Playing as a Striker in Football Superstars

Written by: Simon Hill • Edited by: Michael Hartman
Updated May 20, 2011

The MMO game Football Superstars is the perfect title for soccer fans. In this article we take a look at how to play as a striker.

Football Superstars Striking Tips

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The world of Football Superstars takes some getting used to and if you want to play effectively as a striker there a few things you should consider. This article will offer you a few tips on how best to develop as a striker. You will need to develop specific skills and master certain manoeuvres. As a front man your team will rely on you to bang in the goals that will win them the match. You’ll need to make good runs to receive the ball, avoid defenders and keepers and keep your composure to score. If you are new to the game you should check out the Football Superstars Basic Guide before you read this.

Striker Role

The role of striker is comparable with the front man position in a rock band. Everyone wants to score goals. Consequently you will often find that several players are attempting to take on the striker role and this can lead to disaster. Try to adapt to what your team mates do and fall back when necessary. No one likes a lazy goal poacher. Football Superstars used to favour strikers and it was far easier to attack than defend. As the game has been patched over time this dynamic has shifted so being a striker now is tougher than it was before.

Positioning

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The first thing you need to get the hang of is positioning. This is true for all footballers. Much of the game is simply about being in the right place at the right time. As a striker you will be expected to move around a lot. Your aim is to find some space so that your team mates can pass the ball to you safely. Of course once you have the ball you are expected to stick it in the back of the net.

A good striker will always be moving and looking to lose their marker. There is absolutely no point in standing behind a defender and waiting for the ball. If your team mates try to pass to you it will be cut out before it gets there. Try making runs out wide and see if you can pull defenders out of position. Whenever you can lose your man and find space you have set up a passing opportunity. The closer you are to the centre and your opponents goal the more likely you’ll be able to take the ball on and score.

Team Game

You should also remember that this is a team game and when you lose the ball you should track back and help your team defend. Don’t sit up front shouting at your team mates to defend for you. There is nothing wrong with dropping back to help defend and you can sprint forward again when possession is won. Applying pressure like this often helps your team win the ball back more quickly and you can sometimes nick it from behind by rounding an unsuspecting opposing midfield or forward player.

Offside

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The offside rule is often not in effect when playing Football Superstars and this makes your role much easier. You can afford to push as far forward as possible into space. If you can receive the ball beyond your opponent’s defence then a goal is likely. The majority of goals are scored during counter attacks with a long ball out to an advanced striker. It isn’t pretty or especially clever from a footballing point of view but unless you are up against a determined defence it works.

If the offside rule is in effect then you are going to have to stay level with the last defender until the ball is released. The chances are you will have more speed than the defender and as soon as the ball is travelling you can sprint past him and ideally run onto a ball in space.

Receiving the Ball

Don’t be afraid to tell your team mates where you want the ball. If you them to play forward balls you can run onto then let them know. It is difficult to receive a ball in to your feet and then turn and run on goal because usually a defender will be on top of you by the time you have trapped the ball. Just make sure and tell them politely, no one responds well to abuse on the pitch. If you want to build up a real understanding you should practice moves on the training pitch with your team mates before you take on competitive matches.

Scoring Goals

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One of the most effective tactics for scoring is to master volleys and headers. These take skills, timing and practice to get right but they are virtually impossible to defend against so it is worth developing in this area. You will need a decent winger to deliver the ball into you but if you time your volley or header correctly you will see the net bulge time and time again.

You should also remember that you have team mates. Just because you are the striker doesn’t mean you always have to score. Often you can pull defenders away from the box by making runs which allow one of your team mates to get in on goal. You can also slip passes to forward running midfield and defensive players and this is especially effective if you receive the ball with your back to goal. The opposing defenders will often be focussed on you and your team mate will get a free shot on goal. If you have no clear scoring opportunity then maintain possession by passing back don’t run into the opposing defence and give the ball away.

Striker Skills

The skills you should go for as a striker in Football Superstars are fairly obvious. You’ll want Shooting Accuracy, Anticipation, Kicking Power, Jumping and Movement Rate. There are other things that will come in handy but these skills will be a great help and improving your Movement Rate in particular is essential so you can outpace defenders. There are also loads of great Unique Skills for strikers including things like the Overhead Kick but many of them are tough to pull in the heat of a game and will require some practice.

When you get it right Football Superstars is a hugely rewarding MMO game. There is nothing more satisfying than banging in a goal so get on the practice pitch and develop those striking skills.