Key attributes for players in certain positions

Hi guys,

I was just wandering, I never really know what attributes I should look for, for certain players in all the available positions in football manager.

i.e. For a Centre Back, at a guess I should look for height, heading, tackling e.t.c.... But don't really know much else or what official stats makes a player good.

I was also thinking, I would set up a few shortlists when FM2011 comes out and define their attributes in that, which should makes it easier for me to find the correct player in a position I am actively seeking.

So my question is really, does anyone know of a list or has to hand what attributes are best for ALL the available positions in FM2010 ? I am assuming that these will remain the same when FM2011 comes out.

Many thanks.

It tells you in the tactics section.

Select a position ie. Ball Playing Midfielder - and it will highlight the attributes you ideally need.

It tells you in the tactics section.

Select a position ie. Ball Playing Midfielder - and it will highlight the attributes you ideally need.

Thanks mate I didn't know that.

But I am at work and bored, so was hoping someone could supply me with a list for me to read and 'make me look busy'

If it makes you feel better I've been playing since CM2 and researching since FM07 and still don't know

Thanks mate I didn't know that.

But I am at work and bored, so was hoping someone could supply me with a list for me to read and 'make me look busy'

I actually created a spreadsheet based on the aforementioned attributes.

I simply input all the players stats - and it tells me which position he is most suited to.

Just googled it and found this.... Although not sure how "official" it is though.

Goalkeepers (GK)

Handling, Positioning, Reflexes, One on Ones, Aerial Ability

Wing Defenders (DRL)

Tackling, Teamwork, Pace, Marking, Decisions

Central Defenders (DC)

Tackling, Jumping, Strength, Marking, Concentration

Central Defensive Midfielders (DMC)

Tackling, Passing, Bravery, Determination, Work Rate

Central Midfielders (MC)

Tackling, Passing, Teamwork, Decisions, Determination

Flank Midfielders/Wingers (ML/MR/AML/AMR)

Passing, Crossing, Dribbling, Pace, Teamwork

Central Attacking Midfielders (AMC)

Passing, Creativity, Flair, Technique, First Touch

Quick Forwards (FC)

Finishing, Composure, Pace, Acceleration, Dribbling

Towering Forwards (FC)

Finishing, Composure, Strength, Jumping, Anticipation

13.The ratings for reflexes, handling, communication, jumping and positioning are generally a good indicator for how good a goalkeeper is

14.If you're looking for a good wing-back pay special attention to an individual's positioning, tackling, stamina, pace and acceleration

15.Positioning, tackling, pace and anticipation are just some of the important characteristics that make for a good full-back

16.A good centre-back will usually have high ratings for tackling, jumping, positioning, heading, strength, marking, bravery and team work.

17.Pace, dribbling, passing, off the ball, creativity, stamina and crossing are just some of the important characteristics that make for a good winger.

18.Passing, off the ball, creativity, technique, dribbling and stamina are just some of the important characteristics that make for a good attacking midfielder

19.A good defensive midfielder will most likely have high ratings for tackling, work rate, stamina and positioning.

20.Pace, acceleration, dribbling, technique, finishing and off the ball are just some of the important characteristics that make for a good pacey striker.

21.Jumping, heading, strength and off the ball are just some of the important characteristics that make for a good target man.

This was written before the introduction of the preset roles in the tactics creator but they are a pretty good start.

Just googled it and found this.... Although not sure how "official" it is though.

Goalkeepers (GK)

Handling, Positioning, Reflexes, One on Ones, Aerial Ability

Wing Defenders (DRL)

Tackling, Teamwork, Pace, Marking, Decisions

Central Defenders (DC)

Tackling, Jumping, Strength, Marking, Concentration

Central Defensive Midfielders (DMC)

Tackling, Passing, Bravery, Determination, Work Rate

Central Midfielders (MC)

Tackling, Passing, Teamwork, Decisions, Determination

Flank Midfielders/Wingers (ML/MR/AML/AMR)

Passing, Crossing, Dribbling, Pace, Teamwork

Central Attacking Midfielders (AMC)

Passing, Creativity, Flair, Technique, First Touch

Quick Forwards (FC)

Finishing, Composure, Pace, Acceleration, Dribbling

Towering Forwards (FC)

Finishing, Composure, Strength, Jumping, Anticipation

No, no. There's a LOT more than that.

Some positions ie. Complete Forward have upto 20 attributes.

Okay this one seems to go into further detail then....

Goalkeeper

Key Attributes: Aerial Ability, Command of Area, Handling, Reflexes, Composure, Concentration, Decisions, Position, Agility

Recommended: Communication, Eccentricity, Rushing Out, Creativity, Acceleration, Pace

Desirable: One on Ones

Sweeper

Key Attributes: Heading, Marking, Passing, Tackling, Anticipation, Composure, Concentration, Decision, Positioning, Acceleration, Balance, Jumping

Recommended: Dribbling, Creativity, Team Work

Desirable: Long Shots

Central Defender

Key Attributes: Marking, Tackling, Determination, Positioning, Jumping, Strength

Recommended: Heading, Composure, Concentration, Decisions

Desirable: Passing, Technique, Aggression, Anticipation, Bravery, Creativity, Acceleration

Full Backs

Key Attributes: Crossing, Marking, Tackling, Decisions, Positioning, Team Work, Work Rate, Acceleration, Stamina

Recommended: Dribbling, Anticipation, Concentration

Desirable: N/A

Wing Backs

Key Attributes: Crossing, Dribbling, Tackling, Decisions, Positioning, Team Work, Work Rate, Acceleration, Stamina

Recommended: N/A

Desirable: N/A

Defensive Midfielder

Key Attributes: Tackling, Positioning, Decisions, Marking, Team Work, Strength

Recommended: Passing, Work Rate, Technique, Composure, Concentration, Creativity, Acceleration, Stamina

Desirable: First Touch, Heading, Anticipation, Determination, Off the Ball

Central Midfielder

Key Attributes: Passing, Team Work, Decisions, First Touch, Marking, Tackling, Positioning, Work Rate

Recommended: Determination, Off the Ball, Technique, Creativity, Stamina, Strength

Desirable: Bravery, Dribbling, Long Shots, Aggression, Anticipation, Composure, Flair, Finishing, Heading, Acceleration

Side Midfielder

Key Attributes: Crossing, Decisions, Tackling, Off the Ball, Team Work, Work Rate, Stamina

Recommended: Dribbling, Technique, Pace, Passing, Anticipation, Determination

Desirable: Marking, Flair, Acceleration, Agility, Balance

Attacking Midfielder

Key Attributes: Passing, Flair, Technique, Decisions, First Touch, Creativity, Off the Ball, Team Work

Recommended: Dribbling, Long Shots, Work Rate, Acceleration

Desirable: Finishing, Anticipation, Pace, Crossing, Composure, Agility, Balance, Stamina

Wingers

Key Attributes: Decisions, Dribbling, Technique, Flair, Team Work, Pace

Recommended: Crossing, Off the Ball, Passing, Acceleration, Work Rate, Stamina

Desirable: First Touch, Long Shots, Marking, Tackling, Creativity, Agility, Balance, Finishing, Anticipation

Strikers

Key Attributes: First Touch, Finishing, Anticipation, Off the Ball, Composure, Team Work, Strength, Passing

Recommended: Dribbling, Heading, Long Shots, Technique, Creativity, Work Rate, Pace, Decisions, Determination, Agility, Balance, Jumping

Desirable: Acceleration, Marking, Tackling, Bravery, Flair, Stamina, Crossing, Aggression

It's very vague on the strikers, considering there are several types:

Deep Lying Forward (Support)

Deep Lying Forward (Attack)

Advanced Forward

Target Man (Support)

Target Man (Attack)

Poacher

Complete Forward

Defensive Forward (Support)

Defensive Forward (Attack)

Trequartista

goal keeper [GK] - GK

aer, cmd, han, one, ref, cmp, cnt, dec, pos, agi

sweeper keeper [GK] – sw GK

aer, cmd, com, ecc, han, ref, rus, cmp, cnt, cre, dec, pos, acc, agi, pac

sweeper [sW] - SW

hea, mar, pas, tac, ant, cmp, cnt, dec, pos, acc, bal, jum

libero (s) [sW] – lib s

dri, hea, mar, pas, tac, ant, cmp, cnt, cre, dec, pos, tea, acc, bal, jum

libero (a) [sW] – lib a

dri, hea, mar, pas, tac, ant, cmp, cnt, cre, dec, pos, tea, acc, bal, jum, lon

central defender [DC] - DC

hea, mar, tac, cmp, cnt, dec, det, pos, jum, str

central defender (stopper) [DC] – DC st

hea, mar, tac, cmp, cnt, dec, det, pos, jum, str, bra, agg

central defender (cover) [DC] – dc DC

hea, mar, tac, cmp, cnt, dec, det, pos, jum, str, ant, acc

ball playing defender [DC] – bp DC

hea, mar, tac, cmp, cnt, dec, det, pos, jum, str, pas, tec, cre

ball playing defender (stopper) [DC] - bp DC st

hea, mar, tac, cmp, cnt, dec, det, pos, jum, str, pas, tec, cre, bra, agg

ball playing defender (cover) [DC] – bp DC cv

hea, mar, tac, cmp, cnt, dec, det, pos, jum, str, pas, tec, cre, ant, acc

limited defender [DC] - lim DC

mar, tac, det, pos, jum, str

limited defender (stopper) [DC] – lim DC st

mar, tac, det, pos, jum, str, bra, agg

limited defender (cover) [DC] – lim DC cv

mar, tac, det, pos, jum, str, ant, acc

full back [DLR] - FB

cro, mar, tac, ant, cnt, dec, pos, tea, wor, acc, sta

wing back [DLR/WBLR] - WB

cro, dri, mar, tac, dec, pos, tea, wor, acc, sta

defensive midfielder (d) [DMC] – DMC d

mar, tac, cnt, dec, pos, tea, wor, acc, sta, str

defensive midfielder (s) [DMC] – DMC s

mar, tac, dec, pos, tea, wor, acc, sta, str, pas

deep lying play maker (d) [DMC/MC] dp PM d

mar, pas, tac, tec, cmp, cre, dec, pos, tea, str

deep lying play maker (s) [DMC/MC] – dp PM s

pas, tac, tec, cmp, cre, dec, pos, tea, fir, off

anchor man [DMC] - Anchor

hea, mar, tac, ant, cnt, dec, det, pos, wor, str

central midfielder [MC] - MC

fir, mar, pas, tac, dec, det, off, pos, tea, wor

ball winning mid-fielder (d) [MC] – bw MF d

mar, tac, agg, bra, det, pos, tea, wor, sta, str

ball winning mid-fielder (s) [MC] – bw MF s

mar, tac, agg, bra, det, tea, wor, sta, str, pas

box to box midfielder [MC] – box MC

dri, fin, fir, hea, lon, mar, pas, tec, ant, bra, dec, det, off, pos, wor, acc, sta, str

advanced play maker (s) [MC/AMC/AMLR] - adv PM s

fir, lon, pas, tec, cre, dec, fla, tea, wor, sta

advanced play maker (a) [MC/AMC/AMLR] – adv PM a

fir, pas, tec, cre, dec, fla, tea, dri, ant, off

advanced central midfielder (a) [AMC] – AMC a

dri, fir, pas, tec, cre, dec, fla, off, wor, acc

advanced central midfielder (s) [AMC] – AMC s

fir, pas, tec, cre, dec, fla, wor, acc, lon, tea

trequeshet [AMC/FC] - treq

fin, fir, pas, tec, ant, cmp, cre, fla, off, agi

wide midfielder [MLR] – w MF

cro, pas, tac, ant, dec, det, off, tea, wor, sta

winger [MLR/AMLR] - wing

cro, dri, tec, dec, fla, off, acc, agi, bal, pac

defensive winger [MLR] – def W

cro, dri, mar, tac, tec, dec, tea, wor, pac, sta

inside forward (a) [AML/AMC] – IFW a

cro, dri, fin, pas, dec, fla, off, tea, acc, pac

inside forward (s) [AML/AMC] – IFW s

dri, pas, dec, fla, off, tea, acc, pac, lon, tec

deep lying forward (s) [FC] – dp FW s

dri, fir, lon, pas, tec, cre, dec, off, tea, str

deep lying forward (a) [FC] – dp FW a

fir, pas, tec, cre, dec, off, fin, ant, cmp, bal

advanced forward [FC] – adv FW

cro, dri, fin, hea, ant, cmp, fla, off, wor, pac

target man (s) [FC] – ST s

fir, hea, lon, agg, bra, det, tea, wor, jum, str

target man (a) [FC] – ST a

fir, hea, bra, det, tea, wor, jum, str, fin, ant

poacher [FC] - poach

dri, fin, fir, ant, cmp, off, acc, agi, bal, pac

complete forward [FC] - cmp FW

dri, fin, fir, hea, lon, pas, tec, ant, cmp, cre, dec, det, off, tea, acc, agi, bal, jum, pac, str

defensive forward (s) [FC] – def FW s

fir, lon, mar, tac, tea, wor, pac, sta, str

defensive forward (a) [FC] – def FW a

mar, tac, tea, wor, sta, str, fin, ant, cmp

(a), (s), (d) = attack, support, defense the bits after - are my own abbreviations

wow thanks Robert

You can use those attributes to create your own custom search filters.

I have one set up for each individual position.

Some are more successful than others!

If I'm struggling to find a right-back with a good "star rating" - then I'll implement this system and find a player with very good stats, who might only have 1.5 stars or so.

You can use those attributes to create your own custom search filters.

I have one set up for each individual position.

Some are more successful than others!

If I'm struggling to find a right-back with a good "star rating" - then I'll implement this system and find a player with very good stats, who might only have 1.5 stars or so.

This is a thing I often have trouble understanding or finding the bast way. Do you consider players stats for a certain position to be the best judge of how good the player is? Let me explain (dont read too much into it, its just an example.)

Say you have Patrice Evra, probably one of the best left/wing backs in the game and a CA,PA in the high 170's. Now if you find another player who has 1 point higher in every key attribute for that position but lower in all the other so his CA, PA is a lot lower, does that make the second player better?

Ive often wondered wether the players CA,PA can be irrelevant sometimes and really I should just be looking at stats for the position rather than overall.

I hope you understand what I mean

This is a thing I often have trouble understanding or finding the bast way. Do you consider players stats for a certain position to be the best judge of how good the player is? Let me explain (dont read too much into it, its just an example.)

Say you have Patrice Evra, probably one of the best left/wing backs in the game and a CA,PA in the high 170's. Now if you find another player who has 1 point higher in every key attribute for that position but lower in all the other so his CA, PA is a lot lower, does that make the second player better?

Ive often wondered wether the players CA,PA can be irrelevant sometimes and really I should just be looking at stats for the position rather than overall.

I hope you understand what I mean

Depends on the level you're playing at.

I first developed a love for attribute searching rather than star-ratings when I was with Kilmarnock. Not a particularly demanding league.

I had full-backs set simply to "defend" - with all the relevant attributes needed according to the requirements (set to 12-20 range, with the player requiring 9 out of 10 of these attributes).

Worked wonders for me. They were avaraging 7.1 for a season.

But you would certainly be 'found out' if you tried this at a top European club.

That fits with my experiences. In the lower leagues I could get away with players with a few high attributes in the right places, at the very top though I've found that players need to have much better all round attributes to succeed.

Definitely. Agree with that Dafuge.

Pace and a sprinkling of half decent attributes is the key to lower league!

Pace on its own is good enough sometimes

Anyone know where I can download these filters somewhere, on the off chance that someone has them as a download link ?

Anyone know where I can download these filters somewhere, on the off chance that someone has them as a download link ?

Shouldn't take long to do them yourself. Pen and paper and a spare 10 minutes!!

Shouldn't take long to do them yourself. Pen and paper and a spare 10 minutes!!

hehe, would take longer than 10 minutes.

If anyone is interested I managed to find this file.... A filter for every single position.

http://fmcenter.co.uk/FM10/FMFplayersearchpanel.rar

Pretty sure there is a filter on the good player guide, isn't there? Someone made them up for every role in the game.

hehe, would take longer than 10 minutes.

If anyone is interested I managed to find this file.... A filter for every single position.

http://fmcenter.co.uk/FM10/FMFplayersearchpanel.rar

Beat me to it by some considerable distance.

That'll teach me to tab the windows up and then forget to refresh before posting!

Easier to bump this than start a new one.

Has anyone got a list of attributes needed for accurate heading, tackling, finishing, passing and so on..?

I know there is already attribiutes for each of these but I believe you would need a few added extras to be able to pull off the very best passes, for instance.

I need a list for Heading, Tackling, Finishing, Passing, Pace, Stamina, Set-Plays, Ball Control

I'll help you out a little:

Passing: Creativity, Technique, Decisions, Composure, First touch, Flair, Agility

Finishing: Technique, Composure, Decisions, Flair, Anticipation

Thanks Matt, appreciated mate.

Anyone got any others?

It tells you in the tactics section.

Select a position ie. Ball Playing Midfielder - and it will highlight the attributes you ideally need.

Holy crap I didn't know about that either, thanks for the heads up!

could you tell me what is :

fir and lon?

tks

Pace on its own is good enough sometimes

Ivica Olic

Gabby Agbonlahor

could you tell me what is :

fir and lon?

tks

im guessing that fir is first touch and lon is long shots.

When I look at ANY player in FM11.3, I first go for the following five key attributes:

Determination (most important of all)

Anticipation

Decisions

Team Work

Work Rate

If those are satisfactory, I look for the following five physical attributes:

Acceleration

Jumping

Pace

Stamina

Strength

... if those are not satisfactory, I don't bother glancing at the rest.

When I look at ANY player in FM11.3, I first go for the following five key attributes:

Determination (most important of all)

Anticipation

Decisions

Team Work

Work Rate

If those are satisfactory, I look for the following five physical attributes:

Acceleration

Jumping

Pace

Stamina

Strength

... if those are not satisfactory, I don't bother glancing at the rest.

Wow, you must miss out on a lot of good players with those very strict search parameters...

Seems to me no matter where i read most people overlook jumping for a gk.

after all what good is ariel ability if he cant jump?

same with outfield players, what good is heading if he cant beat his opponent to the ball?

just something for you all to ponder.

Seems to me no matter where i read most people overlook jumping for a gk.

after all what good is ariel ability if he cant jump?

same with outfield players, what good is heading if he cant beat his opponent to the ball?

just something for you all to ponder.

Bravery and Anticipation are also used to decide who win the header. So one can ask - what good is a Shaq O'Neill (Basket - don't know if I spelled his name right) kind of player if he is as scarred as he is blind? (Not that Shaq is that, just his physics as an example)

IRL, if you take Alesandro Nesta and Fabio Canovaro. Not the tallest and best jumpers around. But they sure did/do win a lot of headers.