I love the game online but find it
crazy that not everybody sees the lag.
You press the pass button and have to hope that, in the 1.5 seconds it takes for the player to turn and kick the ball, the other guy's defender hasn't managed to step into your passing lane.
I'm thankful that the scorelines (for me) are generally low compared to FIFA online, but I find this is because games turn into falling-over-each-other fests that follow this pattern:
- Loose ball, I run for it.
- I get to the ball, press pass.
- In the time it's taken to pass, the defender has ran over, stood in the way and the ball has rebounded away.
- Loose ball, he runs for it.
- He gets to the ball, presses pass.
- (But) as soon as I lost possession, I switched player and held down the PRESSURE button, so I've ran into position and rebounded his attempted pass away.
- Loose ball, I run for it.
- [Repeat ad nauseam.]
I would also say at least 50% of my shots rebound off a defender and never have a chance of reaching the goal because in the time it takes my striker to shoot, the opposition defender has ran and thrown himself in the way.
I'm tempted to believe that the defending response times are quicker than the "kicking" response times (but I guess that could be explained by having to position yourself and then move your leg through a pass, whereas defensive positioning is only half of that motion).
For me, it makes the game more tactical, because you can't rely on exploits as easily (you have more time to predict the opponent's move and therefore it seems more fair to me).
I don't think the lag is intentional - if you play offline, there's more of a button response time than FIFA, and so naturally when you play online that doubles (same with FIFA - offline there's very little button lag, online there's more).
I think it'd be a better game without the lag, but it doesn't frustrate me as much as others.