The Idea of a Tactic - Part 1

You caught some highlights on tv by accident, and you decided to make your team in FML play like Man Utd. Ok, I think everyone's gone through this kind of moment, at least once...

The first question that should be put after this would be: Do I have the players for it?

Just to make it clear, this article is not about advice regarding formations, just style of play. (More about Formations).

Well, let's say Man Utd plays 4-3-3, or 4-5-1, either way you wanna see it or set it up, it doesen't really matter; same thing if you play someone on the DM or MC position, and so on. I've learned that you can replicate real life play without being so picky about exact player positions - That's very helpful, because it means you have more flexibility and more chances to fulfil your dream.

At first, you can notice that Utd has a lot of power on the wings, wich is where most goal actions come from. You'll notice, of course, they have a really successfull goalscorer. And when you hear about Van der Sar's aura of invicibility, you realise their defense's core is brilliant. Do you have all that? In most cases, you don't - That means, you have to get them...

You must be careful when looking for these players though, as Rooney despite not having a strike partner, isn't one of those typically tall target men.

How to set up your Team Instructions

United... right. They press out on their opponents. When they get the ball they all go foward, and when the ball reaches on of the wingers - Nani/Valencia - the counter attack becomes lethal. If Rooney gets it before the opponent, then it's most likely a goal - note that sometimes they send it straight to rooney on counter, without a semi-counter construction.

From this first-look analysis, we come up with: High Closing Down, Quick Tempo, Direct passing, not too much Creating Freedom, as each player knows where the others are. Also, that we must tick the Counter Attack checkbox, that their Mentality is fairly brave, and that they are playing Narrow, as they are really close to eachother most of the time. 

We noticed that most of them Tight Mark, that their Tackles are fairly balanced, but we couldn't figure out how to set up the Defensive Line, because we only saw Rooney score a hattrick in those highlights... No worries. Most likely, if the team is pressing the opponent, the defensive line is naturally playing High. That's it, we're done! Well, almost. You forgot that they Focus Passing Down Both Flanks.