I get where you're coming from but I would much rather have the CPU tactics vary from team to team and match to match so that some matches are like FIFA18, with relentless attacking and plentiful chances, but other matches are much more turgid, with chances really hard to come by. It is the lack of variety that is the single biggest thing that's putting me off getting this.
And the feedback so far is that League 2 teams play basically the same as EPL teams - that's the killer blow for me. Sounds like Team Styles, as I think most of us expected, is about as real and effective as Custom Tactics. I'm still hoping that people start feeding back that sliders save the day but as someone who prefers playing with lower league teams, I'm not interested in taking on Forest Green Rovers and Crawley and then watch on in bemusement whilst they play like PSG.
I went back to FIFA16 last night to compare, playing with 3 star teams and the CPU was far more varied, made far more mistakes, miscontrolled the ball more, more midfield play, patiently played the ball around the back far more, even passed back to the keeper a few times, there were more scraps in the boxes, more variety of goals...basically more varied and realistic than the FIFA18 demo.
Going back to FIFA18 demo again, it's definitely that bit more refined, polished, slightly better physics, better animations, more smooth, definitely a step forward in some areas of the gameplay, but the CPU play is too perfect (PES style, but without all the CPU backheels) and the whole is things is too fast. I can't believe the final game is actually speeded up from the demo.
I still think EA have a great game engine but are choosing to cater to a particular (albeit huge) audience. I think the game needs sim mode and an arcade mode and with the huge resources and income they have, they're perfectly capable of delivering more, even 2 engines in the one product. They charge a full price £50 every year for what is essentially a tweaked version of last year's game - it's about time they delivered more.