Introduction In my journeyman save, I started unemployed in Santa Cruz in Chilean Second Division, got promoted, moved to the local big club O'Higgins, won the Primera División and managed to qualify from the Copa Libertadores group twice, beating powerhouses like Cruzeiro, Botafogo, Corinthians, and Boca Juniors along the way. Then, I was offered a position at Barcelona. However, it was the women team. I accepted the challenge. Even though the season was already underway, it had just begun.
With the vast amount of talent in hand and the Barcelonian DNA, I decided to play my own version of the high-pressing high-tempo 4-3-3 with a lot of fluidity that also promotes individual excellence.
The results surpassed any expectations I might have had. I won the league winning all games but 3, losing none. I had 859 shots on goal, when the second team (Real) had just over 500. Our goal difference? +100. Biggest win? 13:2!
On top of that, we've won the Cup, the Super Cup and the Champions League. The final was a real thriller. We defeated Chelsea 4:3 after a 94th minute goal by the GOAT Aitana Bonmati - the female Messi.
So how did we achieve it - my ladies and I?
Formation
We played a 4-3-3 DM Wide in possession, retracting to 4-1-4-1 without ball.
In the build-up, the full backs invert to the middle, creating a de-facto 2-3-5 attacking shape. In defence, they don't press, but wait for the winger patiently and hold position. The only player pressing forward on top of the team instuctions is the left centre mid.
The mentality of choice is Positive, with occasional changes to Balanced/Attacking, rarely Cautious. But Positive is really what works best - even against big teams.
The team
In possession, we played what I like to call "vertical tiki-taka on steroids", which means adding more intensity, speed and magic to the regular VTT style. Thus, we passed the ball shorter, but with higher tempo. We avoided wasting time and initiated quick counter attacks. We compressed the width as much as we could by playing extremely narrow, kept the ball in play and encouraged more individual expression.
In the build-up, we played through the press, and executed goal kicks quickly to centre-backs with a short pass.
We didn't focus play in any specific area of the pitch, nor did we encourage playing to feet or into space. However, we limited mindless long shots and crosses, with individual exceptions.
I also added underlaps on both sides and more dribbling.
Without ball, we pressed high with extreme intensity (including the opposing goalkeeper), and counter-pressed when we lost the ball. The defensive line was set to high.
All in all - it's a high-tempo high-creativity ultra-narrow short-passing fun tactic to play.
The players Individual roles are tactically based, but specific instructions were selected more to match the specific profiles of the players I have - so you might want to tweak it to your personnel's strength and weaknesses.
The goalkeeper - Cata Coll - voted the best keeper in the world - played a modern ball-playing / sweeping role. Unfortunately, that cost us a bizarre goal in the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal, when she dribbled all the way to the half line, only to be dispossed by Alessia Russo, who scored from 40 metres to an empty net (to be honest, she is instructed to dribble less and ease off tackles, but she still did it). However, if we forget that one blunder, Cata was instrumental all along the season.
The centre-back pair are two classic ball playing defenders. The only difference between them is that Mapi Leon was instructed to dribble less and tackle harder, Alice Sombath - one of the hardest training people in my team with her training rating oscillating around 9,00 every week - didn't have her dribbling limited more than necessary, but was additionally asked to mark tighter.
As I mentioned before - the full backs play as inverted wing backs, de facto playing as DMs in possession. Julie Blakstad on the left was asked to cut inside with ball and shoot more often, but also to make fewer runs forward and tackle harder. On the opposite side - Ona Battle also cut inside with ball, but had a much more progressive role, with more forward runs and more dribbling and risky passes encouraged. Defensively, she also tackled harder and also marked tighter.
The metronome of the team - the "female Busquets" - was Patricia Guijarro. In her deep-lying playmaker role she scored 8 goals and assisted 9. Apart from hard-coded role instructions, I encouraged her to shoot more often.
Then the two midfielders - our long-haired Xavi and Iniesta - the legendary Alexia Putellas and Claudia Pina. On the right - we have Alexia - who at the tender age of 35 noted 57 goal contributions in 38 games, playing as an MC! I encouraged her to roam from position, shoot more often and play very direct passes, as well as take it easy when it comes to tackling. Her role is to create, score, and cause havoc by unpredictable greatness. And that's what she did.
Her partner on the left, however, was a different story. Claudia Pina with just 12 acceleration was not really my idea of a runner, but my first tests of playing with three playmakers and no runner didn't end well. I needed someone to run into the final third from deep. And it had to be Claudia. To be fair to hair, she trained hard and even though already approaching 30 soon, she managed to increase her acceleration 13 with my specialized training eventually. Playing as a left centre mid, Pina scored 38 goals. As a midfielder! Molding her into the runner role, I told her to move into channels, dribble more, make more runs forward, shoot more often, and take more risks. Just like Putellas, I told her to ease off tackles. However, additionally I asked her to press more out of possession - by giving her the pressing central midfielder role.
Now the wingers. Since my full backs were tucking inside, I needed two ladies who can provide width in attack, but who could also retract to a more defensive role out of possession when needed, forming a 4-1-4-1. On the left I played Esmee Brugts, who scored 16 and assisted 19. I asked her to stay wider, run wide with ball, dribble more, make more forward runs and shoot more often. I didn't add any special out of possesion instructions, but Esmee is comfortable playing anywhere on the left, including a left back, so she was fine.
The right side needed minor tweaks. At first I also choose a winger role, but since here I had the "female Messi" - the multiple time Ballon d'Or winning gem of Aitana Bonmati, I had to give her a more responsible job. The Spanish legend scored 20 and assisted 9, so her numbers were not as high as I wished, but she was the clutch player. She scored the winning goal in the Champions League final and was always there when I needed someone to do the magic. I played her as a wide forward, with additional instructions to stay wider but - unlike Brugts - cut inside with ball. Of course, I also asked her to do more dribbles and risky passes. Additionally, I gave her roaming freedom and relieved her of tackling duties.
So all in all - on the left we had a running combo of Pina attacking from the deep and a classic winger in Brugts, but on the right we had the magical duo of Putellas and Bonmati, who had absolute freedom to do whatever they wanted.
And finally the striker - in that role I played Salma Paralluelo, even though I signed Barbra Banda - the African legend - on a free transfer, and Ewa Pajor was still only 32 and could also step in. Salma played a lone channel striker, whose role was not to be the typical number 9, but also to give space to people like Alexia and Aitana. I also asked her to dribble more and make more runs. She scored 21 and assisted 10.
The results
We have won the quadruple: the league, the cup, the super cup, and the Champions League.
In the league, we were undefeated the whole season, drawing just 3 games. We scored 118 goals and conceded only 18, which gave us a perfect +100 goal difference. What's interesting, all 3 draws were at home. Our away record was 15-0-0:
We dominated the league in most stats, noting ridiculous numbers like 334 shots more than the second team in the league:
Individually, we also cracked most categories. Only Athenea Del Castillo from Real came anywhere close.
This is the top 15 in average ratings:
In the Champions League, we also scored most goals, had most dribbles, and most clean sheets:
Individually, Alessia Russo from Arsenal was the top scorer, but she scored 6 out of those 10 against us in the semi-final! I even signed her afterwards, but my chairperson didn't want to give me additional funds to complete the transfer! Alexia had the most key passes and Claudia Pina topped the assists charts. Cata Coll had the most clean sheets.
Apart from Russo, I think only Klara Buhl from Bayern - who also won the Goal50 this season - could come close to our superstars.
Bonus: set pieces I almost forgot. Almost none of my players could play in the air. The highest heading attribute value I think is 12. In the whole team! So - I redesigned all set pieces to play short and on the ground. We scored a lot from those!
Alexander said: - All players in the FM-Arena testing league have their morale and conditions set and "frozen" at the highest possible level, it ensures that the morale and physical conditions don't change and stay the same throughout a testing process, also, injuries are being removed if they occur. These adjustments greatly reducing the random elements of the game. Expand
Can you tell me how to freeze morale and condition in editor/in-game editor? I can only see the option to maximize it, but not to freeze it. I can only see "freeze attributes".
So this is my final FM 2022 tactics for the final patch. I have just finished my save with Leverkusen, absolutely dominating Germany and finally winning the UEFA Champions League against PSG 2:0 in the final. This is the fourth Champions League-winning save for me and fourth tactic, however the first that really exploits the changes in the Match Engine that happened in the winter patch.
Before the winter patch, the meta was to play IWB IWB BPD BPD defence line and provide width higher up front with wingers, but after the patch was released, in fact a much better solution became to provide width from your lightning-fast wing backs playing on DR and DL positions and then exploit space by stretching the play and have a lot of other players running into the penalty box.
Of course standard meta tactics still apply: relentless pressing and extreme tempo, counter-press and counter.
Key player profiles for this tactic:
Goalkeeper - a solid shot-stopper, you don't really need an advanced Sweeper Keeper, but if you do, Maarten Vandevoordt will do. I sold him to Barcelona and kept my Egyptian wonderkid.
DR and DL - by far THE MOST important people in your team. They have to be Usain Bolt-like fast. This is absolutely crucial. Acceleration / pace of 17+ or even higher. Then comes crossing, dribbling and off the ball. Those players will effecitvely be your wingers and provide most assists by low crosses or diagonal passes.
DCs - as we play from the back, they should be quite technically gifted, but of course the main thing is they have to win headers and be strong and fast
Side MCs - as they play on CM Attack, they need to be lightning fast as well, also good passing, vision, flair, technique, first touch - but again - SPEED is the most important attribute
MCd - this is your pivot - but apart from being one - he has a PI of "take more risks" enabled, so think of your Rovella, Barella or Bellingham here. Although I played Belli on the attacking role.
SS - in the first iteration it was an AM on Attack, but as a SS the impact up front is much better. Luka Romero scored 27 goals from that position. Here they have to be not only fast, but also have great dribbling, vision, flair, off the ball, passing, etc.
AF - think of Haaland or Sesko in their prime - that's your perfect match: very fast, very athletic, with amazing off the ball, anticipation, composure and finishing. Also good dribbling and/or good heading skills will not hurt. Youssoufa Moukoko won the Ballon d'Or for me here, even though he's not prolific in the air.
So - here it is - the Wunderwaffe Final. Enjoy and win trophies. This is the ultimate FM 22 Winter Patch tactic.
Hey guys. So I've been active on the scene since 1999. Recently predominantly on one of the Polish discord servers. Anyway, I can announce that finally I have found the holy grail of FM 2022 tactics. After dozens of seasons of testing and tweaking - here it is. Bright and Breezy Final.
As you can see - the tactic revolves around the 4-3-3 formation with a DM-pivot. This is basically the geometric system propagated by my managerial idol - Zdenek Zeman, as well as by me in various previous FMs. The differential here is the space creation and space exploitation.
Forward runs by the two CMs, stretching play by the two wingers and - predominantly - cutting runs into half-spaces by the IWBs. All of that protected and orchestrated by the brains of the team: the Deep-Lying Playmaker. The concept is not new. I utilized it in my FM 2020's CL-winning Espanyol, with Nem playing the DLP role. However, I moved away from the Inside Forwards or Inverted Wingers in favor of classic Wingers, whose role is to stretch play.
As with all my tactics, we pass short and low, building-up the chances from the back. One difference is that FM 2022 favors high tempo (as opposed to older versions where slow tempo worked nicer).
Of course there is extreme-intensity counter-pressing from the very front line as well.
Now to the results.
My first test was in the Polish league. I took Legia (championship favorites) and Gornik Leczna (relegation favorites). Legia won the league without any problems, but Leczna in fact finished third and qualified for Europe! That was a sign we can do wonders with this baby.
After tweaking the set pieces, I ran a couple of other tests. I played a friendly with OFI Crete against Barcelona and won. Then, I decided to run a couple of tests on holiday in various leagues.
I chose mid-table teams with odds around 51.00 to win the national championship. The first results were out of this world.
In Austria - my Wolfsberger (51.00) - finished first (!), ahead of the mighty Red Bull, in the regular season. We dropped to 2nd in the championship playoffs, but still that was an extraordinary result.
In Belarus I took charge of Neman Grodno (51.00). Playing against the regional superpowers like BATE and Shakhtyor Solihorsk, we managed to win the league with 8 points' advantage. Amazing.
The next step were the Big 5 leagues. I took charge of teams with odds of 51.00 as well. Those were:
In my journeyman save, I started unemployed in Santa Cruz in Chilean Second Division, got promoted, moved to the local big club O'Higgins, won the Primera División and managed to qualify from the Copa Libertadores group twice, beating powerhouses like Cruzeiro, Botafogo, Corinthians, and Boca Juniors along the way. Then, I was offered a position at Barcelona. However, it was the women team. I accepted the challenge. Even though the season was already underway, it had just begun.
With the vast amount of talent in hand and the Barcelonian DNA, I decided to play my own version of the high-pressing high-tempo 4-3-3 with a lot of fluidity that also promotes individual excellence.
The results surpassed any expectations I might have had. I won the league winning all games but 3, losing none. I had 859 shots on goal, when the second team (Real) had just over 500. Our goal difference? +100. Biggest win? 13:2!
On top of that, we've won the Cup, the Super Cup and the Champions League. The final was a real thriller. We defeated Chelsea 4:3 after a 94th minute goal by the GOAT Aitana Bonmati - the female Messi.
So how did we achieve it - my ladies and I?
Formation
We played a 4-3-3 DM Wide in possession, retracting to 4-1-4-1 without ball.
In the build-up, the full backs invert to the middle, creating a de-facto 2-3-5 attacking shape. In defence, they don't press, but wait for the winger patiently and hold position. The only player pressing forward on top of the team instuctions is the left centre mid.
The mentality of choice is Positive, with occasional changes to Balanced/Attacking, rarely Cautious. But Positive is really what works best - even against big teams.
The team
In possession, we played what I like to call "vertical tiki-taka on steroids", which means adding more intensity, speed and magic to the regular VTT style. Thus, we passed the ball shorter, but with higher tempo. We avoided wasting time and initiated quick counter attacks. We compressed the width as much as we could by playing extremely narrow, kept the ball in play and encouraged more individual expression.
In the build-up, we played through the press, and executed goal kicks quickly to centre-backs with a short pass.
We didn't focus play in any specific area of the pitch, nor did we encourage playing to feet or into space. However, we limited mindless long shots and crosses, with individual exceptions.
I also added underlaps on both sides and more dribbling.
Without ball, we pressed high with extreme intensity (including the opposing goalkeeper), and counter-pressed when we lost the ball. The defensive line was set to high.
All in all - it's a high-tempo high-creativity ultra-narrow short-passing fun tactic to play.
The players
Individual roles are tactically based, but specific instructions were selected more to match the specific profiles of the players I have - so you might want to tweak it to your personnel's strength and weaknesses.
The goalkeeper - Cata Coll - voted the best keeper in the world - played a modern ball-playing / sweeping role. Unfortunately, that cost us a bizarre goal in the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal, when she dribbled all the way to the half line, only to be dispossed by Alessia Russo, who scored from 40 metres to an empty net (to be honest, she is instructed to dribble less and ease off tackles, but she still did it). However, if we forget that one blunder, Cata was instrumental all along the season.
The centre-back pair are two classic ball playing defenders. The only difference between them is that Mapi Leon was instructed to dribble less and tackle harder, Alice Sombath - one of the hardest training people in my team with her training rating oscillating around 9,00 every week - didn't have her dribbling limited more than necessary, but was additionally asked to mark tighter.
As I mentioned before - the full backs play as inverted wing backs, de facto playing as DMs in possession. Julie Blakstad on the left was asked to cut inside with ball and shoot more often, but also to make fewer runs forward and tackle harder. On the opposite side - Ona Battle also cut inside with ball, but had a much more progressive role, with more forward runs and more dribbling and risky passes encouraged. Defensively, she also tackled harder and also marked tighter.
The metronome of the team - the "female Busquets" - was Patricia Guijarro. In her deep-lying playmaker role she scored 8 goals and assisted 9. Apart from hard-coded role instructions, I encouraged her to shoot more often.
Then the two midfielders - our long-haired Xavi and Iniesta - the legendary Alexia Putellas and Claudia Pina. On the right - we have Alexia - who at the tender age of 35 noted 57 goal contributions in 38 games, playing as an MC! I encouraged her to roam from position, shoot more often and play very direct passes, as well as take it easy when it comes to tackling. Her role is to create, score, and cause havoc by unpredictable greatness. And that's what she did.
Her partner on the left, however, was a different story. Claudia Pina with just 12 acceleration was not really my idea of a runner, but my first tests of playing with three playmakers and no runner didn't end well. I needed someone to run into the final third from deep. And it had to be Claudia. To be fair to hair, she trained hard and even though already approaching 30 soon, she managed to increase her acceleration 13 with my specialized training eventually. Playing as a left centre mid, Pina scored 38 goals. As a midfielder! Molding her into the runner role, I told her to move into channels, dribble more, make more runs forward, shoot more often, and take more risks. Just like Putellas, I told her to ease off tackles. However, additionally I asked her to press more out of possession - by giving her the pressing central midfielder role.
Now the wingers. Since my full backs were tucking inside, I needed two ladies who can provide width in attack, but who could also retract to a more defensive role out of possession when needed, forming a 4-1-4-1. On the left I played Esmee Brugts, who scored 16 and assisted 19. I asked her to stay wider, run wide with ball, dribble more, make more forward runs and shoot more often. I didn't add any special out of possesion instructions, but Esmee is comfortable playing anywhere on the left, including a left back, so she was fine.
The right side needed minor tweaks. At first I also choose a winger role, but since here I had the "female Messi" - the multiple time Ballon d'Or winning gem of Aitana Bonmati, I had to give her a more responsible job. The Spanish legend scored 20 and assisted 9, so her numbers were not as high as I wished, but she was the clutch player. She scored the winning goal in the Champions League final and was always there when I needed someone to do the magic. I played her as a wide forward, with additional instructions to stay wider but - unlike Brugts - cut inside with ball. Of course, I also asked her to do more dribbles and risky passes. Additionally, I gave her roaming freedom and relieved her of tackling duties.
So all in all - on the left we had a running combo of Pina attacking from the deep and a classic winger in Brugts, but on the right we had the magical duo of Putellas and Bonmati, who had absolute freedom to do whatever they wanted.
And finally the striker - in that role I played Salma Paralluelo, even though I signed Barbra Banda - the African legend - on a free transfer, and Ewa Pajor was still only 32 and could also step in. Salma played a lone channel striker, whose role was not to be the typical number 9, but also to give space to people like Alexia and Aitana. I also asked her to dribble more and make more runs. She scored 21 and assisted 10.
The results
We have won the quadruple: the league, the cup, the super cup, and the Champions League.
In the league, we were undefeated the whole season, drawing just 3 games. We scored 118 goals and conceded only 18, which gave us a perfect +100 goal difference. What's interesting, all 3 draws were at home. Our away record was 15-0-0:
We dominated the league in most stats, noting ridiculous numbers like 334 shots more than the second team in the league:
Individually, we also cracked most categories. Only Athenea Del Castillo from Real came anywhere close.
This is the top 15 in average ratings:
In the Champions League, we also scored most goals, had most dribbles, and most clean sheets:
Individually, Alessia Russo from Arsenal was the top scorer, but she scored 6 out of those 10 against us in the semi-final! I even signed her afterwards, but my chairperson didn't want to give me additional funds to complete the transfer! Alexia had the most key passes and Claudia Pina topped the assists charts. Cata Coll had the most clean sheets.
Apart from Russo, I think only Klara Buhl from Bayern - who also won the Goal50 this season - could come close to our superstars.
Bonus: set pieces
I almost forgot. Almost none of my players could play in the air. The highest heading attribute value I think is 12. In the whole team! So - I redesigned all set pieces to play short and on the ground. We scored a lot from those!
Bonus: training
One game per week schedule:
Two games per week schedule:
Enjoy
Alexander said: - All players in the FM-Arena testing league have their morale and conditions set and "frozen" at the highest possible level, it ensures that the morale and physical conditions don't change and stay the same throughout a testing process, also, injuries are being removed if they occur. These adjustments greatly reducing the random elements of the game.
Can you tell me how to freeze morale and condition in editor/in-game editor? I can only see the option to maximize it, but not to freeze it. I can only see "freeze attributes".
Please let me know, thanks.
So this is my final FM 2022 tactics for the final patch. I have just finished my save with Leverkusen, absolutely dominating Germany and finally winning the UEFA Champions League against PSG 2:0 in the final. This is the fourth Champions League-winning save for me and fourth tactic, however the first that really exploits the changes in the Match Engine that happened in the winter patch.
Before the winter patch, the meta was to play IWB IWB BPD BPD defence line and provide width higher up front with wingers, but after the patch was released, in fact a much better solution became to provide width from your lightning-fast wing backs playing on DR and DL positions and then exploit space by stretching the play and have a lot of other players running into the penalty box.
Of course standard meta tactics still apply: relentless pressing and extreme tempo, counter-press and counter.
Key player profiles for this tactic:
Goalkeeper - a solid shot-stopper, you don't really need an advanced Sweeper Keeper, but if you do, Maarten Vandevoordt will do. I sold him to Barcelona and kept my Egyptian wonderkid.
DR and DL - by far THE MOST important people in your team. They have to be Usain Bolt-like fast. This is absolutely crucial. Acceleration / pace of 17+ or even higher. Then comes crossing, dribbling and off the ball. Those players will effecitvely be your wingers and provide most assists by low crosses or diagonal passes.
DCs - as we play from the back, they should be quite technically gifted, but of course the main thing is they have to win headers and be strong and fast
Side MCs - as they play on CM Attack, they need to be lightning fast as well, also good passing, vision, flair, technique, first touch - but again - SPEED is the most important attribute
MCd - this is your pivot - but apart from being one - he has a PI of "take more risks" enabled, so think of your Rovella, Barella or Bellingham here. Although I played Belli on the attacking role.
SS - in the first iteration it was an AM on Attack, but as a SS the impact up front is much better. Luka Romero scored 27 goals from that position. Here they have to be not only fast, but also have great dribbling, vision, flair, off the ball, passing, etc.
AF - think of Haaland or Sesko in their prime - that's your perfect match: very fast, very athletic, with amazing off the ball, anticipation, composure and finishing. Also good dribbling and/or good heading skills will not hurt. Youssoufa Moukoko won the Ballon d'Or for me here, even though he's not prolific in the air.
So - here it is - the Wunderwaffe Final. Enjoy and win trophies. This is the ultimate FM 22 Winter Patch tactic.
As you can see - the tactic revolves around the 4-3-3 formation with a DM-pivot. This is basically the geometric system propagated by my managerial idol - Zdenek Zeman, as well as by me in various previous FMs. The differential here is the space creation and space exploitation.
Forward runs by the two CMs, stretching play by the two wingers and - predominantly - cutting runs into half-spaces by the IWBs. All of that protected and orchestrated by the brains of the team: the Deep-Lying Playmaker. The concept is not new. I utilized it in my FM 2020's CL-winning Espanyol, with Nem playing the DLP role. However, I moved away from the Inside Forwards or Inverted Wingers in favor of classic Wingers, whose role is to stretch play.
As with all my tactics, we pass short and low, building-up the chances from the back. One difference is that FM 2022 favors high tempo (as opposed to older versions where slow tempo worked nicer).
Of course there is extreme-intensity counter-pressing from the very front line as well.
Now to the results.
My first test was in the Polish league. I took Legia (championship favorites) and Gornik Leczna (relegation favorites). Legia won the league without any problems, but Leczna in fact finished third and qualified for Europe! That was a sign we can do wonders with this baby.
After tweaking the set pieces, I ran a couple of other tests. I played a friendly with OFI Crete against Barcelona and won. Then, I decided to run a couple of tests on holiday in various leagues.
I chose mid-table teams with odds around 51.00 to win the national championship. The first results were out of this world.
In Austria - my Wolfsberger (51.00) - finished first (!), ahead of the mighty Red Bull, in the regular season. We dropped to 2nd in the championship playoffs, but still that was an extraordinary result.
In Belarus I took charge of Neman Grodno (51.00). Playing against the regional superpowers like BATE and Shakhtyor Solihorsk, we managed to win the league with 8 points' advantage. Amazing.
The next step were the Big 5 leagues. I took charge of teams with odds of 51.00 as well. Those were:
- Leicester
- Hoffenheim
- Fiorentina
- Betis
- Rennes
Here are the final tables:
3rd place with Betis, just behind the mighty Real and Barcelona.
Europa League final with Leicester (though only 10th in the EPL)
2nd place with Rennes and the French Cup victory!
3rd place with Fiorentina.
German Cup winners with Hoffenheim (7th in the league).
Give it a go, try it out, and let me know how it performed for you
I guarantee you'll defy the odds!