JohnSWA

Introduction

This style of play and the philosophy suits minor clubs well.

On the pitch the style of play is supposed to be as an hard working team, giving everything for eachother. This combined with a quick tempo, direct breakthrough orientated passing game and high closing-down hopefully makes the team difficult to play against.

Off the pitch the philosophy will influence how you manage all the affairs done by the manager. It focuses on investing the money into what is benefical for the club in the long-term. Instead of bringing in star players when money is available, money are spent on training/youth facilities, stadium expansions, backroom staff and scouting and bringing in young players.

On the training field the training schedules are focusing on maintaining and improving the important attributes needed to further enchance the teams style of play.


On the pitch/training field


Formation

GK-DL,DCL,DCR,DR-DM,MCL,MCR-AML,AMR,SC is the formation that has given best results so far. No arrows are assigned with the defensive and normal version of the tactic. The AML and the AMR have been given farrows in the attacking version of the tactic.

This formation is versatile and has good potential both defending and attacking. In the offensive version the team plays a typical 433. Whilst the more defending versions makes the team play a 4141. A formation with a DM
is needed since the DL will be set to deep.


Team Instructions/Individual Instructions

With Team Instructions we define the team`s style of play. Also the main focus with the tactic is decided. The Individual instruction should reflect the choices made on the Team Instruction screen.


Mentality: With the defensive version Team Mentality(TM) are set to notch 6(defensive). The
normal version has TM set to notch 10(normal). Whilst the attacking version has
TM set to notch 17(attacking). This is a pretty balanced set up for the different
versions of the tactic. Note that when I have counted the notches for TM, Ultra
Defensive and Gung-Ho are not counted with. So I operate with notch 1-20 for TM.

When setting the Individual Mentality(IM) for the different versions of the tactic they are
set to match the TM. What have worked best, is to set the three attackers(AML,AMR,SC) to
the same mentality as the TM. It seems like doing this makes the selected players more
involved in the attacking play. That is exactly what is wanted for these players.

Also when setting IM the team are only split into three different mentalities. This makes
the team very compact and your players will position themselves better both attacking and
defending. Also it seems like the players on the different parts of the team solves their
tasks together, when given the same IM.

As mentioned above the three attackers IM are set to the TM. The three midfielders IM are
set just one notch down from the attackers. Whilst the GK and the four defenders are set
just one notch down from the midfielders.

Also when playing defensively the three different parts of the team are set to defensive
IM, attackers 6, midfielders 5 and GK/defenders 4. The same is done for the other versions
of the tactic. The attacking version have the attackers IM set to 17, midfielders 16 and
the GK/defenders set to 15. The normal version has the IM set to 10(att), 9(mid) and
8(Gk/def). This ensures that the whole team are set to the same focus.


Creative Freedom: Attacking version: Team CF set to notch 9. Attackers Individual CF=9, midfielders=8,
Gk/defenders=7.

Normal version: Team CF=8. Attackers ICF=8, midfielders=7 and Gk/defenders=6

Defending version: Team CF=7. Attackers ICF=7, midfielders=6 and Gk/defenders=5.

Overall the team has below medium/low creative freedom. This is done mainly to ensure that
all players stick to their tasks and fulfill their role within the tactic/formation.


Passing Style: The team passing and the individual passing has been set to notch 13. The first notch of Direct
Since the players are positioned close together this is the optimal setting. It gives a nice mix
of quick one touch passing and the long ball when an opening occurs. Also the tempo setting has
had an impact on the passing instructions. Passing are set to the same for all three versions
of the tactic.


Tempo: Tempo is set to notch 15. The first notch for high tempo. With this tempo combined with the lowest
setting for direct passing, a sensible passing game is employed. Get the ball quick up the field when
there is openings available. Also the team can outplay the opponents with quick posession based passing
when needed. The tempo is set to the same for all versions of the tactic.


Width: To minimize the space available for the opposition the width is set to narrow for all version of the
tactic. The defensive version has width set to notch 2, normal version is set to notch 4. Whilst the
attacking version has width set to notch 6. The teams style of play is playing narrow. Therefore width
above notch 6 is not used.


Closing Down: Offensive version has Team Closing Down(TCD) set to 20. I believe that TCD defines how high up
the pitch your team will start to close down. The attackers individual closing down(ICD) are set
to 20 for all three players. The three midfielders are set to 19. The Gk/defenders are set 18.

Normal version has TCD set to 18. Attackers ICD=18, midfielders=17 and Gk/defenders=16.

Defensive version has TCD set to 16. Atts ICD=16, mids=15 and Gk/defs=14.

As with mentality the three different parts are set to the same ICD. This seems to make the
different parts of the team solve the challenges in a better way. It is wanted that the attackers
close down before the midfielders and defenders. Therefore they have the highest setting. The
same goes with midfielders compared to defenders. The have slightly higher setting for ICD.

Since the team are positioned close together in all directions and having high and almost equal
ICD. You will often see that an adjacent teammate acting as cover, when a player puts pressure
on the opponent player with the ball.


Time Waisting(TW): This is an important aspect of your focus with the tactic. When you are satiesfied with the
score obviously you want to waist time. As the opposite when you want to score goals.

The defensive version has TW set to notch 14. Any higher and your players will make more
errors. Still they will make use of good attacking opportunities with this setting in use.

The normal version has TW set to notch 10. They choose when it is appropriate to waist time.

The offensive version has TW set to notch 6.


Defensive Line(DL): To reduce the space available behind your defenders. The team play with deep DL with all
versions of the tactic. This combined with a GK with high ICD covers this space in a
satiesfying way.

The defensive version has DL set to notch 2. The normal version has DL set to notch 4 and
the offensive version has DL set to notch 6.


Tackling: Is set to normal for all players except the attackers. They are set to easy tackling. This is because
their training is not focusing towards defending/tackling. The reason why hard tackling is not used
for any players, is because it is more important to keep the formation together, and put pressure on
the opponent player with the ball. Rather than to tackle hard and increasing the risk of being
bypassed by the player with the ball. Thus creating openings for the opposition.


Focus passing: Is set to mixed. Where the opportunity arises the ball should be played.


Marking: Is set to zonal marking for the whole team. Tight marking is not in use. I want the players to stay in
their zonal position. With the right distance to their teammates. The players position themselves more
correctly when tight marking is not in use.


Offside Trap: This is the only other team instruction given to the team.


Other Individual Instructions


Forward runs: Offensive version: The DL/DR mixed. MC`s and attackers often.
Normal version: MC`s mixed. Attackers often.
Defensive version: AML/AMR mixed. SC often.

The DC`s and the DM are never assigned to do forward runs.

Run with ball: The attackers are set to mixed run with ball on all versions of the tactic. If this setting is
set to often, the player assigned to it will more often loose the ball or fail to take advantage
of better opportunities that arises. Also the focus is team-play rather than individual extra-
vaganza of individual players.

Long shots: Always set to rarely for every player.

Through balls: GK is set to rarely. All three midfielders are set to often. The rest of the team is set to
mixed. The settings for through balls are the same for all versions of the tactic.

This instruction is important in defining the teams style of play. Together with tempo and
passing this should further enchance the quick attacks.

Cross balls: Only the DL,DR,AML and the AMR are assigned to cross balls. The AML and the AMR are set to mixed
for all versions of the tactic. The DL and the DR are set to often, except for the defensive
version of the tactic. Where they are set to cross ball mixed.

The wingers are only set to mixed, since they are also allowed/trained to shoot at goal. Setting
them to often leads to too often they cross instead of taking advantage of good chances to score.

Cross from: The DL/DR are set to cross from deep in all versions of the tactic. This to prevent them from
venturing to high up the pitch. The AML/AMR are set to mixed with the defensive/normal version of
the tactic. When suitable it is preferred that they cross the ball early. With the offensive
version they are set to cross from byline.


This is the only individual instructions in use. No players are told to hold up the ball og assigned free roles.

I will finish the rest tomorrow, since I should be asleep for hours ago.