How to Create Your Own Team Build
Formation
When you create your own formation for the first time, my suggestion is to start playing with 451v (dr-dcdc-dl-dmc-mcmc-amr-aml-st/amc), because it’s very balanced in all aspects, from a defensive and numerically crowded having the 2 key positions(dc dmc), up to an offensive that has in its component the 3 key positions(amr aml st or amc).
Learning its weaknesses and at the same time strengths, will help you a lot to adapt when it’s necessary to change during the match.
After you gain enough experience, you can try playing with 3 at the back(dr dc dl) and the extra player can be played in a position where you want to create a defensive or offensive numerical superiority.
Counter-Formation
The way I see a counter formation is, you can’t attack with very weak defensive players OR you can’t defend and expect to have a lot of counterattacks with very weak offensive players.
It’s very important to have a balance between the 2 sides.
Arrows
Player arrows are individual mentalities, separate from those of the team mentality, where you can control the player individually to play more offensively(further ahead) or more defensively(further back) compared to his default position.
No matter what arrow he has, won’t receive any attack or defensive bonus. If you don’t use the arrows correctly, it can put you at a disadvantage from the start.
Green arrow for defenders
- Against very weak trained offensive players, because this is where you’ll have most of the possession and if you have green arrows on them, it means that your defenders will play more further ahead than their initial positions to not let the opposing players create chances to pass or score.
Red arrow for defenders
- Against well/power trained offensive players, I suggest using the red arrow and in some cases lowering the defense line to create more gap. You want your defenders to play deeper and less exposed, not allowing opposing players to beat your defenders or catch them off guard with decisive passes.
Green arrow for offensive players
- When the opposing defensive players are weak or very weak, because your players being superior, will beat offside trap, marking and tackling from opposing defensive players.
Red arrow for offensive players
- When the opposing defensive players are equal or stronger, because doing this your offensive players will play from a deeper position to avoid offside trap, tight marking and being constant tackled. Also, will lure out his defenders from their positions, allowing your wingers or second striker or amc player to exploit the gap and creating a chance to pass or shoot on target.
Positioning
Is a placement on the field where the player is located for a strategic purpose and it’s one of the things that can make a difference to your match.
The placement of a player in his area allows you to be very creative, because although in 3D the placement is not “seen”, it has an impact on the performance of a player or group of players.
Knowing how the mentality and the arrows work, positioning is the third wheel in the mechanism of:
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How you can defend against a strong team
- Positioning your players further back to lower your defence line and create space to recover the deficit;
- Further ahead to have a high defence line, only if you have well trained defensive players or against weak teams(good against short balls, counter attacks, catching his offensive players in offside or dispossessing/blocking them faster);
- Crowd an area to have numerical superiority or doing double zonal marking to block his focus or his trained player(s);
How to exploit the attack
- Playing wider with low pressing, short passes and counter off for more possession against compact teams;
- Narrow when you want to play fast one-two balls against a high defensive line having slow players;
- Positioning the striker or amc closer to the flank area to focus on that side(reducing the passing time between them) or exploiting the opponent’s weakness area having 2 very close players instead of 1.
Players
They are the most important key in the setup. Even if you find the best formation and tactics, the setup won’t work if you don’t have highly trained players to help you. I’ve seen managers having crazy power trained players, but they lack tactics or/and formations, which gives you an advantage over his trained players if you have the right setup and positioning of players on the field to compensate the skill gap.
Role
Is assigned to a certain position on the playing field and determines a player’s white skills which differ according to their programming from role to role. Thus, by combining them, it doesn’t just mean the player’s diversity in positions on the field, but certain upgrades with new white skills unlocked due to his new added position, which results in a more “developed” player and also an increase in his white skills overall cap, depending on the regen player.
GK has to be physically strong with good agility and great reflexes. He also needs to keep a good command of the back line.
DR/DL play in the right and left sides of the field and their key responsibilities are to block opposition play and especially neutralize the wingers and other attacking players. They need to have exceptional positional, speed, fitness and shouldn’t be beaten easily by the opponents.
DC are excellent headers and tackle with precision. They need to have excellent positioning and should be able to clear the ball when threats arise.
DMC are tasked with protecting their defenders by providing a more stable defense and are often great at tackling, blocking and winning the ball from the opposition. Must possess great passing skill and a higher level of creativity to pick these passes, especially playing long balls to offensive players.
MC play mostly in the middle of the field and connect the defensive and offensive lines. They must possess great positional awareness, tackle smartly, retain possession, distribute the ball effectively and also a threat going forward.
MR/ML are support roles, a balance between defence and attack:
- On defensive phase will provide defensive support in flanks, by creating numerical superiority and dispossessing the opponents’ players;
- On attacking phase will maintain possession, provide passes, crosses to the striker and sometimes will try to finish the attacking phase with a shot on target.
AMR/AML usually play near the sidelines, but occasionally move to the middle of the field, helping pull the opponent’s defence to the outside to create space for other offensive players. Their dribbling skill is key, exceptionally fast, provide incisive crosses into the box and assists or/and goals.
AMC or False 9
Playing without a striker, the goal is to not give the opposing defenders a reference point and lure them out of their position in order to create gaps to exploit for other players. With False 9 mobile, defenders during the build-up play are left free and “confused” whether to follow the false 9 into midfield, mark the wingers or do they stick to their position and maintain their defensive line(red arrows and positioned more deep).
Playing with false nine is a risky move and if the player who takes the key role in the formation isn’t power trained, you’re likely to have some trouble.
He needs the full skill set: dribbling, shooting, finishing(close and long range), positioning, passing, speed. The one thing he doesn’t need is heading and strength.
ST or Number 9
Striker is a static player who’s expected to score goals whenever possible. Plays up front, usually next to the last defender, and specialized in making well-timed runs onto incisive through balls and beating the offside trap, using his speed to get into goalscoring positions, great in 1-on-1 with the goalkeeper and also tends to has great dribbling skill. With his key finishing skill very high, will try to score from many angles.
Special Ability
One-on-one stopper: increases reflexes skill by 20% and activates a visible icon when the goalkeeper is involved in a 1 on 1 situation.
Penalty kick stopper: increases reflexes skill by 20% and activates a visible icon when is about to defend a penalty.
Defensive wall: increases positioning skill by 20% and activates a visible icon when the opponent side takes a free kick and a defender blocks the ball towards the goal.
Aerial defender: increases heading skill by 20% and activates a visible icon when the opponent side takes a corner kick and a defender jumps to head the ball.
Playmaker: increases passing skill by 20% and activates a visible icon when creates chances which lead to goals.
Corner specialist: increases crossing skill by 20% and activates a visible icon when takes a corner kick.
Dribbler: increases dribbling skill by 20% and activates a visible icon when making runs through defenders with the ball.
Shadow striker: increases shooting skill by 20% and activates a visible icon when scores from a long range.
Free kick specialist: increases shooting skill by 20% and activates a visible icon when taking a direct free kick and curve the ball.
One-on-one scorer: increases finishing skill by 20% and activates a visible icon when involved in a 1 on 1 situation with a goalkeeper.
Penalty-kick specialist: increases finishing skill by 20% and activates a visible icon when is about to take a penalty.
Set piece stopper (only GK): combines: 1on1 stopper + pk stopper
Blocker (DC): sliding and blocking at crucial moments to prevent shots on target
Intercepting specialist (DMC): gives a player key defensive boosts to swiftly and efficiently break up play when your opponent is in attack(stepping into passing lanes, winning the ball, crucial blocks)
Versatile attacker (AMR AMC AML): improves his vision to give a precise pass, how to use the space to shoot from outside and run-in forward
Set piece taker (ST or another offensive player of your choice): combines all 3: FK specialist + Corner specialist + Penalty taker.
Read more about players skills columns in this guide.
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