Pressing

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Pressing means that all of your players try to put pressure on their opponents so they put slightly more effort into breaking up your opponent's attacks than trying to create their own. The result is that generally the total number of potential chances in the game gets reduced for both teams.
Special events are not affected, nor the frequency of injuries.
Whenever a potential chance is foiled by a team using the pressing tactic it is reported in the match report, but you will never find out which team could have benefited from the chance.

Effectiveness

Pressing could be a good option when you feel inferior and want to keep the score down, but, as any other tactic, works best when is long term prepared. Many teams play pressing in a desperate strike to avoid losing a game, even if they lack the appropriate players (i.e. Powerful, high skilled defenders, with enough stamina... your players need stamina). With the exception of the goalkeeper, each player's ability to defend and stay fit determines the tactic level.
The table below combines the tactical level, the number of foiled chances and the probability.

N° of foiled chances:	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	∑
Level 2 = wretched	98%	2%	-	-	-	-	-	0.1
Level 3 = poor	63%	31%	5%	1%	-	-	-	0.4
Level 4 = weak	33%	45%	18%	3%	1%	>1%	-	0.8
Level 5 = inadequate	25%	38%	25%	8%	3%	1%	-	1.2
Level 6 = passable	15%	33%	33%	15%	3%	1%	>1%	1.5
Level 7 = solid	5%	33%	38%	18%	5%	1%	>1%	1.8
Level 8 = excellent	1%	18%	25%	33%	18%	5%	>1%	2.5

It is perfectly possible for both teams to play Pressing. The effect on reducing the number of potential chances is cumulative and on average, the number of lost opportunities is doubled.
Keep in mind that supporters prefer a team that loses 2-5 to a team that loses 0-1!

Benefits and drawbacks

The advantage in a match is that you can reduce the number of potential chances of your opponent.
But there are disadvantage: this tactics also foils your own chances, and if you have the strongest midfield there is a high probability that the chance foiled was yours; besides, pressing will drain the stamina of your players faster than normal and when stamina decreases faster than usual you lose primarily the midfield rating; lastly, special events can not be foiled as normal chances.
Use pressing when your midfielders have good stamina, otherwise you will lose possession in second half, granting your opponent more attacks than they would have if you played normal.

Another advantage is that a pressing team has a chance of preventing a long shot opportunity, when playing against a team focusing on long shots.

Counters

Strong midfield and strong attack can easily beat a pressing team. To overcome the pressing tactics it is very important a strong midfield to create enough chances, and an even stronger attack because a pressing team usually have very strong defenses.
A team optimized for play creatively tactics is slightly advantaged because of special event (not foiled as normal chances are).

Players

Pressing tactical level is determine by the average defending skill of all your outfield players and by average stamina of all your outfield (remember that they all contribute to tactic level). So, the things that greatly increase your chances of successfully reducing the number of attacks in the game are:

• the total defending skill (you need a lot of defensively strong players on the field),
• the total stamina of all your outfield players (the more tired your players get, the less able they are to put pressure on their opponents),
• the player's experience (counts a little less than the other two).

If a player has the "Powerful" specialty, his defense skill counts as double. As always, a player with excellent stamina, or better, has sufficient stamina not to lose any of his skills during the game, at least not out of tiredness. When calculating this "Pressing" skill, the experience bonus is added for each outfield player, as normal. Strikers will not be much needed, moreover, since every player on field contributes to pressing tactics with defense skill. So better use defensive midfielders instead.

Specialty

Pressing may affect your chances to score too, so better count on special events when playing it. All your player should have a specialty. Remember that if a player has the Powerful specialty, his defence skill counts as double for this calculation.
For example, you can outfield the classic 5 powerful defenders (or 2 header wing backs), 3 header midfilders and quick and/or unpredictable wingers.

Lineup

Lineups with 4 or 5 defenders are the best. 5-5-0 is the classic. Alternatively, you can use a striker in 4-5-1 (usually a midfield player with a defensive instructions.

Training

Any, but train your defenders may be a good idea.