Be A Goalkeeper was one of my favourite additions to FIFA 11 but an awful lot of people have said that they’re ridiculously overpowered and impossible to score against.
I must admit, if you shoot the same way you do against an AI keeper a Manual goalkeeper will save your shots all day long. Don’t get disheartened though. There are still some surefire ways to score past Manual goalkeepers. Only now it’s as much a battle of wits as it is about technique.
(And you must admit – it’s so much more satisfying scoring past a Manual goalkeeper than it is an AI one!)
Anyway, here are my 5 Ways to Score Past Manual Goalkeepers. If you have any more tips, please share them in the comments. ?Please note that these tips are from open play. If it’s penalty taking you’re after you can read my post on FIFA 11 Penalty Taking Tips.
1. Fake Shot
Keepers like to spam the A / X button when they are expecting a shot. (How often have you seen a keeper that looks like he’s doing the YMCA!?) This let’s them save 95% of shots that would normally fly past an AI goalkeeper.
This button bashing does however put them at a huge disadvantage if you know what you’re doing. Spamming the A / X button leaves the keeper flat footed and unable to move for a short period of time.
To use this to your advantage you need to make the keeper press the A / X button and then slot the ball past him once he’s flat footed and one of the easiest ways to do this is with a fake shot.
I fake shot using by pressing the X / Square button immediately followed by the A / X button and a direction (I know this technically isn’t a shot but it works so much faster than B / Circle button and allows to to fake shot in much tighter spaces).
To Summarise the Fake Shot
- Approach the goalkeeper
- Fake shot and turn slightly left or right
- Immediately shoot low to the same side of the keeper that you turned
2. Step-overs
Step-overs use exactly the same principal as fake shots. Again, you’re aim is to make the goalkeeper press the A / X button and then shoot low past him whilst he’s flat footed.
Step-overs are just another way to make the keeper root to the spot if he presses the A / X button at the wrong time.
To Summarise Step-overs
- Approach the goalkeeper
- Do a couple of step-overs and exit to the left or right
- Immediately shoot low to the same side of the keeper that you turned
3. Cut back
The cut back is without doubt the easiest way to score past a manual goalkeeper. If you can get in a position where you’re 2 on 1 draw the keeper in and then square it to your mate (using A / X) leaving your stike partner with an easy tap in. If you are the one receiving the cut back make sure your run is not angled away from goal when your team mate passes it to you.
FIFA 11 passing mechanics means that even if you team mate passes using the A / X button the pass will go in front of you meaning that if you’re running away from goal the pass will have a tendancy to push you wide potentially leaving you with a tight angle and a wasted chance.
(It’s true! In this version of FIFA the receiver’s movement determines where the pass goes so if you give the ball away, blame your team mate! ;))
To Summarise the Cut Back
- Draw the Keeper in
- Square the ball to your team mate (using the A / X button)
- If your receiving the ball make sure you’re not running diagonally away from goal
- Score the tap in!
4. Near Post Shot
Although cut backs are still the most effective way to beating a manual goalkeeper in FIFA, good keepers are wising up to it and anticipating the square ball! To combat this you can double bluff. Next time you’re 2 on 1 against a good keeper turn your player’s body inside to look like you’re about to square it then quickly turn away and shoot low into the near corner.
If the clever clogs keeper committed to cutting out the square ball you’ll leave him with egg on his face as you slot the ball into the near corner. Everyone’s always taught to shoot across goal. You’d be surprised at how often a cheeky near post shot will sneak in in FIFA 11.
To Summarise the Near Post Shot
- Draw the keeper
- Shape as if to square the ball to your team mate
- Quickly turn back out away from goal
- Shoot low into the near post
5. Chip to the back post
One of the most common way of scoring but a lot of the top FIFA Pro Clubs around. This is all based around the goalkeeper having to cover his near post.
There’s two effective areas to do this:
- When you’re approaching the goal around the angle of the 6 yard box.
- Tight to the by line cutting inside the area.
When aproaching from around the angle of the six yard box slightly turn your player away from goal before playing a chipped through ball towards the back post.
The other option is most effective when you’re really tight to the by line.
You’ll take the keeper out of the equation and any defenders will be on the back foot running towards their own goal greatly decreasing their chance of winning the header.
If the keeper manages does anticipate it and gets across the other option is for the striker to head the ball back across goal for an easy tap in (although this does require support in the box!)
To Summarise the Chip to the Back Post
- Approach the goal from the corner of the 6 yard box or on the by line
- Chip through ball to the far post (remember to turn away from goal slightly if you’re approaching the 6 yard box)
- Head into the open net (or head the ball back across goal using the A / X button for the easy tap in)
I hope this helps you beat those overbearing Manual Goalkeepers, let me know how you get on.
There is a tutorial video to follow this post that I’ll add in the next few days. I was going to save the post until the video was ready but I figured you may as well have the theory and the demonstrations can follow…
If you have any more tips on How To Beat Manual Keepers in FIFA 11 please let us know in the comments.
5 Comments
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lobbing the keeper works, usually it’s a lucky lobbed through ball, but if you time your shot then you can lob the keeper. as you’re running into the box inside left or inside right channel, between the penalty area d and side edge of the box, run straight into the box, if keeper starts to come out, time the chip to the back post, mostly it will float into the goal, or someone can head it in.
keeper can be expecting a pass into the box so rocket shots from a quick lay off, from the edge of the box, usually have to be aimed top corner, half volleys work best.
fake out side the box, as your running with the ball, inside left or right channel, turn towards the sideline, do a fake back in, and send a finesse shot to the far post. Auto positioning from turning out and doing a fake shot has the keeper at the near post.
These three are harder to do, but they do work and look good (although in a serious club you’re unlikely to get away with it if you don’t score, you’ll get 10 people in chat saying PASSSSSS ;) )
Cheers for the tips Manuk. Definitely come in handy for the more advanced player. Might be worth mentioning too that the finesse shot to the far post works a lot better with the “Finesse Shot” trait on. (Sounds obvious I know but you’d be surprised at how much more successful you are with the trait on).
Had to laugh at your comment about 10 people shouting PASSSSS. I’ve been on the receiving end of that a few times. At the end of the day though, if you don’t shoot – you don’t score.
I know a lot of teams try to walk the ball in because of how good manual keepers are but sometimes it’s best just to have a pop. You might catch the keeper off guard or get lucky on the rebound.
True, a strong shot can lead to a rebound or a corner.
One thing I forgot to mention which certain teams do amazingly well – the front post cross.
The winger crosses to the front post, most keepers move away from the front post when they see a cross being delivered, either to catch it or set themselves in the centre of the goal. The striker needs a well timed run to the front post from a double tap cross, and usually the header flies past the keeper at the near side.
Great tips and a combination of the lot is the best tip imo.
Mixing it up can be key as GKs look for the the cut back or wait for the fake. So trying different things in a game is the best tip I would give.
Spot on at how just a normal shot may be the best option. Managers may have a go if it doesn’t result in a goal and you may just hear pass pass all night but a power shot in the direction of players supporting(Mainly across goal)will 9/10 result in the GK palming it away and it’s then down to how lucky you are with where it lands
and with how short passing sometime goes way-ward it can sometimes be better than a cut-back when 2on1 which may seem crazy :p but many human GKs can react to a shock shot near post or the cut back regardless if they are going for one or the other.
I find Cut-backs and the odd skill move most effective and taking time and letting the GK make his move first.
Cheers for the advice Melvin. And you’re so right about letting the keeper make the first move. Sometimes if the keeper doesn’t commit to anything you can just walk up so close to him that you can slot it past him whatever he does!