As a new player to Football Manager 2020, it can be quite easy to feel overwhelmed. If you find it hard to go about starting out on FM20, here are some great tactical setups to try out.
As a new player to Football Manager 2020, it can be quite easy to feel overwhelmed. FM2020 is arguably the most complex addition to the series yet and is full of interesting and challenging little quirks that you need to overcome as a player. If you find it hard to go about starting out on FM, here are some great tactical styles to try out.
When starting out on FM, you’ll get access to some pre-made tactical styles. We recommend sticking to these and tweaking them as time goes on.
What, though, makes a solid catch-all formation you can build around?
Cautious 4-4-2
The ideal starting place for someone who would like to keep things nice and simple. 4-4-2 formations work quite well either as part of a Gegenpressing style or as part of a Fluid Counter Attack style. This allows you to be more expansive than 4-4-2 would typically have allowed in the past.
It also allows you to be a bit more ambitious with your decision making, allowing you to build a team with plenty of firepower. 4-4-2 is easy enough to build solid roles around, too, without too many need for specialist positions. This makes it great for beginners who want to have a defined look and style to the way that their team plays week-in, week-out.
4-2-3-1 Wide
A 4-2-3-1 is a fine formation to work with as it’s just so easy to buy players for. FM2020 is loaded with quality players for the LM/AML and RM/AMR positions, so finding wide attackers is easy. The three in midfield are easy enough to find, too; we recommend going for a simple, fluid combination in the middle. A Box to Box Midfielder and Ball Winning Midfielder in the middle with an Advanced Playmaker above them can work very well in most teams.
Stick to either a Vertical Tiki-Taka or a Gegenpressing style with this formation. This formation is one that allows you to expend energy all across the pitch, meaning you can suffocate games. However, it also works well as a more counter-attacking formation if you change the AML/AMR to LM/RM instead.
3-4-1-2 WB (or 5-2-1-2)
This formation is one that works very well in FM2020, as the computer does not seem to handle wing-backs very well. Either play them in WB roles, or push them up into LM/RM instead if your players have the attributes to play that position.
This formation allows for you to dominate matches and to really put the opposition on the backfoot. Though you need two central defenders with adequate pace on the LCB and RCB positions, you can really play an exciting brand of football with this role. The Vertical Tiki-Taka style works extremely well with this.
However, just note that a formation like this is draining on the players. It means spending a fair amount of energy per match, so it’s maybe suited to more dominant teams.
What formation can you see yourself trying to build a team around first and foremost?
More guides on Football Manager are available in our newly released eBook, Guide to FM - Edition 2. And if you want even more guides you can check out the Guide to FM - Edition 1 eBook which contains some evergreen guides that you'll definitely find useful.
