We are starting a series of small guides that will help you quickly understand the game Football Manager 2017. In the second article we will tell you how to conduct pre-season training and not screw it up.

Pre-season is of the utmost importance in Football Manager. The key point of pre-season training is training the strength, endurance and physical condition of the team. At the same time, this is a period of signing new players and practicing tactics. On the one hand, your players must work up a sweat during the training camp, and on the other hand, they must maintain strength for the whole season. remember, that The more intense the training, the greater the risk of injury.

Step 1: Select preparation date

At the end of the season you are asked to choose the duration of the training camp. You can choose a very short pre-season or a very long one. Optimal, in our opinion, is pre-season training lasting six to eight weeks . From this date we will dance in our guide.

Step 2: Start of collections

As soon as the players return from vacation, the active part of preparation for the new season begins. During the first week, we recommend setting your training intensity to a medium level. From the second to the fourth week, we recommend setting the training level to heavy or very heavy. Players must reach their physical maximum. During the last two to three weeks, it is wise to switch the focus of training to training (tactics, team building, etc.) plus individual instructions.

Standard training schedule:

1 week: physics (secondary)

Week 2: physics (high)

Week 3: physics (high)

Week 4: Physics (high)

Week 5: Teamwork (high)

Week 6: tactics/actions in attack/actions in defense (high)

Week 7: offensive actions (high)

Week 8: defensive actions (high)

Friendly matches

Don't neglect freight trains. Friendly games help increase teamwork (especially important after signing new players), familiarize yourself with tactics, and even increase team spirit (Copa del Sol, guys!). On the one hand, the result of such games is not important. On the other hand, you can significantly improve the team’s mood or ruin it.

Planning friendly matches

Don't schedule games like this for the first week of the preseason. Players have just returned from holidays and intense workload will increase the risk of injury.

Number of friendlies

You can play matches every day, but then the players will not be able to concentrate on training (plus, again, the risk of injury). It is optimal to conduct two freight trains a week, then there will be enough time for both training and the game itself. Plan your last friendly match at least seven days before the first match of the season. Players need to recover and get proper rest.

Choice of opponent

Don't make a mistake when choosing your opponent. By inviting a team of Real Madrid's caliber, you will make good money on tickets, but your players are unlikely to like it if they are driven around the field for the entire 90 minutes. Just as the demobilized soldiers in the movie “DMB” are afraid of germs, your football players are afraid of being defeated in a friendly match. Choose your opponent wisely. Players must both maintain their morale and show their skills against a good opponent.

Choosing tactics during friendly matches

Manage your tactics skillfully during such matches. If you play with an attacking or ultra-attacking mindset, the likelihood of injuries will increase as players will have to be more active throughout the match. Try playing with a standard setup or test your team's defensive skills.

Selecting squad for matches

Which players get playing time during friendly matches determines their mood and readiness for the matches of the season. In the first friendly matches, carry out a deep rotation of the squad; it is even permissible to send 22 players or more to the game. In the last matches, you must decide on which personalities your game will be based. Draw a rough starting line-up with subs and play as if the season has already started and you can only make three subs per match.

To achieve maximum training for all club players, divide the players into two conditional teams. In this case, you can alternate lineups from match to match, giving your players a rest.

Free translation of the article “ Pre-season Training " from the siteFMInside.net .

If you like my translations of articles about Football Manager, do not regret a plus :) With suggestions for translating materials about your favorite game, feel free to write to:

By FBM | Master | 04/28/2017

Play Football Manager FBM

All blogs here:

WHO PLAYS FOOTBALL MANAGERS

Many people are put off by online football manager games. Yes, are they interesting? Yes! Are they exciting? Undoubtedly! Why do so few people, as a percentage of those who are interested in football, even play football?

The answer is simply simple - people cannot understand all the intricacies and gameplay. Most people love football for its entertainment. And what the people need is bread and circuses! It is not for nothing that such a saying is still very popular, although it was invented in ancient Rome.

Therefore, playing football manager is only given to those who like to immerse themselves in analytics, delve into statistics, analyze not only the matches of their team, but also the results of matches of competitors in the league.

HOW TO PLAY FOOTBALL MANAGER

Many games in the “football manager” genre, both browser-based and on disk, have their own training and rules of play. In the FBM game, by the way, learning also exists and functions in three “dimensions” at once:

— textual in the form of a manual for the game: https://site/manual/

— video training in the form of video lessons on our official channel on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXHADbxeeX4mNzesVlFo4Hw

— live training on our official website and inside the game through communication with an online consultant. And also in our group on VK: https://vk.com/fm2017_fbm, where they will always help and tell a novice player how to play FBM football manager, and most importantly, how to start competently training your team, what first steps to take.

KEY FIRST STEPS INFBM

Here we will indicate the main criteria for how to still play FBM football manager in order to provide worthy resistance to opponents in the league. So, you've registered. First thing:

- check the FINANCE chapter. There you need to sign a sponsor who will feed your team with bonus credits, both for the fact of holding matches and for success in these matches.

— pay close attention to the TRAINING chapter. In this chapter you need to constantly train your players. The more trained your team's players are, the more competitive they are in the league.

— Go to the TACTICS chapter. Arrange the team on the field based on the senior players on the team. Proper placement matters in matches. Remember this.

- The same chapter TACTICS. Give instructions to your team - how to play on the field, what substitutions to make, what attacking tendency to set and make other settings. Tactics directly affect the simulation of the game. It is important.

— The TRANSFER MARKET chapter will help you complete your team with the players you need.

AND FINALLY

It is certainly possible to play FBM football manager without investment. It’s difficult, of course, but quite possible. If you are interested in the rapid development of the club, you will need a lot of money. In other matters, as in real life, without investments there are no quick results. Therefore, know that you choose the club’s development strategy and only you can decide how to manage your football business.

Choose your own goal in the game and determine how to play FBM football manager. There are many strategies. Everyone plays differently and there are both losing and winning ways of development. Experience in football manager games can help novice users, but it is still better to familiarize yourself with our educational materials given in this article!

Make quick adjustments to strategy using command instructions

In this article, we will try to understand each command instruction separately and understand exactly what impact it has on the mechanics of the match.

The specific team instructions you choose in your game will determine exactly how your game will look based on your chosen playstyle and philosophy. Will your team stick to attacking football with a forward line of defense and high pressure from the opposing players, or will it be wiser to try to maintain the result by tightly closing in defense and responding with sharp counterattacks.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at all the command instructions and understand how they work individually and in combination with each other. If you understand this Football Manager tool thoroughly, you will take another step towards becoming a successful virtual coach.

Are command instructions important?

For the first time, we encountered “shouts from the edge” in Football Manager 2013, which was released last year. The new version not only completely revised the tactical system, but also updated the engine responsible for visualizing matches, which now looks much more modern.

The changed tactical system brought players 8 new roles, which also appeared in the game for the first time. These roles were introduced to compensate for the complete removal of the "sliders" used in previous versions of the game to customize tactics. Big changes have also been made to the tool with which we now set up team instructions, formerly known as “sideline shouts.”

The FM team instructions system allows you to manage your team directly during the match, making changes depending on what is happening on the field. Not only do these sideline shouts help you make operational changes to your team's tactics and convey to your players your vision of how they should play, but they are also a great way to surprise your opponent by exploiting their team's weaknesses.

Team instructions will be your main toolkit for building your own football style and playing philosophy, so in order to create successful Football Manager tactics, you need to master these tools to perfection. After all, it is with the help of team instructions that you have to determine how your team will react to certain events in the match.

It is also important to remember that a player's individual instructions, her favorite moves, and her chosen mentality will influence the command instructions you choose, and some command instructions may conflict with each other.

Football Manager 2014 Team Instructions

Since the previous version of FM, we have become accustomed to the fact that good tactics are not limited solely to the choice of tactical scheme and game design. In order for the tactics to work fully, it was necessary to adjust the style of play both for each subsequent opponent and directly during the meeting, depending on how events developed.

Instructions not only help you change your style of play or make small adjustments that subtly change the way your players operate, but they can also completely change your style of play depending on the score on the scoreboard or what's happening on the field. With the help of sideline shouts, you can also take advantage of your opponent's weaknesses, adapting your own play to what the opposing team is demonstrating on the field.

Team instructions determine the overall behavior of the team, based on its greatest strengths, while personal instructions affect only a specific player, helping, for example, to change the behavior of your Trequartista or Attacking Playmaker.

There are about 40 instructions in the game, divided into 5 main categories. We will look at each of them separately and give our own recommendations on how and when to use them best, and also, importantly, what qualities the players on your team should have in order to fully implement each of the instructions.

As you master the game, you will notice that some instructions are perfectly complemented by others, but it also happens the other way around - when one instruction contradicts another (in this case, such an instruction will be indicated in red). You can change instructions in the “Tactics” tab or directly in the interface of the match itself.

Command Instructions: General

General team instructions mainly focus on the physical and mental components of the team's tactical setup and are the basis for other instructions. Let's take a closer look at them.

"Take a break"

The “Take a break” instruction helps to restore the players’ physical condition by reducing the overall pace of the game. By giving such an instruction, you will force the players to sharply slow down the pace and try to hold the ball when it passes to your team. When your opponents have the ball, your team’s players will not put pressure on them, and will try to maintain the chosen play pattern with the minimum possible movements. This instruction is often used at the end of the game, when it is important to maintain a lead or to give a few players who are too tired from the game a chance to catch their breath. However, sometimes this instruction can be effectively applied after an intense period of play in order to allow the team to regain strength before the next attack.

This game instruction pairs well with instructions such as “Don’t rush your opponent,” “Play more disciplined,” and “Hold the ball.” The instructions can be used regardless of the chosen tactical scheme or the quality of the team. This instruction may be often required by teams with low Stamina or Natural abilities of players who will become significantly more tired especially in situations where the match is played at high speeds or with a busy game schedule.

"Play for time"

This instruction is only available when the “Counterattack” or “Defensive” mentality is selected. Its name speaks for itself - players will try to stall for time in every possible way, trying to maintain an advantage in the score. Players will not rush, will try to hold the ball as long as possible, and will take as much time as possible before taking set pieces.

"Play more disciplined"

From time to time, it is important for the team to play with more discipline. For example, you are facing a team whose quality and selection of players is significantly higher than your own, or you have players who are unable to accurately follow your instructions and repeatedly make the wrong decisions in game situations.

In fact, the instructions require players to strictly follow general team instructions, as well as adhere to the construction of the chosen tactical scheme. This will force your players to act collectively, sacrificing the individual talents of individual players. The instructions go well with many other instructions, but two of them are worth highlighting separately – “Strictly by positions” and “Play narrowly”. Using a "Strict" or "Very Strict" gaming philosophy can further enhance the effect of this instruction.

The instruction “Play more disciplined” will make your team play more defensively, since the creativity of individual players will be sacrificed in the first place. It is also advisable to use the instructions when you see that the players of your team are tired, for example, in a match against a better opponent, in order to prevent your players from losing position and to ensure that the chosen tactical scheme is maintained.

Important characteristics of players: Team play.

Play more risky

This instruction is only available when the “All Attack” mentality is selected. It requires players to go to any lengths in an attempt to score a goal. The “all attack” mentality itself will push your line of defense as high as possible, which increases the risk of receiving a sharp counterattack from the enemy. Using this instruction will force players to make the most of their own creativity, give more risky passes (vertical), shoot on goal more often (at the first opportunity) and also, at the first opportunity, try to make a cutting pass. Players will engage in attacks more often, run with the ball more often, and try to shoot at goal much more often, even in situations where the tactical instructions and their position on the field do not suggest this, in an attempt to catch the opponent in such an unexpected move.

It makes more sense to use the instructions at the end of the match, when you only need one ball to level the score. “All attack” and “Play more risky” should be used with caution, because If your players do not have the required characteristics, such instructions may do more harm than good. Simply put, these instructions lead to a complete abandonment of team play and attempts to change the course of the match through the individual skill of individual players.

Play more carefully

This instruction requires players to play with extreme discipline and caution, minimizing risk. The instruction reduces the individual creativity of the players, and also reduces the length of the pass to as short as possible, which means that there will be fewer vertical passes and through balls in the game. This is a defensive instruction used when trying to maintain a minimal lead in the score. General characteristics of players, such as "Teamplay" and "Intuition" will be more important in this case than other individual characteristics.

Game pacing control

Game tempo has the most significant impact on the instructions located in the Possession category, and also depends on what game strategy your team follows. By choosing a particular tempo of the game, depending on what is happening on the field, you can more precisely adjust the tempo of the passes performed by your players. You can apply these instructions to any gaming mentality you choose, but different paces of play may suit your chosen mentality better or worse. In total, the game has four tempos that determine the movement and passes of players:

- “Slow down the pace even more”.

At this tempo, your players won't be rushed when building their own attacks. The game will take place at low speeds, and players will act more disciplined when passing, trying to maintain possession of the ball, sometimes through the usual rolling of the ball between themselves. This game instruction is a great tool for maintaining control of a match, for example when your team has a 2 goal advantage over the opponent.

This instruction is a good counter-measure in situations where the opposing team is trying to organize an attack on your goal or is trying to dictate a higher pace of play that is inconvenient for the players on your team. “Slow down further” can be a great complement to instructions such as “Take a breather,” “Hold the ball,” and “Play short pass.”

- “Slow down” also requires your team players to try to keep the ball, as well as make informed and calm decisions when building their own attacks. The game tempo will be slightly higher than the previous instructions, but will still be low enough to maintain an advantage in possession, which can be useful in choosing appropriate game strategies.

Important player characteristics: Position selection, First touch

- “Increase the pace of the game” requires players to give up the ball faster, trying to undermine the opponent's defense through more intense play. Players in possession will be more decisive and will tend to spend less time making decisions and handling the ball. The team will try to operate at high speeds. The instructions are useful in meetings with “closed” teams, as well as in situations where you need to try to score a goal. In addition, the instructions can be very useful in situations when your team gains a numerical advantage over the opposing team. “Increase the Pace of Play” works well with instructions such as “Play Wide” and “Move Out of Position.”

Important characteristics of players: Playing without the ball, Improvisation, Passing, Technique.

- “Increase the tempo even more” will require even more decisive actions from players in attack, and also requires players to have the fastest possible passes and extremely high speeds. It is advisable to use it in attempts to exhaust the opponent with a quick game and many passes, in attempts to “shatter” the opponent’s defense or to break through to the goal through a quick “wall-to-wall” game. This instruction will be a good choice in matches against obvious underdogs or teams whose players’ physical condition is significantly inferior to that of your players. Due to the fact that “Increase the tempo even more” is an extreme team instruction, its use will result in passes becoming extremely risky , aimed at the utmost aggravation of attacking actions, which can have an extremely negative impact on ball possession. The team's game will become similar to Borussia Dortmund - you will lose the ball very quickly, but at the same time you will be able to wear down any opponent in the hope of gaining an advantage in the later stages of the game. The instruction can be supplemented with instructions such as “Pass into open areas” and “More vertical passes.”

Important player characteristics: Playing without the ball, Acceleration, Speed, Technique.

Command Instructions: Possession

The instructions in this section do not affect the behavior of your players while they are in possession of the ball. There are a total of 14 different possession-related instructions that influence the style of passes, crosses and team movement. For ease of understanding, we will divide these instructions into several subcategories - instructions that determine the behavior when holding the ball; instructions defining the style of passes and instructions defining the style of crosses/crosses.

Instructions governing behavior when in possession of the ball:

"Keep the ball"

This instruction, as the name suggests, encourages players to keep the ball in situations where they gain possession. As in a situation with a reduced pace of play, players will not part with the ball for a long time, and when passing, they will choose their closest teammates as the main recipients. The instruction will not only shorten the length of passes, but also reduce the overall pace of the game.

Instructions are often used in possession-based playing styles. In addition, it is advisable to use this instruction to maintain a minimal advantage in the score or to try to minimize the risk of an opponent intercepting a pass and organizing a subsequent counterattack.

The instruction pairs well with the Play Narrow and Play Short Pass instructions.

"Go straight"

The instruction “Go straight” requires players to try to pass to the forward, bypassing the midfield players. Thus, players will try to make the most direct and risky passes, preferring long passes to short ones and trying to carry out crosses from the depths of the field into the opponent’s penalty area at the first opportunity.

It is advisable to use the instructions in situations where you need to get a goal at any cost (especially at the end of the game). In addition, the instructions can be useful in meetings with a team that has a stronger selection of midfield players than yours (thus, you can try to deliver the ball to your forwards, bypassing the opponent’s midfield without having to first pass them).

The instruction can be greatly enhanced with the instructions “Cross into the box” and “Cross from any position”, and also combines well with the instructions “Play wide” and/or “Use the flanks”.

Important player characteristics: Crosses, Heading, Passing, Technique.

More vertical gears

By activating this instruction, you will force players to try to make riskier passes, use a longer pass or try to make more passes per teammate's turn, and play at a higher pace of play. The instruction “More vertical passes” is more suitable for playing styles that involve a quick transition from defense to attack. With this instruction, your players will tend to make a forward pass faster, trying to throw the ball into their teammate's path, rather than making an accurate pass to their feet. Thus, the instructions are applicable for a counter-attacking style of play or in situations where you strive to more actively use the free zones in the opponent’s lines. If it is necessary to stretch the opponent's formation both across the width and length of the field, this instruction can be supplemented with instructions such as “Pass into free zones” and “Play wide”.

Important characteristics of players: Passing, Technique, Playing without the ball, Decision making.

Instructions that determine the style of transmission:

"Play short pass"

The short passing game requires, as the name suggests, players to use more short passes, aiming to replicate the Barcelona style of play (tiki-taka), in which the majority of passes are made not on the move, but directly at the feet of a teammate. To successfully play short passing, it is wise to play narrowly and use formations based on multiple triangles with a double or triple center.

This instruction is often accompanied by the instruction to “Take a breather,” as well as the recommendation to “Use the center of the field.” Due to the fact that possession of the ball will be significantly better and the game will be played at slower speeds, the instruction is useful for ensuring dominance over the opposing team through many short passes.

Important player characteristics: Passing, Intuition, First touch, Decision making.

“Pass into free zones”

This instruction allows for more direct passes into the open spaces between the opponent's lines (the ball will be played in front of one of your teammates running towards the opponent's goal). Since the length of the pass will be increased in this case, it will be useful to play wider and lower the line of your own defense lower.

The instruction “Pass into open spaces” goes well with the instructions “Play short passing” and “More vertical passes.” This instruction helps to slightly increase the pace of the game and improve the use of free zones between the opponent's lines, both horizontally and vertically. In this case, it would be advisable for the players to be given freedom to move from position - this will make it easier for them to choose a position to make a pass on the move. With good team movement, the team will be able to have a better possession record.

Important characteristics of players: Intuition, Playing without the ball, Decision making, Technique.

“Enter the penalty area with the ball”

This instruction is suitable for teams that prefer to slowly develop their own attacks. Players will become more open to passes, trying to maintain possession of the ball until the moment appears suitable for making an aggravating pass. The team will give preference to short passes and through balls; there will be significantly fewer long passes and throws.

The recommendation “Take the ball into the penalty area” is useful if your team players take too many inaccurate shots from outside the penalty area. However, if the enemy team plays narrowly and it is impossible to break into its defensive ranks, it is better to refuse to use this instruction.

"Strike at every opportunity"

When this instruction is enabled, players will try to shoot at the opponent's goal at the first good opportunity. This instruction can be compared to such a favorite player action as “Tries to hit the ball with the first touch.” If the position is good, the player, instead of trying to create a 100% scoring chance, will shoot towards the goal. This instruction can be used to suddenly increase pressure on the opponent's goal, after lulling his vigilance with a long stretch of measured play. Using this instruction often results in a reduction in the number of passes made per partner's move. The “Shoot at every opportunity” recommendation is useful in situations where you need to get a goal at any cost, or when you have a stronger midfield selection, and also in situations where you are unable to enter the penalty area due to high concentration other people's players in it (“bus in the penalty area”). The instructions are compatible with the instructions “Increase the tempo even more” and “Play more expressively”.

Important player characteristics: Long shots, Finishing attacks, Technique, Decision making.

“Get out of defense through a pass”

With this instruction, you will instruct the defensive players (defenders and defensive midfielders) to try to move the ball out of defense not through long passes, throws and clearances, but through a series of short passes.

The instructions are useful when it is important for you to maintain a high level of ball possession. For example, in situations where you are trying to maintain a lead through this, or your playing style is based on overwhelming possession of the ball. Provided that you have a selection of players with suitable gaming characteristics for this. Accompanying instructions may include “Play short pass” and “Drop deeper.” In situations where the opponent is actively putting pressure on your defensive players, it is better to abandon this instruction.

Important characteristics of players: Intuition, Passing, Technique.

"Cross into the penalty area"

This instruction will require players to try to deliver the ball into the opponent's penalty area more often with long crosses. Players will use long lobs more often and try to make more crosses from deep inside the pitch. Accordingly, there will be fewer crosses and passes made to a partner’s move, so this instruction is useful in the final phases of matches when your team has a clear advantage in the fight for top balls.

To create additional scoring opportunities for your forwards with a header, the instructions can be supplemented with the instructions “Cross from any position”, “Play wide”, “Go straight” and “Cross”.

Important player characteristics: Crosses, Heading, Playing without the ball, Intuition.

"Carry the ball to the flanks"

When carrying the ball to the flanks, your players will try to maintain control of the ball due to the advantage of your wide players. This instruction will not only help you counter something with an opponent who is superior to you in the center of the field, but will also help stretch his formation. This instruction is often used by counter-attacking teams in situations where the full-backs and wide midfielders have sufficient space to advance forward, such as in a 3-5-2 formation. With this instruction, the defensive players will try to pass a long pass to the flank, where the attacking players will have to ensure its further advancement.

The instruction works well with instructions such as “Use the flanks” and “Pass into open areas”, and if your formation is too vertical, it can be useful to supplement it with the instruction “Cross at every opportunity”.

Instructions for determining the style of crosses and crosses:

“Hang at every opportunity”

This instruction is useful when you plan to take advantage of both your advantage on the flanks and your advantage in the fight on the second floor. Players will try to cross the ball into the penalty area at the first opportunity. By reinforcing this instruction with a higher rhythm of play, you can try to surprise the opponent's less organized defensive line by throwing the ball "by the collar" to your onrushing forward.

The instructions are useful in situations when you need to equalize the score or snatch victory in the last minutes. In addition, with the help of this instruction you can play against teams that poorly use the flanks, in order to increase the game speed and bring chaos to the opponent’s tactical formations. Pairs well with the instructions “Cross”, “Cross into the box” and “Go straight”.

Note translator: Here I allow myself to slightly disagree with the author of the article. In my experience, the main difference between this instruction and the “Cross” instruction is that without it, wing players often try to run to the opponent’s end line and make a cross “from the ribbon.” Sometimes there are situations when, on the one hand, most of these crosses are blocked by the opponent’s full-backs, and on the other hand, in the central part of the edge the pressure on your midfield players is not so noticeable. By enabling the “Cross Whenever Opportunity” instruction, you will instruct your players to cross earlier than usual – in situations where they are less covered by opposition players. In addition, it is reasonable to accompany such instructions by changing the mentality of your full-backs to a more attacking one (“support” or “attack”) - then they will also join the attacks, cross the center of the field and, having taken a few more steps, will try to send the ball into the penalty area on horseback .

Important player characteristics: Crosses, Heading, Playing without the ball, Intuition, First touch.

"Canopies"

This instruction will help when you have tall but not too fast attackers. A gliding high pass into the penalty area (often executed with an eye to the far post) gives such a striker enough time to adjust to the flying ball and execute an accurate header on target. With this instruction, you ask your wide midfielders to send the ball at a higher height and at a lower speed.

It is advisable to use the instructions when the opposing defenders are not very good at heading the ball or are significantly inferior in height to your attackers. The instructions can be supplemented with the commands “Cross at every opportunity” and “Cross into the penalty area”, but can also be used independently for any selected type of pass.

"Shots"

If you have fast strikers with good positioning and excellent movement, it makes sense to use crosses as incisive passes. In this case, your players will try to make a quick and powerful pass (usually aimed at the near post or the center of the penalty area), in the hope that the oncoming forward will have time to get ahead of the opponent's defense and complete the pass. This instruction can be used as an element of surprise when used in conjunction with the "Cross at Every Opportunity" and "Charge the Tempo" instructions in an attempt to catch opposing defenders out of position through active team movement, as well as wear them down with faster game speeds. Most often, such crosses will be executed almost from the opponent’s goal line.

Important characteristics of players: Crosses, Heading, Playing without the ball, Intuition.

Instructions defining a command movement:

“Beat the defenders”

One of the main tools for breaking opponents' defenses is the movement of players. This team instruction encourages football players to advance with the ball further than is prescribed by tactical settings (the player’s attitude and personal instructions). Given this instruction, players will try to move deeper into the opponent's goal, trying to beat their defenders by dribbling in situations where they have the ball or trying to get rid of tight marking in situations where they are playing without the ball but the ball is still from one of their teammates.

This instruction can be useful in a counter-attacking style of play, in situations where the opposing players have significantly lower Tackling stats or leave huge open spaces through which you can try to build a play. With the help of this team instruction, you can stretch the opponent's defense, trying to catch his players on an individual mistake or an error in the choice of positions, as well as wear down the opponent's players with intense movement around the field. With the additional instructions “Pass into open spaces”, “More vertical passes” and “Shoot at every opportunity”, even higher tempo and width of the game can be achieved.

Important player characteristics: Playing without the ball, Dribbling, Intuition, Creation, Improvisation.

Command Instructions: Defense

The team instructions of this group largely determine how the team should act in attempts to gain possession of the ball, putting pressure on the opposition players in possession, and how player actions such as marking, tackling and marking will be determined. In total, the “Protection” group contains six command instructions.

"Use the offside trap"

This instruction encourages your defensive line players to move closer to the middle of the field in an attempt to keep the opposition forwards offside. This instruction is suitable for teams that have a defender with good Acceleration, Speed, Positioning and Intuition. The instruction may be useful for the chosen style of play with a “very high line of defense”, but it can result in dangerous breakthroughs by the opposing attackers if they have excellent indicators of Playing without the ball, Intuition and good speed qualities. By lifting your own defensive line during the opponent's aggravating passes, you get the opportunity to intercept such passes, thereby preventing the opponent's attackers from taking advantage of their power and accuracy if they are not fast enough.

To skillfully organize offside traps, your defenders must be well organized and disciplined. This command instruction works wonderfully in tandem with another - “Move away from the gate.”

Note translator: It seems to me that the author was a little mistaken here, since the entire previous paragraph he discusses, in fact, the instruction “A very high line of defense”, and as a recommendation he gives its less aggressive analogue - “Move away from the gate.”

Important characteristics of players: Intuition, Decision making, Position selection.

"Use tight guarding"

With this instruction you are asking players to use mixed teaming (personal-zonal). Players will try to play closer to the opposing players in possession of the ball in order to prevent them from continuing the attack. The instruction can be useful for the purpose of limiting the creative capabilities of opposing players and their ability to play without the ball, and also helps to quickly regain the ball in a game against teams whose players are weaker than your players in terms of their physical characteristics and ball handling (“First Touch”).

Using tight marking pairs well with the "Press Opponent" and "Pull Away" instructions if your defensive players are good at Positioning, Marking, and Tackling.

Important player characteristics: Marking, Tackling, Strength, Positioning.

"Go into tackles"

This team instruction requires your team players to cover the opposing players more, put even more pressure on them and go into combat with more aggression and toughness. Of course, by doing this you increase the risk of players receiving cards, so you need to use these instructions with caution. The instruction works great against the opponent's midfield in cases where their players have weak Bravery, Coordination and Determination, since by your actions you will force them to play more nervously and give up the ball faster, without the risk of going end-to-end with your players. I would not recommend using this instruction against teams with technical, fast players with good dribbling ability and excellent physical characteristics (primarily coordination). Also, you should not use this instruction when your match is being judged by a demanding referee who is not shy about handing out cards at the first opportunity.

The instruction works great in conjunction with the instructions “Put pressure on your opponent,” “Use tight guarding,” and “Play with more discipline.” In addition, this instruction can be used to exhaust the opponent's players, but it is important to remember that with prolonged use of this instruction, the physical condition of your own players will deteriorate significantly. If you need to wear down a specific opposing player, it is better to use the instruction for that specific opposing player, “Play harder in tackling,” instead of this instruction.

Important characteristics of players: Tackling, Aggressiveness, Bravery, Endurance.

"Stay on your feet"

As mentioned above, an aggressive approach to martial arts is not always appropriate. The “stay on your feet” instruction encourages your players to close the distance with the player being marked, but not to throw a tackle. This is the approach that would make sense when playing against more trained opponents who can beat your players through more skillful dribbling or pure physics (i.e. advantages in indicators such as Coordination, Agility and Strength).

This instruction will require more careful actions from your players, in which more attention will be given to the right moment in the selection, rather than harshness of actions and aggression. Accordingly, the instruction fits well with options such as “Play more disciplined” and “Move away from the opponent”, as well as the correct choice of the depth of the defensive line, in which the opponent could, when receiving the ball, bump into a compact defense and would be forced to rely not on their own strengths, but on the contrary - to expose their vulnerabilities (for example, being forced to shoot at goal from afar or to use the flanks to a greater extent when the opponent is more inclined to play through the center). It is wise to use the “Stay on your feet” instruction when your team is a clear outsider, for whom a draw would be a happy result, as well as when the match is strictly judged to reduce the risk of receiving unwanted cards.

Important characteristics of players: Tackling, Concentration, Positioning, Decision Making.

"Press your opponent"

With this instruction, you can force your players to try to cover the player in possession of the ball as quickly as possible. This will result in the opponent having less time to handle the ball, and you will have a chance to regain possession of the ball by forcing the opponent to make a mistake in handling, passing, or intercepting the ball from under his awkward foot. This way, your players who are close to the opposing player in possession of the ball will begin to cover and put pressure on him.

Using this instruction, you can from time to time during the match try to bring your opponent out of a calm state, however, it is important to remember that by applying high pressure, your players will get physically tired faster. It is logical to use this instruction in the final part of the match, trying to score a goal when your team is in better condition than the opposing players.

The pressing instruction reduces the distance between your players and the opponent's players, so it is logical to combine it with the requests to “Move away from goal”, “Go into tackles” and “Use tight marking”. It is also useful to use this instruction in situations where you are up against players who are excellent with the ball, who know how to make a good pass, who make most of their assists from deep within the field, but who also have a low level of concentration.

Important characteristics of players: Endurance, Aggression, Guardianship, Intuition.

"Do not rush at your opponent"

This instruction is similar to the "Stay on your feet" instruction and reduces the distance between your players and the opposing players, but is less aggressive than other marking instructions. The instructions require players to cover the opponent less actively. Since the players will not be tasked with high pressing, they will be able to more clearly maintain the pattern of the defensive line, making it difficult for the opponent to pass through, and forcing the other team's players to work hard trying to break such a defense. The other side of the coin is that the opposing players have more time to process the ball and make decisions.

This instruction is wise to use against a faster and more technical opponent, forcing him to fight his way through the redoubts of your defenders, try to beat them in a narrow space or shoot at goal from a distance. This instruction reduces the likelihood of defensive failures, which can be useful, say, when trying to maintain a minimal lead in the score in the last 10 minutes of a match or in those matches where you are completely satisfied with a draw result. It is better to supplement this instruction with requests to “Stay on your feet,” “Go deeper,” “Strictly in positions,” and “Play more disciplined.”

Important Player Characteristics: Concentration, Intuition, Decision Making, Team Play

Team Instructions: Formation

This group's team instructions focus more on determining the width of the play, the depth of the defensive line, and the team movement of players. I've decided to split this group of instructions into three corresponding sub-categories in which I will summarize all 8 team instructions available in Football Manager under the Formation category.

Instructions affecting team movement and player positioning

"Strictly by position"

The “Strictly by Position” instruction requires players not to leave the position prescribed by their role and location within the tactical formation. On the one hand, such an instruction limits the freedom of movement of players, but on the other hand, it will be more difficult to pull them out of their position. The players' mentality will be reduced to "strict", the same as in the case of the instruction "Do not rush at the opponent".

This instruction is suitable for teams that prefer to build their game from a reliable defense, in which a strict game pattern is observed. The instruction can be supplemented with instructions such as “Don’t rush at your opponent,” “Get lower,” and “Play more disciplined,” but can also be used as a stand-alone instruction, regardless of the chosen playing style. The requirement to play “Strictly by position” can be a good counter-argument in meetings with counter-attacking teams that rely on excellent speed, creativity of their own players and their ability to play without the ball.

Important characteristics of players: Concentration, Teamwork, Positioning, Composure.

"Shift from position"

This instruction, on the contrary, will allow players to have greater freedom in choosing their own position on the field. The mentality of the players will be changed to "flexible" and they will independently choose a position within the radius of their position within the tactical formation in order to be better open or have a better opportunity to pass in the team's attacking actions. Of course, such instructions place significantly higher demands on the players - not only are they required to have good physical performance, since they will have to do a much larger amount of work, but also excellent creative and improvisational performance so that the team's attack acquires additional depth, and Additional players could be involved in attacking actions due to greater team movement. In addition, this instruction complicates the defensive actions of the opposing players - since they will have to make a decision about whether, in a particular game situation, they should move after the manned opponent, exposing the zone, or remain in their own position, losing the manned player.

The requirement to “Move out of position” can be used in conjunction with the instructions to “Play more relaxed”, “Increase the tempo” and “Pass into open zones”. This combination can be a formidable weapon against the most layered defense, but it places special demands on the tactical armament of your players and the understanding of where they should move to protect a partner leaving their playing area.

Important characteristics of players: Creation, Improvisation, Decision Making, Teamwork, Positioning, Intuition.

“Allow the outside midfielders to change places”

This instruction only applies to formations that involve the use of wingers. With its help, you can allow attacking flank players to change places during the match, allowing the extreme left midfielders to move to the right flank in a particular game episode, and the right flank players to take a position on the left at this time.

The instruction is useful when closely guarding flank players in order to disrupt the order in the defensive lines and tactical instructions of the enemy team. It will be more difficult for the opponent to defend against midfielders who are constantly changing positions. Playing on the flank with a “comfortable” foot, such a winger will try to pass a twisted, dribbling cross, and when playing on an “inconvenient” flank, he will try to break into the center and pass, shoot on target or make a simpler version of the cross.

Instructions can be a good choice in situations where you just can't crack your opponent's defenses, and you would like to add some unpredictability to your attacking actions.

Instructions affecting game width

The width of the game allows you to increase or decrease the area of ​​free zones. This is one of the fundamental tactical values ​​that must be defined regardless of the type of football you preach. We have the opportunity to choose from two possible settings.

- Instructions “Play wide” increases the free zones between your players, stretching the tactical scheme in width. Such an instruction will increase the free zones in the center of the field, which means it can be the right choice when your midfielders are stronger than their counterparts from the opposing team or you are trying to “stretch” the opponent’s defense, forcing them to play wider against you and resist passes and crosses with flanks. The instructions help you take advantage of your attacking advantages both through your wide players (midfielders and full-backs) and through your midfield players.

- Instructions “Play narrowly”, on the contrary, reduces the distance between players, narrowing the width of the tactical formation, and making it difficult to penetrate your defensive formations. By already playing you can help your weaker central players (for example, central midfielders). However, this leaves more space on the flanks, inviting opposition players to play through the flanks, which can be a smart choice if you have stronger full-backs and midfielders.

Instructions determining the depth of the defensive line

The depth of the defensive line is no less important a tactical element than the width of the game. Of course, the choice of defensive depth should be approached responsibly, weighing all the pros and cons. However, it is one of the key tools that determines the distance between your defensive line players and your opponent's attack line players, and it will determine whether you can fully counter their strengths and take advantage of their vulnerabilities. The depth of the defensive line is also determined by the chosen mindset and, to some extent, the philosophy of the game. In total, the game offers four instructions that determine the depth of the defensive line.

- “Very deep line of defense”. This instruction requires players to position themselves in their own half of the field, as close to the penalty area as possible, aiming to minimize the distance remaining behind them to the penalty area. This most defensive instruction requires players to play extremely compactly and will force forwards to return to defense if the ball is lost. It is this instruction that is used when building a “solid defense” when you need to “park the bus” in your own penalty area. Players will be forced to try to build their own attacks with long passes (Going the Straight Way) or rely on quick counter-attacks in hopes of getting their own chance.

- “Go lower”. This less extreme instruction will also require all your players to return to their own half if the ball is lost, but the defensive line will be positioned further from the penalty line than in the previous case. I recommend using this instruction regardless of your playing style in situations where you are trying to defend against sharp counterattacks from your opponent. In addition, with the help of this instruction you can lure out an opponent who is tightly closed in defense, creating free zones for your own crosses or penetrating passes. Your team, as in the previous case, will be well protected, and the compact placement of players will create good conditions for intercepting other people's passes (depending on other selected team instructions).

- “Move away from the gate”. This instruction encourages the defensive line to move closer to the center line, thereby pushing the opposing attackers away from your goal in situations where your team is in possession of the ball. This instruction will not only pull some of your players closer to the center of the field, but, as in the case of the “Very High Line of Defense” instruction, it will force more players to participate in the team’s attacking actions. Depending on what free zones remain, both in front of the opposing defenders and behind them, it may be wise to supplement this instruction with a higher tempo of play.

- “Very high line of defense”. Another extreme instruction that will require your defensive players to position themselves almost in the center of the field when your team players have the ball. This results in a very compact vertical placement of your players, reducing the opportunities for passing between opposing players and forcing them to build their own play through long passes. The instruction, as already mentioned, will force your central and full-backs to move towards the center of the field and actually act as playmakers, since your regular playmakers will move closer to the opponent’s penalty area.

Command Instructions: Infiltration

This group's instructions determine which zones to attack through when your team is in possession of the ball. These instructions are often closely linked to the width of your play, as well as the types of crosses and passes, and are aimed at maximizing your team's strengths or, conversely, taking advantage of the opponent's weaknesses. There are a total of five instructions of this type in the game.

"Use flanks"

This instruction encourages players to play wider, looking to take advantage of opportunities on the flanks. The advantage of this instruction is that when used, the opponent is often forced to narrow his own play in order to be able to counter passes from the flank. Also, the instruction is often chosen when using tactical formations 3-5-2 or 5-3-2, since both tactical formations involve too compact a position of central midfielders.

This instruction will require wing players to move more around the field without the ball, trying to open themselves up to their teammates' passes. With this instruction, the wingers become your main force in attack, whose frequent crosses from the flanks will have to be closed by a striker who plays well on the “second floor”. I recommend using this instruction in conjunction with a narrow width of play or as a stand-alone instruction in situations where your full-backs and midfielders are stronger than the opposing players.

If we talk about what instructions could be added to “Use the flanks”, then I would recommend “Wait for partners to connect” and “Cross from any position”.

"Use left flank"

Actually, the instructions are very similar to the previous one, with the only difference being that it specifies through which flank the attacks should be built. This specificity is usually based on the opponent's vulnerability in this area or a freer zone on the left flank. With such an instruction, your players will strive to saturate the left flank with passes, and the opposing players will pull more forces to this flank, as a result, reducing the concentration of their own players on the right flank, which, in turn, you can try to use in the final segment of the match, trying to target crosses from their players to the far post.

The instruction will force players on the left flank to join attacks more often and make crosses more often, while central midfielders will hold the ball, waiting for the opportunity to pass to the left.

"Use the right flank"

The instruction is the exact opposite of the previous instruction and is aimed at exploiting your advantage (or your opponent's vulnerability) on the right flank. Otherwise, the impact on the team’s game and the mentality of the players is exactly the same as when turning on the already described instruction “Use the left flank”.

"Use Center"

This instruction requires players to try to develop attacks through the center. It is advisable to use it in situations where you have a numerical or qualitative advantage in the center of the field. The team's play will be narrower, and players will prefer cutting passes. However, if you play a ball-control style of play, it may be better to use this instruction in conjunction with the request to play wider in order to provide more space for the creative players in the midfield.

It is also useful to use this instruction in situations where your central midfielders are better than the opposition's central midfielders, when your tactical formation does not require the presence of wing midfielders, or in situations where there is too much space between the opponent's defensive and midfield lines. The latter situation often arises, for example, when using a 4-4-2 formation with a deep defensive line.

“Wait for partners to connect”

This instruction will require players to wait for a striker, full-back or midfielder to connect to further develop the attack. Often, this instruction helps to achieve a “2 on 1” or “3 on 2” situation on the flanks, as well as obtain a more advantageous position for a cross or cross. The full-backs and midfielders will change places frequently, which will cause problems for the opposition defenders, especially in situations where they try to play narrowly or their wide players are inferior to yours.

The instruction can be used as an auxiliary to one of the instructions on using the flanks to give greater width to the flank play. Asking you to wait for your teammates to join will certainly slow down the pace of the game somewhat, but can be extremely useful in a situation where your central midfielders, whom you usually use as playmakers, are tightly marked. With such instructions, at least they will not lose the ball, taking on the role of dispatchers and holding the ball until they can pass it to one of the partners on the edges of the field. The instruction is often used when trying to open layered defenses using flank players.

Important characteristics of players: Intuition, Acceleration, Speed, Play without the ball, Endurance.

Original: Football Manager Team Instructions – Analyzing Shouts

So get ready to plunge into the world of football. First of all, choose the leagues you need, because this decision will be final, and you won’t be able to add new divisions. If you are not sure whether you need a league or not, select it as available for viewing, then you can, if necessary, activate it after the end of the regular season.

Next, create your profile and provide all the information. Here, too, you need to treat everything responsibly. Nationality, language proficiency and gaming experience influence the attitude towards you. So, if you assume that an ordinary guy is from Russia and does not know foreign languages, then the top clubs will not be interested in you for several years, and even if they are chosen for management, the players will not listen to you.

First steps, distribution of roles

You have just begun your path to coaching triumph and greatness, but you already need to determine what you will do in your club.

Pre-season training

Preparation for the season is one of the most important parts of the training process in FM 14. Once you fail to prepare your team physically and mentally for the season, disastrous results will follow. Don't be afraid to put pressure on your players. If you like to keep everything under control, try to make training sessions as difficult as possible - the players will swear and get tired, but in the middle of the season, when the team turns from a mere outsider into a candidate for medals or promotion to the next division, the players will carry you in their arms. Literally!

If you are a divide-and-conquer person, assign your deputy to do all the training work. Using this option, you completely turn off your head during training and don’t worry about whether the player’s tactical skill or physical fitness corresponds to the overall team level. The assistant also provides you with periodic training reports, allowing you to monitor your training progress from afar and after the fact.

Also, in the preseason it is better to load up the full squad with matches. Try to play 2 matches a week. You will play out the tactical scheme and bring the physics of the players to the optimal level.

Involve reserve and junior players in friendly matches. Try to give all players the opportunity to play in pre-season matches. And improve the morale of the players, and young players will strive to prove themselves in order to get into the first team.

Company's secret: Don’t be afraid to distribute responsibilities among assistants, scouts and other technical staff. IN FM 14 The work of the coaching staff is so well organized that a complete feeling of the reality of everything that is happening is created.

Tactics

Special part FM 14- this is a tactical setting for the match. Don't expect that there are one or two tactics in the game that will work 100%. Sometimes even good managers spend months searching for “the right” tactics that allow them to win not only against weak and equal clubs, but also against the powers that be. More often than not, good managers have three or four tactics, which they vary depending on the opponent. Adapting to the opponent’s playing style, neutralizing his strengths and putting pressure on his weaknesses is one of the most interesting and exciting tasks FM 14. The game features a dozen standard tactics, which players are told to change according to their preferences and discretion. However, even in such an aspect as tactics, you need to adhere to a number of small conditions.

• Game scheme. First of all, the placement of players. Try to play 2-3 tactics right from the pre-season matches. First, you can choose in any order according to your preferences. Use different variations: try using 4-4-2, 4-3-3 (with inside players), 4-5-1 (with two attacking midfielders), 4-1-2-1-2, etc. This will allow you to vary your lineup depending on the match and your opponent's playing style. The more crowded the opponent’s center of the field, the more defenders and midfielders need to be deployed. Don't forget that defense plays a huge role in FM 14. Try to use formations with four defenders - this way you are less likely to lose sight of the attackers and concede a goal.
• Team tactics. Playing style, attitude and instructions are very important to start a match. This tactics tab determines what settings your team will enter the match with.
  • Playing style. The stricter your setting, the less the team will deviate from the match plan and use intricate combinations. Accordingly, the more flexible the setup, the more often players will be creative in attack
  • Mood. Everything is simple here: defensive setups will force the team to close, attackers will free up the hands of attackers and midfield flank players. If you need to play extremely carefully in defense and break the enemy’s defense on counterattacks, feel free to use defensive and counterattacking styles. If you are confidently stronger than your opponent, play to hold the ball or attack; strong attacking players should bring you victory through individual and team actions
  • Instructions. This is a separate story in your tactical scheme. Try to give your team instructions that are specific enough to suit their chosen playstyle and mindset. Otherwise, your players will follow two mutually exclusive instructions and the result will be disastrous. IN FM 14, by the way, now exclusion instructions are not available for selection, making your life and choice of settings easier.
  • Company's secret: Don't give players too much freedom in attack (just as don't confine their ambitions to tactics). Look for balance in the team's actions empirically using the example of pre-season matches.
• Settings for players. In order for your players to correctly understand their functions on the field, in the “Player” tab you need to assign each role, tasks and instructions. This is a rather tedious part of the coaching process, but the search for comfortable playing conditions sometimes turns into an exciting process. This is such a paradox.
• Set pieces, penalties and captain. In this part of the game tactics, nothing has changed over the years. In the appropriate tabs, you list performers based on certain skills. By the way, this is also an important part of the process, because the number of penalties in FM 14 increased noticeably (as did the corners), so that playing them became an inevitable headache for coaches in FM 14.

Company's secret. Do not leave team results in pre-season games and championship (cup, European cup) games to chance.

First, you need to monitor how your players are playing. Captaincy - you say. A thoughtful move - we will answer. If your team concedes more often from set pieces, instruct your assistants to practice defending on set pieces a couple of days before the match. You'll see, not in the first, but in the second match the team will not concede a corner or free kick.

Secondly, change/upgrade your tactics more often as the match progresses. It has been noticed for several years now that opponents are starting to get used to the same scheme used by your club. At some point, your team will simply stop winning and slide down, like an intellectual down a hill in a cold winter. And the players will criticize and journalists will tease you with uncomfortable questions.

Thirdly, pay attention to players who lose morale after matches. The reason for this may be his poor game (then support him through conversation), or it may happen that your excellent tactics simply do not suit him and the poor fellow’s setup for the match does not suit him. Then you need to either talk to him, offering to be patient, or listen to him and, perhaps, let him go on a transfer.

Match

A match is an integral part of the club management process and the right tactics do not always decide the outcome of the match. Most often it happens that by offering a defensive tactic to the team for testing, you find yourself mentally prepared to win. The players strive forward and try to bring three points to the club's treasury... That's when the option of changing settings during the match comes into force. If you notice that your players are attacking dangerously, add speed or pressure to the opponent. This will allow you to control the ball more often and take it away as far from your goal as possible.

Communication with the team before and after the match, of course, plays an important role in raising morale. How you conduct the pre-match dialogue determines the mood with which the team enters the match. But don’t get carried away by fiery speeches and constant demands for results. Vary your comments depending on forecasts, opponents' standings and other factors.

Company's secret: as the matches progress, your assistant will constantly inform you about the successful and unsuccessful actions of your players and team play in general, but do not rush to follow his advice. Try to analyze the situation yourself, because sudden and fundamental changes in the game can upset the balance of your tactics.

Transfers

Another important aspect is the transfer policy. If you start your career in a top-level club and participant in European cups, then you will not have problems with financing. This is especially true for clubs from the five largest championships (England, Spain, Italy, Germany, France). The money in these championships is huge and you will always get tidbits from the overall pie. And the depth of the bench in top clubs is a feast for the eyes. In the same Chelsea or Manchester City, the composition allows you not only to “forget” transfers, but also to shuffle players from match to match, forgetting about the junior and reserve teams. Unfortunately, this is what happens in reality...

It's another matter - a lower league club, a middle peasant in the first division or an outsider. In some championships (like divisions 2,3,4 of the English Championship) you will be required to follow financial fair-play. First of all, you will not be allowed to raise the salary bar above a certain amount. The sanctions here are harsh and ultimatum, up to the removal of points (oh yes, in FM 14 this is the harsh truth of life). Secondly, the number of players to sign for one transfer cannot be more than 5 people. You will also not be allowed to change the gender of your squad at the end of the season. Following transfer policy has become even more interesting. Otherwise, the game has undergone few changes in the new installation. If you have enough money, you can buy and sell with virtually no restrictions, but try to invest your money wisely. This isn't the FIFA 14 simulator, where you can spend £50 million on Wayne Rooney and not choke. Purchases in excess of the amount in FM 14 will force you to tighten your belt for a couple of seasons.

Finance

The game uses the classic English head coach-manager model. So, you will have to superficially control the financial well-being of your club.

Basically you are responsible for 2 things - the balance between salary and transfer budget, the overall balance. When signing contracts with players, you need to take into account absolutely every nuance, otherwise your club will go into debt. They can lead to dismissal and even bankruptcy of the club.

Try not to overpay for a player if you are not sure that he will bring real benefits to the team. If you have players that you don’t really need, rent them out right away. This way you will pay less salary and there will be fewer problems. After all, a player who plays little often undermines the collective spirit.

Communication

Communication with your wards and journalists plays a very important role. Therefore, we will analyze several types of dialogues in the game.

1) Team communication - usually this type is relevant before and after the season. Then you gather all the players together, share your opinion with them, as a result of which the players gain or lose additional motivation. This version of conversations is also relevant for staff, only with it you have to solve tactical issues and they are shown in the form of a proposal-solution. You can raise this or that topic, the entire coaching staff will offer you advice, and it’s up to you to accept it or not.

2) Personal communication - sometimes players need a personal approach. In this type of interaction, you must grab your ward, criticize or raise an important issue (re-signing a contract, advice on choosing another club).

3) Communication with journalists - media representatives love to ask compromising questions, so be careful. You will have to communicate with journalists before games, after games, discuss rumors and introduce players. It would seem that everything is simple, but in reality it is not so. All negative emotions come through the media. Therefore, generally speaking, journalists are about 20 percent good and 80 percent harm. If you don’t want to communicate with them, you can send your assistant, but then he may say too much. If you avoid questions from journalists, your reputation may decline, because bad reviews will come about you.

4) Coaching communication - we wrote above about interactions with our coaching staff, sometimes you will have to talk with your opponents. Very often, your answers at press conferences can anger outside specialists and experts like Bubnov. Then they start a public conversation with you and it cannot be avoided. You will have to argue, insult and sometimes even praise your communication rivals. Sometimes, by giving your comment, you can put pressure on the management of another club and its owner will fire the coach. You can also support other coaches, then they can become your best friends and give little advice before matches. who is more dangerous for your team.

Ask any fan who plays the best defensive football today. 99% of experts will answer with confidence - Jose Mourinho.

Many consider him one of the best coaches in the history of football.

Surprisingly, he is now at the helm "Manchester United"- one of Chelsea's main competitors.

It was at the head of the aristocrats that Special One demonstrated in all its glory the “bus” tactics, which he began to use back in Inter Milan during the winning season in the Champions League.

Today we will tell you how to use tactics and the “bus” strategy in the virtual Football Manager, using Chelsea as an example.

The genius of Mourinho, in his formation, loaded the middle line as much as possible, which made it possible to create a balance between defense and attack. Now in more detail: Jose played with 4 defenders, 2 defensive midfielders, 2 wing midfielders, 1 central midfielder (who, by the way, also took on the functions of a playmaker and a second forward in a positional attack) and 1 them ramming center forward.

In FM 2016, the most adapted for a bus is the 4-2-3-1 scheme.

Each player must perform the following roles on the field:

• Flank defenders - “defensive flank defender”
• Centerbacks are “defensive central defenders”
• Left defensive midfielder – “defensive anchorman”
• Right defensive midfielder – “a powerful defensive midfielder”
• Wingers - “a winger who supports the defence”
• Centreback – “a free playmaker who supports the defence”
• The striker is “a ramming forward focused on attack.”

Best tactics settings for Football Manager 2016 and 2017



It is logical that the main goal of the “bus” strategy is a high-quality game in defense of the maximum number of players.

If the ball is recovered, at the expense of the fast midfielders, a “dagger” counterattack is launched using free zones.

Using the "bus" tactic, two defensive lines should be formed on the field. The first consists of two wingers, a center back and a right midfielder - their goal is to select the ball by pressing. While the second line (left defensive midfielder and all defenders) protects the first line players and covers empty zones.

The main highlight of this tactic is the permanent triangle on your part of the field.
What kind of triangle? Any attacking enemy player is always met by three of your players.
It is worth remembering that the moment of constant pressure is very important here. Due to which it is possible to win the ball in the opposing half of the field.

Directly in the settings you need to select the “Defensive” style of play for the team. This option regulates the number of players in defense and in this case it will be maximum.
In the construction parameters you need to set it to “Very rigid”. This will allow you to achieve the necessary discipline in completing game tasks.

The instructions to the team should be as follows:

1. Game tempo "Normal"
2. Killing time "Frequent"
3. Deep defensive line
4. Width "Balance"
5. Close supervision
6. Play strictly by position
7. Passes into free zones
8. Crosses into the penalty area and shots on goal at the first opportunity

Optimal composition



At the beginning of a Chelsea career in FM2016, with a “bus” strategy for the game, the starting lineup should be as follows:

• Goalkeeper – Thibaut Courtois: a young, experienced goalkeeper and, what is very important, reliable. He forced the veteran Cech out of the lineup in the 14/15 season.
• Right back – Branislav Ivanovic: Experienced Serbian defender, one of Chelsea's veterans. He is distinguished by his reliable play in defense and high-quality connections to attack.
• Left back – Cesar Azpilicueta: Spanish defender, currently at the peak of his career. Very tenacious and fast.
• Left centre-back – Kurt Zouma: a young French prodigy who ousted the aristocratic legend, John Terry, from the lineup.
• Right center back – Gary Cahill: One of the best English defenders. Strong in playing on the second floor.
• Left defensive midfielder – John Obi Mikel: Nigerian defensive midfielder, veteran of the team. Tenacious in tackling the ball and has a powerful shot.
• Right defensive midfielder – Nemanja Matic: Serbian national team player. Chelsea Academy graduate. Strong in the game on the second floor and when tackling the ball.
• Centbek – Cesc Fabregas: Spanish playmaker, Barcelona graduate, master of passing. Chief dispatcher of the team.
• Left wing midfielder – Pedro: Former Barca player, fast winger with incredible dribbling ability.
• Right wing midfielder – Eden Hazard: talented midfielder, captain of the Belgium national team. Team motor. He has great speed, excellent ball control and a strong shot.
• Center forward – Diego Costa: Spanish striker with incredible scoring instincts, dribbling ability and shooting power. Successfully replaced Blues legend Didier Drogba who left Chelsea.

After Ramirez left, there was a need to replace him. Mikel is not very suitable for playing with bus tactics. Therefore, it is advisable to purchase a new supporter.

Correct player selection and tactics for Football Manager

To use the “bus” strategy, a special selection of players is required. For example, midfielders must have performance, good tackling, close marking, fit into team play and be resilient.

It is important to have a strong right midfielder in the lineup. He is the "skeleton of the team." The main requirements for it: power and endurance.

Don't forget about a striker with essential qualities such as high speed and finishing the attack.





Wingers should ideally be fast and have the ability to deliver accurate crosses into the penalty area.
Playing with set pieces

When assigning a set piece in favor of the opponent, it is necessary to concentrate a maximum of players in your own penalty area, while one fast player remains on the rebound, and the attacker waits for a pass in the center of the field.
When fulfilling your own standards, it is most rational to send only tall players into the opponent’s penalty area, with one player on the rebound, and everyone else on defense.