Player instructions | Tactics FM 2014 Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
After you choose the general tactics for the whole team, it's time to give your players roles, duties and instructions. To do it, go to the Player tab.
In the upper left corner you can see a thumbnail of your formation. You can give individual instructions for every player in a position by clicking it. In the lower left corner you can give instructions for an individual player. If he doesn't play in the final eleven, his instructions will be replaced by the ones you gave to any player on this position. On the right you can see useful attributes for a player on a specific position (in the screenshot it's Central defender, duty: Defend). At the bottom you can select your individual player's behavior during set pieces (form wall, man mark etc.).
There are descriptions of all possible role on each position, duties and instructions for individual players below.
Duties
Defend | It will make the player (regardless of his role) play mainly defensively, leaving attacking to others. |
Support | Supporting the attack, the player will play more offensively. |
Attack | Players with this duty will play offensively, either supporting the attackers or going to the penalty area by himself. |
Stopper | Duty for middle defenders, stopper has to stop the opposition before they reach the penalty area. |
Cover | Also a duty for defenders. They will wait behind the defensive line for an opportunity to intercept the ball. |
Automatic | His duty is set automatically, based on selected strategy. |
Roles - goalkeeper
Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper's main role. His job is to play the ball away from the goal, either to open players or to opposition's side. |
Sweeper keeper | Except for goalkeeper's defensive duties, sweeper keeper plays like a stopper. His task is to intercept balls that go into the penalty area and initiating counter attacks. |
Roles - defence
Libero | He stays behind the defensive line to cover for defensive errors. If he possesses the ball, he'll support the attackers and step into the midfield. |
Sweeper | Stays a little behind the defensive line, he's the last line of defence. Because of that, he should be athletic and have high tackling and heading. He rarely (if ever) ventures forward. |
Central defender | A regular central defender. Desirable attributes: tackling, heading, marking. His task is to block passes and playing the ball away from penalty area. |
Ball playing defender | Similar to central defender, his main job is defensive playing. Moreover, he performs counter attacks. |
Limited defender | His main task is playing the ball away from penalty area. He should have high technical attributes. |
Full back | Full back, as a key figure in fast, modern football, should have both defensive and offensive attributes to support his attacking teammates. |
Wing back | Similar to full back, however he's usually the only winger, so he has to play all the way to the opposition's penalty area. He'll need high levels of dribbling and crossing. |
Limited full back | Wing back, concentrated mainly on staying in the defence, rarely playing in offence. |
Complete wing back | A wing back that loves playing offensively, usually also playing in attack. |
Roles - midfielders
Defensive midfielder | His main task is a defensive role, which is marking and taking the ball from attackers. When your team has the ball, he helps the wingers that are closer to the opponent's goal. |
Deep lying playmaker | His main task is still supporting the defence, however he should be creative and good at passing so he can initiate attacking moves. |
Ball winning midfielder | The player on this position must be able to take the ball from the opposition, he also should have high bravery to keep hold of the ball afterwards. |
Anchor man | Mainly defensive. Good tackling, avoiding offensive playing and sticking to a position are essential. |
Half back | Player on this position goes back to defence so more offensive defenders may move forward. |
Regista | A more aggressive version of half back who can additionally control the team's play. |
Central midfielder | Classic central midfielder, depending on a task he's expected to take part in either offensive or defensive situations. He should also be able to do long shots and free kicks. |
Box to box midfielder | A midfielder who supports both offence and defence, he moves around all of the field. It's very important to prepare his physical abilities because he runs more than the others. |
Advanced playmaker | He plays between the opposition's defence and your midfielders, where he can control the team's play and take part in offensive situations. |
Winger | He moves offensive situations along the side of the field and plays ball into the penalty area. He should be good at dribbling and crossing. |
Wide midfielder | A link between offence and defence. He should be good at tackle and passing so he can pass the ball to wingers. |
Defensive winger | His job is to receive the ball as far away from his penalty area as possible and keeping it there until supporting players come. He also passes to the attackers in the penalty area. |
Offensive winger | A winger moved to the front whose main task is to control the game and initiating offensive situations near the opposition's penalty area. Desirable attributes: technique, flair. |
Roles - forwards
Deep lying forward | A link between midfielders and offence. He holds the ball and plays it with offensive wingers. It's his job to hold the balls and to play them with offensive helpers and to lead the teammates from the attack into an alley. |
Advanced forward | Offensive player, he's supposed to score goals, assist and finish actions after long passes. |
Target man | Target man's main task is to intercept the ball and pass it to his nearest teammate. |
Poacher | Poacher has to score goals. He stays in the penalty area, waiting for an opportunity to shoot. |
Complete forward | Somewhere between advanced forward, target man, and a poacher. He must be perfectly trained, both technically and physically. |
Defensive forward | Defence starts in attack so he will intercept the ball and try to exhaust the opposition's defence. |
Trequartista | Very offensive player, he can be either advanced forward or an offensive midfielder. His main task is to initiate plays and offensive actions. |
False 9 | This player will move towards the middle of the field, making the opposition's defenders chase him and therefore creating gaps in their defence. |
Inside forward | A forward that goes from the side to the penalty area. His main task is initiating plays and crossing into the penalty area. His better leg should be opposite to the position he's on. |
Wide target man | A target for defenders' long passes. His task - intercepting, keeping and then playing the ball. He should be good at heading and crossing. |
Every player instruction is set for a position, unless you select it for an individual player - other players on this position will have default instructions. They are an important addition and it's a good idea to match them to the roles and duties described above.
All individual instructions below.
Possession
Hold up ball | The player keeps a hold on the ball for a longer time, slower play. |
Shoot more often | Instructs the player to shoot more often. |
Shoot less often | Less shooting, more passes to teammates in better positions. |
Dribble more | The player will be more individualistic and try to get past the opposition by himself. |
Dribble less | Instructs the player to pass more instead of trying to beat the opposition by himself. |
Run wide with the ball | Play wide. |
Cut inside with the ball | Cross the ball from sides. |
Distribution
Pass it shorter | Shorter passes and creating the play patiently. |
More direct passes | The players will take more risks when passing. |
More risky passes | The players will try to play low-percentage passes hoping that one or two of them will unlock the opposition's defence. |
Less risky passes | Players will play sensible and patient passes. |
Cross more often | Encourages the player to cross more often. |
Cross from deep | Instructs to cross from deeper parts of the field instead of waiting for the ball to be in the attacking third. |
Cross from byline | Opposite situation. Asks players to get the ball as high up the pitch as possible. |
Cross aim near post | Deliver crosses into near post area. |
Cross aim centre | Deliver crosses into centre of penalty area |
Cross aim far post | Deliver crosses towards the far post. |
Cross aim target man | Deliver crosses towards a designated target man. |
Take quick throws | Quicker throws allowing a more dynamic play. |
Take long kicks | Instructs the goalkeeper to kick the ball far from the goal, directly to offensive players. |
Distribute to defenders | Asks the goalkeeper to seek a short pass to a defender. |
Distribute to a specific teammate | The goalkeeper will pass to a selected player. |
Movement
Get further forward | Instructs players to play more offensively and go towards the opposition's side. |
Hold position | Asks the player to stay in his position. |
Stay wider | Instructs players in wider areas to stay as close to the touchline as possible. |
Stay narrower | Encourages players to stay in the center of the field. |
Move into channels | Players will find spaces between opponents to seek for a pass. |
Roam for position | Lets the player roam freely to choose a position to find a better placement. |
Defending
Close down more | Harassing opponents who possess the ball to force a mistake. |
Close down less | Retain a defensive shape so the opposition don't break you down. |
Tackle harder | Play more aggressively, with more determination. |
Ease off tackles | The player will avoid aggressive playing to reduce a risk of fouls. |
Mark tighter | Instructs the player to stay close to the opponent and make it impossible for him to play effectively. |