[FM08] - FR & FL Position Competence

In FM09, the FR and FL positions are defined as forward positions and players with the striker competence can play there.

Can anybody tell me if this was also the case with FM08? In FM08, the positions are actually called FR and FL (rather than ST as in FM09) but I'm unclear as to whether these positions are also defined as forward or 'striker' positions in FM08 or are actually considered to be AMR and AML positions?

Any help appreciated,

C.

In FM09, the FR and FL positions are defined as forward positions and players with the striker competence can play there.

Can anybody tell me if this was also the case with FM08? In FM08, the positions are actually called FR and FL (rather than ST as in FM09) but I'm unclear as to whether these positions are also defined as forward or 'striker' positions in FM08 or are actually considered to be AMR and AML positions?

Any help appreciated,

C.

I think they where also defined as striker positions in FM08

Thanks for the answer Sheep UK.

I've just been playing around with the positions and then looking at the assistant recommendation screen to see how it has an effect on who he recommends and how many stars he gives them.

As FR/FL, he automatically recommends two players who are AMR/ST and AML/ST respectively for FR and FL, so that isn't much help.

Interestingly though, for my youth team, he recommends two strikers as FR and FL. But, crucially, these players have less stars than they do if I move them to a central FC position.

To illustrate the test, here are the star ratings for Player X.

Player X at FR - 3 stars.

Player X at FC - 5 stars.

So there must be some difference between the two positions.

However, the assistant also recommends different players for the AMR and AML positions and Player X is placed at AML in the assistant's youth recommendation (due to lack of other youth players in that position) and he only gets one star this time.

So I'm still unclear really. :confused: It seems FR/FL are distinct from both AMR/AML and the FC positions.

Perhaps it is actually some mix of AMR/AML and FC ratings on FM08? :confused:

Any ideas about this or about how to test it?

Regards,

C.

Not sure if anyone was interested in the outcome of this but I can actually confirm that the FR/FL position is for AMR/ST and AML/ST on FM08 (i.e. players trained in both of these positions are most competent there).

C.

Also, I believe that the same applies for FM09, so while the green light indicators suggest that any strikers are competent at FR/FL, they should actually be AMR/ST and AML/ST to get the most out of the position.

C.

If it helps, I remember that FR & FL, were considered as AMR & AML in CM4.

The AI does treat FL and FR as if they were FC/ST, much to the amusement of some selections I've tried out with my Under-20s (I ended up with two targetmen on the wings... :-/). An exception is if their preferred formation is 4-2-4 (!), in which case they tend to use it properly (i.e. wingers rather than strikers).

Mind you, I'm not sure there's a use for FL and FR unless you use kimz-like tactics or in a 4-2-4 - but then again, at 4-2-4, anyone offensive will do at FL or FR.

In FM09, I've found that using a target striker in the FR or FL position can be very good, if it creates a mis-match aerially. For example, I would play John Carew at FL against Everton, set to tight-mark Tony Hibbert, and with him selected as Target Man ball to head. Agbonlahor would then play in the left-sided ST position. It gives an unbalanced formation, but it also creates a number of good quality chances.

This is FM08, though, where the wings really struggle to be useful. Cross-field balls usually end in throw-ins to the opposition in the FL/FR area, and as a result targetmen on the wings are rather useless.

The AI does treat FL and FR as if they were FC/ST, much to the amusement of some selections I've tried out with my Under-20s (I ended up with two targetmen on the wings... :-/). An exception is if their preferred formation is 4-2-4 (!), in which case they tend to use it properly (i.e. wingers rather than strikers).

Mind you, I'm not sure there's a use for FL and FR unless you use kimz-like tactics or in a 4-2-4 - but then again, at 4-2-4, anyone offensive will do at FL or FR.

This is FM08, though, where the wings really struggle to be useful. Cross-field balls usually end in throw-ins to the opposition in the FL/FR area, and as a result targetmen on the wings are rather useless.

I'm using my own designed 4-3-3 with FR/FL/FC (i.e. wing forwards and a central forward) and it's awesome.

Through testing, I have found that the game treats FR and FL as AMR/ST and AML/ST (i.e. that is the competence required for the position) which is spot on in my opinion.

Your comments about the wings struggling to be useful is wrong though. I have had some absolutely awesome wing-play from my FR and FL. I get them to swap positions sometimes, so occasionally they cut inside while other times they go for the cross, and sometimes they play more narrowly while other times they play with their feet on the lines. I have my FL on a free role as well and he drifts inside and into the channels.

I have to say that it is pretty effective, with the wing forwards providing and scoring a lot of my goals. I'm having a lot of fun with it.

Regards,

C.