Football Manager 2024 (FM24) introduces a host of new and refined player roles, offering gamers deeper tactical options and a more immersive management experience.
This article delves into the nuances of these roles, guiding you on how to master them for optimal gameplay.
Understanding player roles in FM24
Player roles in FM24 are integral to shaping your team’s tactical approach. Each role has specific responsibilities and movements, which can significantly impact your team’s performance on the pitch. According to FourFourTwo, understanding these roles is crucial for creating effective strategies.
When @FootballManager has finally made greater changes to player roles to enable player rotations and movements into specific zones!
Can’t wait to incorporate Pep’s principles in Football Manager 2024!#FM24 pic.twitter.com/UkWpKJlURj
— Passion4FM (@Passion4FM) September 27, 2023
Key player roles
- Inverted Full-Back: This role allows full-backs to tuck inside during possession, acting as additional central defenders or midfielders. It offers greater defensive stability and enhances ball retention.
- Libero: Traditionally a sweeper, the Libero in FM24 has more freedom to move into midfield and support attacks. This role is perfect for teams that build play from the back.
- Roaming Playmaker: Operating either in defensive or central midfield, the Roaming Playmaker dictates play by moving across the pitch, providing passing options and maintaining the team’s tempo.
- Segundo Volante: This aggressive role sees midfielders pushing up to support the attack, often acting as an additional ‘Number 10’. It is essential for teams looking to dominate possession and apply constant pressure.
- Mezzala: Playing on the side of a midfield three, the Mezzala moves wide and into half-spaces, creating width and linking play between the midfield and attack.
Implementing positional play
FM24’s enhanced positional play mechanics allow for more dynamic and fluid tactics. Players shift positions based on the phase of play, ensuring better spacing and passing options.
In FM24, positional play involves players moving intelligently across the pitch to create and exploit space. This dynamic movement is crucial for maintaining possession and breaking down opposition defences.
For instance, using a 4-2-3-1 formation with a Mezzala and an Advanced Playmaker can create a 4-1-4-1 shape during the attacking phase, providing width and depth simultaneously.
The Mezzala moves into the half-spaces, offering a wide option while the Advanced Playmaker stays central, ensuring passing lanes remain open and creating overloads in key areas. This shift helps in stretching the opposition’s defence, allowing for more attacking opportunities.
Practical examples
Consider using Bologna FC’s tactical setup in FM24. A balanced 3-4-3 formation leverages the strengths of key players like Victor Kristiansen and Joshua Zirkzee. The 3-4-3 formation allows for a solid defensive base while providing numerous attacking options.
By employing roles such as the Inverted Full-Back and Segundo Volante, you can create a fluid system that adapts during different phases of play, enhancing both defensive solidity and attacking creativity.
The Inverted Full-Back moves into midfield during possession, creating a numerical advantage in the centre and allowing the team to dominate the midfield battle. Meanwhile, the Segundo Volante pushes forward aggressively, supporting the strikers and providing an additional goal threat.
For example, in a 4-2-3-1 setup, if you have a Segundo Volante on the left and a Ball-Winning Midfielder on the right, the Segundo Volante will advance to join the attack, while the Ball-Winning Midfielder stays back to cover defensively. This creates a balanced approach, ensuring that the team remains defensively solid while still committing numbers forward.
Similarly, in a 3-4-3 formation, deploying an Inverted Wing-Back can see this player move into a central midfield role during attacking phases. This positional shift can create a 3-2-5 shape in possession, with the wing-backs pushing high and wide, and the central midfielders supporting the attack.
This formation maximises width and depth, stretching the opposition and creating numerous passing options. The key to mastering these roles is understanding how each player’s movement affects the overall team shape and finding the right balance between attacking and defensive duties.
As illustrated with Bologna FC, tactical flexibility is vital. Using Victor Kristiansen as an Inverted Full-Back, for instance, can help transition the team from defence to attack seamlessly.
This role allows Kristiansen to join the midfield during possession, creating a numerical advantage and helping to maintain control of the game.
Joshua Zirkzee, deployed as a Complete Forward, can exploit the spaces created by these movements, providing a focal point for attacks and finishing chances created by the team’s dynamic play.
