Everyone tweaks their tactics in FC 25, but most players don’t really understand what their custom instructions are doing. You set your striker to “Stay Central,” but why is he drifting wide? Your winger is on “Cut Inside,” yet he hugs the touchline. It’s not random, it’s layered AI behavior interacting with your instructions.
To win more, you need to understand what each instruction actually changes in-game, not just how it looks in the menus.
Instructions work best when your players are built for them. Buy EA FC 25 coins from U7BUY to unlock midfielders, wingers, and attackers who have the stamina, work rates, and traits to make your tactics shine.
Why Some Instructions “Don’t Work”
The problem is overlap. Instructions don’t override AI, they modify tendencies. So if you tell a high attacking work rate winger with the “Speed Dribbler” playstyle to “Come Back on Defence,” you’re asking two things that conflict.
The result? Unpredictable movement. And this happens all over the pitch when you blindly stack roles.
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Common Instructions and Their Hidden Effects
- Stay Central (Striker): Helps in buildup but only effective with low-width formations. With wide formations, it’s ignored during fast breaks.
- Get In Behind: Works best when paired with Fast Build Up or Direct Passing. Without the right tempo, the runs are mistimed.
- Cut Inside (Wingers): Doesn’t activate unless your winger is on the ball or in transition, off-ball, they still stretch wide for spacing.
- Free Roam (CAMs): Creates unpredictability but weakens structure. Great for high-skill players, risky for beginners.
- Overlap (Fullbacks): Only triggers if the winger ahead cuts inside. Doesn’t activate if your winger stays wide.
You’re not just setting tendencies, you’re shaping how your team behaves as a system.
How Instructions Behave Differently Across Formations
A big part of understanding instructions is knowing that their impact changes based on your shape. In a narrow 4-1-2-1-2, telling your CAM to Free Roam opens central channels, but in a wide 4-3-3, it just creates chaos. Likewise, a “Get Forward” CDM in a 4-2-3-1 might function as a second CAM, while in a 5-back it leaves your midfield empty.
Certain formations naturally support aggressive instructions. Others demand restraint. If you’re applying the same roles across every formation, you’re likely missing the best version of your setup.
The best results come when your instructions match player tendencies, formation width, and buildup type. A winger with the “Flair” trait and high agility thrives on “Cut Inside + Get Into Box.” A fullback with stamina and high work rate? Perfect for “Join the Attack.”
Mismatch those and you’ll end up with players out of position, failing to respond how you expect.
Instructions aren’t plug-and-play. They’re part of a bigger tactical equation.
Tips to Make Your Instructions Actually Work
- Use fewer than you think. Overloading instructions can confuse the AI.
- Watch replays. See if your instructions align with what your players actually do.
- Match traits and roles. Don’t force slow players to Get In Behind.
- Adjust by formation. A 4-2-3-1 behaves very differently from a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2.
Start small: test changes one instruction at a time.
Customize Smarter, Win More
In FC 25, the smallest tactical tweaks create the biggest in-game impact. If your custom instructions aren’t giving you results, it’s not because they’re broken, it’s because they’re misunderstood.
The difference between a misfiring squad and a machine-like build often comes down to getting your roles in sync. Learn what your instructions actually do, and watch your game level up fast.
