Playmaker versus target man

[Stian1234]

Generally I don't use playmakers or target men, but can they not be effective tools if you want to exploit an opponent's weakness?

Let's say I find that an opponent has a full back with low key attributes - such as anticipation, concentration, positioning - would it not be a good idea to have a mobile, creative player close to him, act as a playmaker?

Or would it be smarter to set him as a target man who gets the ball played to feet?

Or would it be smarter to just focus my attacks down the side of the weak full back?

[mwhitehorn07]

playing as liverpool, sometimes late in cup matches my youngsters wont be getting it done, so I sub neymar in at Striker or AML and tick him as the playmaker and target man (run onto ball) and my team just pumps the ball to him as often as possible.

Focusing attacks would be the best option, imo, in the situation you described above.

[soccer.joel]

If you have a standout attacking player it can be a good thing to do. On my Arsenal save I dont currently use them but on my Newcastle Jets save I had a superb Muhummud Dermirci at AMC who was a great passer and dribbler so was my playmaker meaning he got the ball more and my team created more chances

[agentvinz]

If you have a standout attacking player it can be a good thing to do. On my Arsenal save I dont currently use them but on my Newcastle Jets save I had a superb Muhummud Dermirci at AMC who was a great passer and dribbler so was my playmaker meaning he got the ball more and my team created more chances

So you say on your Arsenal save with players like Cazorla, Wilshere, Ramsey, Arteta you never use any playmaker role (DLP, AP, Treq)? It's hard to believe that.

[ModernLefty]

So you say on your Arsenal save with players like Cazorla, Wilshere, Ramsey, Arteta you never use any playmaker role (DLP, AP, Treq)? It's hard to believe that.

Agentvinz, I think he means the tickbox in the team options rather than playmaker roles per se. This is what the discussion seems to be about anyway.

I think the playmaker and target man options are there as options that can be utilised in various ways, you can use them to funnel play to one player if you want to target a particularly weak defender.

Or, they can be used to as has been suggested to force the ball to a particular player who is significantly better off with the ball at his feet than others.

Or just because you want your style of football played in a certain way, to get the ball forward to a target man quickly, and then playing off and around him, or to put a weighting on the players playing through 'run onto balls' to a poacher.

They are there I guess as a main to put an emphasis on attacking in a certain way, which makes sense if the players you have, have a best attacking approach, if they are more all rounded you probably don't want to limit them.

[soccer.joel]

Agentvinz, I think he means the tickbox in the team options rather than playmaker roles per se. This is what the discussion seems to be about anyway.

I think the playmaker and target man options are there as options that can be utilised in various ways, you can use them to funnel play to one player if you want to target a particularly weak defender.

Or, they can be used to as has been suggested to force the ball to a particular player who is significantly better off with the ball at his feet than others.

Or just because you want your style of football played in a certain way, to get the ball forward to a target man quickly, and then playing off and around him, or to put a weighting on the players playing through 'run onto balls' to a poacher.

They are there I guess as a main to put an emphasis on attacking in a certain way, which makes sense if the players you have, have a best attacking approach, if they are more all rounded you probably don't want to limit them.

Yes I have an AP and DLP but I don't tick the box as all my players (except CD's and GK) are very capable at creating chances themselves.

[agentvinz]

Oh I get it, but if you untick the box manually when you actually use the playmaker roles, will it make the tactic etc less effective? Because. Everybody says don't mess with the TC.

For example, you have Treq but you untick the box, he'll have less ball but your attack won't be relying on him too much. So what's better, untick the playmaker box or just leave it? Also I've noticed if you have DLP and AP role, the TC will always select the DLP as the playmaker. Why? I always wonder about it

[soccer.joel]

Oh I get it, but if you untick the box manually when you actually use the playmaker roles, will it make the tactic etc less effective? Because. Everybody says don't mess with the TC.

For example, you have Treq but you untick the box, he'll have less ball but your attack won't be relying on him too much. So what's better, untick the playmaker box or just leave it? Also I've noticed if you have DLP and AP role, the TC will always select the DLP as the playmaker. Why? I always wonder about it

By default on TC no boxes are ticked. DLP controls tempo and passing more than the AP I guess for your other question

[ham_aka_stam]

Oh I get it, but if you untick the box manually when you actually use the playmaker roles, will it make the tactic etc less effective? Because. Everybody says don't mess with the TC.

For example, you have Treq but you untick the box, he'll have less ball but your attack won't be relying on him too much. So what's better, untick the playmaker box or just leave it? Also I've noticed if you have DLP and AP role, the TC will always select the DLP as the playmaker. Why? I always wonder about it

Stop thinking about "better" and think about what you want. Untick the box and he'll still play the same way, your team just won't look for him straight away.

One big difference with target man over playmaker is that the Cross Aim of a lot of players switches to "Target Man" if you're using one,

[phnompenhandy]

So you say on your Arsenal save with players like Cazorla, Wilshere, Ramsey, Arteta you never use any playmaker role (DLP, AP, Treq)? It's hard to believe that.

I definitely would not tick the playmaker box with these players on the pitch. Your tactic would focus on one of them to the detriment of the others. Furthermore, at that level the oppo would mark the playmaker. For me, the option works better lower down the leagues when you have one technically and mentally superior midfielder and the oppo aren't that smart.