Gone are the days when all players had to do was choose between an offensive or defensive playstyle and press ‘continue’. With the release of Football Manager 26, the old gameplay went out the window, replaced by a much more refined (and technical) system of tactics.
Tactics beat out almost all other factors in terms of impactfulness, but finding the right one can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. With hundreds of them out there, you’ll need to go through trial and error to find one that suits your playstyle. Fortunately, we’ve already done the hard part and compiled a list of the best high-pressing tactics in FM26.
High-pressing tactics are focused more on aggression and keeping possession rather than playing defense and waiting for your opponent to make a mistake. If you’re someone who likes to stay in the opposing half and take chances, you will love these aggressive tactics.
Best High-Pressing Tactics In FM26
4-2-3-1 Gegenpress
The first tactic we’re talking about is the 4-2-3-1 Gegenpress because, realistically, you can’t talk offense without mentioning the Gegenpress. The 4-2-3-1 relies on a standard front-to-back gameplay where you build from the back and play the ball vertically through the center. It’s a classic in almost every football game and is only elevated with the Gegenpress tactic.
Pre-Selects
With the 4-2-3-1 formation, you can go various ways. You’ll find defensive variations with the same variation, which is why it’s important to set the following settings:
- Tempo: Much Higher
- Shots From Distance: Balanced
- Attacking Transition: Counter-Attack
- Line of Engagement: High Press
- Defensive Line: Higher
The rest of the pre-selects are up to you, but it’s preferred to go for a balanced/slightly aggressive playstyle at most. You have a solid backline of four defenders, meaning conceding isn’t a big issue.
However, that also means you have less firepower higher up the field. The high tempo and higher defensive line will still aid your offensive opportunities since your team will push further up the field.
Gameplan
You’ll also notice we set the Attacking Transition to Counter-Attack. Again, this utilizes your formation to its maximum potential. With a heavy backline, you can bait the opposing team into your half, use a more aggressive pressing style to win possession, and then play through your midfield to get the ball to your forwards.
The reason Shots From Distance is balanced is that you don’t want all your shots to go wide, but waiting to get in the box can also slow down the pace of the game. Remember that this formation relies on fast-paced gameplay that doesn’t allow your opponent to stabilize. You have a pretty even spread of players all over the field, which should help you cover every avenue.
If you find yourself conceding too often, you can simply set your line of engagement a bit lower down the field. This will move your entire team closer to your goal, but try to leave your ST near the opposing box. Your ST’s positioning will keep your opponent under constant pressure, and dissuade them from making risky, overly-aggressive plays.
3-2-5 Press & Possess
Playing versatile formations is fun, but here’s one for all the risk-takers. The 3-2-5 takes offense to the next level with a 5-man attack. With just 3 CBs in your backline, it’s definitely risky, but that’s the fun in this explosive and chaotic playstyle.
Pre-Selects
Before you label this as a doomed strategy and move on, hear me out. Unlike other attacking formations, where your forwards are standing near the opposing penalty box, this strategy places them much closer to the halfway line. This is for a fast and easy transition from defense to offense.
Here’s what you want to select with this formation:
- Passing Directness: Short
- Tempo: High
- Attacking Transition: Counter-Attack
- Supporting Runs: From Both Flanks
- Goal Kicks: Short
As before, you can experiment with the other presets to see what works best for you. Keep the aforementioned presets as they are because each one plays an important role in this strategy’s success.
Your team is pretty tightly packed in this tactic, so short passes and through balls will be sufficient. Clearing the ball might do more harm than good since you won’t have players there to receive it. The tempo should remain high in any offense-heavy tactic bundled with the Gegenpress to recover possession as fast as possible.
Keep your goal kicks short for the same reason as short passes. And in this strategy, it is vital that you have supporting runs from the center as well as both flanks. With your line of engagement quite low, you need numbers when pushing the ball into the opposing half. With supporting runs from each wing, it supports your short passing style as well as creates pressure.
Gameplan
The way to win with this strategy in FM26 is to simply let the opposition enter your half and suffocate them using the Gegenpress. The reason this works is that your attack is near the halfway line. Their defense can’t push too far up for the risk of a counter-attack. But this allows you to pressure the opposing attack with numbers. Play aggressively to win the ball and don’t let them near your goalkeeper.
Once you’re in possession, use short passes to maintain possession. Slowly build up the attack, pushing the ball forward. Don’t be hasty or make risky plays since you will almost always outnumber your opponents.
This formation might need some getting used to, but once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s very effective.
