Emulating Reality: Creating Icons In FM2010.

Recommend Other Reading:

Creating A Tactic - From the Beginning by Cleon.

Emulating Reality - Creating Icons In FM10

Tactical Theories and Frameworks '10 - by Millie and wwfan. Available @ FM Britain.

Further Guides:

This guide and more @ www.theawaystand.co.uk

CONTENTS

1. Creating Fellaini (Ball Winning Midfielder)

2. Creating Johnson (Wing Back)

3. Creating Xabi Alonso (Deep Lying Playmaker)

4. Creating Kaka (Attacking Midfielder)

5. Creating Cristiano Ronaldo (Inside Forward), Theo Walcott (Winger) and David Beckham (Wide Midfielder)

6. Creating Fernando Torres (Advanced Forward) and Ibrahimovic/Berbatov (Deep Lying Forward)

INTRODUCTION

Hey hey!

The aim of this thread isn't to instruct you on how to build each and every tactic on FM2010. Not only would that be completely dull, it's be impossible - as tactics need to evolve and adapt depending on league, morale, situation, opposition and competition.

That being said, TT&F has shown us that having a reference point is a Godsend for clarifying your own thoughts when creating your tactics.

The aim of this is to be a poor mans attempt at offering a "sidekick" to the excellent TT&F by helping you interpret the player roles in FM2010 to what they do on the pitch.

The Importance of Role

Setting up a formation and plonking players into it isn't enough for a football manager - especially if you want to be successful on FM2010. A lot of the ignorance about the game being "broken" is because some people cannot grasp how tactics work.

Please forgive the crude diagrams below, but I'm a terrible graphics artist!

Here is a typical formation - a 4-4-2 with advanced wide players.

Seriously, don't mimic this tactic thinking it's perfect - it's not ^^ It's just one, generic tactic.

Please note what roles each player has on the pitch. These roles dictate what the player does on the pitch. They don't just stay in the shape shown on the tactics screen. A lot of things effect how a team plays - such as tempo, width etc. - and the role of the player is just one part - yet a pretty important part.

The next bad diagram attempts to show you what the players do on the pitch when in possession. It's just one possible way of attacking. The RED lines depict a pass, whilst the BLUE lines show what the players do off the ball when the team is in possession.

To highlight some important aspects of the above, the Ball Winning Midfielder drops deep to receive a pass from the Full Back, who gives a simple pass to the Deep Lying Playmaker, who finds an incisive pass to the Deep Lying Forward, who spots the run of the Winger on the left and passes wide. The Winger then puts in a cross to the near post and the Advanced Forward sticks it in.

Roles - along with tempo, width, attack mentality and passing style - dictate all of that.= move, and hopefully will help you see what you're trying to achieve through tactic builds.

Below, you will find descriptions of various roles possible on the football field, and the various superstars that fill them. I hope you find them useful, and good luck enjoying success on FM2010.

Tubey.

Emulating Reality: Creating Marouane Fellaini (DMC/CM - Defensive/Ball Winning Midfielder)

Belgium and Everton's colossal midfielder Fellaini has come to national and continental attention after an eye-catching series of performance at the heart of his team.

Formerly of Standard Liege of Belgium, he came to the attention of big clubs across Europe after a dominant two-legged performance against Liverpool - where he ran the show in the heart of midfield.

Possessing intense physical strength which he uses to his advantage, he intimidates the opposition through his on-field presence. Further up the field, he's able to provide late surging runs into the area to provide an aerial threat as well as being a threat from outside the box.

In Football Manager 2010, the Ball Winning Midfielder varies with what formation you are using. For this tutorial, assume we're using a 4-4-2. As with all these tutorials, these are guidelines only and not the sole correct answer to recreating this position.

The Aim

When looking at this role, we wish to achieve a physical presence in front of your backline, as well as a dominant ball-winner who can win possession and give the ball to your playmaker to build attacks.

Key Stats

The perfect player will have at least 15 in each of the attributes below. Most, if not all of these attributes are highlighted within the tactical creator - this will simply explain why. The ones that aren't are my personal additions and will be in bold:

Technical

Marking - Whether Zonal or Man, the BWM literally patrols the centre of the park and aims to make life difficult for the opposition.

Tackling - An accurate sliding or standing tackle is a vital attribute for the BWM. They really do have to have a high rating in this.

Heading - Sometimes a less technical side will utilise a long ball to a target man, often from a Goalkeeper. A tall BWM with good heading ability will help nullify this threat.

Passing - Whilst not a creative player, nevertheless passing is a large part of the game for this type of player, as he will permanently look to find teammates as soon as winning the ball.

Mental

Aggression - One of the only times an aggressive defending player is useful. Whilst it may result in more fouls committed, this will be more than compensated by the players power to intimidate weaker attacking midfielders with storming tackles.

Bravery - A brave BWM will throw himself in the way of things, plunge into dangerous situations and not think twice before doing anything and everything to stop an opposition attack building.

Determination - When a BWM has high determination, it makes all his other stats work. Similar to Bravery, it will ensure the player will do everything to perform his role well.

Positioning - The ability to be in the right place at the right time. Combines with Marking to ensure the BWM tracks an opposition run into the hole.

Team Work - He will work for his team, and learn how they play so that he knows where he needs to cover and where the nearest pass will be on when he gains possession.

Work Rate - To keep going to the bitter end and run himself into the ground for his team.

Physical

Stamina - Because of the amount of running the BWM will do, due to his Work Rate, Determination and the very nature of the role on the pitch, Stamina is one of the must-have stats.

Strength - The BWM essentially bullies the opposition off the ball, so Strength is again vital.

Natural Fitness - Always useful for a player who spends his time in dangerous situations and runs about alot

Overall, all the physical stats are important for a BWM. If you find one with high stats across the Physical board, you're in business.

Sliders

**This is NOT the be all end all set up for Ball Winning Midfielders! I've ticked every box to show you a general set up. The defensive line, man marking, whether to hold up the ball and whether to use a target man, whether to tackle hard etc. should be tinkered according to your tactical needs.**

The Result

You will have a strong, dominant midfielder, who will patrol the entire area between defence and midfielder to try and snuff out the opposition playmakers before they get a chance to attack your team.

For example, see Fellaini in the below picture. The orange line indicates the back four and their defensive line. The purple line depicts the area the BWM will be responsible for.

In this picture, he steps up as Niko Kranjcar receives a pass and puts in a block tackle before he can turn and attack.

This is what a good BWM does. A bad BWM will commit himself and get turned by the opposition player, exposing his team. A really bad BWM will have a lack of discipline and perform a really bad tackle. For this reason, the BWM can often be a cause of yellow cards resulting in hurtful suspensions or even red cards for reckless tackles. Bear this in mind when making your choice for the BWM role.

To Sum It Up

If an opposition has a really creative player like Messi, Kaka, Lampard, Rooney etc., then a Ball Winning Midfielder can be an effective weapon to help counter their influence on the game. They are often used in secondary tactics that tacticians build to play against a stronger team, or for tactics that use a multitude of attacking players - so they aren't as exposed at the back.

Have fun creating your own midfield enforcer!

Tubey

Emulating Reality: Creating Glen Johnson (RB/RWB or LB/LWB)

Glen Johnson is enjoying an increasing reputation across the continent as a talented, attacking Right Back. He isn't blessed with superb defensive skills, but his sheer athleticism gives concerns for the opposition trying to beat him for pace when going forward, or stopping his surging runs when trying to defend against him.

In Football Manager 2010, the Full Back varies with what formation you are using. For this tutorial, assume we're using a 4-4-2. As with all these tutorials, these are guidelines only and not the sole correct answer to recreating this position.

The Aim

When looking at this role, we wish to achieve an offensive minded player who overlaps the wide midfielder when attacking, yet also realises how to get back into a defensive position when the opposition is a threat. Basically, the Full Back just runs up and down all game, to put it simply!

Key Stats

The perfect player will have at least 15 in each of the attributes below. Most, if not all of these attributes are highlighted within the tactical creator - this will simply explain why. The ones that aren't are my personal additions and will be in bold:

Technical

Crossing - Given the nature of the Full Back, they hug the touchline and will require a decent crossing attribute.

Dribbling - Again, they run down the flanks alot, occasionally trying to beat an opposition Full-Back with the ball at his feet.

Marking - To track the opposition wide midfielder effectively.

Tackling - Crucial for any player in the defensive line.

Mental

Decisions - A key stat in knowing when to stay and when to go.

Positioning - Again, positioning is key for an attacking Full Back as it ensures the player is in an optimal position for offensive and defensive plays.

Team Work - The Full Back uses alot of give and go in terms of passing maneuvres - it is important that he interacts well with the players around him.

Work Rate - He will be running all game. This will ensure he keeps going.

Physical

Acceleration - Very important - getting up to top speed is vital when attempting an overlap.

Stamina - As I said before, attacking Full Backs run ALL game. A high Stamina stat helps them maintain their work rate.

Pace - If you have a Full Back with low pace, they'll never achieve their full potential as their top speed will hinder them going back and forth down the flank.

Natural Fitness - More for squad utility, a Full Back with low natural fitness will need to be rotated out of the squad to recover more often.

Sliders

**This is NOT the be all end all set up for Full Backs! I've ticked every box to show you a general set up. The defensive line, man marking etc. should be tinkered according to your tactical needs.**

The Result

The Full Back, when your team in possession, will aim to plow up the flanks and get at the opposition Full Back. It becomes a battle of wills between the two opposite players in many ways. Each will be chasing eachother up and down the side of the pitch all game. In the screenshot below, Diego Renan has got the upper hand; he has pushed the opposition Full Back right up against his own area.

Of course, the aim of the Full Back is to get into space in the final third in order to play in a deadly cross. In the below screenshot, you see that Leighton Baines has used his positioning ability to be in the idea place to receive a layoff pass from Cardozo.

That is what you will be wanting to see from your own Full Backs when you build your tactics.

To Sum It Up

The Full Back can be a dangerous weapon in FM10, as it is in the modern game. Remember, a poor Full Back will expose your own team, so choose wisely. They can be utilised at any level of the game, and will provide much needed width for narrow tactics, as well as deeper back-up width for teams that use wingers (Just set the instructions to cross from Deeper so they don't push ahead of the Winger!)

Have fun creating your own runners down the wing!

Tubey

Emulating Reality: Creating Xabi Alonso (DMC/CM)

At Liverpool, Xabi Alonso was recognised by football afficionados as the one man who made them tick.

Playing behind the attacking talismans of Gerrard and Torres, Alonso used his pinpoint passing ability to unleash attacks for his side; finding space at will to work his magic whilst providing intelligent movement for both defensive and offensive duties.

Unfortunately, Rafa Benitez didn't seem to understand how vital he was, and he's now working his magic at Real Madrid.

In Football Manager 2010, the Deep Lying Playmaker varies with what formation you are using. For this tutorial, assume we're using a 4-2-3-1. As with all these tutorials, these are guidelines only and not the sole correct answer to recreating this position.

The Aim

When looking at this role, we wish to achieve an rounded player who acts as the start of your teams attacks, supporting the players ahead of play. Often referred to as footballs "Quarterback", he acts in much the same manner as he receives the ball deep and sprays a pass to wherever he feels is most effective. However, he will have to be configured carefully so that he can find space to work, whilst also contribute when defending against opposition attacks too.

Key Stats

The perfect player will have at least 15 in each of the attributes below. Most, if not all of these attributes are highlighted within the tactical creator - this will simply explain why. The ones that aren't are my personal additions and will be in bold:

Technical

First Touch - Useful in allowing the playmaker to instantly control the ball and look to give the pass quicker.

Passing - An obvious must have. The higher the better, as the playmaker must be pinpoint accurate with his passing game or your team will lose possession regularly.

Tackling - As a deep player, it is important that your playmaker can also throw a tackle when need be to help maintain your defensive structure.

Technique - Technical ability on the ball allows the player to make full use of his passing and creative abilities.

Mental

Composure - So the playmaker can keep a clear head and judge effectively the best way of moving forward.

Creativity - This dictates how imaginative in his passing the playmaker will be. Spotting the unexpected run is a massive asset for a good playmaker.

Decisions - The ability to quickly decide what to do so that the play keeps moving - especially useful for a counter-attacking setup.

Off The Ball - A playmaker needs to find space or his ability to work will be stifled. This stat helps to ensure they work hard to lose their marker.

Positioning - As above, they'll now look for space and move intelligently into the areas of the pitch required for a pass from a teammate.

Team Work - How well they link with the rest of the team is of utmost importance, as the player will quickly develop a high understanding of how his teammates play.

Physical

Balance - Being able to maintain a strong posture on the ball will allow the player to unload a pass in an optimum way.

Strength - In physical leagues like the English Premiership, strength in midfield is preferred for nearly every player so they aren't bullied out of the game.

Sliders

**This is NOT the be all end all set up for Deep Lying Playmakers! I've ticked every box to show you a general set up. The defensive line, man marking, whether to hold up the ball and whether to use a target man, whether to tick him as playmaker etc. should be tinkered according to your tactical needs.**

The Result

You should get a player who holds his position in the deeper/middle of the park, who will receive the ball and intelligently look towards what to do with it.

In the below picture, Jack Rodwell - playing the MC Deep Lying Playmaker role - receives a pass. As you can see from the options, he will have multiple options available to him depending on how good he is at envisaging a pass. In this case, we get a goal from number 10 Dzeko due to a lovely first time lofted pass.

Hopefully, the arrows here will show you how important the decision making and creativity of a playmaker is. A poorer playmaker may have chosen the black arrow; keeping possession but not seeing the killer pass. A really bad playmaker would try an impossible ball, perhaps knocking the ball out of play or losing possession in a dangerous area of the pitch. Be very careful in selecting the right playmaker for your team, or your whole side will suffer.

To Sum It Up

When they're good, they're deadly. Playmakers have a massive role in the modern footballing game. Teams often spend tens of millions of pounds on a playmaker in the hope he will take the side to the next level.

When they're bad, you'll be spending the majority of your FM10 experience watching the opposition take the ball from him and hitting you where it hurts.

Have fun creating your own deep magician!

Tubey

Emulating Reality: Creating Kaka (AMC)

One of, if not the worlds best attacking midfield, Kaka utilises his surprisingly physical stature, along with typical Brazilian flair and skill, to devastating effect just in front of the oppositions back line.

Further to this, he runs from deep with the ball straight at the defence, capable of beating a player of playing a killer through ball.

In Football Manager 2010, the Attacking Midfielder varies with what formation you are using. For this tutorial, assume we're using a 4-2-3-1. As with all these tutorials, these are guidelines only and not the sole correct answer to recreating this position.

The Aim

When looking at this role, we wish to achieve a focal point for your teams attack, who will happily collect the ball to feet, pass the ball in multiple directions and run with the ball into dangerous areas. We also want the player to find space in which to do his work to maximum effect.

Key Stats

The perfect player will have at least 15 in each of the attributes below. Most, if not all of these attributes are highlighted within the tactical creator - this will simply explain why. The ones that aren't are my personal additions and will be in bold:

Technical

Dribbling - The ability to closely control the ball whilst moving is important, as it means the player never lets the ball leave his feet until he chooses to unleash it.

First Touch - When the ball comes to the feet of your offensive outlet, it needs to stick to him like glue or the opposition will mop up the poor touch and counter you.

Passing - Naturally, a good level of passing will allow your AMC to creatively play in his teammates.

Technique - Closely linked to all the above, without good technique the player will be less capable of performing the technical aspects of the footballing game. A player with 20 for the above stats, but 5 for Technique, would be drastically less impressive for the fole.

Long Shots - Not exactly needed, but a good long shot can allow you as a tactician to allow for a greater variety in your attacking play.

Mental

Creativity - Controls how imaginative your AMC is - without imagination, he cannot envisage the forward runs of your attacking players. Crucial stat.

Decisions - Your AMC needs to decide what to do with the ball. If he isn't capable of making quick and accurate decisions, you will lose possession.

Flair - Again, this is closely linked to Creativity in that it determines how flamboyant your AMC will be in his ideas. A cheeky back heel? A crafty chipped pass? A flair player will try the unexpected to unlock a defence.

Off The Ball - To find space, the AMC's ability off the ball is important. He will intelligently look for space to exploit and pull his marker around like a rag doll.

Anticipation - If you wish to have an AMC arriving late in the box, the ability to anticipate a loose ball is a bonus.

Teamwork - Important for many positions, a high teamwork stat means your player will link and interchange with your teammates.

Physical

Acceleration - If your AMC can explode past his marker, you have a definitive advantage. Furthermore, he will get into the box quicker if he can accelerate.

Balance - To me, a crucial stat. If your player can balance well, his first touch and technique will benefit and his passing and creativity will be used to maximum effect.

Agility - Same as above - the ability to use your body to twist and turn to maximum effect.

Sliders

**This is NOT the be all end all set up for Attacking Midfielders! I've ticked boxes to show you a general set up. The long shots, run with ball, whether you want him to hold the ball up etc. should be tinkered according to your tactical needs.**

The Result

The AMC will look to support the attacking players with runs from deep, as well as threading passes to the forwards to create chances.

In the screenshot below, the striker Tafer is receiving a pass. He will turn and play in a through ball for my AMC, Max Canavan.

The reason Canavan is capable of doing this is because he has the Off The Ball, Anticipation and Acceleration stats to intelligently lose his marker.

That is what you will be wanting to see from your own AMCs when you build your tactics.

To Sum It Up

The AMC in the modern game is the role of some of the worlds most celebrated footballers - including Kaka, Lampard and to some extent Ronaldinho and Rooney.

Every top team has a player who does this type of job, and there's a reason. They offer a multitude of benefits, and are extremely difficult to pick up "in the hole" between the midfield and defence.

On FM10 they offer the same value to your tactics.

Have fun creating your own creative artists!

Tubey

Emulating Reality: Creating Cristiano Ronaldo (Inside Forward), Theo Walcott (Winger) and David Beckham (Wide Midfielder)

Traditionally one of the most exciting players on the pitch, the Winger - to use this term to encompass all those who play wide for simplicity - can turn a match on its head by diving down the wing and delivering a deadly cross, or beating his man on the inside before unleashing an angled drive or incisive pass, or even pinging an angled long-range cross towards the penalty area for a striker to pounce upon.

Possessing either piercing pace, silky skills and pinpoint crossing (or all of them together), these players are treasured by teams all around the world, frequently being the subject of world record fees - such as with Denilson and Cristiano Ronaldo.

In Football Manager 2010, the Winger varies with what formation you are using. For this tutorial, assume:

Wide Midfielder: 4-4-2 Flat

Winger: 4-4-2 AMR/AML

Inside Forward: 4-2-3-1 AMR/AML

As with all these tutorials, these are guidelines only and not the sole correct answer to recreating these positions.

The Wide Midfielder (David Beckham) (MR/ML)

NOTE: The Defensive Winger is very, very similar to the Wide Midfielder - so this guide can cover that role as well, and can be used in the AMR/AML position. The only difference is that he will need decent Marking, and a fair degree of Pace as he's usually utilised to cover the oppositions Wing Back. Check the Tactic Creator out for the highlighted "key stats" for a Defensive Winger; I agree with them all.

The Aim

When looking at this role, we wish to achieve a player who will receive the ball in a wide position, but will not necessarily look to attack down the flank using his pace. Instead, he will look for attacking players in and around the box to hit with a long cross, or switch play for another wide player on the opposite side of the pitch. He will also provide cover for a Wing Back if you are utilising those players.

Key Stats

The perfect player will have at least 15 in each of the attributes below. Most, if not all of these attributes are highlighted within the tactical creator - this will simply explain why. The ones that aren't are my personal additions and will be in bold:

Technical

Crossing - If a Wide Midfielder doesn't have this attribute, he is as good as useless in terms of your offensive play.

Passing - As he will not play as obvious a wide game as a traditional Winger will, he will on occasion come inside and play creative passes like an in-field player. So Passing is important.

Tackling - If covering an overlapping Full Back, Tackling is useful in robbing possession in an advanced area of the pitch and can give you an excellent chance to launch an attack.

Technique - Personally surprised the Tactic Creator doesn't suggest this as a key stat for a Wide Midfielder. Technique will allow him to strike a ball better, helping with his crossing and long-range passing.

Mental

Anticipation - The ability to spot an opposition run, so he can cover the danger. Furthermore, the ability to anticipate a teammates intention to pass into space on the flanks. A vital stat.

Decisions - He will make the right cross, pass and pick the right time to shoot with good decision making.

Determination - A Wide Midfielder works his way up the pitch with one-two passes and positional intelligence. Determination will help him start and continue an attacking move and battle past his markers.

Off The Ball - Will help the Wide Midfielder run into the correct area of space to receive a pass out wide. Another crucial stat.

Team Work - As said above, team passing is key for the Wide Midfielder getting into attacking positions. It will also help to read the game of his teammates to understand what they may intend to do with the ball next, which links in with the Off The Ball stat.

Work Rate - A lazy wide player is a liability. He's got to cover his Wing Back and he's got to be willing to run into space. An underrated stat.

Physical

Stamina - Any player that requires a high Work Rate stat naturally requires a high Stamina stat. They link completely.

Acceleration - It isn't essential, but it's always nice to have an extra dimension so he can get into positions quicker.

Sliders

**This is NOT the be all end all set up for Wide Midfielders! I've ticked boxes to show you a general set up. The long shots, run with ball, crossing position, attacking mentality etc. should be tinkered according to your tactical needs.**

The Result

Hopefully, you will create a player who offers a variety of tactical benefits to your team. They may not be as obvious as the blistering Winger is, but the Wide Midfielder benefits all stages of your team from front to back. As well as this, they are often suited to set piece duties as well due to the natural attributes to their game. Out of the three types of Winger we're discussing here, the Wide Midfielder is actually by far the most utilised in the modern game.

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The Winger (Theo Walcott) (AMR/AML)

NOTE: Can be used in the MR/ML roles too, especially in a five man flat midfield. I realise Theo can also be described as an Inside Forward, but just ignore that for now!

The Aim

When looking at this role, we wish to achieve a player who will drive at the opposition Full Back constantly, deterring him from offering an attacking threat of his own. The Winger will always aim to get round the outside of his marker, gain half a yard due to his raw pace and deliver a telling cross into the centre of the penalty area or - if not possible - win a corner or free kick for his team.

As well as this, they are a fantastic counter attacking tool due to having the overall pace to turn defence into attack from one long, direct pass down the flank.

He is solely an Attack-minded player and will offer next to nothing for you defensively. Therefore, sides that use Wingers should only do so if they possess a truly great one; otherwise they probably don't justify the instability they cause to your overall tactical balance (which is why they are dying out in the modern game.)

Key Stats

The perfect player will have at least 15 in each of the attributes below. Most, if not all of these attributes are highlighted within the tactical creator - this will simply explain why. The ones that aren't are my personal additions and will be in bold:

Technical

Crossing - If a Winger doesn't have this attribute, he is as good as useless in terms of your offensive play.

Dribbling - Close ball control is crucial for a Winger, as a large part of their game is running with the ball straight at the opposition - aiming to beat them with the ball at their feet.

Technique - This dictates how well they control and use a ball at their feet, as well as how well they strike a ball. So, for both dribbling and crossing attributes, this is vital.

Passing - It's just nice to have, as it means that if he can thread a pass infield and into the box if the situation arises. But it's not essential.

Mental

Decisions - When to try to beat his man, when to cross, who to cross to, where to run... everything a Winger does is involved with this stat.

Flair - A Winger has to be utterly unpredictable in his offensive play, or the Full Back will pick him up with ease.

Off The Ball - Will help the Winger run into the correct area of space to receive a pass out wide. Another crucial stat.

Anticipation - I like the majority of my attacking players to be able to anticipate a chance to attack, so a good high stat in this is beneficial.

Physical

Acceleration - A Winger has to have a high stat in this. Possibly 17+ to make sure. It helps him run faster with the ball, get past his marker and run into space quicker. Probably the single most important stat a Winger can have.

Agility - An agile Winger will be able to outmaneuvre his marker and turn on the ball quicker.

Balance - Same as above, but also dictates how a Winger runs with the ball.

Pace - The top speed of the Winger. Again, hugely important as it helps with running on and off the ball.

Sliders

**This is NOT the be all end all set up for Wingers! I've ticked boxes to show you a general set up. The long shots, run with ball, crossing position, attacking mentality etc. should be tinkered according to your tactical needs.**

The Result

You will have a player that offers massive attacking benefits as it will make sure that your opposition has to maintain a strong defence even when they are attacking. They also offer a strong supply route for strong, physical strikers in the box. But you have to make sure that you have enough tactical security to accomodate your Winger or you could be horribly exposed at the back as he leaves a huge vulnerability down the flanks as he goes forward.

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The Inside Forward (Cristiano Ronaldo) (AMR/AML)

NOTE: The Inside Forward in the AMC position is NOT covered by this guide.

The Aim

Quite frankly, the worlds most exciting footballing position right now is the Inside Forward utilised in wide positions. Cristiano Ronaldo, Frank Ribery, Lionel Messi... you get the idea.

The easiest way to think of an Inside Forward is that they are a Winger crossed with a Striker - gross oversimplification but there you go.

They look to receive the ball to feet and run at the defence like a Winger, but they will cut inside far more often both on and off the ball, make runs into the box as well as the byline, arrive deep in the box to get on the end of crosses from the opposite flank and often come deep in a central area to demand possession and run at the defence from there.

Because of this, he naturally drags defenders all over the shop - opening up space for a marauding Wing Back or a deep run from a central midfielder.

Only the best of the best can do this. If Drogba is a complete striker, then the Inside Forward requires a complete footballer.

Key Stats

**NOTES: There's alot of "bolded" additional attributes for an Inside Forward, but remember the player does not have to have ALL of them!**

The perfect player will have at least 15 in each of the attributes below. Most, if not all of these attributes are highlighted within the tactical creator - this will simply explain why. The ones that aren't are my personal additions and will be in bold:

Technical

Crossing - When an Inside Forward hits the byline, he needs to have the ability to cross in his armoury.

Dribbling - The most obvious feature of the Inside Forward is how they run with the ball at their feet - so obviously you need the player to have a high Dribbling stat!

Finishing - The main difference from a Winger is that they cut inside and hit the box alot more - as such, they should be capable of finishing too. They can grab an extortionate amount of goals!

Passing - A creative force due to the areas they attack, a high Passing attribute allows them to make use of this.

Technique - If an Inside Forward has high technical ability, everything else will follow. It supports all the other technical stats well.

First Touch - Taking the ball in his stride will help the Inside Forward continue the attack fluently.

Long Shots - Nice to have as it allows the Inside Forward to be a danger from outside the area - adding another dimension to his attacking play.

Mental

Decisions - When to try to beat his man, when to cross, who to cross to, where to run... everything an Inside Forward does is involved with this stat.

Flair - An Inside Forward has to be utterly unpredictable in his offensive play, or the defenders will pick him up with ease.

Off The Ball - Will help the Inside Forward run into the correct area of space to receive a pass, which will allow him to gain possession and work his magic. Another crucial stat.

Team Work - Unlike the Winger, the Inside Forward is involved in attacks all over the final third of the pitch, and as such needs to interact well with his entire team.

Composure - He will keep his head when he finds himself in scoring positions.

Creativity - Combines well with Flair to allow the Inside Forward to try the unexpected.

Anticipation - As stated what feels like a billion times by now ^^, Anticipation allows the Inside Forward to guess the intention of his teammates pass, as well as interpret correctly any loose balls in the box - and, of course, help him time his runs from deep.

Physical

Acceleration - Not quite as important as it is for a traditional Winger as an Inside Forward attacks in a more diverse way, but it's still pretty damn important for them to be quick off the mark.

Pace - The top speed of the Inside Forward. Helps their overall game tremendously.

Balance - Controls how controlled (?) they are when they run with the ball.

Agility - Will help the Inside Forward twist and turn with the ball, avoid challenge, recover from a tackle etc.

Strength - A powerful Inside Forward won't be shoved off the ball as easily when he's running. Probably a must have; look for at least 13+ in this stat.

Sliders

**This is NOT the be all end all set up for Inside Forwards! I've ticked boxes to show you a general set up. The long shots, run with ball, crossing position, attacking mentality etc. should be tinkered according to your tactical needs.**

The Result

We've all seen what Cristiano and Lionel can do. An Inside Forward who is merely "good" will still offer your team great benefits. A superstar will give you the ability to score at any one time at the drop of a hat.

But don't think it's only the big clubs who can use this type of player - even at lower levels, if set up correctly, they can be devastating if they possess raw pace alone. They just need the correct support structure.

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Emulating Reality: Creating Torres (Advanced Forward)

Liverpool's Fernando Torres is currently one of the most feared strikers in world football.

Possessing blistering pace, he plays on the shoulder of the last man in the opposition defence, as well as having the ability to beat a man on the dribble or chase a ball to the byline to gain possession high up the pitch for his team.

In Football Manager 2010, the Advanced Forward varies with what formation you are using. For this tutorial, assume we're using a 4-2-3-1. As with all these tutorials, these are guidelines only and not the sole correct answer to recreating this position.

The Aim

When looking at this role, we wish to achieve the final piece of your tactical jigsaw by creating a striker who will put the ball in the opposition net, as well as make the opposition think twice about operating a high defensive line with an offside trap.

Key Stats

The perfect player will have at least 15 in each of the attributes below. Most, if not all of these attributes are highlighted within the tactical creator - this will simply explain why. The ones that aren't are my personal additions and will be in bold:

Technical

Crossing - The AF will run into wider positions when your team plays direct, in order to gain possession higher up the pitch. To make the most of this, a good crossing stat will allow the AF to cross for a supporting midfielder making runs into the box.

Dribbling - The AF will face a lot of one on one dribbling opportunities against opposition defenders, so he has to have the skill to beat him.

Finishing - He's a striker. His job is to score. I'm sure you can figure out why he needs this!

Heading - What makes Torres so feared is that he's not only fast, tricky and deadly with his shooting - he's also a very menacing presence in the air. Drilled crosses allows your AF to flick into the corner of the net.

Technique - Compliments all of the above.

Mental

Anticipation - Often dicing with the opposing sides offside trap, this attribute will help your AF know when to anticipate the deadly through ball from midfield. It will also allow him to react well to anything that drops in and around the box.

Composure - Dictates how well your AF keeps his head in a goalscoring position.

Flair - Any player on the pitch who uses dribbling in his arsenal will require the ability to do the unexpected.

Off The Ball - Like Anticipation, this will allow your striker to be in areas in which to exploit a killer ball from midfield, or find some space on the edge of the box to fire off a shot.

Work Rate - The AF has to be constantly looking for that opportunity to strike. A lazy AF is a liability, as they are more likely to be switched off when a chance could have been on.

Physical

Pace - Beating a high offside trap often means the AF has to run half of the pitch to get his chance on goal. Being fast means that he won't be caught by a desperate defender.

Balance - Controls how well a player moves with the ball.

Acceleration - Combines well with Pace as it means he'll get up to his top speed quicker. However, it is surprisingly not as vital a stat as it is elsewhere on the field.

Sliders

**This is NOT the be all end all set up for Advanced Forwards! I've ticked boxes to show you a general set up. The long shots, run with ball, whether you want him to hold the ball up etc. should be tinkered according to your tactical needs.**

The Result

You will have an attacking outlet that the entire backline has to fear. If the Full Backs are out of position, suddenly the AF has a gap in the channels. If the Centre Backs get their positioning confused, the AF can seize the opportunity. In many respects, a good AF is a defensive tool as well as being a goalscorer, as it prevents the opposition from being too "gung ho" with the Wing Backs and also stops them employing a high, pressuring line.

To Sum It Up

The Advanced Forward is, in my opinion, not the development of the Poacher - they're completely different players. A Poacher runs off the supply of a Target Man, or he's useless. The Advanced Forward can use this supply route, but he relies far more on balls in behind from midfield rather than a strike partner.

Even when combined with a Deep Lying Forward, it's the same principle - because the DLF drops deeper and acts almost like an AMC in terms of his supply.

If you have a bad AF, alot of your attacks will break down due to the opposing backline mopping them up all game. So you need to make sure the AF has every relevant stat at a decent amount for his level or your whole tactic will suffer.

Have fun creating your own deadly marksman!

Tubey

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Emulating Reality: Creating Ibrahimovic/Berbatov (Deep Lying Forward)

Languid Bulgarian frontman Dimitar Berbatov is a perfect example of how a Deep Lying Forward can be fiendishly difficult to define. As is the gifted Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Barcelona.

Technically a striker, but often coming deep to look for the ball, the DLF acts as the "carrier" between midfield and attack, especially for teams that do not utilise an AMC - however, it is the preferred striking role for a team that plays midfielders who enjoy utilising supporting runs from midfield. For example, Berbatov is often used with a partner in Rooney or Owen who act as an Advance Forward. Ibrahimovic's role in Barcelona is to make the ball stick so Messi and co can get ahead of play.

In Football Manager 2010, the Deep Lying Forward varies with what formation you are using. For this tutorial, assume we're using a 4-4-2 alongside an Advanced Forward. As with all these tutorials, these are guidelines only and not the sole correct answer to recreating this position.

The Aim

When looking at this role, we want to create an advanced "water carrier" between midfield and attack. Where the Deep Lying Playmaker is the water carrier between defence and midfield, the DLF does the same further up the pitch.

Key Stats

The perfect player will have at least 15 in each of the attributes below. Most, if not all of these attributes are highlighted within the tactical creator - this will simply explain why. The ones that aren't are my personal additions and will be in bold:

Technical

Dribbling - Often, the DLF will run across a backline in the line between defence and midfield, but occasionally he'll drive directly at the defence. So a crucial all-round stat for his role.

First Touch - His main job is to be the focal point when your team moves in for the attack. The ball needs to stick to him instantly so that he can go about playing in his teammates.

Long Shots - Even though the box is ticked to "Rarely" in the above slider setup, he will still shoot from distance because he gets into the correct positions naturally to do so effectively. This attribute gives him that extra menace.

Passing - This stat elaborates the fact the DLF is largely a creative player rather than a typical striker. He needs to be able to pass effectively to create his teammates chances.

Technique - Compliments all of the above, which is drastically important. Ideally, look for about 17/18 in this stat.

Finishing - Personally cannot understand how this isn't a required stat. Vital for any player whose job is at least partially to finish team moves.

Heading - Given that the Advanced Forward often moves to the byline and crosses, the DLF often arrives late into the box to be an aerial threat. Nearly all DLF's are tall and strong - this stat makes use of that.

Mental

Creativity - A no-brainer. Dictates how well the DLF can envisage a killer ball to a teammate, often the AF.

Decisions - Combined with the Creativity and Passing stat, it dictates how quickly and accurately a DLF will pick out a pass to keep your attack flowing.

Off The Ball - Dropping into the hole, the DLF needs to know how to move to find space in which to receive a pass from midfield.

Off The Ball - Like Anticipation, this will allow your striker to be in areas in which to exploit a killer ball from midfield, or find some space on the edge of the box to fire off a shot.

Team Work - As a "water carrier", he needs to link and exchange brilliantly with all areas of his team.

Physical

Strength - He has to be able to shrug off opposition pressure so he doesn't lose the ball. A DLF losing the ball is horrific, because alot of players are making runs forward to support him. It exposes you badly, so ensure you have a strong DLF.

Balance - Controls how well a player moves with the ball.

Acceleration - Combines well with Pace as it means he'll get up to his top speed quicker. However, it is surprisingly not as vital a stat as it is elsewhere on the field.

Jumping - It's nice to have as the DLF can then leap above his marker when getting on the end of the AF's byline crosses - as well as being an added danger from set-pieces.

Sliders

**This is NOT the be all end all set up for Deep Lying Forwards! I've ticked boxes to show you a general set up. The long shots, run with ball, whether you want him to hold the ball up etc. should be tinkered according to your tactical needs.**

Attention: "Run From Deep" is set to Often here, but that is a specific tactic choice for one of my own tactics. Standardly, it would be set to Sometimes. I use this as an example to show you that these pre-sets are not the only answer to creating the role!!!

The Result

He will close down the opposition defenders when your team doesn't have the ball, drop into the hole when your team wins possession and then look to keep play moving as your attack builds. Think of him as the final rung in the ladder before you reach the top by finding the Advanced or Inside Forward with a killer pass.

To Sum It Up

The best way of describing a DLF is like this. Imagine that the number 9 is an Advanced Forward, and the number 10 is a creative attacking midfielder or a Trequartista AMC.

The DLF, in this shirt number system, would be a "nine-and-a-half", as he does a little bit of both.

If you have a bad DLF, you'll lose possession constantly as your team is tactically at it's most vulnerable during the transition from Support to Attack. But if you get a good one combined with a brilliant Inside or Advanced Forward, you're going to have a superb tactical foundation to score goal after goal after goal.

Have fun creating your own water carrier!

Tubey

The reason Canavan is capable of doing this is because he has the Off The Ball, Anticipation and Acceleration stats to intelligently lose his marker.

Anticipation is one of the most important stats on FM. IMO it also confuses a lot of people as they don't seem to spot it in the match engine. Many people confuse it for things like off the ball and creativity.

Quality series of posts btw

These are great posts Tubey, would you say you could play these all in the same team, and who else is in the pipeline

Anticipation is one of the most important stats on FM. IMO it also confuses a lot of people as they don't seem to spot it in the match engine. Many people confuse it for things like off the ball and creativity.

Quality series of posts btw

I personally won't entertain an AMC who doesn't have at least 16/17 in Anticipation for that exact reason. If you want a goalscoring AMC it's a complete must have.

And cheers ^^

These are great posts Tubey, would you say you could play these all in the same team, and who else is in the pipeline

Of course you can play them in the same team, they're all separate positions You should tweak them depending on what defensive line you want and what players you have.

Working on various strikers next - I'm not going to cover centre-halves because, IMO, Justifieds Nike defence pretty much has it spot on already for nearly every type of tactic.

Nah I didnt mean the positions I was talking about if I could play them in the same team with their mentalities, When will the next one be released been looking forward to these all day at school

Of course you can play them in the same team, they're all separate positions You should tweak them depending on what defensive line you want and what players you have.

Working on various strikers next - I'm not going to cover centre-halves because, IMO, Justifieds Nike defence pretty much has it spot on already for nearly every type of tactic.

I want Drogba

Oh, and you might want to consider jumping rather than heading (or at least both) for the BWM

Nah I didnt mean the positions I was talking about if I could play them in the same team with their mentalities, When will the next one be released been looking forward to these all day at school

Well, I use these mentalities in a tactic I'm currently using so technically yes they can be used.

But success will depend entirely on your team, how you motivate them during team-talks, fitness, stats... so many variables

I'll have another one up in about an hour or two.

I want Drogba

Oh, and you might want to consider jumping rather than heading (or at least both) for the BWM

Agree with that to an extent, but being honest - as I say in the post - I look for across the board strong physical stats with a BWM so I just highlighted the more important one that isn't highlighted in the tactic creator; Heading just edges Jumping for me as it controls the quality of the headed pass from deep instead of just flicking it anywhere. It's all opinion though!

A ball winning midfielder doesn't really need jumping or heading. His job is to close down and win the ball back high up the pitch, so having either of them stats isn't really needed imo. It's more mental stats he needs, the only 2 physical stats he needs are stamina and strength.

But like Tubey says its all different opinions.

Very good work Tubey, really nice addition to the forum

What about doing wide men? There's a plethora of options, wide midfielder, defensive winger, inside forward, etc etc. Would be good to see a post highlighting the different playing styles of each, and the illustrating using real life players in an excellent idea.

PS.... I like Fellaini as a Box-to-Box man!

A ball winning midfielder doesn't really need jumping or heading. His job is to close down and win the ball back high up the pitch, so having either of them stats isn't really needed imo. It's more mental stats he needs, the only 2 physical stats he needs are stamina and strength.

But like Tubey says its all different opinions.

It's really only for the long punts from the Goalkeeper and defending set pieces that I prefer my BWM to have it as I prefer to leave faster, nippier players up for the counter. Not for any other real aspect of his game really, apart from the odd "head tennis" that occurs around the centre circle sometimes.

What about doing wide men?

Good shout - I'll give that a go and extend it to MR/ML and well as the varied options at AMR/AML.

Yes that idea is brilliant, wingers like lennon, inside forwards like ronaldo, and defensive wingers like kuyt.

Would be brill if you could put them up.

Wingers added.

Swap position can provide awesome results if you play with 2 inside forwards. I have mine rotating atm and there doing reall well.

Nice update btw

So targetman like Amauri and central defenders like Chiellini or Terry

Swap position can provide awesome results if you play with 2 inside forwards. I have mine rotating atm and there doing reall well.

Nice update btw

What does it do? I know what it aims to do, but really all I see on the match engine is them just going over to the other side and doing the exact same thing

Genuine question btw, I haven't been able to actually notice any difference on my games.

What does it do? I know what it aims to do, but really all I see on the match engine is them just going over to the other side and doing the exact same thing

Genuine question btw, I haven't been able to actually notice any difference on my games.

It confuses the opposition defenders from the AI who are set up to mark in a certain way - suddenly he's faced with a different player with different talents.

Basically it adds unpredictability which is important for sides that rely on flair and creativity - the more the better.

Can I ask Tubeys....

If a player swaps positions, say for example a AMC with a MC. Would this mean they switch position wise and swap Instructions or do they keep the same instructions, just playing in a different postion?

Can I ask Tubeys....

If a player swaps positions, say for example a AMC with a MC. Would this mean they switch position wise and swap Instructions or do they keep the same instructions, just playing in a different postion?

Keeps his own settings.

Keeps his own settings.

Okay thanks

We'll be waiting DC and Strikers instractions.

Veryy nice post.

We'll be waiting DC and Strikers instractions.

what happened ?

will the strikers be up tonight ?

also for the inside forward, you didn't tick roam from position, should we tick it ?

Going to do the strikers tomorrow - bit worn out ^^

As for roaming, by all means do it. See what happens! It's a guideline; I'm not a tactical wizard (in fact, there's at least ten on these boards I can list off the top of my head who are far better than me ^^). These are just really basic settings that can be adapted just to give you an idea.

Perfect thread.

Will use these as guidelines when setting up a tactic, great work!

Cheers!

any chance at all you could do a 'fabregas'? I would really like to see your ideas in how to set up to get him to perform like he is IRL, probably the most in-form player on the planet. I would see some sort of combination of the Xavi and Kaka roles, but no clear idea on getting it to work.

Keeps his own settings.

@ Cleon

Are you sure this is the Case, I have always understood that when the players swap positions they then take up the new positions original settings,

I have just done a quick test with my Strikers on Swap Position, and if you pause the game when they swap and go to check the individual settings they have the opposite instructions to when they started,

e.g. the Pacey Forward now has my strong forwards settings and the strong forward now has the pacey striker settings

@ Cleon

Are you sure this is the Case, I have always understood that when the players swap positions they then take up the new positions original settings,

I have just done a quick test with my Strikers on Swap Position, and if you pause the game when they swap and go to check the individual settings they have the opposite instructions to when they started,

e.g. the Pacey Forward now has my strong forwards settings and the strong forward now has the pacey striker settings

Yes sorry I wrote wrong, I meant to say 'Doesn't'. Settings are position specific rather than player specific.

Yes sorry I wrote wrong, I meant to say 'Doesn't'. Settings are position specific rather than player specific.

It's a shame that isn't it? I mean, I know the player himself will have different stats - and therefore offers a different threat - but it still sort of takes away a large part of the point of swapping positions.

It's best used by two very similar players with similar set play set-ups - nothing more annoying than swapping positions with your threat from corners; meaning a 5ft4 midget is diving at the back post all of a sudden ^^

It's a shame that isn't it? I mean, I know the player himself will have different stats - and therefore offers a different threat - but it still sort of takes away a large part of the point of swapping positions.

It's best used by two very similar players with similar set play set-ups - nothing more annoying than swapping positions with your threat from corners; meaning a 5ft4 midget is diving at the back post all of a sudden ^^

Were you watching my test game? lol

Normally have Crouch Attacking the back post, but with the swap ended up with Robbie Keane leaping like a lead weight trying to do the job

Were you watching my test game? lol

Normally have Crouch Attacking the back post, but with the swap ended up with Robbie Keane leaping like a lead weight trying to do the job

Hehe ^^

It's best used with Wingers and formations that have two similar forwards. Basically, anywhere there's symmetry (except the Wing Backs, as it destabilises your backline IMO).

Remember most tactics have the CB's up for the corners at the far stick.

But it is an oversight - I'd like at least the set piece instructions to remain the same if nothing else.

Do you plan to make a "creating David Villa or F.Torres" ?

Do you plan to make a "creating David Villa or F.Torres" ?

Yep.

I'll be completing Drogba (Complete Forward), Torres (Advanced Forward) and Totti (Trequartista CF) at some stage this afternoon.

Comeon on Tubey ffs you belong to the people now, hurry hurry hurry:D

Comeon on Tubey ffs you belong to the people now, hurry hurry hurry:D

Shaddup, just... quiet! xD

It's a shame that isn't it? I mean, I know the player himself will have different stats - and therefore offers a different threat - but it still sort of takes away a large part of the point of swapping positions.

It's best used by two very similar players with similar set play set-ups - nothing more annoying than swapping positions with your threat from corners; meaning a 5ft4 midget is diving at the back post all of a sudden ^^

I wish you could set player specific instructions more easily regardless of where he will play. I'd rather be able to set my settings to a player rather than a tactic.

I wish you could set player specific instructions more easily regardless of where he will play. I'd rather be able to set my settings to a player rather than a tactic.

I posted this idea last year for FM10 but not many people thought it was a good idea

Good work Tubey, looking forward to a Fabregas setup

Shaddup, just... quiet! xD

HEY! Every minute you spend here posting stuff like this is a minute you could be spending spoonfeeding us these instructions. No slacking! We got games to play and we can't wait around all day for you, damnit!

I would just like to say that these posts have been amazing and the players that I have given these intructions to have been Amazing so far. Cannot wait for the strikers. Up Soon?

Tubey, trying this with my Hull team, just baout to start a new game with them, lets hope it works

Thanks for the great thread!

This is brilliant. Could you please do a Tim Cahill one?

This is brilliant. Could you please do a Tim Cahill one?

Exactly the same as Kaka, but knock Run With Ball down to Rarely and Run From Deep to Often. This will mean he'll quickly pass the ball rather than run with it, then arrive late in the box to get on the end of crosses.