Team instructions are tactical instructions that affect the way your team as a whole plays.
Analysed below for each team instruction is:
- Game description – the description of the team instruction as given in the game.
- Player attributes – suitable player abilities and attributes for the team instruction, including those for which good ratings can make the team instruction more effective and those for which poor ratings can be covered by the team instruction.
Mentality
More Attacking Mentality
Game description:
The Very Attacking mentality is intended for situations where the team needs to go for broke to try to score a goal. It aims to overload the final third by employing a much faster tempo to create more attacking-oriented direct patterns of play where recycling possession will be used as a tool to penetrate the opposition from another area. It focuses heavily on throwing players forward and into space to try to create goalscoring opportunities.
The Attacking mentality is best employed for matches where the team are favourites to win and expect to dominate possession in the opponent’s half. It aims to exploit space in the final third by employing a fast tempo and more direct passing. If the team has a high chance of losing the ball by attacking, they would however opt to recycle the ball to retain possession. It focuses heavily on getting players forward and into space and allows them the creative freedom to express themselves.
The Positive mentality is best employed for matches in which you believe you are the stronger team but are wary of your opponent’s counter attacking threat. It aims to move the ball around the park and to patiently probe the final third to find space as and when it opens up. Although full backs overlap and midfielders break ahead of the forwards, they will generally only do so during relatively risk-free situations and will usually sit back and help the midfield maintain possession until chances open up.
Player Attributes
Outfield players:
- Good mental, attacking and defensive abilities.
- Perhaps poor physical abilities.
Players in defence and midfield in particular:
- Good movement (Anticipation, Decisions, Teamwork)
- Good defensive positioning (Positioning)
- Good tackling ability (Tackling)
- Perhaps poor physical presence (Strength)
Players in midfield and attack in particular:
- Good intelligence (Anticipation, Decisions, Flair, Teamwork, Vision)
- Good passing ability (Passing, Technique)
- Perhaps poor mobility (Acceleration, Agility, Balance, Pace)
Balanced Mentality
Game description:
The Balanced mentality is arguably the most important of all mentalities. By carefully balancing risk and reward, it enables a manager to assess the match situation and how well the team is playing prior to switching to a more specialised tactical plan. It is an ideal starting mentality for all matches expected to be even in nature; by carefully watching the match the manager can then decide to be more aggressive or cautious or to stick with the standard approach if things are going well.
More Defensive Mentality
Game description:
The Cautious mentality is best employed for matches in which you expect to lose the battle for possession but feel you can break with some regularity. It aims to keep men behind the ball when defending but to provide quick support to attacking players when the ball is in the final third. It relies on getting the ball forward quickly enough to expose the spaces behind aggressive full backs and wingers, with players tending to stay deeper and maintain defensive shape if the break looks like coming to nothing.
The Defensive mentality is best employed for matches that you are favourites to lose and in which you expect your opponent to put you under extended pressure. It aims to keep men behind the ball, to restrict space in your half, to slow things down and to frustrate the opposition. It relies on direct balls to the forwards followed by sharp and quick passing to score goals on the counter.
The aim of the Very Defensive mentality is to frustrate the opposition by reducing space, slowing things down, keeping the ball, wasting time as much as possible and clearing the ball long when out of risk-free options. Unlike the Defensive mentality it is not looking to score on the counter attack, just not to concede. As possession and frustration is the priority, more players than usual will be kept behind the ball.
Player Attributes
Outfield players:
- Good physical abilities.
- Perhaps poor mental, attacking and defensive abilities.
Players in defence and midfield in particular:
- Good physical presence (Strength)
- Perhaps poor movement (Anticipation, Decisions, Teamwork)
- Perhaps poor defensive positioning (Positioning)
- Perhaps poor tackling ability (Tackling)
Players in midfield and attack in particular:
- Good mobility (Acceleration, Agility, Balance, Pace)
- Perhaps poor intelligence (Anticipation, Decisions, Flair, Teamwork, Vision)
- Perhaps poor passing ability (Passing, Technique)
At least one STC:
- Good physical presence (Strength)
- Good aerial presence (Jumping Reach)
- Decent control (First Touch)
- Good hold-up play.
