Tactical Theorems '10: Demo Teaser 3 - Duties

[Millie]

In our third installment, we look at duties and how they affect the balance of your tactics. Duties are almost as important as the formation itself in determining team shape. Attacking players will, naturally, find themselves further up the pitch, while defending players will drop deeper. But, as with everything FM, the reality is more subtle than that.

TT10 will be published in full on October 30 to coincide with the release of Football Manager 10. As usual, it will be available to download from FM-Britain.co.uk.

Duties

Duties affect what the primary attacking a defensive duty of the player is on the team. They come in three types: attack, support, and defend. It is also possible to set certain players to “automatic”, which means the creator will choose the most appropriate duty depending on the strategy employed.

Players using the defend duty will have lower forward runs and run with ball instructions. They are asked to concentrate on staying back, keeping their shape and making sure that the team has enough cover when the opposition has the ball. Their role will affect the specific placement of the classic tactical sliders.

Support players are required to hang further back than the attackers, but play ahead of the defenders. Their job is to receive the ball and find good passes when in attack, but to track back and act as the first line of defence once possession is lost. Because of this, they will be asked to play more through balls than anyone else, looking for the right pass to open up the defence, but will also have fewer forward runs than attackers so that they can offer an outlet should possession be lost or should the attackers need a passing outlet behind them to recycle the ball.

Finally, attack players will look to get forward whenever possible and put pressure on the opposition’s defence. They will tend to play with more forward runs (unless their role already places them on the shoulder of the last defender) and will be looking to score goals or set up fellow attackers.

Assigning duties, alongside roles, can really add spice to tactic building. Changes to duties can dramatically change the shape and feel of the side. These changes can help players push forward, push wide or pull back from their proscribed position on the tactical diagram. For most managers, this will allow subtle but important changes in shape, effects that in the past could only have been achieved by changing formation or using the “arrows”.

Assigning Duties

It is very important that the team has the right balance of duties depending on the match strategy. Unsurprisingly, attacking tactics will need more attack duties, while defensive tactics will need more defend duties. Last year’s guide recommended that defensive tactics have around 5 defenders, 2 support players and 3 attackers. Attacking tactics would have 3 defenders, 2 support players and 5 attackers. And the tactics in between would have more support players.

The creator will look to assign roles like this anyway, and may also assign some automatic roles. These are generally given to the full backs, who will then be defensive in cautious tactics, look to get forward a little more in standard tactics, and look to attack the wings in attacking tactics.

Balance

This is the key word with everything in football tactics. Finding the right balance between attacking intent and creativity on the one hand and defensive shape and stability on the other is the ultimate juggling act. In general, it is important to use the duties to make sure that nobody on the team gets isolated and that there is always cover in key positions on the park. This is why the choice of duties is so vital to tactical success.

It is certainly not the case that all defenders should be on “defend”, all midfielders on “support” and all attackers on “attack”. This would leave the team very static and with no communication from one stratum to the next. The following outlines the standard practice for setting up the basic duties for a 4-5-1 or 4-4-2.

Defence: As has been explained in the previous section, full backs tend to be given “automatic” roles in FM10. This is because attacking full backs add necessary width to a team: and, usually, if you are attacking the opposition will be defending, meaning having four players permanently stationed in a line can unnecessarily restrict passing options. However, the two centre backs are told to stay back during open play. Their extra duty options are therefore variations on the defensive roles: stopper and cover. The stopper will look to step out of defence and confront the attacker as he comes through, while the cover will look to take a yard or two back in order to “sweep” up any through balls.

Midfield: It is important that the midfield has both support for the front line and keeps somebody back to patrol the centre of the park. In previous guides, you may have heard this referred to as the “MCa” and the “MCd” system.

Having one of you central midfielders use a defend duty (be that a DMC or an MC) is incredibly useful in acting as a holding midfielder. This means that if the opposition do launch a quick break there should be enough men back to at least slow down the counter attack until the support players arrive. In attacking tactics, the “defend” central midfield would be the third of the three players on the defend duty, along with the two centre backs.

Similarly, having the other midfielder on a support or attack duty acts as a good link with the central forwards. In a 4-4-2, support may be enough – the second forward can act as the proper link between attack and midfield. However, in a 4-5-1 or other lone striker formations, having an attack minded MC or AMC can help bridge that gap and supply the forward with passes as well as passing options.

Wingers or side midfielders are very often given attack duties, since it is important to allow them to get forward whenever possible and cause trouble out wide. Not everyone may be given the attack duty (especially in a 4-5-1 where you have more options), but attacking wing play can be very useful in breaking down the opposition or giving you the option for the counter attack down the wing to exploit any space left by marauding opposition full backs. Alternatively, when playing against defensive full backs, it may be necessary to use the support duty to find space in the resulting hole in front of the defence.

Attack: With two forwards, it is important to “split” the duties. One will usually act as a support player, the other an attacker. This serves two purposes. One, it can create the link between the midfield and the attack. And two, it staggers the attack which makes it difficult for centre backs to defend. Remember, of course, that the “two” players up front may be arranged in a AMC-FC combination, which would allow the AMC to be a support player and the FC to be the attack player. Usually, the attacking player will be the goal scorer (the quicker player or the poacher), while the support player will be the link forward (the creative forward or the big target man who flicks the ball on).

With a lone forward, it is important to either give him an AMC in support or to give him a support duty of his own. Attack duties will make him press on and play on the shoulder of the last defender, but they will also leave him isolated if there is a huge gap between him and the midfield. If there are no AMCs in the formation, one of the midfielders will almost certainly need an attack duty in order to give him the required support.

How you set up your duties ultimately is up to you. Strategy and other playing style changes will tend to keep players further back or further forward in different tactics anyway – but keeping a balance is always useful in making the team work well as a unit.

[footynut]

Their extra duty options are therefore variations on the defensive roles: stopper and cover. The stopper will look to step out of defence and confront the attacker as he comes through, while the cover will look to take a yard or two back in order to “sweep” up any through balls.

I find this difficult to understand as when playing with two centre backs the role of who steps out and who covers changes between the two players depending on the situation. I can’t see how you can designate roles to the two centre backs for every situation in the match.

[The next Diaby]

I find this difficult to understand as when playing with two centre backs the role of who steps out and who covers changes between the two players depending on the situation. I can’t see how you can designate roles to the two centre backs for every situation in the match.

First of all: you do not have to use this model, it is just a possibility. And there are teams which do use these role assignments in their favour, but it is not a must. If you want to see your defence working as a unit with equal duties, you should stick to traditional game roles.

But if you are using a strong/quick defensive partnership, this can add very much to the natural qualities of the players.

[footynut]

First of all: you do not have to use this model, it is just a possibility. And there are teams which do use these role assignments in their favour, but it is not a must. If you want to see your defence working as a unit with equal duties, you should stick to traditional game roles.

But if you are using a strong/quick defensive partnership, this can add very much to the natural qualities of the players.

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree as this would just be bad defending.

Name a Premiership centre back partnership playing in a back four that adopts this approach?

[PhroX]

Attack: .... Remember, of course, that the “two” players up front may be arranged in a AMC-FC combination, which would allow the AMC to be a support player and the FC to be the attack player.

Don't know how it is in 10 yet, but in 09, I generally found it was better to do this the other way round - to have the striker as the "support" type, and the AMC as the "attack" (of course, we didn't have nice presets for them back then, so it was probably only roughly how they are now). The ST would hold the ball up, while the AMC made runs beyond him, but starting from deep. The "support" AMC seemed very hard to set up for a lone striker formation. I'll see how things are in '10 though soon

Anyway, another excellent article overall

[footynut]

First of all: you do not have to use this model, it is just a possibility. And there are teams which do use these role assignments in their favour, but it is not a must. If you want to see your defence working as a unit with equal duties, you should stick to traditional game roles.

But if you are using a strong/quick defensive partnership, this can add very much to the natural qualities of the players.

I'll give you a basic example:

FC(9) FC(10)

DC(4) DC(5)

If FC(9) is the player with the ball DC(4) should always be the player that put's pressure on the ball with DC(5) covering his team mate and FC(10) regardless of who is stronger or quicker etc.

Something like this:

FC(9) FC(10)

DC(4)

-------DC(5)

What you are saying could result in this scenario with players having to cross over which is not good defending:

FC(9) FC(10)

DC(5)

DC(4)

[The next Diaby]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree as this would just be bad defending.

Name a Premiership centre back partnership playing in a back four that adopts this approach?

I am not that familiar with the Premiership and this may not work well with the high lines, but you certainly can see that many teams in international football have one player falling behind the others in certain situations. I agree with you that having a dynamic model is the best solution, especially for highly educated players at top levels.

And, as you mentioned, if looking into something else than a four men back line, things will look completely different and having one man to cover will become a must.

[footynut]

I am not that familiar with the Premiership and this may not work well with the high lines, but you certainly can see that many teams in international football have one player falling behind the others in certain situations. I agree with you that having a dynamic model is the best solution, especially for highly educated players at top levels.

And, as you mentioned, if looking into something else than a four men back line, things will look completely different and having one man to cover will become a must.

As has just been mentioned to me and something I overlooked, this could work when the opposition is playing a lone striker. Sorry about that

[The next Diaby]

Something like this:

FC(9) FC(10)

DC(4)

-------DC(5)

What you are saying could result in this scenario with players having to cross over which is not good defending:

FC(9) FC(10)

DC(5)

DC(4)

I did not test this combination very often yet, but I did not face cross-over defending so far. We are just talking about small steps here, not meters between the players.

[The next Diaby]

As has just been mentioned to me and something I overlooked, this could work when the opposition is playing a lone striker. Sorry about that

Totally forgot about that now, but really a valid argument. Even more so if there is an AM behind.

[footynut]

I did not test this combination very often yet, but I did not face cross-over defending so far. We are just talking about small steps here, not meters between the players.

It doesn't matter what distances are involved when the situation is two centre backs marking two Forwards as you should defend like I showed earlier.

Still, I can see where it can be used against a lone striker so understand the need for it now

[The next Diaby]

It doesn't matter what distances are involved when the situation is two centre backs marking two Forwards as you should defend like I showed earlier.

Still, I can see where it can be used against a lone striker so understand the need for it now

Well, since most teams are retreating one forward deeply into midfield nowadays, it may work well again.

But I got your point, and maybe this will turn out as a weak spot of this combination when facing two attackers playing on the same level up front, trying to penetrate the d-line at the same time. But this goes far beyond my experience that I currently have with this combination.

[footynut]

Well, since most teams are retreating one forward deeply into midfield nowadays, it may work well again.

But I got your point, and maybe this will turn out as a weak spot of this combination when facing two attackers playing on the same level up front, trying to penetrate the d-line at the same time. But this goes far beyond my experience that I currently have with this combination.

True, it all depends on the positioning of the players.

Thanks for the discussion as I feel I've learnt something

[The next Diaby]

True, it all depends on the positioning of the players.

Thanks for the discussion as I feel I've learnt something

Same here.

[calcioplayer]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree as this would just be bad defending.

Name a Premiership centre back partnership playing in a back four that adopts this approach?

Vidic and Ferdinand (Man Utd)

[footynut]

Vidic and Ferdinand (Man Utd)

Watch the next Manchester United game where these two players are playing against two strikers and I'm sure you'll see they don't

[Millie]

Watch the next Manchester United game where these two players are playing against two strikers and I'm sure you'll see they don't

Against two strikers, I agree (though I don't see it as an impossibility). But in general Vidic does tend to be more aggressive at going for the ball while Ferdinand drops a little deeper to "sweep".

Bobby Moore and Jackie Charlton too? They played against four forwards.

Don't know how it is in 10 yet, but in 09, I generally found it was better to do this the other way round - to have the striker as the "support" type, and the AMC as the "attack" (of course, we didn't have nice presets for them back then, so it was probably only roughly how they are now). The ST would hold the ball up, while the AMC made runs beyond him, but starting from deep. The "support" AMC seemed very hard to set up for a lone striker formation. I'll see how things are in '10 though soon

Which is why we say "may". In general, I would definitely want my lone FC to be a support player. But it is possible, if given the right support from the AM stratum, to play him as an attack player. As with all things - experimentation is the key.

[GRE23]

Another very helpful post. I will try to set my FBs in Automatic and see how they perform during the game. I always had them on manually set roles depending the situation

Regarding DCs (note that I am playing LLM with Wimbledon) I realized that when home and pressing high I suffered counter attacks. But I wanted to keep on pressing high. I tried to setup one DC to limited defender and the other to central defender (unfortunately none from my team qualifies for ball playing defender) but did not see any change. Maybe the player choice was bad, maybe in LLM is hard for players to adapt to such delicate definitions, maybe I should do some tweaking on the sliders but I have decided to put them behind me for ever.

I will try to find a decent sweeper and give it another try.

Thanks again

(I m afraid the game is becoming very easy with this kind of help you are providing us with)

[Justified]

I personally like to set the fullbacks duties myself as I like to control as much as possible when it comes to player roles. I never start with defensive fullbacks but do employ late in games to hold leads and when the opposition go 4-2-4 as it completely marks out the winger/forward.

All in all I'm quite happy with the tactics wizards roles/duties apart from long shots on strikers, I really hate that

[kuntorres]

Okay, I have an pretty nice tactic going on. But I feel when i tweak a little bit more this tactic can be very, very good. The few problems I am having are:

- Tackling poor (How the hell can I stop this)

- Misplacing too many short passes (Should I be playing a more direct play, a lower tempo or should I make the passes even shorter?)

- *Player name* misplaced many of his passes (Same as above, more direct? lower tempo? etc)

If i can tweak this problems i probably have a very good tactic. So does anyone have suggestions?

Am playing a 4231 with Liverpool and beat all the top teams, Only lost to Everton (0-1) and a draw against Blackburn (0-0).