What's the difference between a Striker (ST) and a Forward (Centre) (FC)?

Am I correct in assuming the only difference between the two is that FC's can play the free role while ST's cannot?

Is there a difference at all?:confused:

That's what I've heard. FC is a striker with 15+ for free role. Seems to be the general consensus around these parts.

That's what I've heard. FC is a striker with 15+ for free role. Seems to be the general consensus around these parts.

Ah, okay, that's what I figured but I wasn't entirely sure. Thanks.

FC is more of a creator, think Totti or Rooney.

ST is more of a poacher, think Owen or Eto'o.

FC is more of a creator, think Totti or Rooney.

ST is more of a poacher, think Owen or Eto'o.

Theoretically, yes, but in game, the only difference is, as has been said, the Free Role attribute.

Quite right, Only the 15+ at Free role. Nothing else at all.

Never new that! Thanks!

BLUMMING NORA! never new that!!

You learn something new everyday. explains a flaw in one of my tactics I used, may have to give it another go with the right player now.

It also means that the FC can usually play as a FR or FL in a front 3 whereas the ST cant.

When I have my FC on a free role he always plays absolute turd. Take him off it and he improves immediately.

When I have my FC on a free role he always plays absolute turd. Take him off it and he improves immediately.

Hint: Don't play him in a free role.

Hint: Don't play him in a free role.

Jeez, thanks for that Sir Alex ;-)

When I have my FC on a free role he always plays absolute turd. Take him off it and he improves immediately.

Just because someone can do something, doesn't mean they should. It depends very much on whether your tactics can benefit from a free role. If your forwards job is to hold up the ball, bring others into play and so on, you probably don't want him on a FR.

Also, having a high free role attribute doesn't neccesarily mean that he has the other attributes to take advantage of it. Mental attributes in particular are key - decisions, off the ball etc. Think, say, a DC who can also play as a DL, but can't dribble or cross. If your full backs are set up offensively, then he's probably going to be crap there, even though he has a decent rating in that position.

If u train a striker to AMC, his position "striker" will change to "FC".

There's an easy way of checking this out. If anyone has scout genie or FMRTE they can look for FCs in the game and check if all of them have a free fole ability of 15+.

imo all FCs are able to play in other positions (GK, MR, AML competent accomplished) whereas STs can only play in the Forward position

imo all FCs are able to play in other positions (GK, MR, AML competent accomplished) whereas STs can only play in the Forward position

No that's not the case I've got a bunch of AMR, STs AML, STs in my team.

FC is more of a creator, think Totti or Rooney.

ST is more of a poacher, think Owen or Eto'o.

Yet Owen in game is an FC. Think more Van Nistelrooy than Owen.

So what happens when you choose your team?

Do you take the stats for ST as paramount over FC's or do you pick one ST stats & then one FC's stats.

Sometimes I use one and then the other but other times I take just the ST stats.

So what happens when you choose your team?

Do you take the stats for ST as paramount over FC's or do you pick one ST stats & then one FC's stats.

Sometimes I use one and then the other but other times I take just the ST stats.

I'm pretty sure I've had a player classed as Attacking Midfielder/Forward.

Surely if all of the above is true, this plyaer is simpy a forward?

Or am I talking drivel?

It is free role= 15+. Fact.

It is free role= 15+. Fact.

I don't mean to sound like I doubt you. But is there any reason a player would be described as Attacking Midfielder/Forward, rather than just Forward?

Because he also has AMC?

take wayne rooney .. he is a CF .

Ruud van nistlerooy is a Striker ..

thierry henry , CF

micheal owen , ST

hope this helps

Because he also has AMC?

But you are telling me that a striker with AMC rating of 15+ is known as a forward. So why is he both AM/F ? Surely he should be either Forward or AM/Striker

it hink that FC is a creator, like someone said near the top of the page. Its deided by either free role or creative freedom, not sure which. A ST is a kind of target man, so normally someone like Drgba, whereas a FC will drop back into the hole sometimes.

But you are telling me that a striker with AMC rating of 15+ is known as a forward. So why is he both AM/F ? Surely he should be either Forward or AM/Striker

An AMC with a Free Role rating of 15+ is still just an AMC. A player who is just an FC has a Free Role rating of 15+. An AM/F C is either an FC or an ST who can also play AMC.

Can somebody help with my question please about 8 posts up

elland road - i tend to play one FC and one ST. I pick the FC using creativity stats, as it is his job to create chances. I then use 'traditional' striker stats (finishing etc.) to pick the ST as he has to put the chances away.

id put a CF and a ST ..

creativity and finishing

Cheers Silva Gunner

So the FC's stats would be Creativity,Flair, Finishing, Off the Ball, Dribbling, Passing, Technique, Pace, Acceleration & the Strikers stats as Finishing,Off the Ball, Jumping, Heading, Anticipation

So would that mean the one with the better accelaration will play as the advanced forward (with higher mentality stats) and the other as a deeper lying forward

There's no longer a centre forward role in the game - there is the player position for it, but when the tactics system changed a few years ago that position in between the ST and AMC vanished and is no longer a default position (quite daft really in my opinion) and can only really be gotten with a huge plethora of experimentation with the sliders. So whilst its still there, your average centre forward won't pack as much punch as he used to a few years ago unless you balance his player instructions very well.

One thing I've noticed as well seems to be a player can be AM/FC or AMR/ST but never seen an AM/ST player.

On my game though, come 2020 there's only 1 out and out centre forward worth more than 10m and that's pato. So that player does become even harder to acquire in the future.

In my experience, I've noticed that FCs naturally tend to drop deep and interplay with midfielders and wingers more often, however, if you put a ST in the same position and with the same instructions, he will remain up top more often. I've experimented with this using various top level attackers. For example, in a Lyon game, I had Benzema and Bojan whom I rotated because I played with a single striker up top. The instructions for the the striker positions never changed whenever I changed players, the instructions always stayed the same, however, Bojan consistently played better than Benzema. He linked up with the midfield much more, participating in the build up of attacks. He also scored more. Benzema on the other hand found himself isolated on many occasions (using the exact same instructions as Bojan), and as a result would receive lower ratings at the end of matches.

In my experience, I've noticed that FCs naturally tend to drop deep and interplay with midfielders and wingers more often, however, if you put a ST in the same position and with the same instructions, he will remain up top more often. I've experimented with this using various top level attackers. For example, in a Lyon game, I had Benzema and Bojan whom I rotated because I played with a single striker up top. The instructions for the the striker positions never changed whenever I changed players, the instructions always stayed the same, however, Bojan consistently played better than Benzema. He linked up with the midfield much more, participating in the build up of attacks. He also scored more. Benzema on the other hand found himself isolated on many occasions (using the exact same instructions as Bojan), and as a result would receive lower ratings at the end of matches.

So if I am reading you right the FC should play as the Deep Lying Forward & the ST as the more attacking of the two.

But is it then possible to swap them around so that if the FC is the better of the two strikers to put him on the more attacking option?

So if I am reading you right the FC should play as the Deep Lying Forward & the ST as the more attacking of the two.

But is it then possible to swap them around so that if the FC is the better of the two strikers to put him on the more attacking option?

In all honesty, I have very rarely tried playing with 2 strikers so am not sure without more testing, but it seems it would be logical to set them up the way you put it.

At this point the only conclusion I can feel somewhat confident about is that in formations using a single striker, it would be better to use a FC as they're more versatile when it comes to their play.

In all honesty, I have very rarely tried playing with 2 strikers so am not sure without more testing, but it seems it would be logical to set them up the way you put it.

At this point the only conclusion I can feel somewhat confident about is that in formations using a single striker, it would be better to use a FC as they're more versatile when it comes to their play.

I suppose the easiest way round it would be to get them to swap roles without setting them to TM instructions & let them get on with it;)

Cheers Silva Gunner

So the FC's stats would be Creativity,Flair, Finishing, Off the Ball, Dribbling, Passing, Technique, Pace, Acceleration & the Strikers stats as Finishing,Off the Ball, Jumping, Heading, Anticipation

So would that mean the one with the better accelaration will play as the advanced forward (with higher mentality stats) and the other as a deeper lying forward

It depends. To be honest, I don't use a FC, you get better result with two out and out strikers. Try to play one player with high jumping and strength (+finishing etc) and one with high pace and acceleration (+finishing...)

Who cares?

Freak goal after freak goal. Keepers unable to hold onto any but the most pathetically weak shots. Goals direct from corners. Own goals of the daftest kind. Teamtalks that result in 100% handicapping of teams mere knowledge of what a football is, never mind how to play the game. Human player keepers that won’t follow distribution instructions and constantly hand chances to ai teams.

Why anyone should take all this seriously and actually invest time and effort into it I am at a loss to explain.

Who cares?

Freak goal after freak goal. Keepers unable to hold onto any but the most pathetically weak shots. Goals direct from corners. Own goals of the daftest kind. Teamtalks that result in 100% handicapping of teams mere knowledge of what a football is, never mind how to play the game. Human player keepers that won’t follow distribution instructions and constantly hand chances to ai teams.

Why anyone should take all this seriously and actually invest time and effort into it I am at a loss to explain.

Do you need a tissue?

I like to play one FC and one ST, seems to work well for me.

Who cares?

Freak goal after freak goal. Keepers unable to hold onto any but the most pathetically weak shots. Goals direct from corners. Own goals of the daftest kind. Teamtalks that result in 100% handicapping of teams mere knowledge of what a football is, never mind how to play the game. Human player keepers that won’t follow distribution instructions and constantly hand chances to ai teams.

Why anyone should take all this seriously and actually invest time and effort into it I am at a loss to explain.

Freak goals? They happen IRL too.

Look at Stan Collymore's on Flowers where the ball hit a bump on the turf and just sort of skipped over poor Tim Flowers. Konchesky's goal against Liverpool where a missdirected cross resulted in a goal. Glen Johnson is not known for his long range shots yet look at him. He scored the goal of the season last year. Sissoko who can't hit the side of a barn even when he is 2 feet away hit the post against Barca with a stunning effort from 25-30 yards out min. Defenders screw up too. Look at the Liverpool vs Arsenal match where both Mascherano and Arbeloa got dispossessed easily leading to two Arsenal goals. **** even Biscan slotted a goal in the top right corner from 20+ yards out against Fullham.

A big club like Liverpool (I'm obviously a Liverpool fan hence all the Liverpool examples) aren't infallible, their players make mistakes too. Freak goals happen in football.

GK's also make dumb mistakes. They throw the ball into their own net (saw it happen a couple of times, they control the ball horribly allowing a striker to nick it and slot it home (more than just a couple of times), they often come out at wrong times (again so many times), it happens a lot in football.

Everything I've seen in the ME other than the corner bug I've seen in football matches. Including full backs backing off and wingers running across the byline.

Freak goals? They happen IRL too.

Look at Stan Collymore's on Flowers where the ball hit a bump on the turf and just sort of skipped over poor Tim Flowers. Konchesky's goal against Liverpool where a missdirected cross resulted in a goal. Glen Johnson is not known for his long range shots yet look at him. He scored the goal of the season last year. Sissoko who can't hit the side of a barn even when he is 2 feet away hit the post against Barca with a stunning effort from 25-30 yards out min. Defenders screw up too. Look at the Liverpool vs Arsenal match where both Mascherano and Arbeloa got dispossessed easily leading to two Arsenal goals. **** even Biscan slotted a goal in the top right corner from 20+ yards out against Fullham.

A big club like Liverpool (I'm obviously a Liverpool fan hence all the Liverpool examples) aren't infallible, their players make mistakes too. Freak goals happen in football.

GK's also make dumb mistakes. They throw the ball into their own net (saw it happen a couple of times, they control the ball horribly allowing a striker to nick it and slot it home (more than just a couple of times), they often come out at wrong times (again so many times), it happens a lot in football.

Everything I've seen in the ME other than the corner bug I've seen in football matches. Including full backs backing off and wingers running across the byline.

Full agreement with you there mate!!!

The whingers should have their own forum

Something for SI to think about:D