FM08 Ticking Boxes

Much more accurate than the 07’ version and with my efforts I have toned down the unnecessary ‘wordiness’ this time around.




I have admit, these boxes use to confuse the fudge out of me. I was always unsure when and why to tick them and how it would affect my team. But now, I feel like I know them like the back of my thumb!


Tight Marking

Obviously a defensive instruction, but be aware that defensive instructions also affect your attacking play as well as you defensive.

When your players our without the football, they will stay tight on their man, not allowing them any space. This is good when you don’t want to give opposition attackers room to create chances. However, when you retrieve the ball, a player set on tight marking will initially not have very much room, so any creativity or attacks from this player will be somewhat hamstringed.

So in a very defensive based game you will want all players on tight marking (except strikers) to deny the opposition any space. In an attacking tactic, you will want all players on loose marking (except centre-backs) to give your players lot of room to express themselves. In a totally controversial tactic, you would assign tight marking to defenders and one central midfielder, and loose to the rest.

Use Target Man

The target man is another attacking instruction and can also be a great benefit to defensives sides’ as well.

The target man is usually your striker (maybe sometimes you attacking midfielder) and will look to receive balls from one way or another from your other players. Assigning the target man will make these other players see the target man as, well a target man! I guess that’s just it; he is the general target for your team.

Different target men offer different things and do different things as well. Here are some more in-depth guides on target men:

Run onto ball
Supply to feet
Supply to head


Use Playmaker

The player is a lot like the target man, as your team will look to give the ball to him more often than usual. Coupled with high creative freedom and as long as your playmaker has the right attributes, the benefits can be fantastic. The playmaker main job will be to hit long range passed to slice open the opposition defence and to generally dictate the tempo of the game.

Here are some more in-depth guides on playmakers:

Attacking Playmaker
Deep Lying Playmaker


Play Offside

Playing offside will make sure team keep a straight back line and is usually used in conjunction with a high d-line. If you do these two things together then you are kind off implementing the offside trap into you back-line. In theory it will work something like this, when you win the ball in your own half, your back line will keep a straight line, and push up, leaving the opposition’s forwards in a offside position. To get a more in depth guide on playing offside, go here.


Counter Attack

Counter attacking is a great to catch the opposition on the break, and can often give you that ‘smash and grab’ feeling. The aim of counter attacking is not to keep possession or play fancy football. No, the aim of counter attacking is too let the opposition do that until you nick the ball, then its quick, direct and bobs your uncle you’ve scored a ninety third minute winner of the FA Cup final. There are different types of counter attacking football, some sides like to draw the opposition in and let them willy around with and only counter attack when half the opposition are forward. Others like to just win possession as soon as possible and quickly catch the opposition off guard.

As this was intended to be a quick guide, I will have to leave you to it. I hope to expand on the counter attack part so a guide about counter attacking football will be coming soon!