[PSP] Barcelona Tactics

I recently created a Barcelona like tactic for Football Manager. I am back and doing it again, this time for Football Manager Handheld!

Who better to test with then Barcelona themselves but we shall get to that a little later. Firstly lets take a look at the shape.

Thank you Ross for the pitch and player psd, allowing me to create the tactic for show.

I went for this shape purely because of the way Barcelona channel most of their attacks down the right. Alves (DMR) Xavi (MCR) and Messi (FCR) are the focal point of all Barcelona forward moves. Maxwell (DL) Is allowed freedom of the left flank with Iniesta (MCL) and Pedro (AML) coming more central giving us the very lopsided way Barcelona play.

Team Instructions:

Mentality: Balanced

Passing: Short

Tackling: Normal

Pressing: Yes

Offside Trap: Yes

Counter Attack: No

Men Behind Ball: No

Playmaker: Xavi Messi (or players in their position)

Player Instructions:

Passing: All Short except MCR Mixed

Tackling: All Team

Pressing: All Team

Pass To: All R/L/C

Set Pieces: Default

Free Role: All No except FCR Yes

Forward Runs: DL, DMR, AML, FC, MCL and FCR Yes the rest no

Run With Ball: AML and MCL Yes the rest No

Hold Up Ball: FC, DMC and MCR Yes, the rest No

Long Shots: All No

Though Balls: FC, DC, DC, GK No, the rest Yes

Cross Ball: DL, DMR, AML and FCR Yes, The rest No

Marking: GK None. DL, DMR, MCL, AML, FC and FCR Zonal. DC, DC, DMC and MCR Man.

So I have my shape and instructions in place, now to testing.

I set up like Barcelona do in real life.

GK - Valdes

DL - Maxwell

DCR - Puyol

DCL - Pique

DMR - Alves

DMC - Mascherano

MCL - Iniesta

MCR - Xavi

AML - Pedro

FC - Villa

FCR - Messi

And the results from the 15 games are as follows:

(A) 0-0 Sevilla

(H) 1-0 Sevilla

(A) 1-0 Osasuna

(H) 5-1 Hercules

(H) 2-0 Marseille

(A) 1-1 Deportivo

(H) 4-1 Malaga

(A) 2-1 Racing

(A) 2-0 Debrecen

(H) 1-0 Villareal

(A) 1-0 Almeria

(H) 3-0 Rubin

(H) 3-0 Mallorca

(A) 2-0 Sevilla

(A) 2-0 Sporting

I have only tested this with Barcelona, so there is no saying it will work as effectively with smaller clubs. Please feel free to try it for yourself, I would love to hear how it works for you.

I went on to win the league and cup double, scoing over 100 goals and losing only 5 times.