ZaZ
Ooops, I guess I cannot recommend this anymore.
Testing different defensive line instructions with Very Attacking mentality. This version has Drop Off More with Trigger Press More Often.



Testing different defensive line instructions with Very Attacking mentality. This version has Step Up More with Trigger Press More Often.



Testing a defensive variant of Autumn without sacrificing much performance. It is what I do when I want to concede less goals, switching mentality to positive and IFs for IWs, so I want to check how well it works in the tests (or if it does not work well at all).



dywan said: I would like to ask what I should change in ur tactic to hold the result?

Mentality to positive, and IF for IW.
Antal said: I often start games in England's sixth division with the weakest and poorest team.
I've wondered about this too, but I've come to the conclusion that training without a good facility and without good coaches, working part-time and with no training days in the schedule, won't develop stars from my young players; my team is rising faster than these players.
Therefore, the only correct solution is to create two squads of players from available players, add a third squad of players on trial (for friendlies), and play one or two friendlies and one or two league games each week, so that each squad gets to play once a week. That's three games a week. The goal is to earn the maximum amount of money to improve the training facilities.


It is pointless. In semi-pro teams, the players are so bad that it is often better to hire a full team of free players once you get promoted. Sometimes you keep a few of them after promotion, but the training is not so efficient when you barely have enough staff or training grounds.
The idea here is to recover possession as far away as possible from my line of defense, trying to keep the ball closer to my strikers instead of the defenders.



azuldan14 said: will you be doing another warrior 442 tactic? i dont see many flat 442 tactics around

Yes, I will.
dakka said: Why this Tactic status become Not Tested Yet? :shock:


https://fm-arena.com/thread/18047-another-tactic-resting-is-coming/
azuldan14 said: i play on console, but will have a look, iv usec your 4-2-4 tactics

My plan is to test a 424 tactic tomorrow, to see if this improvement in defense can be applied to tactics without three defenders. If results are good, I will also add versions with strikers. I have decided to use one daily slot for trying to improve the top tactic, and another for creating different ones.
azuldan14 said: these strikerless tactics are getting boring now, there all the same

You can use the table "Plug and Play" to find tactics with strikers.
Snoop said: I wonder whether there'll be another patches with ME changes for FM26

To be fair, I wish they had a UI patch, because the interface makes the game sufferable to play.
I am testing playing through the flanks instead of middle, with flank players cutting inside and underlapping, since I only tested this in the previous patch. The goal is to make the game flow to the middle, instead of through the middle, and see if starting plays in the flank gives any advantage.



TurboHips said: Congrats mate back on top ! The new meta is so different to most fms it’s crazy. Can you post the instructions for console players :)

Thanks! I am just making the light version, then I will post the details.
Testing the trio of defenders pressing less. The idea is for them to delay the opponents so the others can recompose during counter attacks, from any side.





Player Instructions
All: Tackle Harder
BCB: Trigger Press Less Often
OCB: Shoot Less Often, Take More Risks, Trigger Press Less Often
AWB: Sit Narrower, Cross From Byline and Shoot Less Often
CHM: Make More Runs
IF: Stay Wider

Opponent Instructions: None, and only recommend people to use if they know what they are doing.

Light version when you have a comfortable lead: Ease Off Tackle for all players, Stay On Feet, reduce one step in Trigger Press and Tempo, set mentality to Positive, and change IFs to IWs. The goal of this version is to avoid injuries and cards, at the cost of performance. If you just want to become more solid on defense, simply change mentality to Positive and change IFs to IWs.

Set pieces and training are in the attachments. Training uses two schedules, one for rebalance (Physical x1) and one for growth (Attack x6, or 2x in three different days), and they are divided equally (alternate every week or month). Make sure to leave three rest sessions after every match, double intensity when full energy, and no pitch or gym training when below full condition. I also set everyone for Quickness focus, and train them in any role of their position with focus on pace and acceleration (highlighted attributes). Pictures for people on consoles are below.
Training and Set Pieces






Credits to everyone in FM-Arena who did small experiments which gave hints to what might be working well in this patch. Probably there will be a better tactic inspired by this one in the next hours or days, so I am just happy to contribute.
ZaZ - Rebalance.fmf
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Uploaded : Mar 5, 2026
ZaZ - Growth.fmf
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Uploaded : Mar 5, 2026
ZaZ - Set Pieces.fmf
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Uploaded : Mar 5, 2026
ZaZ - Autumn 2.24 Light.fmf
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Uploaded : Mar 5, 2026
juliius said: Do we know how the oop roles/positions impact it now?

I don't, but I would say only IP position counts.
Antal said: does learning new positions on the field and skills by a player consume CA?

Each position has different weights for each attribute. When calculating the CA of a player, the game considers the highest CA weight from all positions, adjusted by the proficiency in those positions. That means they don not consume CA, but they make your attributes more costly, which results in higher CA for lower attributes.


juliius said: For most positions yes. Think wingers learning opposite side might be the only exception, not sure about fullbacks learning the opposite side. The others i'm pretty sure uses up CA

Positions from opposite side have the same weights, so you can safely train players in those positions without affecting CA.
Testing if CHM moving forward more often benefits a very attacking tactic. This version does move forward, while Autumn 2.21 does.



Testing if drop off and central defender pressing less often improves the defense of a very attacking tactic.



isfrost said: Hey ZaZ, I really like your tactics, this one is very attacking and uses a high tempo, which works great. I was wondering if you have a variation of this tactic that’s more defence-focused or easier on the players once you’re winning (like 3-0)? Something that keeps a similar style but is stronger at defending and has a good ratio of GA rather than pushing lots of goals. Thanks!

Light version when you have a comfortable lead: Ease Off Tackle for all players, Stay On Feet, reduce one step in Trigger Press and Tempo, set mentality to Positive, and change IFs to IWs. The goal of this version is to avoid injuries and cards, at the cost of performance.

For a defensive version, simply set mentality to Positive and IFs to IWs.