Typically, when you search for a new player to join your team on Football Manager, age can be a big factor in whether or not you will sign them. I want to create an experiment that looks at two identical players in terms of attributes, but completely different ages. I want to find out whether age is a defining moment in the signing of a player. In this particular experiment, I am going to create a player who would be…
Since its introduction in FM2014, the Wide Target Man role always fascinated and brought out the tactical tinkerer in me. Sometimes I get an idea that takes over whichever save I’m doing, as I try hard to make it work. Most of the time it leads to a lot of wasted time playing around with the tactics screen. Even worse is the disappointment of watching game after game and seeing none of the hoped for results. My particular weakness has…
Score goals while not conceding any from counter-attacks or set pieces. Simple enough, right?
For some reason I always associate the month of December with playing Football Manager. Maybe it was because I started my first ever save on FM14 in December 2013. I still remember the glory of promoting Manisaspor out of the gloomy depth of Turkish 2nd division. Maybe by pure luck or some fluke of the plug and play tactics, I was actually able to win the league. I also happened to have a very good youth intake; my first ever…
Despite the positive start to the season, we had to contend with a bit of a crisis. Within a space of a month I’ve had 4 of my first team players receive long-term multi-months injuries. I could be bitter, blaming it on the playing with an earlier patch that made injuries too common. I am using a high intensity high pressing system that demands a lot from my players’ stamina and natural fitness. Injuries happen sooner or later. Instead of…
I was torn between two formations for my gegenpressing tactic: 4-2-3-1 DM wide or 4-5-1. In the end I chose 4-2-3-1. The 4-5-1 became my backup tactic againt superior sides in Champions League. Why not use Lobanovsky’s classic 4-4-2, you may ask? I’ve used 4-4-2 extensively in both FM 2017 and FM 2018. But while I always had some success with it, I noticed that Number 10s never played as I wanted. Or link up the midfield and attack as…
What wing-backs in FM19 are meant to do Wing-backs in FM19 are meant to be simple: they run up and down their flanks non-stop. Where do they get all this energy? ‘They’re fitter’ isn’t a satisfactory explanation! Why can’t every player just be a superhuman who turns up everywhere? Let’s take a closer look at wing-backs in FM19.
Club DNA The first question you might ask is what sort of player you will need to recreate Lobanovsky’s system? Or indeed in any kind of “gegenpressing” tactic. Primarily you want players with as much Stamina, Workrate and Determination as possible. I’m looking for something in 14-16 range ideally. Players with high values there should run their hearts out for you. It helps if you use fitting team instructions and roles to get the best out them.
This sounds like a bold plan full of radical ideas. Please let me assure you that it isn’t. Coming up with your own plan for training in FM19 is rewarding, if you put all the options into context. To help yourself, try to incorporate the three main aims: developing, motivating and conditioning your players correctly.
With the new football manager season underway, we are going to be releasing a series of guides for Football Manager 2019. Throughout the year we will be giving you tips on everything from tactics and training, to scouting and youth intakes. For our first article, we’ll naturally start at the beginning: Pre-Season! All of the guides will use this save. I am managing Arsenal because they were the first team on the list. Also they are well-known so people will…