Creating Tactics - The Book of Roles

[Rashidi]

THE BOOK OF ROLES
*UPDATED*

When creating tactics we need to know how we are going to win games with the players at our disposal. Visualising how we score goals helps. Knowing which area of this pitch we can control with our players is vital.

There are many ways to build a tactic, you can go ground up by analysing your team to find a tactical shape that suits them or you can impose your own tactical shape on them and slowly mould them into how you want to play.  There is no right way, only your way.

Ultimately football is just a battle on a pitch where sides try to win battles across the pitch. Weaker sides will try and win the battles in defence and try and launch quick counters. Sometimes they will try and force stronger sides on the backfoot and deny them a chance to play their game.  Stronger sides could try and impose their will on a game and try and control the bigger areas of the pitch forcing weaker sides into an endless barrage of attacks. That’s the beauty of the game – there is no one tactical approach, and that’s the same with creating a tactical system. There are many ways to do it.

 There is one thing that stands true in any system. You need to find the right player to do the job you want. If you aim to play a defensive game then you need the right kind of players to do the job. With that in mind I will explain certain roles in the game to begin with so that I get the basics out of the way before constructing a tactic. A role can be played in different ways and it can work in combination with other instructions in the game to offer you choices. How these roles play on the pitch can affect your tactical shape, so its important to understand the basics first. Once you understand roles you will be able to make effective combinations with the players that you have.

The Short and Sweet of Roles

Goalkeepers
 

Sweeper Keeper

·     Technically proficient, good first touch, dribbling and kicking are attributes needed apart from typical keeper attributes
·     Ideal for possession football and countering prevent short goalkeeper distribution and the high press. 
·     Used well when we have players in close proximity to offer passing options. Eg. Ball Playing Defender, Deep Lying Playmaker
·     Might leave the box to launch attacks from deep
·     Real Life Example: Allisson, Liverpool
·     Works well in combination with a BPD, to counter the jigh press or prevent short goal keeper distribution.

How a sweeper keeper and a ball playing defender can create passing combinations to beat a high press. They draw the team in before releasing the ball either to a playmaker or they can use the BPD to do a deep diagonal. Without these roles the Sweeper Keeper could try and pass the ball to the nearest fullback.

Goalkeeper

·     Orthodox keeper, doesn’t need to have good first touch
·     Can still play the ball on the ground with the “Play out of Defence” team instruction
·     Stays in the penalty area, rarely ventures out of the box
·     Real Life Example: Kaspar Schmiechel, Leicester (Before Brendan Rodgers as manager)

Central Defender:

·     Generic defenders who are a good option for any side
·     Will play the ball out of defence or in the air.
·     Team instructions and mentality can influence their play, sometimes they will play the ball long when there are no adequate passing options. 
·     Movement – Does not leave the defensive line

Ball Playing Defender

·     Technically proficient player, good first touch, dribbling, passing, vision and technical defender attributes
·     Can launch deep diagonal attacks from the back if there are good options in front. Eg an Inside Forward on attack duty playing against the high press, with space to attack.
·     Risky role if used with players who have poor first touch, composure and dribbling
·     When paired with a sweeper keeper they can counter a high press or prevent short GK distribution
·     Can be used very effectively in a 5 man or a 4 man defensive line.
·     Movement – Dynamic role that can leave the defensive line to initiate attacks or break lines (eg, Move from defensive line to midfield)
·     Real life example: Virgil Van Dyke (Liverpool), Matthis De Light (Ajax)

Libero

·     Creative central defender, passing, decisions, vision, and dribbling are recommended attributes to have in addition to central defender attributes
·     Technically proficient player
·     Can push out of his defensive line when he brings the ball out of defence
·     To bring the best out of him, it’s best not to have playmakers ahead of him
·     A good role for playmakers who need to be retrained as they get older as long as the defenders around them are fast.

No Nonsense Central Defender

·     Ideal role for players who are not great with passing, first touch or dribbling
·     A role that plays direct balls into space or towards a player
·     Ideal role for sides that want to play defensive football where clearing the ball is the first priority
·     Can be used by any team as an option for a deep strike when they are playing with attacking duties in the final third

No Nonsense Fullback

·     Does not overlap
·     Simple fullback role whose priority is to guard the flanks
·     His starting positioning is usually too deep to offer support to attacking players in central positions because he holds position
·     His job is to help the team recycle possession so he will not be expected to cross often. 
·     He may clear the ball when he has no good options to pass to

Fullback

·     Versatile with plenty of options offered by duties, including automatic duty, which makes this a very customisable role that can be abused.
·     If a team is on attacking mentality and you use a FB on auto he will follow the team mentality and you can instruct him to do things that may not be available to other duties. It’s a duty I avoid.
·     On defend duties he holds his position and crosses from deep 
·     On support duties, decisions and his individual mentality will influence his play. He will choose when to do cross, play the through ball. His job is to support the midfield and attacks. 
·     On attack duties, the fullback will cross more often and look for chances to move higher up the pitch.
·     A fullback on support can be positioned higher to support midfield with the overlap/underlap shout. This will place them close to midfield, but can run the risk of putting the team in danger if the side is not good at circulating the ball.
·     A fullback can be influenced to pass inside more by using the “Sit Narrow” instruction. This will move them narrower during buildup play. This can be useful for sides that have issues with keeping the ball when they are building play from the back.

In this image you can see how the fullbacks position themselves. When playing on support or defend they will not commit to attacking transitions early, instead they will wait till your side exerts control over the opposition area.

Here the FB(D) on the left flank is helping the team circulate possession, he will have plenty of passing options.

The FB(D) may not overlap but if you have the right distribution of roles in midfield you can use them to control midfield creating space for him to be an unmarked cross deliverer from deep.

Never look down on a FB(D).

These are some of the movement patterns we can expect from duties and from certain player instructions like “Sit Narrow” and “Overlap/Underlap”

Wingback

·     More aggressive than the fullback
·     Good role for sides opting to play an aggressive possession game in midfield and the opponent’s third
·     A wingback on defend duty will help the side keep possession of the ball, help the ball move the ball through the midfield transition phase but will prioritise returning back to a defensive position when needed
·     Wingbacks on Defend duty are positioned higher up the pitch than a fullback on support

In attacking transitions they will get themselves higher up the pitch

Here is a wingback on defend duty supporting the attack, if the side loses the ball he needs to track back quickly.

His priority is to cover the threat that is on the flank.

Wingbacks on defend do not cross from the byeline, they will hold position and cross from deep

Inverted Wingback

-      A cross between a defensive midfelder and a fullback
-      Positions himself in the defensive midfield tier when the team has the ball and they are moving from defence to midfield
-      On defend duty he will hold position, unless you have the overlap instruction, which could influence him to down the flanks if you are in control of the opposition third
-      On support/attack duty he can end up attacking the box centrally. In some cases he may move further than a central midfielder on support.

This role requires specific requirements to work, failing which they default to playing as wingbacks

-      If used with two defensive midfielders, the role defaults to playing like a wingback because the defensive midfield strata is already occupied
-      If only one defensive midfielder is used but he is not centrally placed the IWB closest to the DM will default to playing as a wingback
-      If there are no wingers/wide midfielders playing in the AML/AMR/MR/MR slot, then the IWB defaults to playing as a wingback
-      These are done by design by SI. 
-      Real Life Example: Phillip Lahm, (Bayern under Pep Guardiola)

Here we are playing with two IWB, behind two wingers, note how the IWB’s are positioned slightly ahead of the DM.  These IWB’s have been given the overlap instruction.

We are in control of the opposition space, and the IWB goes forward to overlap and receive the pass out wide

IWB’s can also break through lines quickly, here our IWB has dribbled all the way from his starting position, out to the right flank, even before the other IWB has got into position.

He holds the ball long enough for the rest of the team to catch up, plays the ball to the central midfielder

The central midfielder moves wide to play the ball out back to the IWB as he comes in free to cross the ball.

This IWB was played on support, with the overlap instruction to create this style of play.

However this kind of dynamic attack also has its risks.  His driving runs can sometimes leave your flanks exposed.  To use this role effectively you will need a technically capable player who can do the task without losing the ball. He will also need to have good acceleration, stamina and work rate. When used with high defensive lines, choosing the wrong player for this role can be catastrophic.

Complete Wingback

• Along with the IWB this is the other wingback role that has roam from position making their play-style unpredictable
• CWB can cut inside or go wide
• Suited for players with good technical, mental and physical attributes. 
• Since they roam they need to have good decisions to make the right call whether to go wide or narrow. 
• They start from wider positions and will dribble more. 

Defensive Midfielders

Before looking at their roles it’s worth noting that one can play with  up to 3 defensive midfielders in that strata but whether it’s a good idea or not I leave it to your imagination.

Anchoring Defences

Anchor Man 

-      The most disciplined defensive midfielder
-      Positions himself in front of the two central defenders and does not venture too far from them.
-      Plays simple passes and does not do anything extraordinary
-      Is a great choice when you want to move the ball safely to playmakers positioned in central midfield
-      One of the best roles in the game for disciplined defences
-      Effective against lone man striker formations in isolating them as passing options

An anchorman’s position in front of the central defenders and in the opponent’s third when you have possession

Forming a tight partnership with the central defenders, not expected to close down players on the flank

An anchorman will not venture too far away from his defenders

Defensive Midfielder

-      Another excellent role for protecting your defences
-      A bit more creative than the Anchorman and might try longer passes and risky passes
-      He may close down further away than an anchorman. 
-      If there are other players closing down in midfield then this could lead to complications as the DM may also enter the mix leaving you vulnerable.
-      Ideally you want someone with good positioning, concentration and decisions to play this role, because they can sometimes commit to actions that reflect poor decisions.
-      This may be a generic role but it is also a simpler role without being locked into player instructions and can be a good option for more creative players, as they wouldn’t be shoe-horned into a particular playstyle
-      Real life example: Javi Martinez

A defensive midfielder generally occupies the same area as an anchorman

Here the DM has joined other roles in midfield to close down a player even though the team is playing on balanced and he is on defend duty. This leaves the defence vulnerable. With a good defensive line and the right players this may not be an issue, but it’s worth paying attention to.

Ball Winning Midfielder

-      A very interesting role, this player is a disruptor
-      He breaks down play, has a big  area of influence and needs to be used with care.
-      If used in the defensive midfield tier, he can leave the central defenders to close down the flanks.
-      If used in midfield as a support duty he can close down further up the pitch.  

A good position to use him is in central midfield on support where he can disrupt sides and make it hard for them to build up play in midfield

Here we have a BWM who has left the area in front of the central defenders unprotected as he goes to close down the opposition in their half.  

In your own half he could leave one of the central defenders unprotected as he goes to help out the flanks. Note his positioning and compare that to the anchorman and defensive midfielder. While he can be a very good player at winning the ball, you will still need good players with good positioning and concentration around him.

The combination of these roles and the use of FB(S) and FB(D) allow us to build play out of the back.

When we get to the final third our trio of midfielders do a fairly good job of controlling the centre while we are safe down the flanks. This gives us a chance to deliver crosses from deep

.

 

Segundo Volante – Roaming Playmaker – Regista

All three roles are  variants of playmakers. All three can be played from the defensive midfield position, but only the Regista and Playmaker can be played from central defensive midfield positions. Careful thought needs to made about roles and duties around the Segundo Volante and the Regista to get the best out of them. Otherwise they will get bypassed as passing options

Segundo Volante

-      Cross between the DLP/BBM/DM
-      Demanding role – covers, defends, creates and can arrive late to score
-      Played in the DM tier, either alone and offset from the middle or part of a pair of DMs
-      Requires work rate, decisions, first touch, dribbling, vision, off the ball and stamina as main attributes. Other attributes enhance the role – Positioning, Tackling and Marking will strengthen his defensive contribution and Flair will enhance his attacking style.
-      Very good option for any kind of side that wants to play possession football with a defensive tactical shape
-      His driving runs can be hard to handle for opposition side
-      When paired with a W(S) down a flank they make an extremely strong flank attacking pair
-      Can operate in the half-spaces to draw players to him

Here I am using the Segundo Volante as a pair with one on support and another on attack. They are supported by a BWM(D) playing ahead of them. Note the movement of the SV(A) as he arrives late in the box.

In the next image I have paired my SV(A)/SV(S) with an F9 in attack. In an attacking transition I can expect my F9 to drop deep vacate the space for the SV(A) to attack.

You can expect the SV(A) to go quite high up the pitch to support attacks. Here is almost on par with the W(S) who has  the ball. He starts out in this position when we have the ball in midfield

And follows the W(S) to lend support as he moves higher up the pitch

And then finally arrives late in the box to be a goal scoring threat

Regista

-      Less aggressive than an SV(A), More aggressive then a DLP.
-      Ideally used with systems that play higher up the pitch and can dominate possession
-      Creative player that does not run with the ball as much as an SV but makes himself available
-      Ideally suited for lower tempo systems, on higher tempo settings he could be bypassed and will likely be used only if your side can camp in the opponents half. 
-      Mainly acts like a link player for defense and attack with the ability to play the creative pass, not dissimilar to the roaming playmaker
-      Real life example : Andrea Pirlo

Our regsta dropping deep to make himself available for the pass from the keeper.

He is a more aggressive creative player than a playmaker and will position himself fairly high in the attacking transition.

His behaviour is not to different from a Roaming Playmaker who can also position himself fairly high in the attacking transition

Roaming Playmaker

I grouped SV, RPM and Regista in one group because they have slight variations from each other. People normally assess the effectiveness of these players in a wrong way, by looking at their assists numbers. The best way of seeing their effectiveness is to assess their passing completion percentages and whether they are the source of key passes that lead to assists.

He is also a link player that helps build transitions, this is why his passing completion numbers need to be good. You do not want any playmaker or quasi playmaker role to be losing possession or making bad passes.

In other words, did he play a key pass to a player who generated an assist. You can either drill to statistics or pay attention to games.

-      Needs good decisions, passing, vision, off the ball, first touch
-      Roams a lot so he needs good work rate, stamina and natural fitness
-      Can be played under any tempo settings
-      Positoning and behaviour is similar to the Reg
-      Shares smiliar weakness to the SV and the Regista, the roaming can place his side under pressure
-      His roaming is also a strength for sides that are good at keeping the ball
-      When using any roaming role in the centre of the pitch in the defensive midfield area, you need to think of how the roles and duties around it will defend the space once the player is not there to defend it.
-      The RPM will move all over the pitch to support play and does not make an ideal defensive player. 
-      May leave central defensive midfield are unprotected when you are in possession and are building play up in midfield

In this image the RPM is not in a good position when his side’s attack breaks down. The opposition have played a clearance in the direction of a player who is free.

As the attack builds up you can clearly see the problem as the opposition player has the option to free a player to attack space or drive the ball himself down the left

The RPM will move all over the pitch to support play in this image he moves to the left where he is needed

 

[Rashidi]

*reserved*

[Rashidi]

Wide Target Man (WTM) – Support and Attack

The WTM will be the side’s main outlet for clearances and long balls from the back. Ideally positioned against a smaller and weaker fullback, he will be asked to get hold of the ball and keep it before recycling it to a teammate.

With a support duty, the WTM is best used to bully a smaller and weaker fullback, offering knock-downs and chances to onrushing teammates.

With an attack duty, the WTM becomes the team’s main focal point for the majority of their attacking play. Ideally positioned against smaller fullbacks, he will be asked to receive the ball wide before getting others into play.

Locked Instructions:

Support: Hold Up Ball, Dribble Less, Hold Position

Attack: Hold Up Ball, Dribble Less, Get Further Forward

Key Attributes: Strength, Off the Ball, Passing, Balance, First Touch, Work-rate, Teamwork

• Fantastic role because he can help create space
• Holds up, wins ball and can play in others who can attack space
• Ideally use him in combination with roles that are attacking space, eg. Overlapping attacking fullback, underlapping fullback, attacking mezzala, central attacking midfielder, box to box midfielder, shadow striker
• Very effective at creating overloads on a flank in a 4231
• Can work in tandem with player traits. A player who cuts inside and is assigned a WTM role could drift inside becoming a bigger nuisance as he more options to hold the ball for.
• A WTM can be used in a system to lay off balls. For example he can lay balls off to a wingback to cross from deep
• Ideally you want this role to be played by someone who has strength, off the ball, anticipation, passing and vision.
• Fullbacks and Wingers can be told to focus crossing towards a target man.
• This is one role where teamwork may be important, because the player is meant to be selfless opting to work with other players to craft out chances
• You can use a player with good jumping reach, or use a player who doesn’t have one, but he will always need strength to hold off other players from the ball

WTM1: Here we are using a WTM who has cuts inside, the player drifts in and works very effectively with the other roles around him to create overloads.

WTM2: Here the WTM becomes a target for an early cross on the left flank

Raumdeuter – Attack

The Raumdeuter is a German term that describes a “space investigator”. His main role is to find pockets of space in which to operate. The Raumdeuter takes up wide positions waiting for the right time to burst through the defensive line.

He is difficult for defenders to pick up, as he will often drift from his assigned position looking for any opportunity to exploit. This can result in quiet periods where he appears to be idle. He may neglect his defensive duties which requires adequate cover behind him. Germany’s Thomas Mueller probably typifies the modern Raumdeuter, his runs from deep for the national side made him a dangerous player whenever he arrived unmarked in the box.

Locked Instructions:  Pass It Shorter, Cross Less Often, Get Further Forward, Sit Narrower, Move Into Channels, Roam From Position

Key Attributes: Anticipation, Composure, Decisions, Concentration, Determination, Off The Ball, Work Rate, Balance, Stamina

• Will drift around looking for space, he could be deep or high.
• Decisions, Anticipation, Off the Ball, Acceleration are important attributes for the player.
• To exploit the Raumdeuter fully, you need to create overloads and be playing with a line of engagement that draws teams out creating even more space behind their defensive line
• You need options to switch the ball to the other flank. These will include either: a wingback playing on attack on the flank opposite to the RMD given hit early crosses, creating numerical overloads on the flank opposite the RMD, and finally players who can switch the ball to the other flank.

RMD1; As we build play up on the left flank, note how the Raumdeuter drifts around looking for space on the right flank to attack.

RMD2: A bit later in the transition, we can see how the IF(S)+Mez combination allows us to overload one side of the pitch dragging more opposition players to the left, giving us a chance to create a chance for the Raumdeuter to attack space on the right.

 

RMD3 : Here as the opposition build up play note how the RMD is staying relatively free on the right flank

 

RMD4: As we win the ball, the RMD is the first to react, by attacking the space immediately. A RMD will only be useful if you have players who can make the killer passes to him. And a RMD needs to have good mentals to be aware of when such chances present themselves. Anticipation and off the ball are incredibly important attributes for him.

Inside forward (IF)(Support and Attack)

The inside forward tries to cut inside from the flanks and run directly at defenders, and works best if the player's strongest foot is opposite to the flank he is playing on. His movement can open up space for other players around him including overlapping fullbacks. He can also be used to create overloads, his running threat can drag other players to him and it can create pressure on defenders forcing more than one to converge to close him down. There is also a danger that his hard running can sometimes end up pointless. So it’s important to use him wisely with a plan. Ideally you want him either to attack space on an attack duty or be used as part of a group of players to control possession on a flank. Since he operates in the half spaces he can draw defenders to him if used wisely.

On a support duty he will cut inside and try and play others in or take long shots if no good chance presents itself

On an attack duty he will run at aa defence, and he may shoot, pass or cross.

Locked Instructions:

Support: Dribble more, Cut inside with ball, Take more risks, Cross less often

Attack : Dribble more, Cut inside with ball, Take more risks, Cross les often, Get further forward

Key Attributes:

Support: Dribbling, Passing, Technique, Decisions, Off The Ball, Acceleration, Balance, Agility

Attack: Dribbling, Composure, Finishing, Passing, Balance, Agility, Technique, Decisions, Off The Ball,  Acceleration

• Inside forwards can be very dangerous, their main job involves using the ball from wider positions and then moving inside with them
• Players need good balance, agility, acceleration, first touch, dribbling, anticipation and off the ball. These attributes will influence how well he makes himself available for the pass, how he controls the ball and drives inside and whether he is any good at controlling the ball.
• On support duties they can attack teams from deeper positions using their technical skills to dribble inside, on attack duties they will be great at attacking space if its created for them with overloads
• Generally with most attacking duties like the IF or the RMD, you want to either create overloads or encourage them to attack you and leave you with space to attack them behind their defensive line.

IF(1): Inside Forward do driving runs from wider runs and can be very dangerous when employed in support duties. If you plan on using them on an attacking duty then you will need to ensure they have space to attack the box because they will be on the shoulder on the last line of defenders.

Inverted Winger (IW)(Support and Attack)

This is a new role introduced in FM20. The best way to describe this role is to compare how Leroy Sane and Mohamad Salah play in real life. Leroy Sane is a bit more creative and works within a system that seeks to overload one side of the pitch, thereby creating space on the other. Mo Salah, is more of an inside forward whose principle purpose is to drive at defences and score goals. Both roles start from wider positions, but both play differently on FM.

SI are seeking to turn the IW into a more creative role. This is a role that starts wide drifts inside and tries to cross on his favoured foot. He will be playing on the flank opposite his favoured foot. So a right footed player should be playing on the left flank. You will also notice a new player trait in the game, this player trait is called “likes to curl the ball with the outside of his foot”, and “ likes to switch ball to his favoured foot” before crossing. These player traits can hugely influence players who are assigned the role of an Inverted Winger.

This is a role that will frequently cut inside look for opportunities for other players as well as themselves. When he is played on support he will make diagonal runs before looking to play through balls through the middle or diagonal passes to the the other flank.

To play the role well, an IW is required to have good dribbling, first touch, passing, crossing, decisions and agility. This is a role meant to be played by an intelligent player who has to be looking up to see how others are moving into space. It also requires you to create systems that encourage players to play off him.

The movement that you can generate from an IW Is interesting.

Here we are playing against a side playing on a short and wide pitch. The opposition are lined up to defend narrow. We have a WB and an IW on the left flank. As the WB brings the ball forward he will lay it off to the IW who will run inside with the ball.

This run from a wider position immediately looks promising

Once the ball is in the final third you can expect your IW to take up positions in the half space or slightly wider.

An Inverted Winger can start from a wider position in the middle third, once they get into the final third, they tend to be a bit creative. They can either look for others to play the ball to or they may cut across diagonally.

IW receiving the ball in a wider position in the middle third.

When the play shifts to the other flank, the IW becomes a dangerous passing option, which he does become when a ball is played wide to him and he gets down the flank to drop in a cross which we convert.

The IW is a good role. Since he also operates in the halfspaces you and he plays well with overlapping fullbacks, you need to consider the roles that are around him.If you were to play a Mezzala beside him then you could end up with 2 players who are playing in the same general area. While it could work to create very effective overloads, you will need both players to be able to cross the ball diagonally.

If you play the IW with a box to box midfielder they could form a good pair, however on some transitions the IW could get isolated since the BBM does not typically stay wide. This makes the choice of your playing width and whether you are seeking to give him an overlapping fullback for support important. Personally I am more likely to play the IW(A) on an attack duty with a Roaming Playmaker on support and have a Mezzala on the opposite flank working with an IF. This does give me the potential of being able to create overloads on both flanks in a 4123.

In a 4231 I would have the IW on one flank with potentially a shadow striker or an attacking playmaker on attack in the AMC slot. This should give the IW some interesting targets to pick out in the final third.

Good ways to use an IW: 

Combine him with roles that overlap naturally or offensively, eg. Fullback on support with overlap, WB on support without overlap. The wingback is a more attacking role, so when using him make sure the central midfielder is on support.

Combine him with roles that can take advantage of his ability to play the pass or see the run, he can pick out central runs into the final third, or do deep diagonals from the halfway line. This role is very potent in systems that rely on quick transitions.

Train him to play the killer ball, and switch ball to other flank too.

Important attributes: Agility, Balance, Crossing, Vision, Decisions, Dribbling, Composure, Off the Ball, Passing

If he plays on attack, he will chip in with goals, but he will not be as aggressive as an IF.

[Rashidi]

*reserved*

[OWD]

Impressive work...

[Experienced Defender]

A very enjoyable read, can't wait for the next part  

Just one question though...

1 hour ago, Rashidi said:

 If a team is on attacking mentality and you use a FB on auto he will follow the team mentality and you can instruct him to do things that may not be available to other duties. It’s a duty I avoid

Do you avoid the automatic duty for a FB because it's highly customizable, or because it follows the team mentality? Or maybe for some other reason?

[ianscousemac]

This is brilliant,  thank you

[Rashidi]

1 hour ago, Experienced Defender said:

A very enjoyable read, can't wait for the next part  

Just one question though...

Do you avoid the automatic duty for a FB because it's highly customizable, or because it follows the team mentality? Or maybe for some other reason?

cos it's too customisable, makes me feel weird.

To give you an example. I could play on attacking mentality which makes my FB attacking, then I could tell him to cross rarely and cross from deep. There are so many things you can do with these automatic roles, that i just don't like playing that way. I already feel like i am at an advantage when I PI some roles, this is a bit too much customisation for me.

[djsmiley]

Excellent as always

[Guest]

Excellent!

[yipster1986]

God Rashidi... I was about to go to bed and you drop this bombshell on me..

Sleep is for the weak right? Right?

[Guest]

Will you post about MC or ML/MR?

[Marshdweller]

Stupid question perhaps: Excluding the newer roles, I assume that this is all valid back to games like FM15?

[Rashidi]

Just updated post one with BWM, Regista, RPM and more examples of the BWM

@Marshdweller Not really, for some of the roles the principles yes, but they were reworked for FM19, so they behave differently. For example Anchorman its a lot more tighter than it was in FM18 and the BWM, and quite a few roles received PI changes as well.

[Becanes]

16 minutes ago, Rashidi said:

Just updated post one with BWM, Regista, RPM and more examples of the BWM

@Marshdweller Not really, for some of the roles the principles yes, but they were reworked for FM19, so they behave differently. For example Anchorman its a lot more tighter than it was in FM18 and the BWM, and quite a few roles received PI changes as well.

I'm not seeing the Roaming Playmaker.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Becanes said:

I'm not seeing the Roaming Playmaker.

The difference between the Roaming Playmaker and the Regista in this case would be the inclination of the team to pass to him. As a playmaker the RPM is more likely to be the target of passes, whilst the Regista will not be.

[Becanes]

1 minute ago, Cadoni said:

The difference between the Roaming Playmaker and the Regista in this case would be the inclination of the team to pass to him. As a playmaker the RPM is more likely to be the target of passes, whilst the Regista will not be.

I saw that but I guess I thought we would get more of a write up on the RPM like the other roles.

[Cleon]

16 minutes ago, Cadoni said:

The difference between the Roaming Playmaker and the Regista in this case would be the inclination of the team to pass to him. As a playmaker the RPM is more likely to be the target of passes, whilst the Regista will not be.

This isn’t true. The Regista is also a playmaker. They’d both have equal passing bias towards them. Neither is more or less important than the other.

[Rashidi]

58 minutes ago, Cleon said:

This isn’t true. The Regista is also a playmaker. They’d both have equal passing bias towards them. Neither is more or less important than the other.

They are playmakers, yes. Under some tempo settings the Regista can be bypassed, as compared to the RPM.  I am just saying it can happen. I adjusted the comment about passing bias because that only happens in certain cases with some of the systems i designed.

[Cleon]

23 minutes ago, Rashidi said:

They are playmakers, yes. Under some tempo settings the Regista can be bypassed, as compared to the RPM.  I am just saying it can happen. I adjusted the comment about passing bias because that only happens in certain cases with some of the systems i designed.

For actual playmaker passing bias, that's the same regardless but you can bypass the role. Bypassing the Regista is different from passing bias. In the comment you posted and I quoted, you were confusing the two. You can bypass any role/setting in the right set up. I.e use wingers but play through the middle and use a role that draws the ball away from the wings and you'll bypass crossing. 

 

[Rashidi]

I wass writing too fast, just wanted to warn people about general role combinations and Tis that can screw things up. 

[Cleon]

Just now, Rashidi said:

I wass writing too fast, just wanted to warn people about general role combinations and Tis that can screw things up. 

It's confusing too sometimes writing stuff down about combinations and trying to find the right wording. 

Are you doing video versions of this btw? I think it would look pretty cool in a video format. As you can hammer home the differences then and maybe even do a side by side comparison

[Rashidi]

Yeah i plan to...need to finish writing the headache roles. All the attacking ones with move into channels.

[herne79]

Found this dropping down into page 2 so giving it a bump.

Will pin it eventually.

[Piperita]

Regarding IWB: I play them always exclusively on narrow formations lately. They behave quite differently from when set as wingbacks in the same duty.

Are the specific instructions (particularly 'cuts inside' and 'fewer crosses') still stored but the cuts will just happen later instead of early like for regular IWB? 

Normally I'd say narrow play and underlap (even without wingers) cancel out the generic 'run wide' instruction almost entirely but there still is a good difference between the two roles, particularly in the decision when to cross (IWB almost never) and final-third movement (cut inside and run to post vs. staying at the box's border). 

[Andros]

Hi Rashidi, any updates on this?  Thanks.

[TalkingTurkey]

also waiting patiently, great work as always

 

[Rashidi]

Yeah been really busy lately, my youngling has not been feeling well, so i can't really get around to doing any further additions. I wanted to do some video versions of these guides as well, had to stop for a while, may continue once he is better.

[Andros]

Understood Rashidi, I hope he gets better soon.  Sometimes there are more important things than football!

 

[Gee_Simpson]

27 minutes ago, nateliv said:

For example, in Tacticstime, you get 100 problems, which are not too hard, from 1-movers to 3-movers in general.  SOlve 'em all in 30-60mins if you're good, and them do the ones you get wrong like 5 days in a row until you've completely, utterly memorized them. Put 'em away for awhile, and then redo that 100 problems like 3-4 weeks later and see how you do. 

What?! 

[AndySummers]

I got 99 problems, but a tactic ain't 1.

[Gee_Simpson]

16 minutes ago, AndySummers said:

I got 99 problems, but a tactic ain't 1.

Exactly what I was thinking 

[muizana]

A very enjoyable read, can't wait for the next part  

[loser]

So if I have a position like CM and Carrilero, even if I make the same PI, they will still play differently because they are different roles?

[herne79]

19 minutes ago, loser said:

So if I have a position like CM and Carrilero, even if I make the same PI, they will still play differently because they are different roles?

Yes because the Carrilero has additional coding to control it's behaviour.

[muizana]

Excuse me, could you please explain FORWARD (ex. poacher, complete forward, advance forward).

I want to see the figure like the first post.

[Sebas]

En 12/7/2019 a las 16:01, herne79 dijo:

Yes because the Carrilero has additional coding to control it's behaviour.

Can you list which roles have additional coding aside from their default PI's if you don't mind?

[herne79]

4 hours ago, Sebas said:

Can you list which roles have additional coding aside from their default PI's if you don't mind?

Pretty much every role has something extra about it other than just PI differences.  A Fullback has more than just PI differences compared to a Wingback for example.  However some are more pronounced than others, such as: Segundo Volante; Carrilero; Mezzala; Half Back; Box to Box Midfielder; Inverted Wingback; Libero; Target Man; any "playmaker" role (Regista, Trequartista, Advanced Playmaker, Deep Lying Playmaker, Enganche, Roaming Playmaker, Wide Playmaker).

[bdixon]

more please

[Pav_Makarov]

В 22.04.2019 в 18:42, Rashidi сказал:

Never look down on a FB(D)

Always have done this since having picked up the game with FM 12, unless parking the bus. 

Perhaps this is time to start using the role

And thanks, I never really thought IWB can stay on the flank, I always thought that this role always underlaps and cuts in on opposition's half. 

[OWD]

Rashidi, please update this if you can. This could be one of the best threads of all time.

[Luizinho]

On 18/07/2019 at 18:53, herne79 said:

A Fullback has more than just PI differences compared to a Wingback for example.

Are you referring to mentality here or something behind the UI? Would you be able to elaborate?

Edited August 20, 2019 by Luizinho

[herne79]

2 minutes ago, Luizinho said:

Are you referring to mentality here or something behind the UI? Would you be able to elaborate?

Individual player mentality will play a big part .

[jackal_949]

Hello to everyone. We really needed a nice work. Can you explain the attack midfielder and striker positions? I'm also following you on youtube but I don't speak English. I'm using google translate. So I ask you. If you can make such guides in writing, if possible, it would be great for us. And do you have your own forum or site? Thank you very much, Rashidi. Excellent work.

[Experienced Defender]

1 hour ago, jackal_949 said:

And do you have your own forum or site?

This is Rashidi's website. 

[Hav3n_The_Hero]

Has this been finished somewhere else? As a brand-new person to football and FM this is the best guide I have found anywhere.

[Rashidi]

With FM20 coming, understandably i have a huge amount of things to do. I will definitely be finishing this up as well. Its actually finished but I only have so many hours in a day. I just added Raumdeuter, WTM and IF to the list, need to get cracking on some other stuff, but will try and add the rest in later.

 

[Armistice]

So when you talk about making space for IF/RDM through overloads or letting the AI attack you, are these the only ways to create space for them?

[Rashidi]

32 minutes ago, Armistice said:

So when you talk about making space for IF/RDM through overloads or letting the AI attack you, are these the only ways to create space for them?

How else does the opposition move in real life? They need to move because of a threat. Players just don't sit in their pockets like statues. So yes, overloads and transitional events create pockets of space, its this space that creative players use.  When players get behind to receive a diagonal then that's because the defensive line is higher than usual, when flanks open up thats because more players have shifted to one side of the pitch. Players can attack areas on the pitch by themselves, in doing so they force players to them, thereby creating space for others. Iniesta was a master of doing this from the middle of the pitch.  Man City creates overloads to move defensive teams around, which is why they use IW to hug the touchlines. Its done to expand the playable area. Defensive teams seek to condense the playable area and will use the defensive line and lines of engagement to do this. 

Why do teams like to transition quickly when they have a freekick? they do this so the other team doesn't; have time to settle in a defensive shape. When Mourinho managed Milan and beat Barcelona, his team played a compact shape with a low line of engagement. They played a direct style of football to get the ball out to beat Barcelona because they had to allow the opposition to have the ball, thereby allowing them up the pitch. Milan could not have won the game playing to Barca's strengths.

The use of space on a pitch is critical for most teams, and just plonking roles together in FM isn't enough. The game has become very simple but it still has some fundamental issues with how players play the central creative pass, when sides are camped 24/7 in their own half. The challenge then is then moving them around either with patient controlled possession or by giving them enough rope to hang themselves. 

[Armistice]

3 hours ago, Rashidi said:

How else does the opposition move in real life? They need to move because of a threat. Players just don't sit in their pockets like statues. So yes, overloads and transitional events create pockets of space, its this space that creative players use.  When players get behind to receive a diagonal then that's because the defensive line is higher than usual, when flanks open up thats because more players have shifted to one side of the pitch. Players can attack areas on the pitch by themselves, in doing so they force players to them, thereby creating space for others. Iniesta was a master of doing this from the middle of the pitch.  Man City creates overloads to move defensive teams around, which is why they use IW to hug the touchlines. Its done to expand the playable area. Defensive teams seek to condense the playable area and will use the defensive line and lines of engagement to do this. 

Why do teams like to transition quickly when they have a freekick? they do this so the other team doesn't; have time to settle in a defensive shape. When Mourinho managed Milan and beat Barcelona, his team played a compact shape with a low line of engagement. They played a direct style of football to get the ball out to beat Barcelona because they had to allow the opposition to have the ball, thereby allowing them up the pitch. Milan could not have won the game playing to Barca's strengths.

The use of space on a pitch is critical for most teams, and just plonking roles together in FM isn't enough. The game has become very simple but it still has some fundamental issues with how players play the central creative pass, when sides are camped 24/7 in their own half. The challenge then is then moving them around either with patient controlled possession or by giving them enough rope to hang themselves. 

Well I don't know, you could create space for an IF by using a DLF for example who dropped deep and attracted a CB onto him. Some stuff like that, combination of roles and duties that would work with each other. I don't doubt that overloads is also combinations of roles and duties working with each other to create superiority on a flank and attract opponent players then switch to the other flank for 1v1 but I feel it's more complicated to implement than the basic space creation/attack I wrote above. If this game has became all about stuff like overloads and having to prepare meticulously every match then it's not for me anymore, I'm not trying to become bloody Guardiola, I'm only looking to get some football going, buy players, develop where it's possible and watch the AI burn. Or if things go wrong in the process, watch me get sacked.

You say the game has became very simple but you say it's not enough to just put some roles together (considering you don't mean any random roles & duties). Well then it's not simple. If you can't win games by combinations of logical roles and duties then I don't see how it's simple.

Edited October 31, 2019 by Armistice