If you’re struggling to find success and need some help to climb the league divisions in eFootball 23, then you’ve come to the right place. PS4, PC, or even mobile, I’ll give you the tools to succeed on any platform using a possession-style tactic. Almost every opponent has a better team than me but I still continue to climb up the divisions will a solid win rate, and here I’ll share the secrets.
Strengths and weaknesses of this playstyle
Every system will have its weaknesses and its strengths. The best part about keeping the ball is as simple as you being in control more of the time. This will allow you to dictate play and pick your moments. By retaining you are also making the opposition do all the work chasing the ball, if they are aggressively pressing you can easily take advantage of the gap left in their team. Though, you may find it tough against teams who are running a long ball system because they sit deep and may force you to bring your defensive players forward. This will leave opportunities for them to win the ball and launch an instant counter-attack.
Earlier I mentioned how possession should help you beat a gegenpress but this only works if you have the right players for the tactic. A no-nonsense centre-back does not have to be a part of the build-up play, and he’ll show you that with a horrid attempt at a pass which leads to them running through on goal and scoring. If you’re a player that isn’t clinical up front this style could benefit you as you get time to find the perfect opportunity, and that’s exactly why I use it.
The players matter
Much like real life, you can’t just sign a 90-rated player and slap him into any system expecting it to work. Bernt Leno is a class goalkeeper but Arteta had to replace him simply because he wasn’t suited to a style that emphasised ball retention. Ramsdale may not be a better shot-stopper than Leno but he’s more valuable to Arsenal because he’s capable of using his feet, and this allows Arteta to run with his philosophy of possession-based football.
The must-have high stats for your players:
- Passing
- Offensive Awareness
- Tight Possession
Along with this having the ‘one-touch pass’ skill is wanted if you are aiming to hit rank 1 on eFootball 23. Passing and tight possession are obvious but offensive awareness may be even more important than both of those. Having your player make intelligent runs into space allows the system to move forward and create chances to score.
Selecting your formation
There are a few formations you can use to play the possession style with but I would avoid the 4-4-2 because you’ll lose the midfield battle to the predominantly diamond midfield formations. If you are looking for a more offensive version, the 4-2-3-1 is what you’ll want because you’ll sit most of your team in their half when you have the ball leaving a lot of options for passes in the opponent’s final third. This formation is not perfect though as your defensive unit will not get as much help with your 4 attacking players. You can make tweaks to this if you’d rather be more balanced with a DM or two instead of a CM/CAM but watch out for your striker, as he may end up isolated and marked out of the game.
Individual Instructions To use
When it comes to tactics the most important part is making sure your wingers are anchored. Under tactics > Individual Instructions > Attack 1 > Anchoring, ensure your LWF is ticked, and then Attack 2 for your RWF. This is a key part of possession as stretching the pitch horizontally will mean you always have space for players to run into and receive the ball. Next, you will need to instruct your CF to counter-target because it’s his goal to stretch the pitch vertically and offer an option after a successful defense.
Selecting your players
Firstly, you’re going to need a like-minded manager. Xavi or Mikel Arteta are great choices for this but anyone with a high emphasis on possession will do the job.
GK – This one’s simple, you need him to have not terrible passing, tight possession, ball control, and speed. There won’t be any keepers who are good at any of this but the likes of Ederson and Diogo Costa can do the job.
LB/RB – Ball control will be important for every role, but here, you want your wingbacks also to have good speed. You don’t plan to let your opponent close enough to worry about strength and your team will be dealing with balls over the top, so a fast wingback with good technique and passing is important. The dream player you’re looking for here is Cancelo, Alba, or Hakimi.
CB – Here you’re going to need someone that can help you build from the back but also is capable of spotting those through balls. Trust me, when you are dominating a match, the opposition tends to launch that ball to their striker the first chance they get. Alaba, Lisandro Martinez, and Marquinhos are what you want.
CM – The midfield partnership might be the most important part of this system because everything will go through them. Their ability will make or break your entire tactic. De Jong, Barella, and Modric.
CAM – In this role we’re looking for a player that can help the striker with scoring as 3 CB formations will completely nullify him. This means you want the usual stats with someone who has a good finish. De Bruyne, Olmo, or Wirtz will be able to bang a few goals for you.
LWF/RWF – If you’re going for a big guy up front, then add the lofted pass to the criteria, if it’s a smaller guy, you may need the through passing and low lofted pass skills. Also, consider if your tactic is not working against a specific opponent, you could try to beat them down the wings with dribbling and pace. On the left, you can use the likes of Foden and Sancho, with Gnabry and Di Maria on the right.
CF – Here, you can either use a target man that pivots or someone clinical to get on the end of those defenders making mistakes. Here I’d use Giroud, Immobile, or Johnathan David.
Your eFootball squad should look something like this
Just remember, in eFootball 2023, you can improve specific stats. So, you may find a player you like that lacks a stat I’ve mentioned here, just make sure you train it and you’re all set to go.