FIFA 12 – 10 Top Tips for Ultimate Team [Guide]

As the title states, below is 10 top tips for Ultimate Team in FIFA 12. Struggling to build your coin balance up? Finding it difficult to build chemistry? Well this guide will help you with those questions and much more!

1. Do not use Subs
Although few people actually do this during a game, at least online, using subs can actually be a deterrent to your clubs growth. Although you may think that you are helping your player/s fitness by bringing them off, it really does not help all that much. But, the main reason not to use subs is due to contracts.

Contracts, especially for clubs just starting out, can be costly. A gold contract can cost between 200-250 coins on the auction place, and although it may not seem like that much, contracts have to be purchased for all players in the team. A normal gold contract lasts 13 games, so you could be looking at spending over 2,000 coins on just contracts every dozen or so games.

That is why it is best not to use any substitutions! If you use any subs, then their contract length will dwindle down just as much as any player that started and completed 90 minutes on the pitch. It just is not worth bringing on a sub for say thirty minutes and costing you more coins in the long run.

2. Use Subs in Tournaments
Yes, this contradicts completely what was said previously, but using substitutions in certain tournaments can be a helpful tactic in making sure you have the most complete squad you can.

All tournaments in Ultimate Team in FIFA 12, whether they are online or offline, have certain stipulations that you must follow in order to compete. These stipulations can include only allowing you to play with a starting eleven full of one nationality or a team that is comprised of players from just a set amount of leagues. However, with the use of subs, you can bend these rules a little bit and give yourself an advantage over the opposition.

As an example, if the tournament you have entered requires you to play with footballers from just one nation, then you can easily gain an advantage. Firstly, just stick three unwanted players in the starting eleven (these can be bronze players, just as long as they are from the same country as your other players). Then as the game begins, substitute these players for three of your top players from other nations. This results in you having a stronger squad and allows you to use players from more than just the one nation.

Another good tip about substitutes that you can use in tournaments is as followed. Sometimes, tournaments only allow you to have a certain star rating for your squad. One thing some people do not realise is that the squad rating includes the substitutes. So, if you fill your bench with bronze players, you can keep a stronger starting eleven on the pitch to begin with.

3. Stay Away from Gold Packs in the Beginning
Gold packs are good for two things: finding the best and most sought after players, and burning a hole in your pocket. Unless you are willing to purchase packs with your own money (which I would not recommend), then a standard gold pack will cost you 5,000 coins, whilst the deluxe version is 50% more at a quite staggering 7,500 coins. The sad thing is that these packs are rarely worth the outlay.

The best thing, at least when you are starting out, is to stick with the auction market when you are looking to add items to your club. Although you will not be able to purchase players from the higher echelons, you can still bring in top players that will do a very good job for your team. You could realistically purchase a full starting eleven and bench of gold players for less than what one standard gold pack would cost.

Once you have built a capable squad, then you can begin to fork out the coins for some gold packs. Just do not expect to be able to even break even with the items that you get. And if you find a very rare, highly rated player then you were very lucky!

4. Do not Quick Sell your Bronze/Silver Players
A mistake people regularly make when they are starting out on Ultimate Team for the first time is that they flog their bronze and silver players by quick selling them. This is one thing that you should not do!

Quick selling an item can be helpful in certain situations, but not for when you want to get rid of bronze or silver carded players. High-end bronze players usually quick sell for around 20 coins, with silver players not faring much better. Although it may come as a surprise for the less experienced player, there is a healthy market for these types of players.

The reason why people hunt out these cards is that certain tournaments only allow you to use bronze or silver rated players. Also, people also look for these players to help lower their squad rating for other certain rules attached to tournaments. Just remember that players with pace are a hot commodity, so make sure you price them accordingly when putting them up for auction. For the rest, you can auction them for 150 coins each; considerably more than if you just quick sell!

5. Building Chemistry Fast
Chemistry is without doubt the most important facet to building the best squad that you can. It is integral to build chemistry, so that your players react in the way you want on the pitch. This means that they will make the correct runs, track back, stay in position etc. If the chemistry is low for your team, then you are more than likely to get ripped to pieces by any team that has maxed out theirs.

There are many different ways to build chemistry and the first place to start is by placing players in their designated positions. That means that even if you have a versatile player, it is best to place them in the position as designated on their card. Placing players in their preferred formation will also help in building chemistry. The best thing for this is to settle on a formation from the start and only search for players that prefer that formation. Players that are the same nationality and from the same club/league also help massively in improving chemistry. There are more players from a nation than there is from a club, so just remember it would be easier to assemble a club that is solely one nationality.

Just remember that when you are starting out, aim for the better clubs/nations to target players. If you choose a lesser calibre club or nation, then there will be less top players for you to choose from.

6. Play Single Matches Online
A good way to build up your coins is to play single matches against online opposition. The reason why it is best to go online in a single match rather than online is there are more coins at stake. Even if you lose a single match online, you will earn a similar number to what you would get for winning one offline. Winning a match online can net you close to 1,000 coins, so it is definitely the best option if you are just looking for a quick kick-about and to build up your balance.

A top tip to win single matches easily and maximise your earning potential is to play teams that have low chemistry. As touched upon above, teams with low chemistry stand little chance against their counterpart’s that are the opposite. So, build your chemistry up to 90 or above, search for a team that has 60 or below (just continue to search, you will eventually find a low chemistry team) and start earning coins! Although the skill level of your opponent may have something to say about it, you should not find it too difficult to grab at least five goals in a game and earn at least over 800 points a game…that is if they do not quit on you early!

7. Play Tournaments Offline
Playing tournaments offline is another great way to build up your coin balance quickly. With every tournament, you play four matches to win the trophy and coin bonus at the end. Not only do you get a coin bonus, but you get a similar amount of coins for winning each match as you would if you were playing just a single match. So, it makes sense to play a tournament and grab the bonus that is on offer rather than playing individual matches.

If you are struggling to build a decent side, then this is the perfect way to rack up the coins to bring in quality players. For example, you could play and win four matches and end up with around 2,500 coins. This is enough to add plenty of depth to the starting eleven of your squad.

You can obviously play tournaments online, as well. However, despite the added bonus amount for winning, these tournaments are much more difficult to win due to the human competition. It would just be best to stick with tournaments offline.

8. Swap Same Players (low contacts, better formation etc.)
Swapping players on the auction market is a tactic that is used sparingly in FIFA 12. Yet, it can be effective in bringing in players that you would otherwise not be able to afford by just using your coin balance. However, one top tip is swap for the same player/s that you have in your squad.

You might be wondering why you would swap for the same player. Well, there are a few reasons for doing this. One reason is that you can swap for the same player that prefers your formation. Some of the cards to alter a player’s preferred position can cost beyond 1,000 coins, so it is definitely worth going down this route. Another reason is that the player might be in a more suitable position for your squad than the player you currently have. For example, the same player you have in the squad may play as a defensive midfielder, but you want him to be in the centre of midfield. You can also get a better contract length for the player. So, if your player is down to 1 or 2 matches left on their contract, you can swap for a player that has 7+ left.

However, it is not often that people will agree to just a straight swap. You might have to offer an extra item as an incentive. Still, this extra item might only need to be a kit or bronze-rated player. Just use items that you cannot shift from the trade pile!

9. Purchase Fast Players
Although it will seem like a foregone conclusion to most, some people neglect purchasing players with plenty of pace. Pace in any squad is important. Not only is it a great asset when attacking, but pace is also needed in abundance to stop the attack of the opposition.

Fast players are needed in practically every position. You need speed upfront to get behind and hold off the defence, you need speed on the wings to attack and defend against the opposition effectively and you need pace at the back to keep up with the other teams strikers. Perhaps the only position in the game where pace is not fully needed is in the centre of the pitch. Most runs are usually made by other players on the pitch, so central midfielders are mainly needed for their passing and defending ability.

The bad thing is that players with pace are a hot commodity. This might mean that their prices compared to other players might be inflated. For example, if a player has average speed, but is rated overall the same as a fast player, then the fast player could be selling for up to 3 times as more than the other player.

10. Making Coins Effectively
Everyone that plays Ultimate Team is always looking for effective ways to earn coins in the game. They are the form of currency that will aid you in your quest to build the best squad you possibly can, so there is a reason why people seek ways to earn coins!

The most common way to earn coins is by playing matches, as mentioned above. If you play plenty of matches, then you will soon build a substantial amount of coins. Another way to make money is by buying and selling items from the auction place. For example, people purchase 76+ standard gold players for 300 coins and quick sell them for a small profit. Yet, due to the amount of people that do this, you are better off looking to do the same thing, but will more obscure items like position altering cards, for example.

Purchasing packs is another way to earn coins. Standard bronze packs cost just 400 coins and, as mentioned above, you can sell most items for 150 coins each, so it is well worth making this small investment. The most risky way to make coins is by purchasing gold packs. You are more likely to lose coins, but if you stumble upon a Messi or Ronaldo, then you will have hit the jackpot!

For a full guide to FIFA 12, Click Here