Two more additions to FIFA 16 take the crown this year, though, and the first of those is training in Manager Mode. Too often you’ll find yourself simulating between matches, or even straight to transfer windows, which are unfortunately unchanged, simply to buy more players, or sell the duds. To be fair to EA, it’s very similar in Football Manager, and the addition of training builds a two-part challenge into every week. Firstly, do you train your players, or just got to the match?

 

It’s time consuming, and you will play the same training drills over time. However, the second challenge is who to train - your first team, or your youth team. Do you invest that time now in your first team, or build for the future? In all fairness FIFA 15 was quite good. We loved the graphical touches, with grass stains appearing on jerseys, bendable corner flags and working ad boards, while gameplay wise, the option to change team strategy depending on the current situation (attack to tie up the game or play defensive minded to preserve the victory) was a nice touch.

 

Along with a lot of animation tweaks in FIFA 16, you’ll now notice that players pivot or turn a lot quicker and smoother than before. While it looks attractive, more importantly it means that defenders who have been tricked or side-stepped can still chase the ball without being left in the dust. The game also seems to have tweaked the player acceleration attributes too, and now players have more of a sense of urgency when it really matters. In short, your defence is now stricter, swifter and smarter.

 

Some cheap players or items that can be found on transfer markets are actually offered at a cheaper price fast their sell securities. For example, players with 78 global ratings can be quickly sold for 312 coins. Therefore, if you see a card of 78 players in the market with 300 coins or even below, buy it immediately because, by selling them fast you can still make money fast. Running out as Dagenham, AFC Wimbledon or Leyton Orient, complete with kits and full squads, continues to be a real selling point although if you thought Alexis Sanchez felt slow wait till you try and speed past players as Dean Cox…

 

This year's edition of the world's most popular football game, Fifa 16, seems to have attracted criticism in some quarters with many claiming rival title Pro Evolution Soccer has improved more rapidly. On top of it all, captain Henri Lansbury is assured and brings real quality with a starting career mode rating of 73 which looks likely to rise significantly over time. With a much slower pace overall, players really have to fight for every inch of space, although FIFA 16 does, in fairness, give players more tools than ever to eke out that extra yard.

 

And it's not all in favour of the attackers, as defenders can now tug back wingers, make fake moves to tackle - which is particularly useful against unexpecting human opposition - and react to changes in play mid-tackle, all of which addresses the balance between attack and defence. Other noticeable additions to defending include a tackle feint, for counter-baiting tricky opponents during one-on-one battles. No longer does the protect-the-ball crab pose offer an impenetrable defence; it’s easier to slip around players in possession of the ball and then get a foot to it.

 

Perhaps most significantly of all, defender AI has been fine-tuned to make more interceptions and to track runners with more doggedness. Try your hand at a seemingly infinite career: Follow in the footsteps of Manuel Pellegrini and grind your way to a league title while deriving as little pleasure as possible. Or emulate the path of Harry Kane and work your way from a team's fringe to getting your name tattooed on beer bellies of the hard-core fans. Either road is satisfactory.