results in deflections that favor the attacker or the ball passing through the defender.
8. Close control and micro-movements are ineffective.
   Tight dribbling, body feints, and small directional changes are frequently cancelled by collision-based defensive interactions.
9. Positional passing structures are undermined.
   Traditional passing triangles and overloads are easily neutralized by single AI defenders covering multiple lanes simultaneously.
10. Shot direction responsiveness feels inconsistent.
    Many shots are directed straight at the goalkeeper, suggesting input direction is being registered too late in the animation cycle.
11. Intelligent, patient buildup is not rewarded.
    Possession-focused play often results in unexplained turnovers, while AI-assisted defensive play remains highly effective.
12. Attackers take an unnecessary touch before shooting giving the opponent keeper and players an chance to intercept.

The most important issue across all of these points is input responsiveness. Strong AI defending can be acceptable if user inputs are fast and reliable - but I guess this would create a spiral making the game too fast, so it might be best to simply balance the AI's reaction time to match the user's inputs. Currently, delayed inputs combined with highly reactive AI create an uneven and frustrating experience.

What is your opinion?