Alternative Preset Styles

[Robson 07]

I can't remember seeing a thread where people posted and discussed variations of preset styles.  You know the ones we have in the game for Gegenpress, Tiki-Taka, Wing Play, Park The Bus and so on.  There must be lots of alternatives and I dare say that SI may introduce more of their own with the release of FM20.

Anyway, this an opportunity to throw a few ideas of our own around.  I'll get things started...

A style that I think is missing is what I've called the Italian Game which would not be dissimilar to Zona Mista.  Italian football had a post Catenaccio reputation for the dark arts.  Teams were dirty, cynical and tough.  I think this period is more 80's and 90's and Trapatonni is someone you'd associate with the style.

To put a FM 'spin' on this I looked up the thread, "Lines & Diamonds" in the guide section of this forum.  Specifically in section 8.6 there's what the author called a disruptive tactic.  For an abbreviated post drop down to the style below.

Spoiler

 

8.6 DISRUPTIVE TACTICS

"A disruptive tactic looks to proactively break up the flow of play and prevent the opposition from asserting their style on the game. Tactically, the objective is to deny the opposition time on the ball in midfield, but psychologically, disruptive tactics attempt to annoy or even physically intimidate opposition players. This can be effective at frustrating or demoralising sides with weaker players or teams that simply lack mental resilience. Disruptive tactics are often decried as cynical and even antithetical to football itself, but for practitioners of the dark side of football tactics, they can be a powerful tool for levelling an uneven playing field.

In several ways, a disruptive tactic is a more aggressive counterpart to an obstruction tactic, but whereas obstruction tactics tend to be based more on the principle of delay, disruptive tactics are based primarily on pressure, cover and a general lack of restraint. Disruptive tactics usually play in a medium or slightly higher block with players encouraged to stay tight on their man, pressure aggressively and not hold back when attempting tackles. To achieve this, you would use instructions like “Tighter Marking,” “Close Down Much More” and “Get Stuck In.” Opposition instructions are also an effective means of targeting specific opposition players as are roles like the defensive forward, defensive winger and ball-winning midfielder.

A disruptive tactic usually doesn’t concern itself with recovering possession for the sake of possession. Rather, it’s mainly concerned with preventing the opposition’s time in possession from being productive. In most cases, fouls will be necessary, so defending slightly further up the pitch is necessary to avoid giving away free kicks in dangerous areas.

The importance of cover relates to the aggressive style of defending. Tight marking and aggressive pressure will open up space in the defence, so having numerical superiority in the area where you want to disrupt the opposition’s play is vital. A good defensive midfielder can be the lynchpin of a disruptive tactic even if the central midfielders are the ones you expect to be doing the tackling. In terms of personnel, disruptive tactics benefit from strong, aggressive players in midfield. Unsporting personalities can also be beneficial if you are looking to take a disruptive approach to the extreme.

In possession, a disruptive tactic can be combined with a team’s normal attacking approach, though given that disruptive tactics usually have second defenders marking tight, support options can be lacking when possession changes since the opposition will then be able to immediately get tight on your players. In that case, encouraging a higher tempo game in an attempt to launch fast breaks from midfield can be helpful.

In a more defensive disruptive tactic, a manager may wish to see the ball quickly funnelled high and wide. This will give the team time to reorganise, and it puts the ball in a position where an aggressive striker can more easily isolate and harry a defender. The “Clear Ball to Flanks” is especially effective at encouraging this." Created a few years ago by @THOG

 

TL;DR.  I basically used the above as an inspiration for this idea.

New preset style, Italian Game, as images below.

This picks out a few things that seem reasonable for what I'm attempting.  Then I've gone with a 4141, basically to be a bit defensive shape wise and midfield heavy.  Someone may kindly point out that Italian teams have never really used wingers a lot and I'd fully accept that.  Please remember though I'm attempting to lay down a style, not copying any specific manager or recreating a particular team.  Slight difference I hope.

 

So there it is, the Italian Game.  Medium block, tough tackling, harassing and a little unpleasant to the eye.

Please feel free to use this thread to put up lots of other styles or just pick this one apart, lol.  And before anyone asks this one is severely untested.  Lets say it's conceptual for now.

[Experienced Defender]

Looks very interesting 

[sparkyunited]

This is cool. I think you have it covered as a broad representation of that style of football from an instructions standpoint.  I've watched a lot of Serie A since the 90's and have recently gone back to watch a lot of Italian football all the way back to Herrera's Inter and it's a fun league to watch if you're into the Dark Arts.  

From a formation standpoint, there was a lack of wing play for the majority of teams since the 90's with a few exceptions.  Most teams were really vertical and narrow and there were a lot of 4-4-2/4-3-1-2 diamond formations around.  If you look at Lazio under Eriksson as a prime example where central midfielders (even DM's) would be deployed wide in a 4-4-2 with two holding central midfielders. He'd play Veron from the left in big games (and bench Nedved) and Conceicao or Stankovic on the right.  Conceicao would usually provide any width along with the occasional foray forward from the full backs. 

The other aspect that I think is key is the Fantasista...there's gotta be at least one role in the team with the license to create.  The combination of midfield destroyers was usually complimented by someone who could unlock the defences.  For every Simeone, there was a Veron or Totti or Baggio....

I may have a mess around with this on my current save. 

[Robson 07]

Thanks for the reply @sparkyunited and I'm not inclined to disagree with your comments at all.  As you said mine is a broad representation, I don't mind that one bit.  Hope you have a little play around with the ideas, let us know how you get on.

[Jack Joyce]

Nice post! We're definitely interested to see what kind of style presets you guys think might be missing from the game. If anyone has any ideas like this then please do give me a shout (either @ me or PM me so I'm aware). I expected a lot of suggestions like this but haven't seen too many, although I may just have missed them

[FMunderachiever]

Total Football perhaps?

[Experienced Defender]

1 hour ago, FMunderachiever said:

Total Football perhaps?

Yeah, total football preset would be quite interesting to see. I personally have some (vague) ideas as to how it might be set up, but would like to see how SI views the style.

[Robson 07]

I think there a quite a few styles to add.  Styles tend to come and go with eras and different regions or countries.  I will probably do 1 or 2 more myself but would welcome anyone just having a bash.

Here are a few additional suggestions.

• Total Football.  Already mentioned, good shout.
• Wingless Wonders.
• Samba football.  Other references to it such as Ginga or Joga Bonito.
• Positions of Maximum Opportunity (i.e. some sort of crossing, target man style.  associated as traditional British football in the last century)
• Strikerless.  Is that a style?  Not sure, possibly?

Plus maybe a style that is aimed specifically for 3-man defences and wingbacks made famous by Germany.  Or something Argentinian perhaps around the no.10 role as the central fulcrum of he side.

 

[yonko]

On 24/05/2019 at 09:17, Jack Joyce said:

Nice post! We're definitely interested to see what kind of style presets you guys think might be missing from the game. If anyone has any ideas like this then please do give me a shout (either @ me or PM me so I'm aware). I expected a lot of suggestions like this but haven't seen too many, although I may just have missed them

I think what is missing is an attacking style preset a level above Control Possession and Geggenpressing. Something that can be described as Fluid Attack, not necessarily to be patient or keeping possession, neither to dump it into the box. Dare I say more normal/direct passing, free flowing, players moving between lines, more like Man United under SAF at times. This style should be about moving the ball and moving players with intent of creating chances and scoring goals. Something created on Attacking mentality with multiple ways of creating and scoring. Maybe an alternative name for the style could be Layered Attack.

I'm surprised that SI didn't include a more adventurous preset style than what we have now.