Tactics
Tactics are used by managers to alter the generation or direction of scoring opportunities in a match. A tactic can be set in the match order page.
Each tactic's effectiveness depends on specific player skills. In addition, each has drawbacks that should be taken into consideration before using them. Tactics can be used for special games in which you want to try something alternative, but they require specific players to work, so it is usually better to have a team built to exploit their potential.
Tactics
Normal tactic means that your team does not play any with any tactics, it's the default set. Besides the normal, there are six tactics: Pressing, Counter attack, Attack in the Middle, Attack on Wings, Long shots and Play Creatively. They were introducted in this order in the game.
Pressing
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Pressing (PR) means that all players focus on putting pressure on their opponents reducing the number of attacks in the game. They also put slightly more effort into breaking up opponent attacks than trying to create their own, getting tired earlier. Successful pressing needs:
- A high average Defending skill in all your players on the field,
- A high average Stamina of all your outfield players (when they get tired, they are less effective in putting pressure on their opponents),
- A high average experience.
According to tactical level achieved, a number of game opportunities fade for both teams.
Counter-Attack
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Counter-attacks (CA) is a tactic which involves giving up midfield in an attempt to score by counter-attacking. This extra opportunities increases the overall number of chances to score in a match.
A successful counter-attack requires a enough offense to score on the few opportunities that are created and obviously a very strong defence. Midfield can be weak - a team playing CA takes a penalty of about 7% to its midfield rating compared to playing normal. Note that the corresponding loss of possession will always be nearly 1.81% (350/193% exactly)
Only defenders give a contribute to CA level, with their Defending and Passing skills; Defender's Passing counts two time Defending for calculation.
According to tactical level achieved, a number of game opportunities are created for the CA teams.
Attack in the middle
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When using attack in the middle (AiM or AIM), your team attempts to make more attacks using midfielders than with wingers, though the total number of chances remains constant.
The rules also mention that the disadvantage of this tactic is that your side defences become proportionally worse.
The tactical level is increased by Passing skill of each team player on the pitch, or rather is calculated by summing Passing of all outfield players.
According to tactical level achieved, the number of attacks that end in the central attack sector can increase as much as 40%.
Attack on Wings
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Attack on Wings (AoW or AOW) is very similar to attack in the middle, only in reverse. The disadvantage is that it weakens your central defense. Instead of more attacks ending in the central attack sector, According to tactical level achieved, you get a higher percentage of attacks on the wings.
Long Shots
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Long shots (LS) is an attacking option for teams who have problems scoring on regular side/middle attacks. It should only be chosen by those who have decent shooters, that is a high average of Scoring and Set Pieces in the team.
According to tactical level achieved, it trades up to 1/3 of attacks with a long shot event (shooter and opponent goalkeeper are directly against each other).
This tactic was the last introduced in the beginning of global season 38.
Play Creatively
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Playing creatively (PC) is most effective for teams that have many players with specialties.
When you use play creatively, there is a greater chance that special events (both positive and negative) will occur for both teams during the match - if both teams use play creatively, this chance is even higher. Teams playing creatively will be less focused on defense.
Experience and Passing are the important skills for tactical level. This tactic was the last changed, with the addition of the tactical level.
Strategy
Strategies are particular settings and line-ups that combine with tactics to enhance their effects, and often to bring them to their very limit. For example, an All-Out Attack strategy uses line-up s like 2-5-3, offensive positions for all central players and usually the AiM tactic.
All Offensive
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All Offensive, acronym AO, means a way of playing aimed at maximizing the midfield and the attacks, that is high ball possession and at least one attack capable to score all available chances.
The weakness of the AO is that you play without role defenders on the field, a risky condition, conceding a goal to every opponent's action. For this reason, it is necessary to ensure a clear superiority in other sectors (in particular in midfield), in order to try to score more goals than the opponent.
Than the defense slots are occupied by midfielders lined up as offensive defenders (to increase the midfield rating), and by wing backs lined up as offensive full-backs, to maximize the wing attacks.
The recommended line-ups are 2-5-3, 3-5-2 and 3-4-3 (the others would make little sense). AO does not suffer tactical penalties for the defence of AIM, so playing Attacks in the Middle with winger towards middle is the best option.
If a manager decides to focus almost always on the AO, it is a good idea to hire an offensive coach.
- Alternative names or variants are
- All-out Attack or the AoA strategy
- The Norwegian strategy (old, based on WC 4 final match strategy)
- The Finnish strategy (old)
- EM strategy (old)
All Defensive
All Defensive, acronym AD or ABD for "All-back Defence", means playing completely renouncing the attack to focus on other sectors.
The idea of AD is to not allow your opponent to score any goals, thanks to a super defence and the midfield ball possession. The weakness is that the attacks are neglected, therefore it is possible to score only on events that do not always happen very frequently.
To score you have two weapons:
- Special Events,
- Set Pieces (free kicks and penalties).
The recommended line-ups are those with five defenders and more midfielders as possible: 5-5-0, 4-5-1 and 5-4-1 usually combined with pressing tactic (to eliminate actions from the game), the counter-attacks tactic (to exploit any CA that lead to free kicks) and,last but not least, the long shot tactic. Play creatively is not recommended, both because it also increases the risk of suffering a Special Event, and because it lowers defences.
If a manager decides to focus almost always on AD, it is a good idea to hire a defensive coach.
Extreme Counter-Attacks
Main article: Counter-attacks#Extreme_Counter-attacks
CAEX (rare All-Out CA) is a strategy that completely gives up possession and focuses only on both defences and attacks.
The line-up used is the 5-2-3 with two Quick offensive wingers.
Press, PiC & Pray
Main article: Press, PiC & Pray
Press-PiC-Pray, acronym PPP, uses pressing tactic, a defensive line-up (i.e. 4-5-1), Play it Cool team attitude and a sprinkle of... prayers!
Send Orders and Pray
Main article: SOAP
The acronym SOAP stands for "Send orders and pray". It is the sovereign of all strategy, often used by mixing unorthodox individual orders with far-fetched tactics played with the wrong players.
It is also an unofficial way to say you are going to play Normal in next match (you neither will give a Play it Cool-order, nor a Match of the Season-order).