Formations

Roster and Line-up

Every week, you must start at least 11 players for your league game. You should select 16 (11 starter, 5 backup) players for your league game. In addition, you may have a friendly or cup game scheduled. It is strongly advised to play different players in each game to maximize training potential.

While it is possible to have more than 50 players on a team, it is not advisable as the odds of a penalty to your training increase for each player over 50 you have on your roster.

What abilities really mean

The following tables will help you somewhat when you select your team. Note that it's only an approximation. Some levels of abilities following each other may mean only slight differences in performance, and vice-versa.

The state of the midfield decides how many opportunities your team will produce during a match. The other parts of the team will decide the probability of attacks leading to goals.

A normal case

Part of team	Factors (most important first)
Midfield	Playmaking inner midfielders
	Playmaking wingers
	Playmaking Offensive Central Defenders
	Playmaking Defensive Forwards
Attack Left wing	Winger left winger
	Scoring forwards
	Passing left winger
	Passing left inner midfielder
	Winger left wing back
Defence Left wing	Goalkeeping Goalkeeper
	Defending left wing back
	Defending left central defender
	Defending left winger
	Defending left inner midfielder
Attack Centre	Scoring forwards
	Passing forwards
	Passing inner midfielders
	Passing wingers towards middle
Defence Centre	Goalkeeping goalkeeper
	Defending central defenders
	Defending left and right wing backs
	Defending inner midfielders
	Defending left and right wingers
Attack Right wing	Winger right winger
	Scoring forwards
	Passing right winger
	Passing right inner midfielder
	Winger right wing back
Defence Right wing	Goalkeeping goalkeeper
	Defending right wing back
	Defending right central defender
	Defending right winger
	Defending right inner midfielder

Individual orders

Position	Tactics	Effect
Wing back	Offensive	More Winger, an ounce of playmaking, less Defending
	Defensive	More Defending, less Winger
	Centre	More Defending to the middle, less Defending to the side, less Winger
Central defender	Offensive	A certain amount of Midfield, less Defending
	Towards wing	Less Defending to the middle, more Defending to the side, a certain amount of Winger
Winger	Offensive	More Winger, less Defending
	Defensive	Less Winger, more Defending
	Towards Middle	More Midfield, less Winger, less Defending
Inner midfielder	Offensive	More Passing, less Defending
	Defensive	Less Passing, more Defending
	Towards wing	Less Midfield, more Winger
Forward	Defensive	A certain amount of Midfield, less Scoring
	Towards wing	Less Scoring in the middle, more Scoring to the side, more Winger

Tactics and Training

The training scheme you choose determines the formation and tactics you may use effectively to a large extent, as you can only maximise training by using certain formations.

• Scoring trainers can use 3-4-3 or 4-3-3 or even 2-5-3 or 5-2-3. The last two will most likely generate confusion.
• Playmaking trainers can use 3-5-2 or 4-5-1 or even 5-5-0 or 2-5-3. The last two will most likely generate confusion.
• Defence trainers can use 5-4-1 or 5-3-2 or even 5-5-0 or 5-2-3. The last two will most likely generate confusion.

Goalkeeper or wing training allow more formation flexibility. Goalkeepers allow the use of a full range of the formation options. Only the experience with formations put a limit to wingers and goalkeepers.

Of course, it is always possible to use alternative formations, but this will mean you are unable to maximise training for the week.

At all times be sure that you do not have more than 3 players playing on same position, or you'll lose training for the week. E.g. 3-5-2 with 2 wingers and one extra inner midfieder is perfectly legal, while 3-5-2 with a single winger and 4 inner midfielders will lose you training.

The players may get injured, allowing for one of your substitutes to enter the game. A player assigned "Sub (forward)" will enter the field, should one of your forwards get injured. If you don't have a substitute assigned to a certain position, or if the substitutes is injured as well, one of the other substitutes will automatically get selected to play. If you don't have any able substitutes as your regular players get injured, you'll have to continue the game with 10 players. Always remember to name a goalkeeper for the game, if you don't an outfield player will move to the goalkeeper spot, thereby disrupting your overall tactics. Also remember that you must start your games with at least 9 players to avoid a walk over and prevent losing a week's training for all players in your squad, as well as a portion of your club's supporters.

There are also five types of general tactics that you can use. These can be described as a common intention that the team has. All tactics except "Normal" have a benefit and a disadvantage, so choose carefully.

These tactics are described in detail in the Tactics section or Chapter 11 of the rules.

See also

The following are some special advanced tactics. Explanations will be found on their own pages.

• All out tactics
• Norwegian tactics
• All ahead full
• Extreme formations

External resources

• ABC of tactics