Tactic change | The match Football Manager 2016 Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
Team instructions
Instructions screen lets you pick the specific tactic actions that you want your players to stick to. You can, e.g. have your players attack along wings, if you see that opponent's wing defenders are slow or have players perform more centers into the penalty area, when your player win overhead fights. Also, you can give instructions using the Make changes button, when a tactic is suggested by your assistant. The array of available instructions is the same as in the Tactics tab.
Choosing a formation
After you use the change formation button, you can quickly change the setting of your players. Remember, however, that they will move from their initial positions to the ones that are appropriate to the tactic you pick. In such a case, not every player is 100% fit to play on the new position, which is why it is better o use advanced settings or substitute the mismatching player.
Choose focus
A quick change in focus during the match lets you react properly to the situation in the field. For example, you can move your players forward, so that you can score the winning goal towards the end of the match, or form a barricade on your own half to prevent losing a goal. This way without changing the formation, you will quickly change your playing style and change the focus of the players, from ultra defensive up to ultra offensive.
Change playing style
Various playing style correspond to positions that players have been assigned to. You can have your players hold their ground and follow the tactic consistently. This is a good solution, if your players are not too creative. If there are gifted individuals on the team, you can set the fluent playing style. Players will then switch between formations (e.g. wingers will more often take part in offensive actions). This is the approach familiar from the contemporary football, but it requires more involvement of your players, more stamina and more skills. A quick, on-the-fly change of tactic lets you select defensive formation and have players hold their ground to defend the score until the end of the match.
Complete change of tactic
It is a also possible to alter the entire tactic during the match. You do that by accessing the panel that is nearly identical with the Tactic panel, where you define your squad and the tactic before the match. To access this menu, drop down the menu from the arrow next to the Make change button and select Advanced tactical settings. In the window, you can modify all of the aspects of the tactic.