The real question is : What are you expecting from the game ?
Do you want to have fun, do you want a challenge, do you want realism ?
and also on which platform do you play it...
Everyone of us is different so as Billy stated , there should be a load of different opinions.
Here is mine:The only thing I want to have is realism
First of all , I play fifa06 on the PC because the PC version allows never ending customisation of the game ( just for the record, I added more than 100 new teams last year, along with hundreds of 2gk kits etc etc...)
I also never plays online or with friends ( only against CPU )
I will NEVER buy a console because I would stick to the original EA version
The CC is on the making and this year too, it will be possible to make a lot of modifications.
The first thing I do is tweaking the configuration.( very easy to do on PC )
I set the cross assistance =0, put the referee strict, and increase the rate of injury .
I don't allow the CPU to make tactical changes because , the guys at EA have not understood that making tactical changes means changing the tactic. When the CPU makes tactical changes it replaces for ex. a striker by a defender BUT the defender will play forward which is a total joke.
That's why I want to have more injuries because then the substitutions made by the CPU are realistic ( above all you should allow 7 subs on the bench which cover all the subs possible )
I have also a little patch that I found , which allow the goal keeper to kick past the median line.
I have also change the zooming of the cameras so I can see a lot more of the ground ( I play mainly with the sideline camera ).
this way you have a better look and you can play a lot more like in real life ( diagonal crossings, long balls etc...etc... )
Now the level:
What I want is realism. I want to see a difference between players and teams. The only level that permits that ( in my opinion ) is the professionnal level. World class is not realistic ( I don't want to talk about the legendary level ) because the CPU scores too easily , you make a bad move and you have a goal against you .The 2 upper levels are for people who want to have a challenge
At the pro level, the CPU misses a lot of chances when you play against a " little " team. You really see a difference if you play against MU or some lower team.
I don't feel like modify the gameplay this year. I have seen the CPU make long shots, special moves etc...everything is there.
The big thing I did not like last year ( the gap in the middlefield ) is gone.
It is more difficult to break the middle but it is possible. all you need is to be patient and don't miss the opportunities.
last but not least, I play with a lot of different teams and make my own tournaments, so I am not bored.( I also edit a lot more than I play actually .)
I play 2 halves of 6 minutes each. The highest score I have had was a 6-0 but it happened just one time ( and the CPU was playing with 10 men only ). One thing I like very much this year too, is that it is possible to have real life scores when 2 lower teams play ( last year it was difficult to score a goal with a little team )
Fifa06 is more balanced in this area. Of course there are a lot of things that I miss ( I would like to have the tactical deepness and player positionning of PES in fifa ) but it's the best fifa so far IMO