Introduction
Your tactics are likely to be the most important factor in determining the success of your managerial career. They will determine how your individual players play together as a team, and so the right tactics are the key to getting an average squad of players to perform above themselves or a set of world class stars to consistently meet expectations.
Your squad’s Tactics screen is split into six sub-screens where you can set up each aspect of your tactics. On the Overview screen you can create, view and edit your starting tactic and up to two alternative tactics that will be learned by your players in match preparation training. A familiarity bar for each shows you how much progress your team has made in learning that tactic. The greater the tactic familiarity becomes for a tactic, the better your team will play when using it.
This guide will explain the various stages of creating a tactic that is well balanced, suitable for your players and adheres to a defined style of play.
The first step that will be discussed is choosing a formation to suit whatever players that you have at your disposal when you first join a new club, which will help you to gain a better understanding of the sort of players you have available to work with.
The next part of the guide will discuss team instructions, starting with the overall mentality of your team. You will take the knowledge of your squad that you will have gained previously and decide upon a suitable style of play, along with a team mentality to go with it.
We will then consider the effects of the fluidity of your team’s playing style, before looking at the various specific team instructions that you can use to more explicitly define the tactical style you have chosen.
Having set up the general approach of your team, the guide will then move on to discuss your tactical system in more detail by considering player instructions. You will learn how to choose balanced roles and duties in every area of the pitch that suit your players and your chosen tactical style.
We will then consider whether further instructions need to be given to certain individuals using specific player instructions.
This will conclude the main process of creating your tactic. The guide will then move on to discuss how you can set up effective instructions for set pieces, which can be particularly important in gaining extra points for your team during a season from corners, free kicks and penalties.
Finally, the guide will look at how to choose a good captain. While your tactics will tell your team how to play and so are crucial to your success, it is also a huge advantage to have a captain who will motivate your players on the pitch.
Further Reading
Inverting the Pyramid - guaranteed to give you a greater tactical knowledge and understanding.
The Manager: Inside the Minds of Football's Leaders - learn how to think like a football manager
Will You Manage? - tells you the skills needed to be a great manager and gives essential tips for fantasy football success
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