fmf players positions, duties and roles

8/2/2019 FMF Players Positions, Duties and Roles

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FMFormation | Player Positions, Roles, Duties and Attributes FM2012

Dear Reader,

I ve created this document to make lif e easier. A lot of t he player roles have dif ferentduties, e.g. Defend, Cover, Support and At tack. If I would create all the dif ferent dut ies in

the Player Search, we would get a huge list . Instead, I decided to put them all together.

It basically allows you to get a good overview for every possible player role, which is anew feature in FM2012. You know what I mean; The Libero, The Inside Forward or ThePoacher. If you want to buy a player to fulf il such a specif ic role, you need to look atcertain attributes. Every player role requires its own specific attributes. This add-oncreates a filter for every player role, showing all the attributes needed for it.

Most of t he t ime, i t only concerns one or two at t ributes which aren t needed for theDefend duty but are for the Support duty for example. Wit h this document you can have aquick check what is needed and what isn t .

But that s not all . Sometimes you come across a player when you aren t using the PlayerSearch. There is no fast way to check if his att ributes are good enough for the specif icplayer role you are looking for. Just open this document and have a quick look. Eitherway, I needed to write down all these attributes for the add-onanyway so why not make aproper document for it so others can enj oy it as well?

I reall y do hope you enjoy this it and I hope that I explained everything that you need to

know. If not, you can always find me onFMFormat ionof course!

Contents

Goalkeepers Defenders Defensive Midf ielders Midfielders At tacking Midf ielders Wingers Str ikers Attributes Everything Else
http://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/various-add-ons/64679-fmfs-football-manager-2012-player-roles.htmlhttp://www.fmformation.net/various-add-ons/64679-fmfs-football-manager-2012-player-roles.htmlhttp://www.fmformation.net/various-add-ons/64679-fmfs-football-manager-2012-player-roles.htmlhttp://www.fmformation.net/various-add-ons/64679-fmfs-football-manager-2012-player-roles.htmlhttp://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/various-add-ons/64679-fmfs-football-manager-2012-player-roles.htmlhttp://www.fmformation.net/various-add-ons/64679-fmfs-football-manager-2012-player-roles.htmlhttp://www.fmformation.net/


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POSITION: GOALKEEPER (GK)

DUTY: DEFEND ONLY

The Goalkeeper role focuses on simple and rise-free use of the ball, with the keeper

simply looking to play the ball away from goal to an open player. If a player is not open,

the keeper will play it long and safe.

The Goalkeeper will distribute the ball differently between match strategies. For more

cautious tactics, he will aim to clear the ball deep whereas for more aggressive ones he

wil l feed the defence in order t o start off passing moves.

The Goalkeeper is only available with a Defend duty.Great Examples: Jose Manuel Reina (Liverpool), Hugo Lloris (Lyon), Gianluigi Buffon

(Juventus), Maarten Stekelenburg (AS Roma), Diego Alves (Valencia)

DefendAerial Ability xAgility xCommand Of xComposure xConcentration xDecisions xHandling xOne On Ones xPositioning xReflexes x
http://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/


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POSITION: SWEEPER KEEPER (GK)

DUTY: DEFEND / SUPPORT / ATTACK

The Sweeper Keeper aims to perform two roles, those of the standard Goalkeeper and the

outf ield Sweeper.

Alongside standard goalkeeping duties, he will sweep up balls in front of and wide of thepenalty area and initiate counter-attacking moves with direct through balls to breaking

players.

With a Defend duty, the Sweeper Keeper will be a lot more cautious but wi ll st il lplay counter-attacking balls when they are on.

With t he Support duty, the Sweeper Keeper wil l st ray j ust outside t he penalt y boxand look to play counter-attacking passes.

Wit h an At tack duty , the Sweeper Keeper wil l t ravel some distance outside hisarea and be happy to move out with the ball at his feet.

Great Examples:

Jose Manuel Reina (Liverpool) Hugo Lloris (Lyon) Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Maart en Stekelenburg (AS Roma) Diego Alves (Valencia)

Defend Support Attack

Acceleration x x xAerial Ability x x xAgility x x xCommand Of x x xCommunication x x xComposure x x xConcentration x x xCreativity x x xDecisions x x xEccentricity x x xHandling x x xOne On Ones x x xPace x x xPositioning x x xReflexes x x xRushing Out x x x


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POSITION: SWEEPER (SW)

DUTY: DEFEND ONLY

The Sweeper drops behind the defensive line, aiming to sweep up through balls, pick upextra attackers and make goal saving tackles, blocks and interceptions.

His exceptional athleticism and reading of the game enable him to cover for defensiveerrors, take possession of loose balls from a deep posit ion and secure possession.

He rarely, if ever, ventures forward.

The Sweeper is only available with a Defend duty.Great Examples:

Marvin Gonzalez (CD FAS) Massimo Volta (Sampdoria) Christian Vilches (Colo Colo) Hans Mart inez (Universidad Catolica) Raffaele Schiavi (Padova)

Attribute DefendAcceleration xAnticipation x

Balance xComposure x

Concentratio

x

Decisions xHeading xJumping xMarking xPassing x

Positioning xTackling x


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POSITION: LIBERO (SW)

DUTY: SUPPORT / ATTACK

The Libero drops behind the defensive line, aiming to sweep up through balls, pick upextra attackers and make goal saving tackles, blocks and interceptions.

His exceptional athleticism and reading of the game enable him to cover for defensiveerrors, take possession of loose ball s from a deep posit ion and secure possession.However, he wil l also roam forwards in support of the midfield when the team haspossession.

With a Support duty, the Libero will step into the midfield when possession issecured and look to play balls through to attacking teammates.

With an Attack duty, the Libero ventures much higher up the pitch to provide agoal scoring threat from distance alongside looking to play in teammates.

Great Examples:

Marvin Gonzalez (CD FAS)

Massimo Volta (Sampdoria) Christian Vilches (Colo Colo) Hans Mart inez (Universidad Catolica) Raffaele Schiavi (Padova)

Support AttackAcceleration x xAnticipation x x

Balance x xComposure x x

Concentratio

x x

Creativity x xDecisions x xDribbling x xHeading x xJumping x x

Long Shots xMarking x xPassing x x

Positioning x xTackling x x

Teamworkx

x


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POSITION: FULL BACKS (DR / DL)


The Full Back is a key player in modern football, having to supplement his traditionaldefensive duties with overlapping runs down the wing to support forward play and helpattacks overload the final third.

Alt hough primari ly a defensive player, he must be prepared to get forward when the teamneeds extra width.

With a Defend duty, the Full Back will stay back wit h the defensive l ine and makesimple possession passes down the flanks or into central midfield.

With a Support duty, the Full Back will support the midfield by providing extrawidth and will look for crosses and through balls when the opportunity for eacharises.

With an Attack duty, the Full Back supplements his defensive responsibilities byoverlapping the midf ield and providing fi rst t ime crosses into the area.

Great Examples (Right Back):

Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid) Bacary Sagna (Arsenal) Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus) Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea)

Great Examples (Left Back):

Patr ice Evra (Man Utd)

Ashley Cole (Chelsea) Federico Balzaretti (Palermo) Leighton Baines (Everton) Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham)

Defend Support AttackAcceleration x x xAnticipation x x xConcentratio

x x x

Crossing x x xMarking x x xPositioning x x xStamina x x xTackling x x xTeamwork x x xWork Rate x x x


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POSITION: WING BACKS (WBR / WBL)


Usually playing out wide with no wing support, the Wing Back must fulfill all the attackingand defensive duties of wingers and full backs.

In attack he must be prepared to run at his man and put in aggressive crosses, in midfieldto help with the possession battle and in defence to close down opponents, block crossesand win back the ball when possible.

With a Defend duty, the Wing Back mainly stays deep, but will still cross the ballwhen in space to do so.

With a Support duty, the Wing Back aims to provide angled through balls from outwide, alt hough st il l crosses when the opportunit y arises.

With an Attack duty, the Wing Back aims to overlap down the flank to providewide support for attacks, run at his man and get crosses in from the byline.

Great Examples (Right Wing Back):

Dani Alves (Barcelona) Miguel (Valencia) Ricardo Osorio (Monterrey) Dusan Basta (Udinese) Gennaro Sardo (Chievo) Andreas Hinkel (No Club)

Great Examples (Left Wing Back):

Phil ipp Lahm (Bayern Munich)

Marcelo (Real Madrid) Alvaro Pereira (FC Porto) Leighton Baines (Everton) Ramon (Corinthians)

Defend Support AttackAcceleratio

x x x

Crossing x x xDecisions x x xDribbling x x xMarking x x xPositioning x x xStamina x x xTackling x x xTeamwork x x xWork Rate x x x


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POSITION: DEFENDER (CENTRE) (DC)

DUTY: DEFEND / STOPPER / COVERING

The main job of the Central Defender is to stop opposing at tackers from playing and toclear the ball from danger when required. However, especially for more aggressivetactics, he must also possess the technique and composure to be able to help the team

maintain possession and lay off simple passes to more creative players.

With a Defend duty, the Central Defender will stay in line with his defensivepartners and look to break up attacks, mark opposing forwards and prevent the ballfrom gett ing into the box.

With a Defend (Stopper) dut y, the Central Defender wil l push ahead of thedefensive line and close down players before they get to the area.

With a Defend (Covering) duty, the Central Defender will drop a little deeper andsweep up through balls behind the defensive line.

Great Examples:

Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Nemanja Vidi c (Man Utd) John Terry (Chelsea) Ricardo Carvalho (Real Madrid) Thiago Silva (A.C. Milan) Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Vincent Kompany (Man Cit y) Mats Hummels (Dortmund) Dante (Gladbach)

Defend Stopper CoverAcceleration xAggression xAnticipation xBravery xComposure x x xConcentration x x xDecisions x x xDeterminatio

x x x

Heading x x x

Jumpingx

x

x

Marking x x xPositioning x x xStrength x x xTackling x x x


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POSITION: BALL PLAYING DEFENDER (DC)

DUTY: DEFEND / DEFEND (STOPPER) / DEFEND (COVERING)

The main j ob of t he Ball Playing Defender is to stop opposing attackers from playing andto clear the ball from danger when required.

However, unlike standard central defenders, the Ball Playing Defender is encouraged tolaunch defence spli t t ing through ball s from deep to generate counter-at tackingopportunities.

With a Defend duty, the Ball Playing Defender will stay in line with his defensivepartner and look to break up attacks, mark opposing forwards and prevent the ballfrom gett ing into the box.

With a Defend (Stopper) dut y, the Ball Playing Defender will push ahead to thedefensive line and close down players before they get to the area.

With a Defend (Covering) duty, the Ball Playing Defender will drop a little deeperand sweep up through balls behind the defensive line.

Great Examples:

Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd) John Terry (Chelsea) Ricardo Carvalho (Real Madrid) Thiago Silva (A.C. Milan) Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Vincent Kompany (Man Cit y)

Mats Hummels (Dortmund) Dante (Gladbach)

Defend Support CoverAcceleration xAggression xAnticipation xBravery xComposure x x xConcentration x x xCreativity x x xDecisions x x xDeterminatio

x x x

Heading x x xJumping x x xMarking x x xPassing x x xPositioning x x xStrength x x xTackling x x xTechnique x x x


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POSITION: LIMITED DEFENDER (DC)

DUTY: DEFEND / DEFEND (STOPPER) / DEFEND (COVERING)

The main job of the Limited Defender is to stop opposing at tackers from playing and toclear t he ball from danger when required.

The aim is to win the ball without giving away a free kick and get it cleared safely up fieldin a no-nonsense manner.

With a Defend duty, the Limited Defender will stay in line with his defensivepartner and look to break up attacks, mark opposing forwards and prevent the ballfrom gett ing into the box.

With a Defend (Stopper) dut y, the Limited Defender will push ahead to thedefensive line and close down players before they get to the area.

With a Defend (Covering) duty, the Limited Defender will drop a little deeper andsweep up through balls behind the defensive line.

Great Examples:

Gerard Pique (Barcelona) Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd) John Terry (Chelsea) Ricardo Carvalho (Real Madrid) Thiago Silva (A.C. Milan) Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) Vincent Kompany (Man Cit y) Mats Hummels (Dortmund) Dante (Gladbach)

Defend Support CoverAcceleration xAggression xAnticipation xBravery xDeterminatio

x x x

Jumping x x xMarking x x xPositioning x x x

Strength x x xTackling x x x


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POSITION: DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER (DM)

DUTY: DEFEND / SUPPORT

The Defensive Midf ielder s main dut ies are t o protect the defensive l ine f rom breakingatt ackers by closing them down quickly and t o support the creat ive midf ielders when inpossession.

A key job of the Defensive Midf ielder is to keep hold of the ball while the defence andattack are reorganizing themselves after a period of opposition pressure.

With a Defend duty, the Defensive Midfielder will hold his position between themidfield and defensive lines and recycle possession from a deeper position.

With a Support duty, the Defensive Midfielder will step into the midfield line andsupport attacking moves.

Great Examples: Javier Masherano (Barcelona) Nigel de Jong (Man City) Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan) Sven Bender (Dortmund) Jermaine Jones (Schalke)

Defend SupportAcceleration x xConcentratio

x

Decisions x xMarking x xPassing xPositioning x xStamina x xStrength x xTackling x xTeamwork x xWork Rate x x


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POSITION: DEEP LYING PLAYMAKER (DM)


The Deep Lying Playmaker operates in the space between the defence and the midfieldand aims to initiate attacking moves via pinpoint passes to players positioned higher upthe pitch.

Although primarily a creative player, the Deep Lying Playmaker also has to be competentin the art of defence.

In a Defend duty, the Deep Lying Playmaker will fulfill extra defensiveresponsibilities by holding position in front of the defence and will rarely look tosupport attacks.

In a Support duty, the Deep Lying Playmaker will bring the ball out of defence andlook for long shots opportunities as well as supplying through balls.

Great Examples:

Javier Masherano (Barcelona)

Nigel de Jong (Man City) Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan) Sven Bender (Dortmund) Jermaine Jones (Schalke)

Defend SupportComposure x xCreativity x xDecisions x xFirst Touch xMarking xOff The xPassing x xPositioning x xStrength xTackling x xTechnique x xTeamwork x x


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POSITION: ANCHOR MAN (DM)

DUTY: DEFEND ONLY

Somet imes referred t o as the Water Carrier , the Anchor Man s main duty is to sit in t hehole between the defence and the midfield, intercepting moves, winning the ball andlaying off simple passes to his more creative teammates.

Since his key job is to anchor t he defence he doesn t venture too far f rom his posit ioneither to close down the opposition or to support the more advanced players.

The Anchor Man is only available with a Defend duty.Great Examples:

Javier Masherano (Barcelona) Giulio Migliaccio (Palermo) Javi Garcia (Benfica) Lorik Cana (Lazio) Pablo Garcia (PAOK)

e en Anticipation xConcentration xDecisions xDeterminatio

xHeading xMarking xPositioning x

Strengthx

Tackling xWork Rate x


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POSITION: MIDFIELDER CENTRE (MC)

DUTY: DEFEND ONLY

The Central Midf ielder has the technical abil it y to play in Att acking, Support of Defensiveroles, but tends to lack the stamina, vision and drive to perform more than one

simultaneously.

With a Defend duty, the Central Midfielder stays back in front of the defence andplays a simple supporting game for those playing further up the pitch.

With a Support duty, the Central Midfielder looks to hold his position in the middleof t he park and play balls into players ahead of him.

With an Attack duty, the Central Midfielder looks to get into the box to supportthe forwards, drif t wide to support the flanks in the final third and play in menahead of him.

Great Examples:

Xavi (Barcelona) Joao Moutinho (Porto) Darren Fletcher (Man Utd) Gareth Barry (Man Cit y) Stiliyan Petrov (Aston Villa)

Defend Support AttackDecisions x x xDeterminatio

x x x

First Touch x x x

Markingx

x

x

Off The Ball x x xPassing x x x

Positioning x x x

Tackling x x x

Teamwork x x x

Work Rate x x x


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POSITION: DEEP LYING PLAYMAKER (MC)

DUTY: DEFEND ONLY

The Deep Lying Playmaker operates in the space between the defence and the midfieldand aims to initiate attacking moves via pinpoint passes to players positioned higher upthe pitch.

Although primarily a creative player, the Deep Lying Playmaker also has to be competentin the art of defence.

In a Defend duty, the Deep Lying Playmaker will fulfill extra defensiveresponsibilities by holding position in front of the defence and will rarely look tosupport attacks.

In a Support duty, the Deep Lying Playmaker will bring the ball out of defence andlook for long shots opportunities as well as supplying through balls.

Great Examples: Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid) John Mikel Obi (Chelsea) Bruno (Villarreal) Fernando Gago (A.S. Roma) Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham)

Defend SupportComposure x xCreativity x xDecisions

x

x

First Touch xMarking xOff The xPassing x xPositioning x xStrength xTackling x xTechnique x xTeamwork x x


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POSITION: BALL WINNING MIDFIELDER (MC)


Playing in cent ral midf ielder the Ball Winning Midf ielder s main funct ion is to close downthe opposition and win the ball.

However, he also needs the technical skills to help the team keep possession and fashionout chances for players with attacking roles.

Wit h a Support duty the Ball Winning Midf ielder aims to win the ball back high up the pitchand support result ing counter att acking opportunit ies.

In a Defend duty, the Ball Winning Midfielder looks to win the ball in the centre ofmidfield and quickly lay it off to a more creative players.

In a Support duty, the Ball Winning Midfielder aims to win the ball back high upthe pitch and support resulting counter attacking opportunities.

Great Examples:

Darren Fletcher (Barcelona) Scott Parker (Tottenham) Dej an Stankovic (Inter Milan) Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria) Radj a Nainggolan (Cagliari)

Defend SupportAggression x xBravery x xDeterminatio

x xMarking x xPassing xPositioning xStamina x xStrength x xTackling x xTeamwork x xWork Rate x x


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POSITION: BOX TO BOX MIDFIELDER (MC)

DUTY: SUPPORT

The non-stop dynamism of the Box To Box Midfielder enables him to contribute greatly toboth defending and attacking.

In attack, he pushes up to support the forward, often surging late into the box to get onthe end of crosses and pullbacks as well as providing a thread from distance.

In defence, he harr ies at tacking midfielders and helps protect the defensive l ine.

The Box To Box Midfielder is only available with a Support duty.Great Examples:

Fabregas (Barcelona) Xavi (Barcelona) Michael Essien (Chelsea) Yaya Toure (Man Cit y) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid)

DefendAcceleration xAnticipation xBravery xDecisions xDeterminatio

x

Dribbling x

Finishingx

First Touch xHeading xLong Shots xMarking xOff The Ball xPassing xPositioning xStamina xStrength x


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POSITION: ADVANCED PLAYMAKER (AMC)


The Advanced Playmaker can operate in t he central midf ielder, att acking midf ield or wideforward positions. The Advanced Playmaker aims to drop into the holes between theopposit ion s midf ielder and defence, making himself available for his teammates passes

and aiming to turn defence into attack in an instant.

With a Support duty, the Advanced Playmaker will stay in the hole and look tospray passes to support players and forwards.

With an Attack duty, the Advanced Playmaker wil l look to run at the defensive l inefrom deeper posit ions, aiming to craf t out crossing or through ball opportunit ies ashe moves into the final third.

Great Examples:

Xavi (Barcelona) Luka Modric (Tottenham) Elano (Santos) Borj a Valero (Villarreal) Alex Witsel (Benfica)

Support AttackAnticipation xCreativity x xDecisions x xDribbling xFirst Touch x xFlair x xLong Shots xOff The Ball xPassing x xStamina xTeamwork x xTechnique x xWork Rate x


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POSITION: ADVANCED PLAYMAKER (AMC)


The Inside Forward aimt to cut inside from the flanks and run directly at the centre of the

opposit ion s defence and works best when the player s st rongest foot is opposit e to theflank he is playing on.

This movement can open up space for overlapping full backs as well as overloading aret reating defender, although it can also end up wit h the player running into cul-de-sacs.

With a Support duty, the Inside Forward wil l cut diagonally into the space behindthe defence and play through balls or take long shots if the opportunity arises.

With an Attack duty, the Inside Forward wil l run direct ly at the defence with theoptions of shoot ing, passing or crossing as he moves int o the final third.

Great Examples: Xavi (Barcelona) Luka Modric (Tottenham) Elano (Santos) Borj a Valero (Villarreal) Alex Witsel (Benfica)

Support AttackAcceleratio

x x

Crossing x

Decisionsx

x

Dribbling x xFinishing xFlair x xLong Shots xOff The Ball xPace x xPassing x xTeamwork x xTechnique x


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POSITION: ATTACKING MIDFIELDER (AMC)


The At tacking Midf ielder operates higher up t he pitch than a standard midfielder, so hecannot drive into space from deep in t he manner of an at tacking Central Midf ielder.

Requiring excellent technical and mental skills, his role is to fashion chances for himselfand others in the final third before the opposition defenders reduce the time and space hehas to make the play.

With a Support duty, the Attacking Midfielder is willing to help out with defenceand tends to sit in the hole rather than get into the box.

With an Attack duty, the Attacking Midfielder looks to craft out chances for hisforwards alongside being a presence in the box to supplement the attack.

Great Examples:

Leo Messi (Barcelona)

Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Samir Nasri (Man City) David Silva (Man City) Luka Modric (Tottenham)


x x

Balance x xCreativity x xDecisions x xDribbling xFirst Touch x xFlair x xLong Shots xOff The Ball xPassing x xTeamwork x xTechnique x xWork Rate x


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POSITION: TREQUARTISTA (AMC)

DUTY: ATTACK ONLY

The Trequartista can operate in the attacking midfield or centre forward positions.

While similar to the Advanced Playmaker in that he aims to drop into the holes between

the opposit ion s midf ield and defence, the Trequart ista does far less defensively andsimply drifts around looking for space when the team is not in possession.

As such, the rest of the team needs to carry him when defending, but use him as the mainoutlet when attacking.

The Trequart ista is only available wi th an At tack duty.Great Examples:

Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Samir Nasri (Man City) Kaka (Real Madrid) Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal) Alex (Fenerbahce)

AttackAgility xAnticipation xComposure xCreativity xFinishing xFirst Touch xFlair xOff The Ball xPassing xTechnique x


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POSITION: WIDE MIDFIELDER


The Wide Midfielder performs defensive and attacking duties on the flanks, supporting theforwards, midf ield and defence when required.

Generally lacking either the explosive pace or exciting dribbling skills of an out-and-outWinger, the Wide Midf ielder relies on teamwork and work rate t o get into dangerousattacking posit ions without compromising his defensive responsibi li t ies.

With a Defend duty, the Wide Midfielder will sit back and launch crosses fromdeep.

With a Support duty, the Wide Midfielder will stay deeper and play angled throughballs into the box from wide positions, although he will still cross when it is on.

With an Attack duty, the Wide Midfielder looks to play quick crosses in from thefinal t hird.

Great Examples: Park Ji-Sung (Man Utd) Xabi Priet o (Real Sociedad) Marco Rossi (Genoa) Simon Davies (Fulham) David Beckham (LA Galaxy)

Defend Support AttackAnticipation x x xCrossing x x x

Decisionsx

x

x

Determinatio

x x xOff The Ball x x xPassing x x xStamina x x xTackling x x xTeamwork x x xWork Rate x x x


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POSITION: WINGERS


The Winger aims to beat his man on the outside and needs to be technically proficient aswell as quick in order to do so.

The Winger hugs the touchline when the team is going forward, ready to surge into spaceand attack the byline.

With a Support duty, the Winger s j ob is to try t o quickly get past his man and getin an early cross for the forwards.

With an Attack duty, the Winger will try to run at the defence in the final third,aiming to cause panic and indecision prior t o shoot ing or at tempting to make athrough ball / cross to a team mate.

Great Examples:

Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich) Arj en Robben (Bayern Munich) Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid) Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid)


x x

Agility x xBalance x xCrossing x xDecisions x xDribbling x xFlair x xOff The Ball x xPace x xTechnique x x


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POSITION: INSIDE FORWARD


The Inside Forward aimt to cut inside from the flanks and run directly at the centre of theopposit ion s defence and works best when the player s st rongest foot is opposit e to theflank he is playing on.

This movement can open up space for overlapping full backs as well as overloading aret reating defender, although it can also end up wit h the player running into cul-de-sacs.

With a Support duty, the Inside Forward wil l cut diagonally into the space behindthe defence and play through balls or take long shots if the opportunity arises.

With an Attack duty, the Inside Forward wil l run direct ly at the defence with theoptions of shoot ing, passing or crossing as he moves int o the final third.


x x

Crossing

x

Decisions x xDribbling x xFinishing xFlair x xLong Shots xOff The Ball x xPace x xPassing x xTeamwork x xTechnique x


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POSITION: ADVANCED PLAYMAKER


The Advanced Playmaker can operate in t he central midf ielder, att acking midf ield or wideforward positions.

The Advanced Playmaker aims to drop into the holes between the opposit ion s midf ielderand defence, making himself available for his teammates passes and aiming to turndefence into attack in an instant.

With a Support duty, the Advanced Playmaker will stay in the hole and look tospray passes to support players and forwards.

With an Attack duty, the Advanced Playmaker wil l look to run at the defensive l inefrom deeper posit ions, aiming to craf t out crossing or through ball opportunit ies ashe moves into the final third.

Great Examples:

Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Samir Nasri (Man Cit y) Kaka (Real Madrid) Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal) Alex (Fenerbahce)


x x

Balance x xCreativity x xDecisions x x

Dribbling xFirst Touch x xFlair x xLong Shots xOff The Ball xPassing x xTeamwork x xTechnique x xWork Rate x


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POSITION: DEFENSIVE WINGER

DUTY: SUPPORT / ATTACKThe Defensive Winger aims to press the opposing full backs, win back the ball high up thepitch and eit her hold it up for t he rest of t he team, drive to the byline or get in a quickcross or t hrough ball for t he forwards.

With a Support duty, the Defensive Winger s j ob is to t ry t o win the ball, get pasthis man and get in an early cross for the forwards.

With an Attack duty, the Defensive Winger will try to run at the defence in thefinal third once he has won the ball, aiming to cause panic and indecision prior toshooting or attempt ing to make a through ball / cross to a team mate.

Great Examples:

Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) Samir Nasri (Man City) Kaka (Real Madrid) Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal) Alex (Fenerbahce)

Support AttackCrossing x xDecisions x xDribbling x xMarking x xPace x xStamina x xTackling x xTeamwork x xTechnique x xWork Rate x x


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POSITION: DEEP LYING FORWARD


The Deep Lying Forwards main funct ion is to l ink the at tack to the midfield.

He aims to drop deep into space and hold up the ball before supplying linking passes toteammates, moving the ball back to midfield support, spreading it wide to the flanks and,if he has time to turn, playing in his strike partner.

With a Support duty, the Deep Lying Forward wil l largely aim to bring teammatesinto play before attacking the box from deep.

With an Attack duty, the Deep Lying Forward will look to fashion chances forhimself in addition to playing others in.

Great Examples:

Sergio Aguero (Man City)

Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) David Villa (Barcelona) Carlos Tevez (Man City) Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal)

Support AttackAnticipation xBalance xComposure xCreativity x xDecisions x x

Dribbling xFinishing xFirst Touch x xLong Shots xOff The Ball x xPassing x xStrength xTeamwork xTechnique x x


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POSITION: ADVANCED FORWARD

DUTY: ATTACK ONLY

The Advanced Forward s main role is to lead the line and look to spearhead attackingmoves.

His primary duty i s to be the focal point of att acking moves and he is required t o bothscore and create goals.

His secondary role is to chase down misplaced through balls or clearance from deep, winpossession and lay of f passes or crosses to his teammates.

The Advanced Forward is only available with an Attack duty.Great Examples:

Sergio Aguero (Man City) Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) David Villa (Barcelona) Carlos Tevez (Man City) Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal)

Attack

Anticipation x

Composure x

Crossing x

Dribbling x

Finishingx

Heading x

Flair x

Off The Ball x

Pace x

Work Rate x


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POSITION: TARGET MAN


A Target Man can t ransform an average team into a good one by using his sheer physicalit yto disrupt the opposit ion s defence and open space for his st riker part ner and support ingmidfielders.

The Target Man uses his strength and aerial presence to bring teammates into play ratherthan relying on technical ability.

With the Support duty, the Target Man will look to win fleck ons and play simplepossession passes to his teammates to bring them int o play.

With the Attack duty, t he Target Man will l ead the line and open space forteammates to move into.

Great Examples:

Andy Carroll (Liverpool) Edin Dzeko (Man City) Fernando Llorente (Athletic) Marouane Chamakh (Arsenal) Didier Drogba (Chelsea)

Support AttackAggression xAnticipation xBravery x xDeterminatio

x x

Finishing xFirst Touch x xHeading x xJumping x xLong Shots xStrength x xTeamwork x xWork Rate x x


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POSITION: POACHER

DUTY: ATTACK

The Poacher sits on the shoulder of the last defender looking to break the defensive lineand run onto through balls from midfield.

Although the Poacher is always ready to run at his marker and is happy to cross the ballwhen required, his main aim is trying to put the ball in the back of the net.

His focus on scoring goals is so extreme that he rarely offers much help on constructingmoves, preferring instead to remain central and snif f out opportunit ies in and around thebox.

The Poacher is only available with an Attack duty.Great Examples:

Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid)

Pato (A.C. Milan) Luis Saurez (Liverpool) Samuel Eto o (Anzhi) Papiss Cisse (Freiburg)

AttackAcceleratio

x

Agility xAnticipation xBalance xComposure xDribbling xFinishing xFirst Touch xOff The Ball xPace x


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POSITION: COMPLETE FORWARD


A Complete Forward possesses all the technical attributes of a Deep Lying Forward, thegoal scoring ability of a Poacher and the strength and power of a Target Man.

He is equall y adept at playing in others, fashioning chances for himself and gett ing on theend of team moves. Such a player transcends tactical instructions and should simply beallowed to do his own thing.

With a Support duty, the Complete Forward will look to drop into space, run at thedefence, take long shots, drive to the flanks or play balls through the defensiveline.

With an Attack duty, the Complete Forward wil l lead the line, spearheadingattacks and crafting out chances for himself and others.

Great Examples: Sergio Aguero (Man City) Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) Ronaldo (Real Madrid) Carlos Tevez (Man City) Antonio Di Natale (Udinese)

Support AttackAcceleration x xAgility x x

Anticipation x xBalance x xComposure x xCreativity x xDecisions x xDeterminatio

x x

Dribbling x xFinishing x xFirst Touch x xHeading x xJumping x x

Long Shots x xOff The Ball x xPace x xPassing x xStrength x xTeamwork x xTechnique x x


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POSITION: TREQUARISTA

DUTY: ATTACK

The Trequartista can operate in the attacking midfield or centre forward positions.

While similar to the Advanced Playmaker in that he aims to drop into the holes between

the opposit ion s midf ield and defence, the Trequart ista does far less defensively andsimply drifts around looking for space when the team is not in possession.

As such, the rest of the team needs to carry him when defending, but use him as the mainoutlet when attacking.

The Trequart ista is only available wi th an At tack duty.Great Examples:

Sergio Aguero (Man City) Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) David Villa (Barcelona) Carlos Tevez (Man City) Robin Van Persie (Arsenal)

AttackAgility xAnticipation xComposure xCreativity xFinishing xFirst Touch x

Flair xOff The Ball xPassing xTechnique x


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First ly, the everything up unti l now has been my guide, the following is a guide on thedifferent types of player attributes and what they mean. This guide was wrote by Luboand you can view the original guide byclicking here. A Thank you also goes to Lubo forallowing me to post this along with my guide :)

GOALKEEPER ATTRIBUTESHandling:This is the attribute you really want to look out for in a keeper. No handling = no good.

Reflexes:This is a great attribute for your keeper to have, denoting how good he is at makinginstinctive saves particularly from close range. This combines with good handling andagility to keep your goals conceded to a minimum.

Arial Ability:

How easily the keeper can come and claim crosses into the box. (linked with handling).The capacit y to pluck the ball out of the air . A keeper who comes out and f laps at a ballwill cause panic among his defenders. A good aerial ability is helpful against teams whoget lots of crosses in or use the long ball tactic.

Command of Area:Ensures your defence will work as a team. Particularly important when defending cornersand free-kicks. A keeper with good command of his area is mobile and gets around the boxrapidly. He will display this attribute best at set pieces knowing when to come for theball and making sure he gets it when he does.

Communication:

How eff ectively your GK wil l communicate wit h his defence. A keeper wit h goodcommunicat ion skil ls is essential i f you want to possess an organised defence and is alsohandy when defending corners and f ree-kicks.

One on Ones:Gives you a idea of how good your keeper is when he is one on one with an opposingstriker. Concentration is a big advantage here also.

Rushing Out :How quickly the keeper can rush off his line in one on one situation. Decisions can play animportant role here also. This is a good stat to have if your t eam plays the offside t rap or

if the opposition have a particularly fast striker. Your keeper will be out to meet thembefore you can say Rushing Out errr.
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Kicking: If you play the long ball tactic, make sure your keeper has a good kicking at t ribute. He llbe able t o st ick i t on your target mans head from his six yard box. If your keeper has apoor kicking rating, have him distribute the ball straight to your defenders.

Tendency to Punch: Something we ve seen more of in the English Premiership in recent seasons as more t eamsemploy continental keepers. Looking for this stat is purely a personal choice punchingcan clear t he danger immediately but it st il l remains a risky business. Not recommendedwith a weak and shaky defence.

Throwing: If you like your team to play Counter Attack football, a keeper with good Throwing abilityis essential. Once in possession he ll have the ball out to your st riker on the halfway linein no time


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TECHNICAL ATTRIBUTESCorners:This measures the abil it y of the player in terms of how well they can take corner kicks

Crossing:

If you re full backs get f orward a lot, a high crossing at t ribute will not go a miss. He wil lget a fair few assists wit h a high crossing at t ribute. Not important for cent re back s. If youlike to employ wingers marauding down both f lanks it s vit al that they have the abil it y toget quality balls into your strikers. No point in doing this if your attackers are 5ft nothingthough. The Crossing schedule in training is a good way to improve their stats.

Dribbling:He needs to be able to carry the ball over a distance if there isn t a pass available.

Finishing:

The players ability to find the back of the net.

First Touch:

Wouldn t say vital, but i t is fairly import ant . I d say it needs to be at least a healt hy 14.

Free-Kick Taking:

Together wit h this att ribute, both Long Shots and Crossing abil it y can aid a player s

aptitude for free-kicks and corners. Again, the best way to find out who strikes a good set

piece is through match pract ice.

Heading:

The players abil it y to head the ball to safety or score. You cannot afford to have your f ull

backs heading the ball to opposit ion players.

Long Shot s:

If you don t get shots on goal, youre never going to score. A few long shots now and then

can also really test a dodgy keeper. Once youve established that you have a midfielder

who can bullet them from the halfway line, instruct him to take a few long pots. He might

be good at free kicks too

Long Throws:

Long Throwing ability is a particularly good attribute for a fullback to have as you will

probably want them to take most of the attacking throws, thereby freeing up your moreattacking players.

Marking:

He must be able to stick with his man, especially whilst defending free-kicks and corners.

If a defender has poor marking it doesn t necessarily mean he ll be a load of rubbish.

However, you ll definitely want to avoid playing a Man-Marking tactic. If your defenders

cant mark for t off ee, perhaps consider a Sweeper system or have them defend deeper

than you would otherwise like.


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Passing:

A players ability to pick out a pass and complete it. A player cannot always run with the

ball so he must be able t o pick out a good pass if needs be.

Penalty Taking

Alt hough this stat speaks for it self , I ve often found that a player wit h high Influence (e.g.club captain) will also come up trumps and have the guts to take a good penalty.

Tackling:

If you combine this att ribute with Strength, Marking and part icularly Aggression and

Bravery, you ll have a great defender on your hands. It ` s essential for defenders and

battling defensive midfielders.

Technique:

A player must be able to keep control of the ball. Technique is perhaps one of the more

important attributes a player can have and refers largely to natural skill rather than anexpert ise in a part icular area or posit ion. Look for good technique in your at tacking

players if you want to impress the opposition.


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MENTAL ATTRIBUTESAggression: This attribute is a measure of how enthusiastic a player will be when involved in aconfrontation with an opponent or when challenging for a 50-50 ball. Aggressive playerswil l get cautioned more oft en (which will make them miss matches) but they won t half

get stuck in for your team!

Anticipation:If your midfield players have good anticipation, then they will be likely to manage moreinterceptions during a match and therefore give your team more possession. Goodant icipat ion is a vit al ingredient for defenders and att ackers alike t hough - best coupledwith good Off the Ball movement and Decisions.

Bravery:Should be an essential part of any player s vocabulary. A high Bravery rating wil l increasethe likel ihood of your player winning 50-50 balls and generally gett ing in where it hurts. Aspreviously mentioned, at it s best wit h Tackling and most goalkeeper stats you care to

mention.

Composure:Keeping his cool in one on one situations.

Creativity:Is the abil it y to make things happen. You ll score more goals if you get a creat ivemidfielder operating in the centre of the park. It might be wise to support him with adefensive midf ielder though as creat ive geniuses don t tend to be great tacklers. Thereare except ions of courseDecisions:

Quick thinking is crucial in a hectic game of football. You want players who can make theright decisions in the heat of the moment.

Determination:Is a measure of your players desire to win and it s a good at t ribute to possess throughoutyour team. You might part icularly look for Determination in players if you manage a lowlyclub and often find you re having to come back from a goal or two down. Players withDetermination will keep battling to the final whistle. Linked with work rate. Needs to putin 100%into all his act ions on the pit ch.

Flair:

A player with a lot of flair can cause you a lot of frustration but equally can be a matchwinner. There wil l be t imes when you wished hed t ried the simple pass rather thanblazing a bicycle kick into the stands. There will be other times however when you risefrom your seat and applaud the best piece of individualism you ve ever seen.

Influence:A player with a high Influence attribute will undoubtedly be a prime candidate for the roleof captain. Yet choose wisely. A player who has high Influence but doesn t seem tocommand the respect of the players around him will not make a good choice. Remember,even when youve chosen your captain it s good to have Influence in every area of t hepitch.


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Off the Ball:Is perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects of the game of football, yet FM regards it asone of the most important . A player wit h good Off the Ball movement can draw defendersand generally cause the opposition a lot of problems. Try to find a player who combines ahigh Off the Ball att ribute wi th good Pace, Posit ioning and Anticipat ion.

Positioning: If youve ever entertained the idea of your t eam playing the Offside t rap, you will knowthat Positioning is the main attribute you want your defenders to bring to the game.Positioning combines well with strength and anticipation to create an air of solidity.

Teamwork:If you not the sort of person who likes to rely on one player t o win matches, you ll needplayers with strong Teamwork to get your team gelling. High Teamwork throughout yourteam will see your side working their socks off for each other. Blends nicely with highWork Rate and Determination.

Work Rate:As ment ioned, this is an att ribute which compliments a high Teamwork et hic. If you likeyour team to Close Down your opponents, then a high Work Rate attribute throughout yourmidfield wi ll be highly useful. Don t forget to ensure theyve got a bit of Stamina though


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PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTESAcceleration :As a measure of how quickly a player can reach top speed, Accelerat ion is a must -have

attribute for wingers and pacey attackers. You might also consider having defenders withgood Acceleration if you re faced by a team who are aiming to hit you on the break. GoodStamina is a must and a li t t le bit of Work Rate wont go a miss eit her.

Agility:Agility is an attribute which is most necessary for players in top-flight football. You canget away with being a cumbersome lump in the lower leagues but the top divisionsdemand that even the central defenders have a bit of agil it y. Combined wit h Accelerationand Dribbling a high Agil it y rat ing can make for a great att acking footballer.

Balance:Although by the very nature of their profession all footballers could do with a bit of

Balance, t he ones who ll need it most are the ones who are going to be on the receivingend of a few t ackles and kicks. You ll predominantly l ike your wingers and other at tackingplayers to have high balance, coupled wit h good Agil it y, Dribbling or St rength t o make itdifficult for the opposition to knock them off the ball.

Jumping:An easy one this one. Youve got to link it with a good Heading att ribute and be sure if youever want to play long ball or crossing-intensive tactics that your players are good atspringing off the ground.

Natural Fitness:This is basically the general fitness the player has, a player with high natural fitness ofaround 16 but 80%conditioning will be fitter than a player with 95%conditioning and 10for natural fitness.

Pace: Vit al for keeping up wit h wingers as most of t hem are fast . If your full back has agood strength attribute, this is not as important.

Stamina: The importance of Stamina cannot be underest imated part icularly if you play an effort -intensive style such as Closing Down, Gung-Ho or have players set to making lot s offorward runs. You ll f ind that if your t eam has a low level of Stamina in general, you wil ltend to concede goals late in the game. You have been warned

Strength:Is an important issue when challenging for the ball, a player must be able to stop otherplayers breaking through the midfield.


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This is not all, I have also compiled a shortlist of all the players mentioned in this guidealong with A LOT more, over all there should be 580 players on the shortlist, depending onthe size of your game. The reason it s so big is because I needed to find a good middle

level. You know, enough players for all types of teams, so there should be players forPremiership teams right down to League 2 and even lower than that as well. There is a lotof players you wil l obviously have heard of on it such as Ronaldo and Messi, but also onesthat you may not have heard of.

You can download this shortlist here.

Thank you for tasking the time to read my guide. This is hopefully the first instalment of along line of comprehensive Football Manager 2012 guides forFMFormat ion.

Take care,Alberto.FMFormat ionAdminht tp:/ / www.fmformati on.net
http://www.fmformation.net/shortlists/64733-fmfs-player-positions-roles-duties-attributes.htmlhttp://www.fmformation.net/shortlists/64733-fmfs-player-positions-roles-duties-attributes.htmlhttp://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/http://www.fmformation.net/shortlists/64733-fmfs-player-positions-roles-duties-attributes.html

fmf players positions, duties and roles

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