Manchester City Women, one of the top teams in the FA Women’s Super League, are known for their fluid attacking play, solid defensive structure, and high-pressing game. With EA FC 25 now incorporating women’s football more extensively, fans of Manchester City Women will want to replicate their style of play to dominate their matches. Whether you’re an avid player of career mode or looking to master the online seasons, custom tactics can be the key to unlocking the full potential of the team.
In this article, we’ll guide you through the best custom tactics for Manchester City Women in EA FC 25. We’ll focus on areas such as formation, offensive tactics, defensive strategies, and individual player instructions that suit the team’s strengths. Let’s break down the details.
1. Formation Setup
The foundation of any tactic in EA FC 25 is the formation. For Manchester City Women, a formation that allows for control in midfield, overlapping fullbacks, and freedom for attackers is essential. Based on the team’s strengths, the 4-3-3 (Holding) or 4-2-3-1 formations work exceptionally well. These setups ensure that the team is balanced both defensively and offensively.
- 4-3-3 (Holding): This formation gives the team a solid midfield base, with one defensive midfielder shielding the defense, while two central midfielders can push forward to support the attack. The wingers and striker provide width and penetration in the final third.
- 4-2-3-1: If you prefer a more structured defense with a versatile attack, this formation allows for a double pivot in midfield that provides defensive security and quick transitions. The attacking midfielders can roam between the lines, supporting the lone striker.
Key Players to Fit Into Formation:
- 4-3-3 (Holding):
- CDM: Keira Walsh (Playmaker role)
- CM: Chloe Kelly (Box-to-box)
- LW/RW: Lauren Hemp and Bunny Shaw (Pace and dribbling threats)
- ST: Khadija Shaw (Strong finisher)
- 4-2-3-1:
- CAM: Chloe Kelly (Creativity and vision)
- CM: Keira Walsh and Yui Hasegawa (Solid ball distributors)
- RW/LW: Lauren Hemp and Bunny Shaw (Cut inside, exploit space)
2. Offensive Custom Tactics
When playing with Manchester City Women in EA FC 25, you want to replicate their free-flowing, attacking style while maintaining tactical discipline. Here’s how to optimize your offensive setup.
Corners and Free Kicks: 3/10. You don’t want to overcommit players forward during set-pieces, as it leaves you vulnerable to counter-attacks.
Build-Up Play: Balanced or Slow Build Up
Manchester City Women are known for their possession-based style, often building attacks from the back. Using the Balanced or Slow Build Up option will allow you to control possession and wait for the perfect opportunity to penetrate the defense.
Chance Creation: Possession or Direct Passing
Possession should be your primary focus, especially against stronger teams. This tactic helps in maintaining control and finding gaps in the defense. On the other hand, Direct Passing is useful when you have wingers like Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly who thrive in 1v1 situations and quick counters.
Width: Set this to 6/10. Manchester City Women utilize width to stretch the defense, and you should replicate that by positioning your wingers slightly wider to create space for midfielders to operate centrally.
Players in Box: 5/10. This ensures you have enough players making runs into the box without overcrowding the penalty area. Your wide players will provide dangerous crosses, so having a few players crashing the box will increase your chances of scoring.
3. Defensive Custom Tactics
Manchester City Women balance an aggressive press with a disciplined defensive structure. Setting up your team defensively in EA FC 25 requires attention to how and when your players press the ball and how compact the defense stays.
- Defensive Style: Press After Possession Loss
- Manchester City Women excel at winning the ball back quickly, especially after losing possession. This tactic mirrors their high-intensity press and keeps the opposition under pressure immediately after turnovers.
- Width: 4/10. Keep the defense relatively compact, as it helps reduce the space for the opposition to exploit in the middle of the pitch. However, don’t go too narrow to avoid giving away too much space to the opposition wingers.
- Depth: 6/10. A higher defensive line reflects City’s pressing game and keeps the pressure on the opponents. You don’t want to sit too deep as this may invite pressure, but having a moderate depth ensures your backline doesn’t get caught out by long balls or through passes.
4. Player Instructions
While the tactical setup is crucial, specific player instructions can take your gameplay to the next level. Let’s break down the ideal instructions for Manchester City Women in EA FC 25.
Forwards:
- Khadija Shaw (ST):
- Support Runs: Stay Central
- Attacking Runs: Get In Behind
- Shaw is a powerful striker who can exploit spaces behind the defense. Keeping her central and making runs behind the defensive line maximizes her goal-scoring chances.
- Lauren Hemp and Bunny Shaw (LW/RW):
- Support Runs: Get In Behind
- Cut Inside: Especially for Hemp, as she can shoot with her stronger foot when cutting in from the left.
- These wingers excel in 1v1 situations, and setting them to cut inside will allow them to get into better shooting positions, while getting in behind will stretch the defense.
Midfield:
- Keira Walsh (CDM):
- Defensive Position: Stay Back While Attacking
- Interceptions: Aggressive
- Walsh should shield the defense and dictate play from deep, which is why staying back while attacking helps maintain balance. Aggressive interceptions suit her playing style.
- Chloe Kelly (CM) and Yui Hasegawa (CM):
- Attacking Support: Get Forward (for Kelly), Balanced (for Hasegawa)
- Positioning Freedom: Free Roam (Kelly)
- Kelly can act as a box-to-box midfielder who arrives late in the penalty area, while Hasegawa can be more reserved, controlling the tempo.
Fullbacks:
- Fullbacks (Alex Greenwood and Leila Ouahabi):
- Attacking Support: Join the Attack
- Run Type: Overlap
- Manchester City’s fullbacks are crucial to their attacking setup, often providing width when the wingers cut inside. By setting them to overlap and join the attack, you give your team additional options in the wide areas.
Center Backs (Steph Houghton and Alanna Kennedy):
- Attacking Support: Stay Back While Attacking
- Your center-backs should stay in their positions to avoid leaving your defense exposed during counter-attacks.
5. Team Mentality
Finally, when playing with Manchester City Women in EA FC 25, you’ll want to ensure your mentality aligns with the flow of the match. If you’re controlling possession and dominating the game, keep the Attacking Mentality. However, if you’re up against a tough opponent or holding onto a lead, switching to Balanced or Defensive will help you secure the result.
Conclusion…
By following these custom tactics, you’ll be able to replicate Manchester City Women’s exciting and successful style of play in EA FC 25. Mastering the balance between offensive creativity and defensive solidity will help you dominate opponents, whether online or offline.
Frequently Asked Question’s
Ans. The 4-3-3 (Holding) and 4-2-3-1 formations work best as they provide a balanced attack and solid defense, mirroring Manchester City Women’s play style.
Ans. Use her as a CDM with instructions to stay back while attacking and aggressive interceptions. She will control the game from deep and help shield the defense.
Ans. Set her to cut inside, get in behind, and utilize her pace and dribbling skills to exploit spaces in the defense.
Ans. Yes, set the depth to 6/10 to maintain a higher defensive line, which complements their pressing style and keeps the opposition under pressure.
Ans. Use balanced build-up play with a focus on possession, combined with aggressive pressing and compact defense, to maintain control of the game on both ends.
| EA FC 25 | EA FC 25 Codes | EA FC 25 Lists |
| EA FC 25 News | EA FC Tips & Guides | Homepage |