Individual Player Theories

Most managers are forced to cut their tactical teeth at clubs with somewhat less than world-class squads. Prior to taking on the cream of the football world, it is important for any manager to understand how to get the best out of basic football positions. Failure to do so will lead to incoherent and disjointed play, no matter how good the overall tactical vision. The following section explains how to shape a generic tactic and then begin moulding it to the specific players at your disposal.

Generic Instructions

At the very basic level, an ideal starting point for your tactics would be to instruct your players to follow instructions according to their assigned roles.

Defend Role

Players in this role must be looking to play risk free, simple football. In cautious tactics, this will mean looking to get the ball high up the pitch and away from danger. In aggressive tactics, it will mean playing simple possession passes to more skilful and creative players.

• Run With Ball: Rarely
• Long Shots: Rarely
• Through Balls: Rarely
• Cross Ball: Rarely
• Cross From: Deep

Support Role

Players in this role will be looking to support the attack whilst not wandering too far from their defensive positions. They should thus be aiming to play balls into attacking areas rather than operating in those areas themselves. The following instructions will aid them in that direction.

• Run With Ball: Mixed
• Long Shots: Often
• Through Balls: Often
• Cross Ball: Mixed
• Cross From: Mixed

Attack Role

Players in this role will be looking to attack the final third and do as much damage in that area as possible. They will generally be looking to get onto the end of through balls rather than playing them. Once they have the ball they will be looking to quickly shape opportunities for themselves or others.

• Run With Ball: Often
• Long Shots: Mixed
• Through Balls: Mixed
• Cross Ball: Often
• Cross From: Byline

Player Abilities

The above generic instructions might not suit the players you have at your disposal. For example, you might have a highly creative defender who can play pinpoint passes whom you envisage spraying balls to the flanks to start counter attacks, in which case you will increase his Through Balls settings. You might have a side-midfielder who has no pace and average crossing but excellent passing, in which case lower his Crossing instructions (both amount and position from) and increase his passing options. You might have a Forward with poor dribbling and pace, but great passing and long shots, in which case reduce Run With Ball and Forward Runs and increase his opportunities to take pot shots or play others in. Taking into account the attributes of your players will enable you to mould the tactical instructions to make best use of their specific abilities. It will be extremely counter-productive to ask players to regularly do things of which they are not capable.

Positional Instructions

To get the best out of his squad and formation of choice, a manager might also want to tailor the generic instructions to better fit the specific positions within his preferred formation. This section provides a brief guide in how a manager might go about doing that.

Please note, this is a guide only and must be considered alongside the generic instructions and player abilities in order to get the best out of any squad.

Goalkeeper

Key Attributes: Aerial Ability, Command of Area, Handling, Reflexes, One on Ones

The goalkeeper is very much part of the Defensive Roles framework and his tactical instructions reflect those of the central defenders, focusing on simple and risk free use of the ball. The major difference between strategies is in his distribution instructions. 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.

• Player Role: Defend
• Run With Ball: Rarely
• Long Shots: Rarely
• Through Balls: Rarely
• Cross Ball: Rarely
• Cross From: Deep
• Hold Up Ball: No
• Distribution: Long Kick (Defensive), Quick Throw (Standard), Defender Collect (Attacking)
• Distribute To: FC/TM (Defensive), ML/R (Standard), DL/R (Attacking)
Central Defenders

Key Attributes: Jumping, Marking, Tackling, Positioning, Strength

The main job of a central defender in all the match strategies is to stop the opposing attackers from playing and to clear the ball from danger when required. When playing in an attacking match strategy, they must also be able to help the team maintain possession and lay off simple passes to more creative players. To ensure they remain focused on defensive duties, keep their individual instructions as simple as possible. For defenders who go forward for set pieces, it can be advantageous setting their long shots to mixed, as it will enable them to fire off pot shots if they pick up a half-clearance when retreating. This is a far better option than their looking for a pass and getting caught in possession and out of position to cover a break.

• Player Role: Defend
• Run With Ball: Rarely
• Long Shots: Rarely
• Through Balls: Rarely
• Cross Ball: Rarely
• Cross From: Deep
• Hold Up Ball: No

Full Backs

Key Attributes: Pace, Tackling, Positioning, Work Rate, Stamina

The full back is becoming 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 assigned defensive duties in more cautious tactics, he has to work very hard in aggressive ones to fulfil his defensive and attacking responsibilities.

• Player Role: Defend/Support/Attack
• Run With Ball: Rarely/Mixed/Mixed
• Long Shots: Rarely/Mixed/Rarely
• Through Balls: Rarely/Mixed/Rarely
• Cross Ball: Rarely/Mixed/Often
• Cross From: Deep/Deep/Mixed
• Hold Up Ball: No
Wing Backs

Key Attributes: Pace, Tackling, Crossing, Work Rate, Stamina

Although most wing backs can also be employed as full backs, they generally require slightly more attacking attributes so they can fulfil winger duties on the flanks. Thus, their tactical instructions are more aggressive. The following settings can be used for wing back formations, or for natural or accomplished wing backs operating in the full back position. Attacking wing back instructions will encourage overlaps and should be applied to any wing/full back you want performing that function.

• Player Role: Defend/Support/Attack
• Run With Ball: Rarely/Mixed/Often
• Long Shots: Rarely/Mixed/Rarely
• Through Balls: Rarely/Often/Mixed
• Cross Ball: Rarely/Mixed/Often
• Cross From: Deep/Mixed/Byline
• Hold Up Ball: No

Defensive Midfielder

Key Attributes: Marking, Tackling, Positioning, Work Rate, Strength

The defensive midfielder’s main duties are to protect the defensive line from breaking attackers and to support the more 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.

• Player Role: Defend
• Run With Ball: Rarely
• Long Shots: Rarely
• Through Balls: Rarely
• Cross Ball: Rarely
• Cross From: Deep
• Hold Up Ball: Yes
Midfielder with Defensive Duties (MCd)

Key Attributes: Marking, Positioning, Passing, Teamwork, Stamina

The midfielder with defensive duties performs roughly the same role as the defensive midfielder. However, while the DMC operates between the midfield and defence, the MCd is very much part of the midfield and needs to have the technical skills to fulfil that function. Operating slightly further up the pitch means he will more opportunities to shoot from range and a greater chance of picking a through ball. Although primarily a defensive player, his tactical instructions must reflect this greater attacking responsibility.

• Player Role: Defend
• Run With Ball: Rarely
• Long Shots: Mixed
• Through Balls: Mixed
• Cross Ball: Mixed
• Cross From: Deep
• Hold Up Ball: Yes
Side-Midfielders

Key Attributes: Passing, Crossing, Positioning, Teamwork, Work Rate

A side-midfielder performs defensive and attacking duties within the overall structure of the team formation. Lacking either the explosive pace or exciting dribbling skills of an out-and-out winger, the side-midfielder relies on teamwork and work rate to get into dangerous attacking positions without compromising his defensive responsibilities. In attack, he focuses on working space on the flanks to supply key crosses and passes into the final third. In defence, he plays a key role in defending the flanks.

• Player Role: Support/Attack
• Run With Ball: Mixed/Mixed
• Long Shots: Often/Mixed
• Through Balls: Often/Mixed
• Cross Ball: Mixed/Often
• Cross From: Mixed/Byline
• Hold Up Ball: No
Wingers

Key Attributes: Pace, Acceleration, Technique, Flair, Dribbling

The winger possesses the technical and physical skills to beat his man and his tactical instructions need to make the best use of these abilities. Employed in a Support Role the winger’s job is to try to get past his man and get in an early cross for the forwards. Employed in an Attack Role he will try to 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.

• Player Role: Support/Attack
• Run With Ball: Often/Often
• Long Shots: Mixed/Mixed
• Through Balls: Often/Mixed
• Cross Ball: Often/Often
• Cross From: Mixed/Byline
• Hold Up Ball: No
Midfielder with Attacking Duties (MCa)

Key Attributes: Passing, Technique, Long Shots, Teamwork, Stamina

The MCa operates as an attacking variant of the MCd, focusing mainly on attack whilst still performing key middle of the park duties. Although his main responsibilities are to help the team maintain possession and to fashion out chances for players with Attacking roles, he still needs to track back defensively. In a Support role he will aim to combine attempts at through balls with the occasional pot shot at goal if space opens up. In an Attacking role he will aim to drift into space around the opposition’s defensive line.

• Player Role: Support/Attack
• Run With Ball: Mixed/Mixed
• Long Shots: Often/Mixed
• Through Balls: Often/Often
• Cross Ball: Mixed/Mixed
• Cross From: Deep/Mixed
• Hold Up Ball: No
Attacking Midfielder

Key Attributes: First Touch, Technique, Creativity, Flair, Decisions

The AMC operates higher up the pitch than a standard midfielder, so he cannot drive into space from deep in the manner of the MCa. Requiring excellent technical and mental skills, his duty 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 his play. He must be able to consistently make high quality decisions at speed for him to make best use of his tactical instructions.

• Player Role: Support/Attack
• Run With Ball: Mixed/Often
• Long Shots: Mixed/Mixed
• Through Balls: Often/Often
• Cross Ball: Mixed/Mixed
• Cross From: Mixed/Byline
• Hold Up Ball: No
Deep Lying Forward (FCd)

Key Attributes: Technique, Creativity, Long Shots, Strength, First Touch

The FCd’s main function is to link the attack to the midfield. Operating on a lower mentality than his strike partner, often with no Forward Runs, he aims to drop deep into space and hold up the ball before supplying linking passes to teammates. If he has time to turn, these linking passes are likely to be through balls to his strike partner. Other passing possibilities are possession-orientated balls to deep-lying midfielders or more aggressive passes in front of breaking wingers or advanced midfielders. In a Support Role he will be mainly looking to play others in. In an Attack role he will also look to fashion chances for himself.

• Player Role: Support/Attack
• Run With Ball: Mixed/Mixed
• Long Shots: Often/Mixed
• Through Balls: Often/Mixed
• Cross Ball: Mixed/Mixed
• Cross From: Mixed/Mixed
• Hold Up Ball: Yes

Advanced Forward (FCa)

Key Attributes: Acceleration, First Touch, Off the Ball, Finishing, Composure

The Advanced Forward’s main duty is to hang on the shoulder of the last defender and break through the defensive line to get on the end of through balls. Possessing a good first touch and an innate ability to find space, he uses his acceleration to outpace the defence and get as close to goal before taking a shot. His secondary role is to chase down misplaced through balls or clearances from deep and turn them into scoring opportunities for his teammates.

• Player Role: Attack
• Run With Ball: Often
• Long Shots: Mixed
• Through Balls: Mixed
• Cross Ball: Mixed
• Cross From: Byline
• Hold Up Ball: No