As Don Howe once said "There are four things that Will make you a better footballer; practice, practice, practice and more practice." But Don Howe's a boring, talentless git who thinks a Homburg hat looks rather stylish. Therefore, we've put together a guide to getting the most out of Actua Soccer without all the hard work.

GET IN THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND

Actua Soccer isn't some naff arcade game. You can't just keep pressing the fire button until the ball flies in the back of the net. You have to develop that most elusive of attributes, a footballer's brain. How else will you know how to create space, when to hold, when to release and when to give their winger a grass sandwich. To help you here are a few points to bear in mind.

ONE TOUCH FOOTBALL

Mastering this technique is vital to success in Actua Soccer. Listed below are all the possible combinations and moves:

First time touch - This can be performed when the symbol at the players feet is a star. Hold in the X button, without touching the direction controls. When this button is released the player will shoot at goal.

First time control - When the symbol at the players feet is flashing, press the pass button. The symbol will stop flashing. The player will then control the ball.

Chip shot - Hold the square and the X button down and then release the square button to chip the ball forward. The power of the chip is determined by the length of time the button is held down.

Power shot - Press the square button when the player is standing still.

Dummy pass - This can only be performed when the player is standing still. Hold the X button, select a direction and then release the X button.

Disguised pass - Hold the square and X buttons, select a direction and then release the square button. This will look like a dummy pass, but will be passed to a team mate who must then shoot or punt the ball up-field.

High pass - Hold square and X buttons. Release the X button to make a high pass.

Power pass - Pressing the X button will pass the ball along the ground. The power of this pass is determined by the length of time that the button is held down. The direction pad can be used to control the direction of the pass.

SHOOTING

An advantage of the one touch feature is that it allows strikers to "first time" crosses fom the wing. These are possibly the most satisfying and spectacular ways to score. You too can play like Brazil, by following this step-by-step guide:

1. Select a formation that has players on the wing (4-4-2, 4-3-3 etc.)
2. When pushing forward, play the ball out to the wing.
3. Run with the ball to the side of the penalty area until the symbol at your player's feet turns to a square.
4. Twist and turn in a Ginola-esque manner until you lose your marker.
5. If the square is still at your feet, press the pass button once. This should send the ball floating invitingly into the box.
6. As soon as your cross is released press the shoot button once. This will set up the striker's first time shot.
7. Sit back and watch the striker volley, head or scissor-kick the ball into the back of the net.

One touch shots are very difficult to perform from short passes. Therefore only attempt them when you have the time to set the shot up.

Try and shoot with the one touch feature when you can. These give the goalkeeper less time to get into position and the shots are automatically targeted on goal.

If you have enough space, attempt the super shot (with joypad centered).

Always be on the look out for rebounds from their keeper. The best time to score is when the goalie's still on the floor.

Always put aftertouch on a shot if you can. With the best keepers aftertouch is the only way to score from long distance.

When taking a penalty select the wire camera. Aim your player at a corner of the goal and use the power shot. Then quickly press down on the joypad to keep the ball hard and low.

Don't panic! The best players stay cool when the ball's in the area.

DEFENDING

Keep the oppositions shooting opportunities to an absolute minimum. Live by the footballer's maxim "If in doubt boot it out". You may feel like a bit of a donkey, but then Tony Adams earns a fortune so who are we to argue.

Look out for rebounds from the keeper. Opposing teams will always maintain an attack until the ball is in the keeper's hands.

Turn the offside option on. This means that your defenders will always stand a chance of blocking a run on goal. However, it also means that your strikers won't find it as easy to go one on one with the keeper.

Don't leave yourself too exposed at the back. If you're playing against a much better team or one that plays with an attacking formation, you'll need to select a formation that has a four or five man defense.

Don't forget the option of passing back to the keeper. If there's enough space he'll boot it so far it'll come down with snow on it.

PASSING

The key to successful passing is creating space. Don't be tempted to pass when an opposition player is right on top of you. Either release the ball quickly, or twist and turn until you're clear.

Aim for the gaps, and look for players in space. Remember that you don't always have to be facing the player you want to pass to, but if you aren't then the pass is less likely to be successful. If your team have good vision they will look to pass to the man in the best position. They will also run on to the ball when it is passed to them.

A passing game is most effective if you're playing with one of the better teams. Italy's players, for example, will be more likely to find a man in space and players off the ball will make runs that get them clear of defenders. If you're playing one of the weaker teams a high number of passes will increase your chances of losing possession. In this situation it's better to revert to a long ball game and choose a suitable formation (e.g. 4-2-4)

TACKLING

Try not to pull players out of position to make a tackle, especially in the penalty area. If you do you may be leaving an opposing player unmarked. A

better tactic is to hold your ground and keep in-between the striker and the goal.

Don't lunge at every player feet first. Sliding tackles should be used only when you're sure of coming away with the ball or as a

last resort.

The most successful approach is to run into a player (use the sprint button to help you make up ground), shouldering him off the ball.

Be aware of which referee is in charge of the game. One too many tackles with a strict ref and it's time for an early bath.

PRACTICE

"But I though you said..." - Just shut up, of course you've got to do some training. Select practice mode and you'll be able to master your technique without the other team bothering you.

You must practice the one touch passing and shooting moves

If you're having all the possession, but aren't scoring many goals, then this is the part of the game you need to work on.

FORMATION AND TACTICS

Know your squad and the strengths and weakness of the opposition. Plan your game accordingly. For example, if you're playing a weak team against Germany, play with a packed defense, stick to a long-ball game and use forwards with good controlling skills rather than those with good pace or flair.

A lot of problems can be sorted out by getting the formation right. For example, if you're losing out in midfield, try adopting a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 formation. Remember that the default formation may not be the one that suits your style of play.

..AND IF YOU CAN'T WIN FAIRLY CHEAT!

On the title screen press,

R2, L2, Select, Up, Left - at the same time.

This allows you to play with a chosen secret dream team (the Gremlin

Showbiz XI). Among their ranks is a highly rated no.11 called Bazza Davies.

For some reason the commentator thinks he's great.