Published on: 25/08/2021

FIFA 22 Passing and Crossing Guide

After watching Italy lift the Euro 2020 trophy, Argentina and Messi win Copa America, and the US win the Nations League final, the summer of football has started to cool off a bit. But luckily for FIFA fans, it is only just the beginning. Thanks to more and more FIFA 22 passing and crossing news coming out every week.

FIFA 22 has a whole bunch of new gameplay changes that players can look forward to. In addition to what was showcased in the gameplay trailer, EA has dropped some extra details on how passes and crosses have been improved in the game’s latest iteration. Every FIFA player knows how frustrating the passing system can be, so any changes are welcome.

This FIFA 22 passing and crossing guide will be breaking down some of the passing updates and how you can master them before you start competing in esports tournaments.

Passing Changes and Updates

This time around, EA have made Ground, Lob, and Lobbed Through Passes more adaptable in FIFA 22. They will now better account for what’s happening in the play, including positioning teammates and opposition players, spacing, and more. The new HyperMotion technology will help FIFA feel like real football.

Here are some of the more notable changes coming to passing in FIFA 22:

• Animation Refresh: New passing animations have been added, and existing ones have been polished to allow for more consistency.
• Ground Passes: The ground passing targeting system has been revamped to allow for better target selection and spatial awareness.
• Lob Passes and Lobbed Through Pass: These passes will now be more consistent in terms of height, trajectories, leading, and gameplay.
• Pass Transitions: Improved responsiveness to allow for better transitions between different passes. In other words, players can now request different types of passes halfway through a pass request. The system will try to perform the new request instead, which can help when reacting to sudden changes.
• Through Pass Receiver System: This system has been reworked to be better and more consistent with pass targeting and receiver selection.
• Receiver Awareness: Teammates will now better understand when they are in a good position to receive a pass.
• Increased Personality in Passing:
  – Through and Lobbed Through Pass quality will depend on a player’s Vision attribute instead of Short/Long Passing attributes.
  – Ground and Lob Passes will primarily depend on Short/Long Passing attributes.
  – The player’s speed when requesting a pass can now impact the difficulty of completing that pass.

Mastering the Passing and Crossing Mechanics

Knowing the controls and buttons is just the first step in mastering FIFA 22 passing and crossing. The most important thing is getting the right combination play down to ensure you have a sure-fire path to a goal. Everything depends on the situation.

The ground pass is the easiest to learn but also the most versatile. The Ground Pass can lead you from a more compact tiki-taka style to quick counter-attacking long balls. Don’t forget about the creative run command. This can change the game on the flip of a dime, especially combined with effective ground passing.

The lobbed pass or lobbed through passes are useful when an opponent is in the way or is constantly applying pressure. A lobbed through pass is also useful when a teammate has a space to run, making the pass potentially lethal in FIFA 22.

Last will be the whipped crosses. Inspired by Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, the whipped cross makes it easier for players to get their head on the ball by causing it to dip and slow down right before contact. The perfect example of this is Liverpool’s goal against Barcelona in the Champions League a few years back.

It will take time and some tinkering as you master all the new passing changes. Take your time and make sure you learn and adapt to the game. It is constantly changing, so it can be hard to keep up. Just go at your own pace. The more time you take on the passing basics, the better the gameplay experience will be.

Written by Michael Martinez