Tactical Styles Football Manager 2014 Guide

Tactical Styles
The Specific Team Instructions guide looked at the tactical effects of each of the specific
team instructions, and how they can be used with the two main categories of mentality;
more defensive and more attacking. Now we can look at how specific team instructions
can be combined to form particular styles of defending and attacking football.
The attacking styles were introduced earlier in the Mentality guide, where we discussed
selecting a general style that is appropriate for your players, and will be developed further
still when we discuss how to select Roles and Duties in each area of the pitch.
Each defending and attacking style tends to naturally suit either more defensive or more
attacking mentalities. A common approach, as discussed earlier, is to choose a mentality
to suit your desired attacking style. As we saw then, this mentality will itself encourage a
way of playing, and you may find this is largely sufficient for your attacking style.
However, in many cases you will want to define your style more precisely with appropriate
specific team instructions.
You can then choose to adopt a defending style that also suits your mentality and chosen attacking style, possibly again using appropriate team
instructions to define this more precisely than the mentality itself will. Alternatively, you may prefer to use specific team instructions to modify
the natural defending style of your mentality to fit an alternative style that better suits your players and desired approach.
Listed below are some suggested defending and attacking styles, along with appropriate specific team instructions and explanations. This is not
meant to be a definitive list, and you may want to come up with your own styles or modify the ones here. Furthermore, the styles are not to be
considered as mutually exclusive; you may, for example, want to combine more than one attacking style.
You should also note that the specific team instructions mentioned here are not to be treated as necessary in order to adopt a particular style.
Many of them simply intensify the basic instructions of the related mentality type. They can therefore be used where a more explicit adoption
of a style, or aspect of a style, is desired, or to adopt the style when not using the related mentality type.
Read Soccer Systems and Strategies to learn more about tactical strategies.
Defending Styles
More Defensive Mentalities
The following defending styles tend to suit more defensive mentalities. More defensive mentalities will instruct your team to defend deeper
and encourage more men to get behind the ball.
Defending Cautiously
This is the typical approach to defending with more defensive mentalities.
Drop Deeper or Much Deeper Defensive Line, Stand Off Opponents, Stay On Feet
Your players will hold their defensive positions rather than trying to win the ball.
Defending The Middle
This is for use against opposition playing with a narrower formation than yours.
Exploit The Flanks, Play Narrower, Drop Deeper or Much Deeper Defensive Line, Use Tighter Marking
Your players will tighten up and hold their defensive positions. After winning possession they will attempt to play counter attacking passes into
the wide areas where there will be more space and less possibility of being caught offside. You may want to use Hassle Opponents and Get Stuck
In to encourage more aggressive defending.
Keeping Possession
This is a way of defending when in possession by slowing down the game.
Retain Possession, Work Ball Into Box, Play Narrower, Stick To Positions, Take A Breather , Lower Tempo or Much Lower Tempo, Be More
Disciplined
Your players will stay tight and try to keep hold of the ball, rather than trying to penetrate the opposition. This can help them conserve energy,
while a technically capable team can use it to prevent the opposition from getting any of the ball and tire them out, before later attacking with
more purpose. Alternatively, a technically capable team can use this style to waste time when in the lead, in which case you may want to add
the Waste Time instruction.
Tactical Styles | Football Manager 2014 Guide 1/16/2014
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Time Wasting
This is a way of defending when in possession by employing time wasting tactics.
Clear Ball To Flanks, Shoot On Sight, Stick To Positions, Play Even Safer (with the contain mentality), Be More Disciplined
Your players will try to waste as much time as possible. This can be a more effective way of running down the clock for technically poor teams
than trying to keep possession.
Clearing The Danger
This is a way of defending when under heavy pressure.
Go Route One, Pass Into Space, Clear Ball to Flanks, Much Higher Tempo or Higher Tempo
Your players will attempt to clear the ball quickly into safer areas, perhaps with some intention to counter attack.
More Attacking Mentalities
The following defending styles tend to suit more attacking mentalities. More attacking mentalities instruct your team to defend higher up and
encourage more of your players to stay in front of the ball ready for when it is won back.
Defending Aggressively
This is the typical approach to defending with more attacking mentalities.
Play Narrower, Much Higher Defensive Line or Push Higher Up, Hassle Opponents, Get Stuck In, Use Tighter Marking
Your players will reduce the time and space available for the opposition as much as possible and try to win the ball back quickly, rather than
holding their defensive positions. Aggressive tackles can be discouraged by not using Get Stuck In.
Defending the Flanks
This is for use against opposition playing with a wider formation than yours.
Exploit the Middle, Play Wider, Much Higher Defensive Line or Push Higher Up
Your players will reduce space in the wide areas and keep the oppositions wide attackers deeper, where they will be less effective, by
defending higher and wider. After winning possession they will attempt to play counter attacking passes into the central areas.
Defending In Wet Conditions
This is for use on a poor pitch in wet conditions.
Go Route One or More Direct Passing, Clear Ball To Flanks, Play Wider, Much Higher Defensive Line or Push Higher Up, Hassle Opponents, Get
Stuck In, Much Higher Tempo or Higher Tempo
Your players will defend higher up and more aggressively, keeping the opposition further away from goal and attempting to counter attack
quickly in the wide areas where the pitch is less muddy.
Attacking Styles
More Defensive Mentalities
The following attacking styles tend to suit more defensive mentalities. More defensive mentalities will instruct your team to play deeper and
encourage more of your players to stay behind the ball. This means creative attacking players will be more involved in build up play, while your
team will be more patient and controlled in possession.
Counter Attacking
This is the typical approach to attacking with more defensive mentalities.
Play Narrower, Drop Deeper or Much Deeper Defensive Line, Stick To Positions, Lower Tempo or Much Lower Tempo, Be More Disciplined
Pump Ball Into Box or Clear Ball To Flanks can also be used to encourage direct passes from defensive players, but make sure that you are aware
of their other effects.
A counter mentality will encourage counter attacking play after possession is won.
Your defensive players will play direct passes in an attempt to release quick, skilful or creative attacking players against a higher and more
exposed opposition defence. A strong striker may be used as a target for the direct passes, not only to help relieve pressure, but to hold up the
ball before playing simple passes to quick, skilful attackers, or back to a creative midfielder to release the attackers behind the defence. Passes
among your more attacking players will be shorter in order to build up attacks more patiently and help keep possession when not counter
attacking.
Passing Through The Defence
This is a more patient approach suited to more intelligent and technically capable teams.
Retain Possession or Shorter Passing, Pass Into Space, Work Ball Into Box, Play Out Of Defence, Play Wider, Lower Tempo or Much Lower Tempo
Your players will build up attacking play slowly, try to find more space, and attempt to pass through the opposition using through balls. In
particular, Play Out Of Defence encourages your defenders to pass short to supporting players, helping to prevent direct attacks launched from
deep.
Additional options are: Run At Defence, Roam From Positions, Be More Expressive
These will incorporate more variety, unpredictability and fluidity of movement.
Attacking With Creative Wingers
This is for use with creative players that cut inside from the wide attacking positions.
Retain Possession or Shorter Passing, Play Out Of Defence, Run At Defence, Exploit The Flanks, Play Narrower
This is similar to the Passing Through The Defence style, but you will be using the creativity and skill of your wide attackers to play through the
opposition, rather than the creativity and through balls of central players as would be more typical of the Play Through The Defence style.
You will require your wide defenders to provide width when your team is attacking, which can be done by giving at least one of them an attack
duty, with the other a support or another attack duty. A defend duty for your central or defensive midfielder closest to the more attacking wide
defender can be used to accommodate his forward runs, while two defend duties can even be used in midfield if both wide defenders are given
attack duties.
You may want to also use Look For Overlap to encourage your wide defenders forward, but this can have the undesired effect of making your
wide attackers hold up the ball and play less creatively. This is more appropriate when using less creative and skilful wide attackers.
More Attacking Mentalities
The following attacking styles tend to suit more attacking mentalities. More attacking mentalities will instruct your team to play higher and
encourage more of your players to get ahead of the ball. Therefore, deeper players will be required to be more creative and more attacking
players will need to be more skilful or physical.
Attacking The Flanks
This is for use with quick, skilful wide attackers.
Go Route One or More Direct Passing, Exploit The Flanks, Play Wider, Much Higher Defensive Line or Push Higher Up, Much Higher Tempo or
Higher Tempo
Your players will play the ball quickly to skilful wide attackers positioned high up the pitch, where they can be most effective. These players can
be instructed to either run down the flanks or cut inside and attack centrally. If using wide attackers that stay wide then you would benefit
from having a central attacker with good aerial ability to provide a target for crosses, especially if you also choose to play with more width as this
will cause your wide attackers to be more isolated.
Running At The Defence
This is for use with quick, skilful attackers in all areas.
More Direct Passing, Work Ball Into Box, Run At Defence, Play Wider, Much Higher Defensive Line or Push Higher Up, Much Higher Tempo or
Higher Tempo
Your deeper players will play the ball quickly to very high ability attacking players who will attempt to use their speed and skill to penetrate the
opposition defence and create chances close to goal.
Additional Options are: Roam From Positions, Be More Expressive
These will give your team more fluidity in movement and your players will attempt to use flair and intelligence to penetrate the opposition. You
might also want to use Shorter Passing with a highly technical and intelligent team to create quick, fluid, passing moves through the opposition
high up the pitch.
Playing To A Target Man
This is for use with a strong striker with good aerial ability.
Go Route One or More Direct Passing, Pump Ball Into Box, Hit Early Crosses, Float Crosses, Play Narrower, Much Higher Defensive Line or Push
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Higher Up, Stick To Positions, Much Higher Tempo or Higher Tempo, Be More Disciplined
Your team will play direct balls to a target man, who will attempt to use his physical presence and ability to create chances for teammates close
to goal with flick-ons and knock downs, or by holding the ball up to bring other attackers into the game. Playing higher up the pitch will mean
the target man will be playing closer to the oppositions goal where he can be more effective, while it will also, along with the narrower width,
give him closer attacking support from teammates.
Further Reading
Inverting the Pyramid - guaranteed to give you a greater tactical knowledge and understanding
The Manager: Inside the Minds of Football's Leaders - learn how to think like a football manager
Will You Manage? - tells you the skills needed to be a great manager and gives essential tips for fantasy football success
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Guides Updated For FM 2014
Players
Player Ability & Performance
Player Attributes
Important Attribute Combinations
Player Personalities
Player Preferred Moves
Tactics
Introduction
Choosing a Formation
Team Instructions
Mentality
Fluidity
Specific Team Instructions
Tactical Styles
Player Instructions
Roles & Duties
Playmaker & Target Man
Specific Player Instructions
Set Pieces
Appointing a Captain
Training
Introduction
Team Training
General Training
Match Preparation Training
Individual Training
Training Reports
Individual Training Focus
New Position Training
Preferred Move Training
Assigning Coaches
Squad
Player Morale & Relationships
Player Fitness
FM Stole My Life
Football Manager Stole My Life lifts the lid on the cult of FM.
Read more...
Section Contents
Introduction
Choosing a Formation
Team Instructions
Mentality
Fluidity
Specific Instructions
Tactical Styles
Player Instructions
Set Pieces
Appointing a Captain
New Guides
Tactics
Guide to tactical styles to use for defining your team's approach on the pitch.
Guide to choosing roles and duties to suit your players and tactics, including a detailed tactical analysis for each area of the pitch.
All other tactics guides have also been completely rewritten for FM 2014.
Training
Guide to interpreting and using training reports.
Squad
Guide to managing your squad's morale and relationships.
Guide to maintaining player fitness.
Must Read Guides
Player Ability & Performance
Player Attributes
Tactical Styles
Roles & Duties
Match Preparation Training
Training Reports
Useful FM Sites
Official SI Forums
FM Portal
Reddit Community
Tactics Resources
Inverting the Pyramid - guaranteed to give you a greater overall tactical knowledge and understanding
Soccer Strategies - learn the advantages and disadvantages of using different formations in defence and attack
Soccer Systems and Strategies - teaches you about different tactical strategies
Transition and Counter Attacking - find out how to play against different opposition systems
Match Strategy and Tactics - learn how to adapt your tactics to the opposition and different match scenarios
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