after playing some single and cup games. I finished my first season with a title win (division 10  ), surprised to see so many expensive teams in the lowest division. I played my Serie A and Dutch 433 teams. Will post them in the team show off thread.

I actually had a good run (2 losses of which one was a disconnect  ). Played a German guy with mic on, he had a non-rare BBVA team with Lewa (??). He came in front 1-0 (Soldado) but I got quickly one back with Paloschi. I was totally dominating this lad and he got angry all the time. Shouting that this game is crap but actually he just made some bad decisions. When he tackled me in in my own box from behind, it was a fully deserved red card for his star Lewa. After that he pulled Berardi in his box, he went to ground and a penalty was given. 2-1 victory. Last game of the cyclus I played a full pace BPL team. Seems like high pressure is worst than in FUT15, they were rockets that came after me. IF De Jong scored the 1-0 but he got a late equalizer, giving me the point I needed for the title.

All in all a good run. Think the AI is sometimes really bad:
- own players running into the player I control with the ball 
- a left back wandering around in the right wing position??!?!?!
- defenders missing the ball, not controlling it. But that is part of the game right now
- also some highly questionable decisions of referees. Tackles from behind that were left unpunished, got a penalty against me for absolutely doing nothing. In the replay it was clear that I even did touched the other player

What I like is that the Dutch non rare team feels not as good as the higher rated serie A team. May be stats do differ this time?

Have to say I'm liking the gameplay but a 2 year break will clear bad memories and expectations quite effectively.
I like the trickier passing, find it more rewarding to get right and satisfying to play against a ping pong pass merchant who can't. Seems you have to be more deliberate, which I'm still finding the balance on, but I appreciate that angle anyway.
Not come up against this speed dribble thing as far as I know. Kind of worries me a bit because defending against the dribble is the thing I'm finding hardest of all. Whether it's skill moves from the kick off or the byline switchbacka-go-go spammers. Have been defending relatively well at times but still get caught by these 2 things (as well as trying to pass out from the back with bronzes v golds). I do need to have a pop at this mystical 2 player jockey malarkey, there's a button there I've never used. I tend to just contain like crazy or drop off and wait for them to run into me. Varying success with that.
Pace may well be a big influence again higher up the divisions but I've had very little pace problem so far, nor have I been able to cause one for others. Tight control around the box has been a far bigger influence on my games than pace, with passing and strength next in line.
Referees, not been too bad on me. Above approaches to defence are pretty clean. Could see pretty early on that running back alongside and using strength was fatal so more or less gave it up. I think this opened me to the dribble vulnerability ofc. Still, I'm confident there's a balance to be had.
Shooting nerf is real. I've scored once outside the box from open play. Tend to have a hard time creating chances in the 1st place. Down to the balance between deliberate build up and incisive counter attack tho, for me.
High pressure opponents. Again, not too much trouble here apart from with bronze v gold, where passing out from the back has been near impossible at times. With equal teams tho, a few good passes has got me in behind, easy down the flanks in 4-5-1. If they don't high pressure, I can get lots of possession but little penetration, so it's swings and roundabouts.
Overall, I haven't been doing that well. Making silly mistakes with the passes in my own half, getting dribbled on or just failing to take my chances have scuppered a fair few good performances. I'm making good progress tho and at least now winning more than I lose.

Notable LMAO games.

Played an 85 rated 433 in singles, using my bronze 352. Guy had Messi, Ronaldo and Hazard up front, Cazorla behind them, 2 strikers wide midfield and at full back, Thiago Silva and Snejder at CB.... Yep....
Game finished 4-3 to him. He scored a couple of ridiculous goals just shooting from range or taking my whole team on but at the back his team was so laughably bad it was unreal. I've had stiffer defences from starter teams. Just a shame I couldn't handle his front 3 or it would've been worth saving the video.

Worst bullshit I had so far, one game from the div 10 title. Lost 2-1 to a starter team. He even outdid me on shots and territory. Literally could not get out my own half for long spells. For whatever reason...

Beat an 81 rated, all gold BPL team with my 352, quite early on. Dominated the opening 10min and scored. Got penned back and conceded the equaliser. 2 half was pretty equal, went 2-1 up, then 2-2. Finally, my Korean gem, Woo, scored a 120th min winner and I went crazy.

You were lucky. You missed out on sprint dribbling in 15! Wasn't too bad after a couple of months and facing it constantly, but early on was hellish at times. Got easier as it went on as you learnt to defend it. As soon as you faced a front 3 of Gervinho, Dounbia and Ibarbo, you knew straight away they were terrible players. Quite pleased that I never once lost to that triple attack in 15.
How are you finding bronzes this year? I've barely touched them since 13, and found bronze matches appalling last year.

I don't even recognise pace attack teams on the loading screen now, lol. Just a bunch of who the **** are theys.

I remember bronze's being pretty awful on UT14, I did play it for a couple weeks. Now I dunno, been so long I've got nothing to compare it to. I think they might be closer to 14s than 13s but so far I've quite enjoyed them. They don't feel universally terrible like they did on 14.... Really I don't know without a lot further play.
Possibly they're better. I'm sure I remember it being abysmal going up against gold teams with bronzes on 14 but I've had a few even matches with them this time.
Stat wise tho, having browsed FUThead quite a bit, there are a lot of good looking bronzes this time. The amount with 70+ dribbling (my 1st search) is incredible compared to 13. I've seen quite a few strong all round players too. I do have a vague notion that strong all round isn't as good as strong in key areas this time...
Early days, time will tell. I'm don't think they'll be of UT13 vintage but they may top 14 or 15...

Have been struggling to find THAT formation, annoying really as for 3 years some iteration of 3 ATB has been great but the wide players play as fullbacks this year  . At the moment am running 4-2-3-1 wide still struggling to get those wide players involved but liking it might try the one with the CAM's instead of LM/RM's but feel i would be really missing out on those top wide players down the line.

Will post my teams when i get a chance to switch them all to the one formation 

Played my first match of the evening typical starter BPL team with Martial up top HP runner 3-0 win for me the more i play with Pjanic the better he gets will try and upload a freekick and a 20 yarder but i got the new windows 10 xbox one dashboard over the weekend even though i opted out of the extra early test  which means upload is not working as they are replacing it with a new program.

 

It took me 10 months of FUT15 to settle on a favourite formation!

Played my first pre patch game. After the endless game has changed/game hasn't changed threads that end in the same 5 or 6 people trading insults over the past week on the darkside, i went in unsure what would happen. EA said only goalkeepers have been changed. First corner and the giant Al Soma headed in for me. Previously the keeper would have punched.
Now I don't know if its coincidence/placebo ect, but i played my best attacking match of 16 so far. Tore the guy apart as easily as was possible on 15. Pass felt easier. Obviously one match is way too early to tell anything. May have been good connection. He wasn't crazy torpedo pressuring. Maybe he was a weaker player. Remains to be seen.
Oh and he got a BS what moment penalty near the end. Didn't matter one bit but this stuff with penalties is as bad as defenders running away randomly from lob through balls, which thankfully seems to have gone at last this year.

Agreed with formations at this stage. Personally am putting it down to early days and '15 is still so fresh in my mind. We had 2/3 go-to formations and could get wins 80% of the time with OP teams.

Now, it's wading through them again. Been through both 4231's, 433 (4 & 5 variants), 451 and now back onto 3412. Tried 3421 but it never stuck.

Last night's games were all 3412 - trying to find some 'different' strikers. First up was a Vietto-Araujo combo - with Danny at CAM - which started as a NR team, but ended with rare golds all round them . They were cheap though, with just Inigo being the most expensive.

The game definitely felt more sluggish than the next - which was played with the 'top team' including Tevez-Dybala, etc. Now, I have felt this with the few silver teams we've played. I know that wonderful word 'handicap' comes into play - but not for the benefit of the weaker team. Like Glad mentioned, potentially players feel like their ratings/status

Anyway, another ok-ish night ... 3-3-3. Frustrating draws again conceding goals near the end - 2 of them at least.

Amazing session. Four games, all won, Division 9 title, 1st Gold Cup of the year and IF Kameni in the pack. The patch is the best thing ever! Time to make a new team.

nice TWS, enjoy as it will not get any better 

I am experimenting with 433 (the standard one) and 451. I have some troubles with the LM/Rm going forward with 451 but that can probably fixed with those custom instructions. The CM in 451 really wanders around. Funny is when your opponent takes teh kick off and you push for pressing he is the first to be on the opponents half 

I like the 433 standard one but that has to do with the players I use. The serie A has all round midfielders.