Tactics are everything when you’re a football manager. Regardless of the squad, you’ll have to tweak things here and there to maintain success. But which formations should you look to use? Well, you’re in luck because we’re here to talk about how to win with the best tactics in Football Manager 24.
Creating Your Tactic in FM 24
Base Tactics in Football Manager 24
| Formation | Directions |
| Control Possession | Focuses on retaining possession and pressing high to win the ball back. Looks to play out of defense. |
| Gengenpress | It relies on being fit and mobile enough to press the opposition immediately after losing the ball. |
| Tiki-Taka | Emphasis on short passing, extreme pressing, and movement. |
| Vertical Tiki-Taka | Quick passing style of possession and movement with a narrower, more direct approach. |
| Wing Play | Relies on overlapping fullbacks and crosses. |
| Route One | Plays the furthest forward pass available, looking to get into the opposition’s penalty area as quickly as possible. |
| Fluid Counter-Attack | A tactic that looks to draw the opposition forward, making them vulnerable on the break. |
| Direct Counter-Attack | This tactic attempts to draw the opposition forward, making them vulnerable on the break while moving the ball forward as quickly as possible. |
| Catenaccio | A defense-focused style that attempts to limit goalscoring opportunities. |
| Park the Bus | Positions everyone behind the ball, even if it means ceding possession entirely. |
| Clean Slate | Think of it as a choose-your-own-adventure but for tactics! |
Best Formations in FM 24
Depending on the squad at your disposal, tactics may only be as good as the players that you have to choose from. So, you will have to get creative to accommodate a lesser squad. For the time being, though, we’ve picked out a few formations that can work in just about any setup.
4-3-3 Gengenpress & Possession
If all else fails, it’s nice to fall back on a classic, somewhat safer 4-3-3 formation. Assuming your squad has enough coverage in central midfield, there’s a good chance you have a holding midfielder as well. Having them shield your backline is important, but it means very little if your two central midfielders aren’t more versatile.
While playing to your squad’s strengths is important, you don’t want to risk throwing the entire formation off balance. Therefore, having a give-and-take between a deep-lying and advanced playmaker.
This will vary from squad to squad, but with your presence in midfield, getting the ball wider with quicker passing. As with every Gengenpress tactic, your squad needs to be fit enough and have the necessary endurance to commit to a full 90 minutes. Otherwise, you may need to switch up formations mid-match.
4-2-3-1 Tiki-Taka & Control Possession
This is very much a specialty formation, but if you have a squad that loves and is capable of passing, it’s one to consider. If you’re a stronger side, you’ll want to play on the front foot. For weaker sides, it’s another way to attempt to maintain possession.
While players could choose to utilize a holding midfielder or two, we’d rather not go too defensive here. With quick passing being essential to this tactic, it’s best to attempt to work the ball inside the box.
However, this tactic doesn’t come without risk. It attempts to utilize a high defensive line, which could leave your side vulnerable to a devastating counter. If you’re a stronger side, you’ll want agile defenders. But if you’re a smaller side, consider not playing as high of a line.
5-2-3 Wing Play & Fluid Counter-Attack
Wing backs are all the rage these days, and it seems like they’ll have a place in football for the foreseeable future. So, why not use that to your advantage? We’re not suggesting using players out of their natural position, but if you’re looking to get the ball into wider areas, this is the formation to use.
In the above example, we’re using PSG and are able to get away with a more aggressive approach. If you’re using a lesser side, though – such as any other club from Ligue 1 – you’ll want to try to hit on the counter.
One of the more important aspects of this formation is not allowing your two-man midfield to wander too far forward. Despite technically having five defenders in this formation, you’re trying to get your wing backs further forward. In doing so, you’ll be vulnerable in defense. So, if you’re looking to mitigate the damage, keep that midfield as compact as possible.
For now, these are some of the best tactics that can help you win in Football Manager 24. There’s no need to call full-time on your FM journey just yet, though. Be sure to check our other guides below, like How to Get a Work Permit, as well as our full review here.
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