With the release of FIFA 22, one of the big positive changes was in defending, which saw centre-backs able to cope with pacey attackers much better than in the previous game.
However, all that looks to have changed, and we could be going back to another Ultimate Team meta with full-backs being used centrally once more.
Do look back in anger
Playing Ultimate Team on FIFA 21, we all got used to the fact you had to play full-backs in the centre if you were going to stand a chance.
With pace being so prominent in that game, you had to fight quick attackers with quick defenders, and the quickest defenders around don't play as centre-backs.
You took the slight chemistry hit incurred and joined the rest of the players using the same tactic.
FIFA 22 honeymoon period
We loved the change that happened on FIFA 22, where centre-backs were far better at defending against quick attackers.
Quite a few of the CB's had received a pace upgrade, but that wasn't the only way EA had fixed this issue.
Defending was more intelligent, with the line dropping back more to deal with balls in behind.
Strength also played a more prominent role, with CB's putting their body across players to slow them down, giving them more of an opportunity to win the ball and control the situation.
Those promising early days have passed, and now it looks like the meta is ready to change.
Blame Bergwijn
The blame can't solely be put on this, but one of the big factors in seeing the change is due to the objectives required to gain Numbers Up Bergwijn.
You could complete all the requirements at once if your 10 outfield players had 75+ PAS, 82+ PAC and 80+ DRI, which excluded most CB's.
Full-backs could meet all the criteria, so we filled our backlines with them.
The Live FUT Friendly: Numbers Up mode also gave the team maximum chemistry, so it didn't matter that many players were out of position.
During that mode it became apparent - full-backs are more than useable in the middle once again.
Height didn't matter. Strength didn't matter. Top-quality tackling stats didn't matter.
If you have pacey players in your backline, they will swarm like mosquitos, and win the ball back easily.
Being more mobile also meant they could intercept more easily, cutting out balls before they can get to a dangerous area.
New patch, who dis?
As mentioned, we can't just put the blame on a set of objectives that let players discover full-backs were the way once again, as we had already tried them early on in the game and came to the conclusion that it wasn't the way to play.
Patch updates have changed the gameplay massively since release, from a slower, more realistic style back to pacey players able to storm through defences.
We've already had that gameplay in FIFA 21, and we know exactly where it leads.
The community is speaking up, with one user on the EA message board saying:
The game didn't really have anything to do with FIFA 21 when it first came out and it was very nice. But even in the first update, they made the game like FIFA 21. Again, players who run as if they were connected to a jet engine and pass through the defense easily. Arcade mode is officially back.
We hope the next patch update reverts gameplay back to how it was at the start of FIFA 22, otherwise, it looks like it'll be a long season ahead.