There are 6 styles:
Balanced
When using a balanced attacking style your players will use all sorts of styles in order to create scoring opportunities. This style is particularly effective if your players have very different strengths and weaknesses.
Direct
If you choose a direct attacking style your players will try to get the ball upfield to your forwards as quickly as possible, using only a few direct passes.
Balanced
When using a balanced attacking style your players will use all sorts of styles in order to create scoring opportunities. This style is particularly effective if your players have very different strengths and weaknesses.
Direct
If you choose a direct attacking style your players will try to get the ball upfield to your forwards as quickly as possible, using only a few direct passes.
Key skills for successful direct attacks
Especially midfielders and forwards need speed and technique
To be successful with your direct attacks:
- Set a defensive formation with few men forward. Pick 2 forwards/offensive midfielders at most.
Direct style works best if you are up against an offensive opponent and are the underdog, stand deep, think defensively and try to harm your opponent with quick and deadly counter attacks.
Finishing types created: Quite a few regular and header chances and some ranged drives.
Defending against direct play
Stand deep as your opponent to make sure their counter attacks get less dangerous.
- Set a defensive formation with few men forward. Pick 2 forwards/offensive midfielders at most.
Key skills for stopping direct attacks
- Tackling and vision for your most defensive players are key to stopping counter attacks.
- Secondarily speed also helps to stop the attacks.
Wings
If you choose to attack on wings your full or wing backs and wingers will push hard to get around your opponents defense and throw crosses in from deep. This style rocks if you are lucky enough to possess quick wingers and backs with a great technique.
To be successful with your direct attacks:
- Set a defensive formation with few men forward. Pick 2 forwards/offensive midfielders at most.
Direct style works best if you are up against an offensive opponent and are the underdog, stand deep, think defensively and try to harm your opponent with quick and deadly counter attacks.
Finishing types created: Quite a few regular and header chances and some ranged drives.
Defending against direct play
Stand deep as your opponent to make sure their counter attacks get less dangerous.
- Set a defensive formation with few men forward. Pick 2 forwards/offensive midfielders at most.
Key skills for stopping direct attacks
- Tackling and vision for your most defensive players are key to stopping counter attacks.
- Secondarily speed also helps to stop the attacks.
Wings
If you choose to attack on wings your full or wing backs and wingers will push hard to get around your opponents defense and throw crosses in from deep. This style rocks if you are lucky enough to possess quick wingers and backs with a great technique.
Key skills for wing attacks
Your wingers needs lots of pace and technique. Especially the most offensive ones. - There will be a fair amount of header chances, so make sure you have forwards who are decent at this.
To be successful with your wing attacks:
- Your formation needs 4 wingers.
- The more offensive a winger is the more dangerous your wing attacks will be. E.g. is a wing back naturally more effective offensively than a fullback.
Wing attacks works best if your opponent has slow and bad tackling wingers. Also it works good if your opponent plays only two wingers and the more offensive your opponents' wingers are the more you can take advantage of it.
Finishing types created: Quite a few header chances, some regular finishes and a few ranged drives.
Defending against wing attacks
- Your formation needs 4 wingers
- The more defensive a winger is the better he will cover.
- Playing 3 central defenders instead of 2 also adds extra coverage.
Key skills for stopping wing attacks
- Your wingers needs lots of pace and tackling. Especially the most defensive ones as well as vision and a teaspoon of robostness can be useful.
Shortpassing
Shortpassing is all about making your opponent dizzy by passing the ball numerous times back, forth and to side and then, when he least expects it, strike that defense-tearing pass that gives your forwards all the time and space they need. All your players, especially forwards and midfielders should be blessed with fine technique, but they also need speed and vision to get into position to make the passes be at its most effective.
Key skills for successful shortpassing
To be successful with your wing attacks:
- Your formation needs 4 wingers.
- The more offensive a winger is the more dangerous your wing attacks will be. E.g. is a wing back naturally more effective offensively than a fullback.
Wing attacks works best if your opponent has slow and bad tackling wingers. Also it works good if your opponent plays only two wingers and the more offensive your opponents' wingers are the more you can take advantage of it.
Finishing types created: Quite a few header chances, some regular finishes and a few ranged drives.
Defending against wing attacks
- Your formation needs 4 wingers
- The more defensive a winger is the better he will cover.
- Playing 3 central defenders instead of 2 also adds extra coverage.
Key skills for stopping wing attacks
- Your wingers needs lots of pace and tackling. Especially the most defensive ones as well as vision and a teaspoon of robostness can be useful.
Shortpassing
Shortpassing is all about making your opponent dizzy by passing the ball numerous times back, forth and to side and then, when he least expects it, strike that defense-tearing pass that gives your forwards all the time and space they need. All your players, especially forwards and midfielders should be blessed with fine technique, but they also need speed and vision to get into position to make the passes be at its most effective.
Key skills for successful shortpassing
Superb technique is needed for especially midfielders and forwards. - Decent speed and vision overall also helps.
To be successful with your short passing attacks:
- Populate your formation with regular midfielders, offensive midfielders and attackers.
Short passing fits best if you have an attacking formation and most likely will be the best team in the match.
Finishing types created: Quite a few regular finishes and some ranged drives and header chances.
Defending against shortpassing:
Close down with many players central in front of your goal.
- Central defenders and central defensive midfielders are key to stopping short passing attacks.
Key skills for stopping shortpassing attacks:
- Vision and tackling are key to getting into position and breaking the tiki-taka passes.
Long Balls
A true classic. Haul a long ball in the direction of your opponent's penalty area and hope for the best! Needless to say, long balls is not the style that creates the most intriguing attacking plays, but it can be very effective indeed. The art of the long pass is a long-standing favourite of most defenders: Skip the midfield, hurl the ball towards your opponents net and hope that one of your players can close the deal.
Key skills for successful long balls
To be successful with your short passing attacks:
- Populate your formation with regular midfielders, offensive midfielders and attackers.
Short passing fits best if you have an attacking formation and most likely will be the best team in the match.
Finishing types created: Quite a few regular finishes and some ranged drives and header chances.
Defending against shortpassing:
Close down with many players central in front of your goal.
- Central defenders and central defensive midfielders are key to stopping short passing attacks.
Key skills for stopping shortpassing attacks:
- Vision and tackling are key to getting into position and breaking the tiki-taka passes.
Long Balls
A true classic. Haul a long ball in the direction of your opponent's penalty area and hope for the best! Needless to say, long balls is not the style that creates the most intriguing attacking plays, but it can be very effective indeed. The art of the long pass is a long-standing favourite of most defenders: Skip the midfield, hurl the ball towards your opponents net and hope that one of your players can close the deal.
Key skills for successful long balls
Your attacking players need lots of heading and secondarily robostness. - Decent technique and vision for your defensive players also helps to set up great long passes.
To be successful with your long balls:
- Your formation needs forwards and offensive central midfielders to be up there to collect the long ball passes.
- Offensive wingers will also help a little but not as much as the central players.
Long balls works best if your opponents' defenders are weak at heading.
Finishing types created: Mostly headers, some regular finishes and a few ranged drives.
Defending against long balls
- Strong central defenders with great at heading are crucial.
- Fullbacks and defensive central midfielders also provide some additional coverage.
Key skills for stopping long balls
- Have strong, especially central defenders, who are superb at heading.
- Other defensive skills also matter but heading is clearly the most important one to cover for long balls.
Through Balls
Through balls challenge your opponents defence's speed and vision. If your opponent's defence is slow and your attack is fast and furious and well-passing then there is a good chance through balls will be the right style for you.
Key skills for successful through balls
To be successful with your long balls:
- Your formation needs forwards and offensive central midfielders to be up there to collect the long ball passes.
- Offensive wingers will also help a little but not as much as the central players.
Long balls works best if your opponents' defenders are weak at heading.
Finishing types created: Mostly headers, some regular finishes and a few ranged drives.
Defending against long balls
- Strong central defenders with great at heading are crucial.
- Fullbacks and defensive central midfielders also provide some additional coverage.
Key skills for stopping long balls
- Have strong, especially central defenders, who are superb at heading.
- Other defensive skills also matter but heading is clearly the most important one to cover for long balls.
Through Balls
Through balls challenge your opponents defence's speed and vision. If your opponent's defence is slow and your attack is fast and furious and well-passing then there is a good chance through balls will be the right style for you.
Key skills for successful through balls
Your attacking players need lots of pace. - Decent technique and vision also helps to set up the deadly through passes.
To be successful with your through balls:
- Your formation needs a lot of forwards and central midfielders to make the deadly through ball passes and runs which challenge your opponents back line.
- Wingers will also help a little making your formation suited for through balls, but not as much as central players.
Through balls works best if your opponent have few central defensive players (including defensive midfielders) and their defensive line is slow.
Finishing types created: Mostly regular finishes, some ranged drives and a few headers.
Defending against through balls:
- Cover up the central area in defense and the defensive midfield.
- Fullback help a little but not as much as central players.
Key skills for stopping through balls:
- Have fast defensive players
- Other defensive skills, mainly vision, also matter but speed is clearly the most important one to cover for through balls.
To be successful with your through balls:
- Your formation needs a lot of forwards and central midfielders to make the deadly through ball passes and runs which challenge your opponents back line.
- Wingers will also help a little making your formation suited for through balls, but not as much as central players.
Through balls works best if your opponent have few central defensive players (including defensive midfielders) and their defensive line is slow.
Finishing types created: Mostly regular finishes, some ranged drives and a few headers.
Defending against through balls:
- Cover up the central area in defense and the defensive midfield.
- Fullback help a little but not as much as central players.
Key skills for stopping through balls:
- Have fast defensive players
- Other defensive skills, mainly vision, also matter but speed is clearly the most important one to cover for through balls.