Goalkeeper (GK)
The Goalkeeper role focuses on simple and risk-free use of the ball, with the keeper simply looking to play the ball away from goal to an open player. If a player is not open, the keeper will play it long and safe.
The Goalkeeper will distribute the ball differently between match strategies. For more cautious tactics, he will aim to clear the ball deep whereas for more aggressive ones he will feed the defence in order to start off passing moves.
The Goalkeeper is only available with a Defend duty.
Requires:
- Aerial Ability, Command of Area, Communication, Handling, One on Ones, Reflexes, Bravery, Concentration, Composure, Decisions, Positioning, Agility, and Jumping
Sweeper Keeper (GK)
The Sweeper Keeper aims to perform two roles, those of the standard Goalkeeper and the outfield Sweeper.
Alongside standard goalkeeping duties, he will sweep up balls in front of and wide of the penalty area and initiate counter-attacking moves with direct through balls to breaking players.
With a Defend duty, the Sweeper Keeper will be a lot more cautious, but will still play counter-attacking balls when they are on.
With a Support duty, the Sweeper Keeper will stray just outside the penalty box and look to play counter attacking passes.
With an Attack duty, the Sweeper Keeper will travel some distance outside his area and be happy to move out with the ball at his feet.
Requires:
- First touch, Rushing Out, Anticipation, Creativity, Acceleration and Pace in addition to the standard Goalkeeper attributes.
A Sweeper Keeper is particularly useful if you play with a high defensive line.
Sweeper (SW)
The Sweeper drops behind the defensive line, aiming to sweep up through balls, pick up extra attackers and make goal saving tackles, blocks and secure possession.
His exceptional athleticism and reading of the game enable him to cover for defensive errors, take possession of loose balls from a deep position and secure possession.
He rarely, if ever, ventures forward.
The sweeper is only available with a Defend duty.
Requires:
- Heading, Marking, Passing, Tackling, Anticipation, Composure, Concentration, Decisions, Positioning, Acceleration, Balance and Jumping
The Sweeper normally plays as part of a five-man defence, behind the two centre backs, and should not be used if playing the offside trap.
Libero (SW)
The Libero drops behind the defensive line, aiming to sweep up through balls, pick up extra attackers and make goal saving tackles, blocks and interceptions.
His exceptional athleticism and reading of the game enable him to cover for defensive errors, take possession of loose balls from a deep position and secure possession. However, he will also roam forwards in support of the midfield when the team has possession.
With a Support duty, the Libero will step into the midfield when possession is secured and look to play balls through to attacking teammates.
With an Attack duty the Libero ventures much higher up the pitch to provide a goal scoring threat from distance alongside looking to play in team mates.
Requires:
- Dribbling, Heading, Marking, Passing, Tackling, Anticipation, Composure, Concentration, Creativity, Decisions, Positioning, Team Work, Acceleration, Balance and Jumping
- Long Shots, Pace, Stamina and Work Rate for an Attack duty
Like a standard sweeper, the Libero normally plays as part of a five-man defence, behind the two centre backs, and should not be used if playing the offside trap.
Central Defender (DC)
The main job of the Central Defender is to stop the opposing attackers from playing and to clear the ball from danger when required.
However, especially for more aggressive tactics, he must also possess the technique and composure to be able to help the team maintain possession and lay off simple passes to more creative players.
With a Defend duty, the Central Defender will stay in line with his defensive partner and look to break up attacks, mark opposing forwards and prevent the ball from getting into the box.
With a Stopper duty, the Central Defender will push ahead of the defensive line and close down players before they get to the area.
With a Cover duty, the Central Defender will drop a little deeper and sweep up through balls behind the defensive line.
Requires:
- Heading, Marking, Tackling, Composure, Concentration, Decisions, Determination, Positioning, Jumping, and Strength
- Aggression and Bravery for a Stopper duty
- Anticipation, Acceleration and Pace for a Cover duty
- Teamwork is important if playing partnering centre backs (any role) with a Defend duty, especially if playing the offside trap.
Limited Defender (DC)
The main job of the Limited Defender is to stop the opposing attackers from playing and to clear the ball from danger when required.
The aim is to win the ball without giving away a free kick and get it cleared safely up field in a no-nonsense manner.
With a Defend duty, the Limited Defender will stay in line with his defensive partner and look to break up attacks, mark opposing forwards and prevent the ball from getting into the box.
With a Stopper duty, the Limited Defender will push ahead of the defensive line and close down players before they get to the area.
With a Cover duty, the Limited Defender will drop a little deeper and sweep up through balls behind the defensive line.
Requires:
- Marking, Tackling, Determination, Positioning, Jumping and Strength
- Aggression and Bravery for a Stopper duty
- Anticipation, Acceleration and Pace for a Cover duty
- Teamwork is important if playing partnering centre backs (any role) with a Defend duty, especially if playing the offside trap.
Ball-Playing Defender (DC)
The main job of the Ball-Playing Defender is to stop the opposing attackers from playing and to clear the ball from danger when required.
However, unlike standard central defenders, the Ball-Playing Defender is encouraged to launch defence splitting through balls from deep to generate counter-attacking opportunities.
With a Defend duty, the Ball-Playing Defender will stay in line with his defensive partner and look to break up attacks, mark opposing forwards and prevent the ball from getting into the box.
With a Stopper duty, the Ball-Playing Defender will push ahead of the defensive line and close down players before they get to the area.
With a Cover duty, the Ball-Playing Defender will drop a little deeper and sweep up through balls behind the defensive line.
Requires:
- Heading, Marking, Passing, Tackling, Technique, Composure, Concentration, Creativity, Decisions, Determination, Positioning, Jumping and Strength
- Aggression and Bravery for a Stopper duty
- Anticipation, Acceleration and Pace for a Cover duty.
- Teamwork is important if playing partnering centre backs (any role) with a Defend duty, especially if playing the offside trap.
Using one centre back as a Ball-Playing Defender could be very useful if employing an attacking strategyor playing on the counter attack.
Full Back (DL/DR)
The Full Back is a key player in modern football, having to supplement his traditional defensive duties with overlapping runs down the wing to support forward play and help attacks overload the final third.
Although primarily a defensive player, he must be prepared to get forward when the team needs extra width.
With a Defend duty, the full back will stay back with the defensive line and make simple possession passes down the flanks or into central midfield.
With a Support duty, the full back will support the midfield by providing extra width and will look for crosses and through balls when the opportunity for each arises.
With an Attack duty, the full back supplements his defensive responsibilities by overlapping the midfield and providing first time crosses into the area.
With an Automatic duty, the Full Back will switch automatically between Defend and Attack duties according to your match strategy.
Requires:
- Marking, Tackling, Anticipation, Concentration, Positioning, Team Work, Work Rate, Acceleration and Stamina
- Crossing for a Support duty
- Crossing, Dribbling and Off the Ball for an Attack duty
An Automatic duty will be set to Defend when using a contain or defensive strategy, Support when using a counter, standard, or control strategy, and Attack when using an attacking or overload strategy.
Wing Back (DL/DR, WBL/WBR)
Usually playing out wide with no wing support, the Wing Back must fulfil all the attacking and defensive duties of wingers and full backs.
In attack he must be prepared to run at his man and put in aggressive crosses, in midfield to help win the possession battle and in defence to close down opponents, block crosses and win back the ball when possible.
With a Defend duty, the Wing Back mainly stays deep, but will still cross the ball when in space to do so.
With a Support duty, the Wing Back aims to provide angled through balls from out wide, although still crosses when the opportunity arises.
With an Attack duty, the Wing back aims to overlap down the flank to provide wide support for attacks, run at his man and get crosses in from the byline.
With an Automatic duty, the Wing Back will automatically between Defend, Support and Attack duties according to your match strategy.
Requires:
- Marking, Tackling, Decisions, Positioning, Team Work, Work Rate, Acceleration and Stamina
- Crossing for a Support duty
- Crossing, Dribbling and Off the Ball for an Attack duty
An Automatic duty will be set to Defend when using a contain or defensive strategy, Support when using a counter, standard, or control strategy, and Attack when using an attacking or overload strategy.
Wing Backs are most often used in formations without wingers to provide the team’s width in attack.
Defensive Midfielder (DMC)
The Defensive Midfielder's main duties are to protect the defensive line from breaking attackers by closing them down quickly and to support the creative midfielders when in possession.
A key job of the Defensive Midfielder is to keep hold of the ball while the defence and attack are reorganising themselves after a period of opposition pressure.
With a Defend duty, the Defensive Midfielder will hold his position between the midfield and defensive lines and recycle possession from a deep position.
With a Support duty, the Defensive Midfielder will step into the midfield line and support attacking moves.
Requires:
- Marking, Tackling, Concentration, Decisions, Positioning, Teamwork, Work Rate, Acceleration, Stamina and Strength
- Off the Ball for a Support duty
Anchor Man (DMC)
Sometimes referred to as the 'Water Carrier', the Anchor Man's main duty is to sit in the hole between the defence and the midfield, intercepting moves, winning the ball and laying off simple passes to his more creative teammates.
Since his key job is to anchor the defence he doesn't venture too far from his position either to close down the opposition or to support the more advanced players.
The Anchor Man is only available with a Defend duty.
Requires:
- Heading, Marking, Tackling, Anticipation, Concentration, Decisions, Determination, Positioning, Work Rate and Strength
An Anchor Man is useful when playing against opponents with a skilled attacking centre midfielder.
Deep-Lying Playmaker (DMC, MC)
The Deep-Lying Playmaker operates in the space between the defence and the midfield and aims to initiate attacking moves via pinpoint passes to players positioned higher up the pitch.
Although primarily a creative player, the Deep-Lying Playmaker also has to be competent in the art of defence.
In a Defend duty, the Deep-Lying Playmaker will fulfil extra defensive responsibilities by holding position in front of the defence and will rarely look to support attacks.
In a Support duty, the Deep-Lying Playmaker will bring the ball out of defence and look for long shot opportunities as well as supplying through balls.
Requires:
- Passing, Tackling, Technique, Composure, Creativity, Decisions, Positioning, Team Work and Strength
- Marking for a Defend duty
- First Touch and Off the Ball for a Support duty
A Deep-Lying Playmaker can be particularly effective when using a direct passing style, as this will utilise their ability to pick out attackers with potentially killer balls, rather than playing short passes to other midfielders.
If using a Deep-Lying Playmaker it would be a good idea to partner him with another centre midfielder who can provide defensive support, such as an anchor man, defensive midfielder, ball-winning midfielder, or central midfielder with a Defend or Support duty.
Central Midfielder (MC)
The Central Midfielder has the technical ability to play attacking, support or defensive roles, but tends to lack the stamina, vision and drive to perform more than one simultaneously.
With a Defend duty, the Central Midfielder stays back in front of the defence and plays a simple supporting game for those playing further up the pitch.
With a Support duty, the Central Midfielder looks to hold his position in the middle of the park and play balls into the players ahead of him.
With an Attack duty, the Central Midfielder looks to get into the box to support the forwards, drift wide to support the flanks in the final third and play in men ahead of him.
Requires:
- First Touch, Passing, Decisions, Determination, Positioning, Team Work, and Work Rate
- Heading, Marking and Tackling for a Defend duty
- Long Shots, Marking, Tackling, Creativity and Off the Ball for a Support duty
- Dribbling, Finishing, Long Shots, Creativity and Off the Ball for an Attack duty
An Automatic duty will be set to Defend when using a contain or defensive strategy, Support when using a counter, standard, or control strategy, and Attack when using an attacking or overload strategy.
Ball-Winning Midfielder (MC)
Playing in central midfield the Ball-Winning Midfielder's main function is to close down the opposition and win the ball.
However, he also needs the technical skills to help the team keep possession and fashion out chances for players with attacking roles.
With a Defend duty, the Ball-Winning Midfielder looks to win the ball in the centre of midfield and quickly lay it off to a more creative player.
With a Support duty, the Ball-Winning Midfielder aims to win the ball back high up the pitch and support resulting counter attacking opportunities.
Requires:
- Marking, Tackling, Aggression, Bravery, Determination, Positioning, Team Work, Work Rate, Stamina and Strength
- Passing for a Support duty
Box-to-Box Midfielder (MC)
The non-stop dynamism of the Box-to-Box Midfielder enables him to contribute greatly to both defending and attacking.
In attack, he pushes up to support the forwards, often surging late into the box to get on the end of crosses and pullbacks as well as providing a threat from distance.
In defence, he harries attacking midfielders and helps protect the defensive line.
The Box-to-Box Midfielder is only available with a Support duty.
Requires:
- Dribbling, Finishing, First Touch, Heading, Long Shots, Marking, Passing, Technique, Anticipation, Bravery, Decisions, Determination, Off The Ball, Positioning, Work Rate, Acceleration, Stamina and Strength
Attacking Midfielder (AMC)
The Attacking Midfielder operates higher up the pitch than the standard midfielder, so he cannot drive into space from deep in the manner of an attacking Central Midfielder.
Requiring excellent technical and mental skills, his role is to fashion chances for himself and others in the final third before the opposition defenders reduce the time and space he has to make the play.
With a Support duty, the Attacking Midfielder is willing to help out with defence and tends to sit in the hole rather than get into the box.
With an Attack Duty, the Attacking Midfielder looks to craft out chances for his forwards alongside being a presence in the box to supplement the attack.
Requires:
- First Touch, Long Shots, Passing, Technique, Creativity, Decisions, Flair, Off the Ball Team Work, Work Rate
- Dribbling, Acceleration and Pace for an Attack duty
If using an Attacking Midfielder then he should be supported by at least other centre midfielder with a more defensive role.
Advanced Playmaker (MC, AMC/AML/AMR)
The Advanced Playmaker can operate in the central midfield, attacking midfield or wide forward positions.
The Advanced Playmaker aims to drop into holes between the opposition's midfield and defence, making himself available for his teammates' passes and aiming to turn defence into attack in an instant.
With a Support Duty, the Advanced Playmaker will stay in the hole and look to spray passes to support players and forwards.
With an Attack duty, the Advanced Playmaker will look to run at the defensive line from deeper positions, aiming to craft out crossing or through ball opportunities as he moves into the final third.
Requires:
- First Touch, Passing, Technique, Creativity, Decisions, Flair, Team Work
- Work Rate and Stamina for a Support duty
- Dribbling, Anticipation and Off the Ball for an Attack duty
An Advanced Playmaker is best used with a shorter passing style as he should be the focal point in attack. Direct balls will normally bypass him.
If using an Advanced Playmaker then he should be supported by at least one other centre midfielder with a more defensive role.
Trequartista (AMC, STC)
The Trequartista can operate in the attacking midfield or centre forward positions.
While similar to the Advanced Playmaker in that he aims to drop into holes between the opposition's midfield and defence, the Trequartista does far less defensively and simply drifts around looking for space when the team is not in possession.
As such the rest of the team needs to carry him when defending, but use him as the main outlet when attacking.
The Trequartista is only available with an Attack duty.
Requires:
- Finishing, First Touch, Passing, Technique, Anticipation, Composure, Creativity, Flair, Off the Ball, Agility
A Trequartista is best used with a shorter passing style as he should be the focal point in attack. Direct balls will normally bypass him.
As well as doing less defensive work than an advanced playmaker, the Trequartista will also roam from position (unless instructed not to). Therefore, if used in the attacking midfield position, he should ideally be supported by at least two other centre midfielders in more defensive roles to help the team keep its shape in midfield.
Wide Midfielder (ML/MR)
The Wide Midfielder performs defensive and attacking duties on the flanks, supporting the forwards, midfield and defence when required.
Generally lacking either the explosive pace or exciting dribbling skills of an out and out winger, the Wide Midfielder relies on teamwork and work rate to get into dangerous attacking positions without compromising defensive responsibilities.
With a Defend duty, the Wide Midfielder will sit back and launch crosses from deep.
With a Support duty, the Wide Midfielder will stay deeper and play angled through balls into the box from wide positions, although he will still cross when it is on.
With an Attack duty, the Wide Midfielder looks to play quick crosses in from the final third.
With an Automatic duty, the Wide Midfielder will switch automatically between Defend, support and Attack duties according to your match strategy.
Requires:
- Crossing, Passing, Tackling, Anticipation, Decisions, Determination, Off the Ball, Team Work, Work Rate and Stamina
Winger (ML/MR, AML/AMR, STL/STR)
The Winger aims to best his man on the outside and needs to be technically proficient as well as quick in order to do so.
The Winger hugs the touchline when the team is going forward, ready to surge into space and attack the byline.
With a Support duty the Winger’s job is to try to quickly get past his man and get in an early cross for the forwards.
With an Attack duty the Winger will try and run at the defence in the final third, aiming to cause panic and indecision prior to shooting or attempting to make a through ball/cross to a team mate.
Requires:
- Crossing, Dribbling, Technique, Decisions, Flair, Off the Ball, Acceleration, Agility, Balance and Pace
Defensive Winger (ML/MR, AML/AMR, STL/STR)
The Defensive Winger aims to press the opposing full backs, win back the ball high up the pitch and either hold it up for the rest of the team, drive to the byline or get in a quick cross or through ball for the forwards.
With a Support duty the Defensive Winger’s job is to try to win the ball, get past his man and get in an early cross for the forwards.
With an Attack duty the Defensive Winger will try to run at the defence in the final third once he has won the ball, aiming to cause panic and indecision prior to shooting or attempting to make a through ball/cross to a team mate.
Requires:
- Crossing, Dribbling, Marking, Tackling, Technique, Decisions, Team Work, Work Rate, Pace and Stamina
Employing Defensive Wingers can be useful in a formation without full backs or wing backs such as a 4-3-3, or for providing extra cover for fullbacks playing with defensive tactics. They are best used when focus passing through the middle as they will hold up the ball for the centre midfielders. However, they could also be utilised as the main outlet going forward when given an Attack duty, particularly in a team that lacks talent in midfield.
Inside Forward (AML/AMR/AMC, STL/STR)
The Inside Forward aims to cut inside from the flanks and run directly at the centre of the opposition's defence and works best when the player's strongest foot is opposite to the flank he is playing on.
This movement can open up space for overlapping full backs as well as overloading a retreating defender, although it can also end up with the player running into cul-de-sacs.
With a Support duty, the Inside Forward will cut diagonally into the space behind the defence and play through balls or take long shots if the opportunity arises.
With an Attack Duty, the Inside Forward will run directly at the defence with the options of shooting, passing or crossing as he moves into the final third.
Requires:
- Dribbling, Passing, Decisions, Flair, Off the Ball, Team Work, Acceleration and Pace
- Long Shots and Technique for a Support duty
- Crossing, Finishing and Creativity for an Attack duty
If you havea winger who has a strongest foot opposite to their favoured side, then it may be worth setting their role to Inside Forward.
Despite cutting inside, Inside Forwards can still be used if focuse passing down the flanks, as they will look to receive the ball out wide. However, since the team may lack width when they move inside, it could be a good idea to play attacking full backs (for example, wing backs in the DL/DR position or fullbacks with an Attack duty) to provide extra support on the flanks.
Deep-Lying Forward (STC)
The Deep-Lying Forward's main function is to link the attack to midfield.
He aims to drop deep into space and hold up the ball before supplying linking passes to teammates, moving the ball back to midfield support, spreading it wide to the flanks, and if he has time to turn, playing in his strike partner.
With a Support duty, the Deep-Lying Forward will largely aim to bring teammates into play before attacking the box from deep.
With an Attack duty, the Deep-Lying Forward will look to fashion chances for himself in addition to playing others in.
Requires:
- Dribbling, First Touch, Passing, Technique, Creativity, Decisions, Off the Ball, Teamwork and Strength
- Long Shots for a Support duty
- Finishing, Anticipation and Composure for an Attack duty
The Deep-Lying Forward is similar to a target man role in that such a striker will hold up the ball or play it back to supporting teammates. However, the ball should be played to his feet rather than to head and so a shorter passing style is more appropriate.
This role can be given to a forward with one or two strike partners, or to a lone forward who will hold the ball up for attacking midfielders.
Advanced Forward (STC)
The Advanced Forward's main role is to lead the line and look to spearhead attacking moves.
His primary duty is to be the focal point of attacking moves and he is required to both score and create goals.
His secondary role is to chase down misplaced through balls or clearances from deep, win possession and lay off passes or crosses to his teammates.
The Advanced Forward is only available with an Attack duty.
Requires:
- Crossing, Dribbling, Finishing, Heading, Anticipation, Composure, Flair, Off the Ball, Work Rate and Pace
An Advanced Forward should be supported by at least one strike partner or an attacking midfielder.
The role is similar to that of a poacher in that they should be the team’s main source of goals. The two roles should generally not be combined as a strike partnership unless an attacking midfielder fills the role of the more creative forward.
Target Man (STC)
A Target Man can transform an average team into a good one by using his sheer physicality to disrupt the opposition's defence and open space for his striker partner and supporting midfielders.
The Target Man uses his strength and aerial presence to bring teammates into play rather than relying on technical ability.
With a Support duty the Target Man will look to win flick ons and play simple possession passes to his teammates to bring them into play.
With an Attack duty the Target Man will lead the line and open space for teammates to move into.
Requires:
- First Touch, Heading, Aggression, Anticipation, Bravery, Determination, Team Work, Work Rate, Jumping and Strength
- Finishing, Composure and Creativity for an Attack duty
The Target Man role is suited to a direct passing style and he should have at least one strike partner, as they are likely to be ineffective playing as a lone forward. Target man supply should be set as to head in team instructions.
Poacher (STC)
The Poacher sits on the shoulder of the last defender looking to break the defensive line and run onto through balls from midfield.
Although the Poacher is always ready to run at his marker and is happy to cross the ball when required, his main aim is trying to put the ball in the back of the net.
His focus on scoring goals is so extreme that he rarely offers much help in constructing moves, preferring instead to remain central and sniff out opportunities in and around the box.
The Poacher is only available with an Attack duty.
Requires:
- Dribbling, Finishing, First Touch, Anticipation, Composure, Off The Ball, Acceleration, Agility, Balance and Pace
A Poacher will require at least one strike partner. If they have particularly high acceleration and pace, then they could be successfully utilised as a target man with supply being set as run on to ball.
Complete Forward (STC)
A Complete Forward possesses all the technical attributes of a Deep-Lying Forward, the goal scoring ability of a Poacher and the strength and power of a Target Man.
He is equally adept at playing in others, fashioning chances for himself and getting on the end of team moves. Such a player transcends tactical instruction and should simply be allowed to do his own thing.
With a Support duty the Complete Forward will look to drop into space, run at the defence, take long shots, drive to the flanks or play balls through the defensive line.
With an Attack duty the Complete Forward will lead the line, spearheading attacks and crafting out chances for himself and others.
Requires:
- Dribbling, Finishing, First Touch, Heading, Long Shots, Passing, Technique, Anticipation, Composure, Creativity, Decisions, Determination, Off The Ball, Team Work, Acceleration, Agility, Balance, Jumping, Pace and Strength
A Complete Forward can play with or without a strike partner, while if used as the target man then supply can be set as mixed or to feet, unless you want to make more use of their height or pace by setting one of the other two options. However, the method of supply should be set to fit in with your passing style.
Defensive Forward (STC)
The Defensive Forward is becoming more and more important in the game.
His main duty is to put pressure on the defensive line, chase down the man in possession and loose balls and generally stop the opposing defence having any time on the ball. In an attacking sense he keeps things as simple as possible, preferring to bring other players into the game than create his own chances.
With a Support duty, the Defensive Forward will stay a little deeper and put pressure on defensive midfielders.
With an Attack duty, the Defensive Forward will press the back line and put pressure on the central defenders.
Requires:
- Marking, Passing, Tackling, Team Work, Work Rate, Stamina and Strength
- Passing for a Support duty
- Finishing, Anticipation, Composure and Off the Ball for an Attack duty
Using a Defensive Forward with a Support duty can be useful when playing with a defensive strategyas he will put extra pressure on the opposition midfield.
A striker in this role should be supported by a strike partner or at least an attacking midfielder to help in creating chances.
Choosing Duties
Selecting Tactic > Auto Assign Duties will set duties automatically based on each player’s position. These default duties will provide a good balance suitable to your strategy (since some players will be given an automatic duty which change according to the current strategy). Nevertheless, you may want to adjust these according to your desired style of play and the qualities of your individual players. It would be advisable though to retain an automatic duty for approximately three of your players to make duties more flexible when changing strategy during a match.
Bear in mind when selecting player duties that different strategies, playing styles and player roles will all have an effect on the positioning and mentalities of your players. However, having a balanced set of duties both across the whole team and across each of the defence, midfield and attack will still help the team to function as a unit.
Defence Duties
Full backs and wing backs should be given an automatic duty, as set by default. This means their duty will adjust to whatever strategy you use at any point during a match, regardless of your starting strategy. So, for example, if you switch from a defensive strategy to an attacking strategy, your full backs will be able to support the team when attacking by adding width and passing options.
Centre backs are set to defend by default, but can be changed to either stopper or cover. The only difference this makes is to the player’s default closing down instructions in specific instructions. A stopper will close down more often, cover will close down less often, and defend has a closing down setting in between the two. The simplest pairing to adopt if playing with two centre backs is leaving both at the default setting of defend. The defenders will work as a unit and, as closing down will be at a more mixed setting, they will make their own decisions when best to press forward. They therefore require good decisions and teamwork. This pairing would be appropriate if playing the offside trap. The more complex alternative is to have one centre back as a stopper and the other as cover. You will require a tall centre back with good heading, determination, work rate, jumping and strength to act as stopper, and another with good acceleration and pace to play as cover. This will enable you to make best use of the different qualities of your centre backs and help protect against various threats, such as aerial balls (stopper) and through balls (cover). However, your backline will act less as a unit and gaps may be exploited by the opposition.
Midfield Duties
By default, at least one of your centre midfielders will be given a defend duty, and this is important mainly in order to slow down attacks and allow supporting midfielders to get back to help defend. Also when in possession, this player can be useful in holding up the ball. You should make sure however, that the most defensively capable player in centre midfield is assigned this duty. Generally, you should then have one other centre midfielder with an automatic duty. They will be able to provide the link between midfield and the strikers when using an attacking, control or counter strategy, or offer extra defensive cover when using a defensive strategy. This player should ideally have the qualities needed to contribute well both defensively and in supporting the attack if you ever switch to or from the contain or defensive strategies during matches. On the other hand if your strategy varies simply between counter and the more attacking strategies then this player will only ever have a support or attack duty and so will not be required to contribute so regularly in defence. If your formation includes three centre midfielders and a lone striker up front, then one of your centre midfielders should either have an attack duty to support the striker, or play just behind the striker with a support duty.
Wide midfielders and wingers will be given an attack duty by default. However, if your passing focus is through the middle you may want to change this to support as wide players will not be being utilised in their more advanced positions and could become effectively redundant. In a support duty they will be able to provide passes into the centre of midfield or make through balls to strikers, as well as supporting full backs if the opposition attacks down the flanks. If playing with a defensive strategywith passing through the centre you might wish to give wide midfielders an automatic duty, so that they can provide extra support against opposition wingers but move forward more if you switch to a more attacking strategy during a match. When focusing passing down the flanks you may still want to change wide players’ duties from attack if you find that they are not getting enough room from the opposition’s defensive full backs. Setting a support duty in this instance should help a wide player find space in front of the defence.
Attack Duties
If playing with two strikers, then by default one will have an attack duty and the other will have a support duty. This is important in order to provide a link between midfield and attack, whilst also making the strikers more difficult to defend against since one will be in a deep position and the other more in line with the defence. The striker with the attack duty will be the goal scorer, for example the poacher or the advanced forward. The striker with the support duty will be the more creative or holding player, for example the deep-lying forward or the target man.
With three strikers, two are given a support duty by default. You may consider changing one of these to an attack duty to provide a greater goal threat, particularly if you have two very good goal scorers, but you should still have one as support to link to the midfield. Otherwise goal scoring opportunities are likely to be restricted.
If playing with one up front, then this striker should be given a support duty so that he does not become too isolated. Alternatively, as mentioned earlier, they should be aided by an attacking midfielder with a support duty playing just behind them.
Player Specific Instructions
Selecting the tick box next to each instruction will override the default setting determined by your team instructions and each player’s role and duty, and allow you to exert finer control over how individuals play.
Mentality
This affects a player’s positioning and decisions on the ball. Default mentality for each player is set according to your team strategy and the player’s role and duty. Generally it is best to leave as the default so that adjusting these settings during a match will automatically give a player the appropriate mentality. However, you may, for example, want your centre backs to have a defensive mentality no matter how attacking your strategy is, or becomes, during a match. In this case though, you should make sure to adjust the mentality accordingly if you change to a more defensive strategy than normal.
Creative Freedom
Default creative freedom is set by your team’s creative freedom instruction in playing style as well as the player’s role and duty. If you have set team creative freedom to be more expressive then you should ideally reduce this setting for the less creative players in your team. As a general rule you should ensure that not too many players have too high a level of creative freedom. Conversely, if you have set creative freedom to more disciplined in playing style but have one or two more creative players then increasing creative freedom should help the team in attack. An exception to this would be if you wish your team to keep things simple in possession and to focus on containing the opposition and holding out for a result.
Passing Style
Default passing style is set by your team’s passing style instruction in playing style as well as the player's role and duty. You may want to set shorter passing for an individual with weaker passing ability, particularly if the team style is direct, to prevent them playing wasteful balls. Giving a deep-lying playmaker a more direct passing instruction while the rest of the team plays short could be effective if you feel they are the only creative and technically good passing talent in the side.
Closing Down
Default closing down is set by your team’s playing style closing down instruction as well as the player's role and duty. This setting could be increased for a player with high work rate and stamina and likewise decreased for players who lack in these attributes. If the team is set to press more then you should consider adjusting the instruction for centre backs so they are not closing down too high up the pitch, leaving too much space between themselves and the goal.
Tackling
Default tackling is set by your team’s playing style tackling instruction as well as the player’s roleand duty. It would be worth reducing the strength of tackling for players with high aggression but perhaps not so good tackling ability and decisions, particularly if already instructing the team to tackle hard. Also making sure centre backs are set to easy tackling is advisable so they do not go to ground too readily. If the team tackling instruction is set to weak or default, then you may wish to increase tackling strength for players with high tackling and decisions.
Run From Deep
This determines how often players will make attacking runs without the ball and the default is set by player role and duty. More attacking players will make more forward runs. It is generally appropriate to leave these instructions as they are after selecting roles and duties. If you want a player to make more or less such runs it would be best to do so by adjusting their duty to change their mentality as a whole.
Run With Ball
The default for run with ball is set by player role and duty. After selecting these you should review this instruction for each player to make sure those who are set to run with the ball often have good dribbling ability. Agility, balance and pace are also important attributes to consider. Similarly, you should check if your best dribblers are being wasted in roles where they are not required to run with the ball at all. If necessary, the setting can then be adjusted or a different role or duty can be considered.
Long Shots
It is particularly important to edit long shots instructions for each player in midfield and attack. A player will require good long shots as well as technique to be instructed to shoot from distance (20 yards or more from goal). Players without these abilities should have this instruction set to rarely, otherwise the team’s efforts will be repeatedly wasted. Also, giving a playmaker the instruction to shoot from range often will be counterproductive if you want them to focus on creating chances. Even for players with very high long shots and technique, shooting from range often will frequently see better uses of the ball not considered in favour of speculative efforts from distance. Instead, setting long shots to sometimes for one or two, perhaps less creative, players in your team would be preferable. A good decisions attribute will help these players known when best to shoot or pass. However, if your team lacks creative talent or you are playing against much stronger opposition, then you might consider increasing this instruction for the best long range shooters in your team.
Through Balls
Through balls are defined as any pass which ‘unleashes’ a teammate behind an opponent. The default for this instruction is set according to player role and duty. More creative roles will play through balls more often. You should review which of your players are playing through balls to make sure they have suitable levels of passing, creativity and decisions. Also consider who will receive the pass from the player in question and how capable they are of receiving the ball and using it effectively. They will need to be set to run from deep and attributes such as anticipation, off the ball, positioning, acceleration, pace and decisions will be important.
Cross Ball
This is set according to player role by default, and it is generally appropriate to leave it as such. For instance, it would not be suitable to tell a central midfielder to cross the ball often, as they will be regularly looking to move out of position to do so. Although you might, say, want to take advantage of a striker with high crossing ability by instructing them to cross the ball often. Also you could instruct full backs to cross the ball less if you would prefer them to look to keep possession or pass to a wide midfielder or winger to cross the ball.
Cross From
This is set by default according to player role and duty. Again it is normally best to leave as the default. It would not make sense, for example, to instruct a full back with a defend or support duty to cross the ball from the byline, as getting into the position to do so goes against their assigned duty. Similarly, if you have a wide midfielder with an attack duty but instruct them to cross from deep, their attacking movement will be restricted. You might instead consider giving them a more appropriate duty if this is how you want them to play. You may wish to set the cross from instruction to mixed, so that the player will choose where best to deliver crosses from. In this case, a good decisions attribute would be useful.
Cross Aim
Wide players are set by default to cross according to team crossing instructions in playing style. If the striker you have set as target man (if any) is tall and good in the air, such as a striker playing the traditional target man role, then you should consider changing the cross aim instruction for wide players to Target Man. Another way of targeting a particular striker from crosses is by setting crosses to be aimed at the post on which this striker will be positioned from the perspective of the wide player in question. Note that players will require good crossing ability to regularly deliver crosses accurately to the desired area. Crosses to the near post will be less technically challenging.
Wide Play
Default wide play is set according to role and duty. For example, a winger with an attack duty will hug the touchline and an inside forward will cut inside, while strikers with an attack duty will look to move into channels (gaps between opposition defenders). Instructing a winger to cut inside will effectively give them the role of an inside forward, although certain other settings such as those related to crossing the ball will not change as appropriate. Therefore, if you wish a winger to cut inside onto their stronger foot you would be better off giving them the role of inside forward. Changing wide play can be useful however, if you want a wide midfielder to cut inside like an inside forward, a striker to cut inside and shoot on their stronger foot, or a winger to move into channels when running at the defence.
Swap Position
This can be used to instruct two players to occasionally swap positions during a match in order to make attacks more varied and defending more difficult for the opposition. It can be especially useful to swap positions of strikers to make them harder for opposing centre backs to mark and possibly see them being dragged out of position if they are using a man marking system. However, for this to work the two strikers will need to be comfortable playing in each other’s roles. Swapping wingers can also help freshen up attacks, but they will need to be comfortable playing on either side (check Positions on the players’ profiles). If you have attackers versatile enough, then swapping positions of three different players can be effective in breaking down a very defensive opposition side. For example, if playing with a striker and two wingers, you could swap the left winger with the striker, the striker with the right winger, and the right winger with the left winger.
Distribution (GK only)
This is set by default according to your team strategy, with long kick set for contain and defensive strategies, quick throw for counter, standard and control, and defender collect for attacking and overload. If playing a short passing game then setting this instruction to defender collect will help your team's efforts to keep possession. Setting to quick throw suits a high tempo, counter attacking style, though you should consider your goalkeeper's throwing ability. Long kick may suit a direct passing game if you have a target man for the goalkeeper to aim for and your goalkeeper has good kicking ability. However, you might still consider short distribution, for example, if you would prefer your defenders to find a deep-lying playmaker who can then attempt to unleash a striker, rather than your goalkeeper playing a long ball upfield which could see possession lost.
Distribute To (GK only)
This can be used in conjunction with the distribution method to target a specific player. For example, a suitable target man up front if distribution is set to long kick, or a fast attacking full back if set to quick throw.
Marking
This is set by default according to player roles and duties, with more defensive players being set to man mark, unless you have specified a marking system in playing style. If playing a zonal marking system, you may want to set a defensive midfielder to man mark a particularly dangerous attacking midfielder, specifying the opponent in question in pre-match tactics. Similarly, you may want your centre backs to try and man mark the opposition strikers out of the game, with a tall, strong centreback marking a physical striker and a quick centreback marking a pacy striker. Setting an attacking midfielder, a central midfielder with an attack duty or a striker with a defend duty to mark a creative defensive midfielder can also be effective in limiting their creativity. If playing a man marking system then you should consider setting some of your attacking players to zonal marking so that they will be in position and in more space when the ball is won back.
Tight Marking
This is set by default according to player roles and duties, with more defensive players, including defensive wingers and defensive forwards, being set to mark tightly. It would be best not to set your more attacking players to mark tightly since, as discussed in marking, you want them to be in space after the team wins possession. An exception might be a striker playing in the target man role, who will be able to take a defender out of the game by winning flick ons from aerial balls. Those players set to tight marking by default can generally be left as such. If they come up against a fast, skilful opponent then these instructions can be overridden by selecting never for tight marking in opposition instructions prior to or during a match. However, it is important that players possess good marking skills or else tight marking will be ineffective. Man markers will need good marking, tackling and concentration while zonal markers will also need good anticipation, decisions and positioning. In addition, tight markers should be tall enough to win the ball in the air or else an opponent may be able to take them out of the game by winning flick ons.
Roam From Position
The default for this instruction is determined largely by player role, on top of your roaming instruction in playing style. More players will also be set to roam from position the more fluid your philosophy is. This will give players the freedom to move around the pitch and receive the ball in different areas when the team is attacking. It is best restricted to one or two attack-minded players with very high creativity, decisions, flair and technical ability, or the team will lose its structure in both attack and defence. You should therefore review exactly who is roaming from position after selecting roles and duties.
Hold Up Ball
This is set according to a player’s role and duty by default. For example a player in the target man role will use his strength to hold up the ball and try to bring teammates into the game, while a defensive-minded midfielder will wait and keep hold of the ball while looking for an appropriate pass. It consequently works best with slow tempotactics. A couple of players holding up the ball in a high tempo passing game is still useful, but too many will slow things down too much. Therefore you should review how many of your players have this instruction set. Note that players instructed to hold up the ball will require good strength and an appropriate role. For example, it would not be appropriate to tell a poacher to hold up the ball.
Choosing Playmaker and Target Man
A good place to start when choosing player instructions is considering your playmaker and target man, if you wish to use such players. Note that these are set in the Basic view in team instructions, but you should decide on who these players will be when selecting roles and dutiesin player instructions.
Primary Playmaker
This will be the player who will look to receive the ball when your team has possession in order to start attacks or create chances. You should therefore be looking to select a midfielder or creative forward for this role, and should consider both your players’ attributes and your tactical system. By default your playmaker is the player you have designated as such by giving them a playmaker role in player instructions, and should not generally be changed if this is the case. If you have not given anyone such a role you can select a playmaker manually from the drop down list in team instructions.
There are three types of playmaker role. These are the deep-lying playmaker, the advanced playmaker and the trequartista. A deep-lying playmaker is a defensively positioned midfielder who wins or receives the ball and starts attacks from deep. They are most effective when playing a direct passing game, as otherwise their creativity will be severely restricted. These playmakers should have good first touch, passing, creativity, decisions, flair and teamwork, as well as good defensive qualities.
An advanced playmaker is an attacking centre midfielder or winger who receives the ball between the opposition midfield and defence and creates chances, either through passes to forwards or by running with the ball. A trequartista is similar but acts as either an attacking centre midfielder or a centre forward and does not contribute defensively at all. Such playmakers should again have good first touch, passing, creativity, decisions, flair and teamwork. They should also have good dribbling, balance and stamina in order to make repeated runs at the opposition throughout the game. If they are less skilled in this area however, you can reduce the frequency of such runs in their specific instructions, either by using the slider or giving them a support duty. They should only be used if playing short or mixed passing, as direct balls to the forwards will bypass them.
Primary Target Man
This is the striker that the team will look to feed the ball to or will use to hold the ball up. With the right tactics and method of supply, the target man can be successfully set to an attacker playing in any of the roles available for strikers, but most effectively with the target man, poacher and complete forward roles.
For the target man role the striker should be tall with excellent, heading, strength and jumping, but need not be technically proficient. They are used to receive long balls and provide flick ons to other attackers or to hold up the ball. Therefore this role is suited to a direct passing style and the target man should have at least one strike partner, as they are likely to be ineffective playing as a lone forward. Target man supply should be set as to head. They should generally be given a support duty, however if they also have good creativity, finishing and composure then an attack duty could be used.
For the poacher role the striker should have very good finishing, anticipation, composure and off the ball. His sole job is to find space and score goals. The poacher is unlikely to be strong or creative, and so, like a striker in the target man role, will require at least one strike partner. Generally a poacher would be a poor choice to set as a target man, however, if, in addition to the above attributes, they have particularly high acceleration and pace, then they could be successfully utilised as a target man with supply being set as run on to ball.
A striker playing as a complete forward should have all the attributes of a target man and a poacher, along with high creativity, flair and very good technical attributes, particularly dribbling, finishing, first touch, passing, and technique. They can play with or without a strike partner, while target man supply can be set as mixed or to feet, unless you want to make more use of their height or pace by setting one of the other two options.
Note that target man supply should suit both the type of target man and your tactics. Setting supply as to head suits direct passing, while setting as to feet suits short passing. Run on to ball could be utilised with either. Also, if playing direct to a target man your passing focusshould be through the middle.
As already mentioned, a player playing in any of the striker roles can be set as the target man. For example, you may have a particularly skilled striker who suits the deep-lying forwardrole and want the ball to be played to his feet more often. However, if you have selected the role of target man for a striker in player instructions, it would not make sense to change the target man in team instructions to his strike partner.
Author: (Unkown)
Guide to Football Manager website.
http://www.guidetofootballmanager.com/tactics/creating-tactics/player-instructions/player-specific-instructions