Official FIFA Fantasy Game – Beating the Formation Trap

The USP of the Official FIFA Fantasy game was picking a squad of 23 players. While some will have picked a starting 11 of superstars and budget players to fill out the squad, others will have been drawn to the game to make the most of a full 23 man squad. Those managers who have played the Ultimate Fantasy Premier League game will be used to the “stick or twist” nature of the Official FIFA Fantasy  game, but in attempting to use the full capacity of your well stocked squad, many teams have been caught foul of  terrible design flaws.

The Formation Trap

Aside from the fact it has no save button, thus no chance to undo any accidental changes, the game has a serious flaw regarding changing formation mid-gameweek. Two teams in a private league I’m playing in have already lost points due it. In the example below Neymar’s points were lost when the formation was changed from 3-4-3 to 4-4-2 in an attempt to drop the non playing Luis Suarez and replace him with Russian defender Kombarov. In changing the formation the player on the furthest right of which ever position line selected will be sent to your bench, in this case Neymar was sent to the bench, having already played he was locked there and unable to retrieve those fantasy points.

3-4-3

Cesar

Alba Marcelo Rojo

Rodriguez Valbuena Oscar Xavi

Messi Suarez Neymar

Bench Ozil, Kombarov

4-4-2

Cesar

Alba Marcelo Rojo Kombarov

Rodriguez Valbuena Oscar Xavi

Messi Suarez (didn’t play no points)

Bench Ozil Neymar (locked to bench)

Beating the Formation Trap

The way around this obvious design fault is to make sure your players are arranged in your lineup in order of the day they play and time of game earliest to latest from left to right. If Xavi doesn’t start and I want to put Ozil in my team then I can do a simple midfielder for midfielder trade. See example below.

3-4-3

Cesar

Marcelo Alba Rojo

Oscar Xavi Rodriguez Valbuena

Neymar Suarez Messi

Bench, Ozil Kombarov

3-4-3

Cesar

Marcelo Alba Rojo

Oscar Ozil Rodriguez Valbuena

Neymar Suarez Messi

Bench, Xavi Kombarov

But if I want to put Kombarov in for Xavi I have to change formation, switching from a 3-4-3 to 4-3-3, in doing so Valbuena will be automatically place on the bench since he is the furthest right of my midfield line, since he hasn’t played I can place him back into the lineup in place of Xavi. Had this been Oscar for example on the end of the formation he would have been placed on the bench and locked there since he had already played and you will lose any points he has accumulated. See example below.

3-4-3

Cesar

Marcelo Alba Rojo

Oscar Xavi Rodriguez Valbuena

Neymar Suarez Messi

Bench Ozil Kombarov

4-3-3

Cesar

Marcelo Alba Rojo Empty Slot

Oscar Xavi Rodriguez

Neymar Suarez Messi

Bench Ozil Kombarov Valbuena

4-3-3

Cesar

Marcelo Alba Rojo Kombarov

Oscar Rodriguez Valbuena

Neymar Suarez Messi

Bench Ozil Xavi