Football Manager 2024 has arrived with fanfare as Sports Interactive closes out this era of the game, and we've noted some of the very best tactics you can use regardless of your league.
Players are snapping up wonderkids and trying to find tactics that work for them. Luckily, we've been testing tactics with teams from Arsenal to 1860 Munich to find what works.
Football Manager 2024 Best Tactics
Here are a few basic rules to remember when making a tactic in Football Manager 2024. The first is to play to the strengths of your squad! If you don't have a deep midfield, trying to start three midfielders might stretch you too thin. If you've got no good wingers then focusing play down the flanks will rob your best players of the ball!
Now we can't provide a tactic for every squad situation. Instead, we will give the best ones for a balanced team. If your team is deficient in one position then no tactic can fix it, that's what the transfer market is for.
4-3-3 DM Wide Gegenpress
The 4-3-3 is a classic FM formation for a reason. It just works! A solid back line, a packed midfield, and a creative front three is a wonderful mix for footballing success. With the added ability of players to rotate and be more aware of each other, this formation is really solid once again in FM24.
Whether you have a team full of wonderkids or veterans, this tactic will work for you. Let's go through it.
- Tactical Style: Gegenpress
- Formation: 4-3-3 DM wide
- Mentality: Positive
- In Possession: Pass into space, play out of defence, higher tempo
- In Transition: Counter-press, counter, distribute to centre-backs, take short kicks
- Out Of Possession: High press, standard defensive line, trigger press more often, prevent short GK distribution, step up more
Player Roles
- Goalkeeper: Sweeper Keeper (Defend)
- Right Back: Full Back (Support)
- Right Centre Back: Ball-Playing Defender (Defend)
- Left Centre Back: Ball-Playing Defender (Defend)
- Left Back: Wing Back (Support)
- Defensive Midfielder: Defensive Midfielder (Support)
- Right Centre Midfielder: Advanced Playmaker (Support)
- Left Centre Midfielder: Box-to-Box Midfielder (Support)
- Right Winger: Inside Forward (Attack)
- Left Winger: Inside Forward (Attack)
- Striker: Advanced Forward (Attack)
These roles, with the overall team instructions, create a well-balanced XI that can score and defend well.
The back four can link with both the goalie and the DM to bring the ball out from the back, while both fullbacks and the DM can get forward to support the attack but will also fly back to their spots when possession is lost. DM on support is an incredibly unsexy role but it allows the player to be both a pivot up the field and an anchor when out of possession. It really is underrated.
The same goes for the BBM on support, who can get to the byline to link play and sniff out chances but will also track back. AP on support does ask your player to shoot less often, but they will be the main link between your front three who can do all the line-breaking runs they want.
If you lack a natural playmaker then you can change the Advanced Playmaker to a CM (At) which is another spectacular role this year.
4-2-3-1 DM AM Wide Gegenpress
Another gegenpress! That means we are playing higher-tempo and higher-pressing football, which is good for the Football Manager match engine in its current state.
Like the 4-3-3, the 4-2-3-1 is a tried-and-tested formation that most teams in nearly any league can use successfully. This one is a little more aggressive than others though!
- Tactical Style: Gegenpress
- Formation: 4-2-3-1 DM AM wide
- Mentality: Positive
- In Possession: Pass into space, play out of defence, higher tempo
- In Transition: Counter-press, counter, distribute to centre-backs, take short kicks
- Out Of Possession: High press, higher defensive line, trigger press much more often, prevent short GK distribution, step up more
Player Roles
- Goalkeeper: Sweeper Keeper (Attack)
- Right Back: Wing Back (Support)
- Right Centre Back: Ball-Playing Defender (Defend)
- Left Centre Back: Central Defender (Defend)
- Left Back: Inverted Wing Back (Attack)
- Right Defensive Midfielder: Defensive Midfielder (Support)
- Left Defensive Midfielder: Defensive Midfielder (Support)
- Right Winger: Inside Forward (Attack)
- Attacking Midfielder: Shadow Striker (Attack)
- Left Winger: Winger (Attack)
- Striker: Advanced Forward (Attack)
The first thing to say is that not every left-back can successfully play inverted wingback. They need good passing, vision, composure, and off-the-ball attributes which not many do. If you don't have a left back that can do that then you can set them to wing back (attack) and flick your left winger to inside forward (attack).
This formation REALLY gets after the other team. If you need goals, this is the way to go. The inverted wing back and dual DM (support) roles create a midfield trio to move the ball and pick passes while the front four creates chaos with a defensive line. The striker will occupy space and the shadow striker will then dart into the channels created by the defence's reaction to your striker and winger movement.
To be a little more defensively solid you can set the DMs to DM (defend), this will have them a little deeper and more ready to fly back to their own goal.
Set Pieces
Set pieces are also crucial for winning games. The set pieces screens have been hugely overhauled for FM24, and there are many ways to gain an edge with set pieces.
We've developed a killer FM24 corner routine that will help you win trophies!
For more of the latest FM24 content, be sure to keep up to date with RealSport101.