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FM26: Guide to Building the Ultimate Long Ball Tactic
This video presents an aggressive and direct long ball tactic for Football Manager 2026, prioritizing speed and physical power over possession. It details the team instructions, player roles, and key statistics to successfully implement this tactic.
1. ⚽ Introduction to the Long Ball Tactic: Inspiration and Philosophy
- ✅ Inspired by teams that prioritize physical power and speed over possession.
- ✅ Focus on a direct, fast, and aggressive game.
- ✅ Ball possession is not prioritized.
00:00 - 00:16
1. ⚽ Introduction to the Long Ball Tactic: Inspiration and Philosophy
- ✅ Inspired by teams that prioritize physical power and speed over possession.
- ✅ Focus on a direct, fast, and aggressive game.
- ✅ Ball possession is not prioritized.
00:17 - 01:25
2. 🚀 Demonstration of the tactic's effectiveness in the game
- ✅ The team achieved a victory with only 39% possession.
- ✅ Goals were scored through quick and direct attacks, exploiting the wings and using a striker as a target.
- ✅ Emphasis on quick transitions and getting both strikers into the penalty area.
01:26 - 02:22
3. 🛡️ Defensive solidity and quick ball recovery
- ✅ The team maintains good defensive compactness with two lines of four.
- ✅ High pressure to recover the ball quickly.
- ✅ Example of a goal scored after a quick recovery and a long pass to the striker.
02:23 - 04:24
4. 🎮 Footium Sponsorship and Private League
- ✅ Announcement of collaboration with Footium, offering the opportunity to play a season for free.
- ✅ Invitation to join the creator's private league, with a prize of a starter pack valued at $100 for the winner.
- ✅ Brief description of Footium as an online football management simulator with daily matches.
04:25 - 05:41
5. 📊 Results and key statistics of the tactic
- ✅ The team achieved 102 points in the league, with 94 goals scored and less than one goal conceded per game.
- ✅ Despite having the worst ball possession in the league (40%) and a low percentage of completed passes (78%), the team had the highest number of expected goals (xG).
05:42 - 06:45
6. 🎯 Featured offensive and defensive statistics
- ✅ The team completed the most crosses in the league (369).
- ✅ Led in chance creation, shots on goal, and shots per game.
- ✅ High sprint intensity, important when not maintaining possession.
- ✅ No goals conceded from corners.
- ✅ Greater number of fouls committed and received.
- ✅ Low PPDA (high pressure).
06:46 - 07:13
7. ⭐ Key player attributes for the tactic
- ✅ The importance of energy, speed, and power in players is emphasized, especially in the center of the field and on the wings.
- ✅ A large and powerful center forward and a fast winger are sought.
07:14 - 08:23
8. ⚙️ Role configuration and individual instructions
- ✅ Goalkeeper who plays the ball, standard full-backs, and a full-back with instructions to play narrower.
- ✅ Two normal center backs (option to use no-nonsense center backs).
- ✅ Wingers with instructions to make forward runs and dribble more.
08:24 - 09:04
9. 🎛️ Adjustments in midfield and attack
- ✅ Central midfielder with instructions to dribble less, take fewer risks, and make fewer forward runs.
- ✅ A playmaker in the center of the field.
- ✅ Target forward and winger without additional instructions.
09:05 - 09:50
10. 🛠️ Team instructions in possession
- ✅ Much more direct passing with a higher tempo.
- ✅ Standard time wasting (not extreme).
- ✅ Counterattack, wider width, play for set pieces, avoid pressure.
- ✅ Encourage the goalkeeper to play short to vary passing options.
- ✅ Encourage dribbling and full-backs to drive forward.
- ✅ Exploit the flanks and pass into space.
09:51 - 11:20
11. 🛡️ Team instructions out of possession
- ✅ High pressure, high line, press more often, counter-press, tackle harder.
- ✅ Trap outside to compact the center of the field.
- ✅ Prevent short distribution from the rival goalkeeper.
- ✅ Defensive line that rises higher.
11:21 - 12:16
12. ⚽ Conclusion and call to action
- ✅ Summary of the long ball tactic and its effectiveness.
- ✅ Invitation to try the tactic and share the results in the comments.
- ✅ Question about what tactical style they would like to see recreated in the future.