Out of Possession
Use Offside Trap
Game description:
Use Offside Trap will ask players to adopt a defensive strategy where they seek to catch opposition forwards offside.
Player Attributes
Players in defence:
- Good movement (Anticipation, Decisions, Teamwork)
- Good mobility (Acceleration, Agility, Balance, Pace)
- Good defensive positioning (Positioning)
Increased Line of Engagement
Game description:
Higher Line Of Engagement instructs players to actively press the opponent in possession further up the pitch.
Much Higher Line Of Engagement instructs players to actively press the opponent in possession much further up the pitch.
Player Attributes
Players in midfield and attack in particular:
- Good endeavour (Aggression, Bravery, Work Rate)
- Good awareness (Anticipation)
- Good decision making (Decisions)
- Good mobility (Acceleration, Agility, Balance, Pace)
- Good closing down ability (Positioning)
- Good tackling ability (Tackling)
- Perhaps poor focus (Composure, Concentration)
- Perhaps poor physical presence (Strength)
- Perhaps poor aerial presence (Jumping Reach)
- Perhaps poor marking ability (Marking)
- Perhaps poor clearing ability (Heading)
Decreased Line of Engagement
Game description:
Lower Line Of Engagement instructs players to wait until the opposition come towards them before engaging them in a pressing game.
Much Lower Line Of Engagement instructs players to wait until the opposition come much closer to them before engaging them.
Player Attributes
Players in midfield and attack in particular:
- Good focus (Composure, Concentration)
- Good physical presence (Strength)
- Good aerial presence (Jumping Reach)
- Good marking ability (Marking)
- Good clearing ability (Heading)
- Perhaps poor endeavour (Aggression, Bravery, Work Rate)
- Perhaps poor awareness (Anticipation)
- Perhaps poor decision making (Decisions)
- Perhaps poor mobility (Acceleration, Agility, Balance, Pace)
- Perhaps poor closing down ability (Positioning)
- Perhaps poor tackling ability (Tackling)
Increased Defensive Line
Game description:
Higher Defensive Line instructs players to play higher up the pitch, starting with the line the defence holds, which should be closer to the halfway line if this option is chosen.
Much Higher Defensive Line will see the defence adopt a much higher position on the pitch, closer to the halfway line, in a bid to compress the space in which the opposition can play while remaining close to their midfield teammates.
Player Attributes
Players in defence and defensive midfield in particular:
- Good endeavour (Aggression, Bravery, Work Rate)
- Good awareness (Anticipation)
- Good decision making (Decisions)
- Good mobility (Acceleration, Agility, Balance, Pace)
- Good closing down ability (Positioning)
- Good tackling ability (Tackling)
- Perhaps poor focus (Composure, Concentration)
- Perhaps poor physical presence (Strength)
- Perhaps poor aerial presence (Jumping Reach)
- Perhaps poor marking ability (Marking)
- Perhaps poor clearing ability (Heading)
Goalkeeper:
- Good One On Ones, Rushing Out, Anticipation, Decisions, Acceleration, Agility, Pace
- Perhaps poor Aerial Ability, Command of Area, Handling
Decreased Defensive Line
Game description:
Lower Defensive Line will see the defence play closer to their own goal, holding a more compact shape to prevent the opposition from making gains in the space behind them.
Much Lower Defensive Line will see the defence play much closer to their own goal, retreating into a more compact shape to prevent the opposition from making gains in the space behind them.
Player Attributes
Players in defence and defensive midfield in particular:
- Good focus (Composure, Concentration)
- Good physical presence (Strength)
- Good aerial presence (Jumping Reach)
- Good marking ability (Marking)
- Good clearing ability (Heading)
- Perhaps poor endeavour (Aggression, Bravery, Work Rate)
- Perhaps poor awareness (Anticipation)
- Perhaps poor decision making (Decisions)
- Perhaps poor mobility (Acceleration, Agility, Balance, Pace)
- Perhaps poor closing down ability (Positioning)
- Perhaps poor tackling ability (Tackling)
Goalkeeper:
- Good Aerial Ability, Command of Area, Handling
- Perhaps poor One On Ones, Rushing Out, Anticipation, Decisions, Acceleration, Agility, Pace
Increased Defensive Width
Game description:
Force Opposition Inside (Defend Wider) will ask the players to engage opponents in wide areas in an attempt to prevent the ball from moving into the middle. It balances the risk of leaving wider spaces between players against the opportunity to recover the ball further away from goal.
Player Attributes
Players in defence and midfield in particular:
- Good endeavour (Aggression, Bravery, Work Rate)
- Good awareness (Anticipation)
- Good decision making (Decisions)
- Good mobility (Acceleration, Agility, Balance, Pace)
- Good closing down ability (Positioning)
- Good tackling ability (Tackling)
- Perhaps poor focus (Composure, Concentration)
- Perhaps poor physical presence (Strength)
- Perhaps poor aerial presence (Jumping Reach)
- Perhaps poor marking ability (Marking)
- Perhaps poor clearing ability (Heading)
GK:
- Good One On Ones, Rushing Out, Anticipation, Decisions, Acceleration, Agility, Pace
- Perhaps poor Aerial Ability, Command of Area, Handling
Decreased Defensive Width
Game description:
Force Opposition Outside (Defend Narrower) will ask the players to be prepared to concede space in wide areas in preference of protecting the central third of the pitch directly in front of their goal. They will populate the middle with heavy numbers to congest play and frustrate the opposition.
Player Attributes
Players in defence and midfield in particular:
- Good focus (Composure, Concentration)
- Good physical presence (Strength)
- Good aerial presence (Jumping Reach)
- Good marking ability (Marking)
- Good clearing ability (Heading)
- Perhaps poor endeavour (Aggression, Bravery, Work Rate)
- Perhaps poor awareness (Anticipation)
- Perhaps poor decision making (Decisions)
- Perhaps poor mobility (Acceleration, Agility, Balance, Pace)
- Perhaps poor closing down ability (Positioning)
- Perhaps poor tackling ability (Tackling)
GK:
- Good Aerial Ability, Command of Area, Handling
- Perhaps poor One On Ones, Rushing Out, Anticipation, Decisions, Acceleration, Agility, Pace
Use Tighter Marking
Game description:
Use Tighter Marking will ask players to adopt a marking system in defensive situations where they are encouraged to stick particularly close to their assigned opponent in order to prevent them attacking the ball uncontested.
Player Attributes
Players in defence and midfield in particular:
- Good focus (Concentration)
- Good endeavour (Aggression, Bravery, Work Rate)
- Good movement (Anticipation, Decisions)
- Good physical presence (Balance, Strength)
- Good aerial presence (Jumping Reach)
- Good mobility (Acceleration, Agility, Balance, Pace)
- Good defensive positioning (Positioning)
- Good marking ability (Marking)
- Good tackling ability (Tackling)
Increased Pressing Intensity
Game description:
More Urgent pressing intensity demands that the players increase the urgency with which they press the opposition once they have passed the Line of Engagement.
Extremely Urgent pressing intensity demands that the players work as hard as possible to press the opposition once they have passed the Line of Engagement.
Player Attributes
Players in defence and midfield in particular:
- Good endeavour (Aggression, Bravery, Work Rate)
- Good awareness (Anticipation)
- Good decision making (Decisions)
- Good mobility (Acceleration, Agility, Balance, Pace)
- Good closing down ability (Positioning)
- Good tackling ability (Tackling)
- Perhaps poor focus (Composure, Concentration)
- Perhaps poor physical presence (Strength)
- Perhaps poor aerial presence (Jumping Reach)
- Perhaps poor marking ability (Marking)
- Perhaps poor clearing ability (Heading)
Goalkeeper:
- Good One On Ones, Rushing Out, Anticipation, Decisions, Acceleration, Agility, Pace
- Perhaps poor Aerial Ability, Command of Area, Handling
Decreased Pressing Intensity
Game description:
Less Urgent pressing intensity reduces the intensity with which players are asked to press the opposition once they have passed the Line of Engagement.
Much Less Urgent pressing intensity considerably reduces the intensity with which players are asked to press the opposition once they have passed the Line of Engagement.
Player Attributes
Players in defence and midfield in particular:
- Good focus (Composure, Concentration)
- Good physical presence (Strength)
- Good aerial presence (Jumping Reach)
- Good marking ability (Marking)
- Good clearing ability (Heading)
- Perhaps poor endeavour (Aggression, Bravery, Work Rate)
- Perhaps poor awareness (Anticipation)
- Perhaps poor decision making (Decisions)
- Perhaps poor mobility (Acceleration, Agility, Balance, Pace)
- Perhaps poor closing down ability (Positioning)
- Perhaps poor tackling ability (Tackling)
Goalkeeper:
- Good Aerial Ability, Command of Area, Handling
- Perhaps poor One On Ones, Rushing Out, Anticipation, Decisions, Acceleration, Agility, Pace
Prevent Short GK Distribution
Game description:
Prevent Short GK Distribution instructs forwards to press the opposition defence to try to prevent the goalkeeper building from the back. This should force the goalkeeper to play long or take big risks to distribute short.
Stay On Feet
Game description:
Stay On Feet instructs players to stay on their feet when making tackles instead of going to ground.
Player Attributes
Players in defence and midfield in particular:
- Perhaps poor endeavour (Aggression, Bravery, Work Rate)
- Perhaps poor awareness (Anticipation)
- Perhaps poor decision making (Decisions)
- Perhaps poor physical presence (Balance, Strength)
- Perhaps poor tackling ability (Tackling)
Get Stuck In
Game description:
Get Stuck In instructs players to be aggressive and strong in the tackle. This may increase the risk of fouls and disciplinary action.
Player Attributes
Players in defence and midfield in particular:
- Good endeavour (Aggression, Bravery, Work Rate)
- Good awareness (Anticipation)
- Good decision making (Decisions)
- Good physical presence (Balance, Strength)
- Good tackling ability (Tackling)
Related Tactics Guides
- Playing Style Implementation – to choose team instructions that suit your playing style.
