29/12/2020: Added Style Analyser to Playing Style Implementation guide. Create any tactic to analyse your team and player instructions.
14/12/2020: Added System Analyser to Role Combinations guide. Create any tactic to analyse role combinations.
27/11/2020: Added Role Analyser to Roles & Duties guide. Select or create any role/duty to analyse.
26/07/2020: Added effects of Overlap/Underlap team instructions on forward movement scores, partnerships and flank responsibilities in Choosing Roles & Duties guide.
26/07/2020: Added GK distribution instructions to “Playing Style Composition” table in Adding Team & Player Instructions guide.
25/07/2020: New FM 2020 Transition Play Tactics guide.
29/06/2020: New Playing Style Risk analysis added to Adding Team & Player Instructions guide.
27/06/2020: Player personality descriptions and media handling styles updated for FM 2020. Explanation of left-side and right-side forward movement scores added.
21/06/2020: New FM 2020 Direct Attacking Football guide added to Example Tactics Starter Guides.
14/06/2020: New FM 2020 Possession Football guide added to Example Tactics Starter Guides.
26/05/2020: New FM 2020 Long Ball Football guide added to Example Tactics Starter Guides.
18/05/2020: New FM 2020 Pass and Move Football guide added to Example Tactics Starter Guides.
22/04/2020: New FM 2020 Short Plays guide added to Example Tactics Starter Guides.
13/04/2020: New FM 2020 Direct Plays guide added to Example Tactics Starter Guides.
11/04/2020: New FM 2020 Example Tactics Starter Guides added to Tactics section, including Attacking Football and Defensive Football.
11/04/2020: New FM 2020 Attacking Football example tactics starter guide added to Tactics section.
01/04/2020: New FM 2020 Defensive Football example tactics starter guide added to Tactics section.
01/01/2020: New FM 2020 Adding Team & Player Instructions guide added to Tactics section.
31/12/2019: New FM 2020 Choosing Roles & Duties Overview guide added to Tactics section.
01/11/2019: Updated Choosing a Tactical Style and Choosing Roles & Duties guides for FM 2020.
20/01/2019: Added analysis of central attack responsibilities to Choosing Roles & Duties guide.
06/01/2019: Added analysis of flank responsibilities to Choosing Roles & Duties guide.
25/12/2018: Added analysis of central midfield responsibilities to Choosing Roles & Duties guide.
23/12/2018: All roles are now included in Choosing Roles & Duties guide.
18/12/2018: Added full back, wing back and some other flank roles to Choosing Roles & Duties guide.
11/12/2018: Added central attack roles and analysis of central defence responsibilities to Choosing Roles & Duties guide, and made various improvements to analysis.
03/12/2018: Added all central midfield roles to Choosing Roles & Duties guide and made various improvements to analysis.
27/11/2018: Added most central midfield roles to Choosing Roles & Duties guide.
19/11/2018: New FM 2019 Choosing Roles & Duties guide added to Tactics section. Goalkeeper and central defence roles included. Central midfield, flanks and central attack roles still to be added.
13/11/2018: New FM 2019 Choosing a Tactical Style guide added to Tactics section.
29/10/2018 (and 05/11/2018): Various improvements made to Tactical Theory in preparation for FM 2019, including:
- Playing Methods – added pressing engagement defensive methods, added sportsmanship attacking dynamic and methods, added further details to attacking/defensive mentality playing methods.
- Positional Responsibilities – added references to build-up play and attacking/defensive mentality.
- Role Specifications – new guide which includes new concept of responsibility focus levels (based on attacking/defensive mentality) and reworked concept of responsibility specialism levels. Explained effects of responsibility focus levels on build-up play.
- System Specialisation Levels – new guide based on responsibility specialism levels.
- System Fluidity Levels – now based on responsibility focus levels.
- Formations – amended analysis on choice of formation.
- Attacking Structures – added (more fluid) interchanging partnerships to forward movement partnerships, added effects of responsibility focus levels to forward movement partnerships and penetration/solidity/support scores.
- Responsibility Distribution / Role Categories – replaced old framework with new Setting Role Specifications section which includes clearer guidelines, alternative options for more fluidity and improved counterbalancing combinations analysis. Allowed use of a running central defender (e.g. Libero) in the centre back playing position.
- Mentality Systems – explained off the ball directness systems in terms of responsibility focus levels, improved explanations of passing range systems and their relationship with build-up play.
- Playing Styles – changed playing style implementation basis to relate to system specialisation rather than system fluidity, adjusted analysis of defensive blocks slightly and made small adjustments to component/composite styles. Further development of transition tactics is still to be completed.
- (05/11/2018) Tactical Organisation and Playing Styles – developed analysis of attacking organisation and defensive organisation, including build-up play, counter attacking, holding shape, defensive blocks, counter pressing and regrouping. Adjusted analysis of component/composite styles accordingly. Moved some content from Playing Style Balance guide to Tactical Organisation guide.
10/09/2018: Player Personalities guide updated for FM 2018.
28/08/2018: Match Experience guide updated for FM 2018.
12/08/2018: Player Tutoring guide updated for FM 2018.
12/08/2018: Various improvements made to Player Development (Overview) guide.
23/07/2018: Player Development (Overview) guide updated for FM 2018.
16/07/2018: Various minor improvements made to Player Ability guide.
09/07/2018: Player Ability guide updated for FM 2018. Includes detailed analysis of how player progression works.
21/05/2018: We are now at a new address – guidetofm.com.
09/04/2018: New Starter Guide added to the Tactics section.
19/03/2018: Added example Fluid Counter Attacking Football to Example Tactics article and made various amendments to examples.
04/03/2018: Adjusted recommended score for support score to take into account attacking style in Attacking Structures guide. Amended Example Tactics accordingly.
26/02/2018: Revised and expanded slightly the analysis of forward movement partnerships in tactical theory Attacking Structures guide.
05/02/2018: Added example Structured Possession Football – Regista / Raumdeuter to Example Tactics article and made various amendments to examples.
29/01/2018: Added example Fluid Attacking Football, Flexible Short Plays, Structured Direct Attacking Football, Fluid Pass and Move Football and Structured Direct Defensive Football to Example Tactics article.
14/01/2018: Added example Structured Possession Football to Example Tactics article and made various amendments to examples. Revised analysis of symmetry slightly in Responsibility Distribution guides.
07/01/2018: Added analysis of symmetry and counterbalancing combinations, as well as explanations of team and player instructions used, to examples in Example Tactics article.
07/01/2018: Added more explanations to examples in Example Tactics article.
07/01/2018: Added additional analysis to tactical theory Formations guide.
02/01/2018: Added example Structured Attacking Football – False Nine / False Ten, Flexible Direct Plays and Fluid Direct Defensive Football tactics to Example Tactics article.
31/12/2017: Added example Fluid Direct Attacking Football and Fluid Possession Football tactics to Example Tactics article.
29/12/2017: Added example Possession Football tactic to Example Tactics article, as well as additional details for the tactical roles used.
27/12/2017: Added example Structured Counter Attacking Football and Structured Pass and Move Football tactics to Example Tactics article.
26/12/2017: Added example Structured Attacking Football and Flexible Counter Attacking Football tactics in new Example Tactics article.
26/12/2017: New Introduction added to the Tactics section.
24/12/2017: Added analysis of the effects of formation choice to tactical theory Formations guide. Added Choosing a Formation section to Formations guide. Adjusted penetration score and solidity score suggestions slightly in Attacking Structures guide.
20/12/2017: Removed five defender formations (using full backs) from suggested formations in Formations guide as they are difficult to balance. Adjusted recommended scores for penetration score and solidity score to take into account relative team ability (Attacking Structures guide). Improved analysis of vacating players in Responsibility Distribution guides.
11/12/2017: Made improvements to penetration, solidity and support score calculations in Attacking Structures guide (and the corresponding Tactical Theory guide).
03/12/2017: Added further details of tactical roles to Key Tactical Roles and Other Tactical Roles in Responsibility Distribution guides.
27/11/2017: Added default player instructions to Player Roles & Duties guides. Added further details of tactical roles to Key Tactical Roles in Responsibility Distribution guides.
20/11/2017: Added game descriptions to Tactical Instructions guides.
05/11/2017: Updated Team Instructions and Player Instructions guides for FM 2018.
01/11/2017: Updated Player Roles, System Fluidity, Playing Styles and Playing System Balance guides for FM 2018 with new players roles and changes to some existing player roles.
23/10/2017: New Playing System Balance guides added to the Tactics section.
02/10/2017: New Player Roles guides added to the Tactics section.
20/09/2017: Updated System Fluidity guide.
18/09/2017: Added composite styles to Playing Styles guide.
17/09/2017: Added number-tens and tactical structures to Playing Styles guide.
11/09/2017: Updated Playing Styles guide.
28/08/2017: Updated Tactical Instructions, Team Instructions and Player Instructions guides.
17/07/2017: Added central attack role categories to Role Categories guide.
12/07/2017: Added central midfield and the flanks role categories to Role Categories guide.
03/07/2017: New Role Categories guide added to Tactical Theory. Further analysis of central midfield, the flanks and central attack role categories to be added.
19/03/2017: New Responsibility Distribution guide added to Tactical Theory.
27/02/2017: Revised Positional Responsibilities guide in Tactical Theory.
09/01/2017: New System Fluidity and Playing Styles guides added to the Tactics section.
31/12/2016: New Playing Styles guides added to Tactical Theory.
11/12/2016: New Tactical Structures guide added to Tactical Theory.
14/11/2016: New Tactical Roles and Positional Responsibilities guides added to Tactical Theory.
13/07/2016: Tactical Theory guides will now be published on GuidetoFootball.com.
21/02/2016: Added information on playing positions to Tactical Theory guide.
15/02/2016: Made analysis of attacking balance and defensive balance more clear in tactical theory guides.
08/02/2016: New Creating a Tactical Style guide added to the Tactics section.
04/02/2016: Added details of risk and expressiveness for each attacking style in Attacking Styles guide. Added details of tactical suitability of different team mentalities and team shapes for different tactical systems and tactical styles in Team Instructions guide.
01/02/2016: Added further details to Team Instructions and Player Instructions guides, including related tactical instructions.
19/01/2016: New Tactical Instructions, Team Instructions and Player Instructions guides added to the Tactics section
19/01/2016: Various improvements made to the Tactical Theory, Attacking Theory, Attacking Methods and Control Methods guides.
22/12/2015: New Attacking Styles and Defending Styles added to the Tactics section.
21/12/2015: Attacking methods, control methods and defending methods have been moved into separate guides.
21/12/2015: Various improvements made to the Defensive Theory guide.
14/12/2015: Various improvements made to the Tactical Theory and Attacking Theory guides.
09/12/2015: New Defensive Theory guide added to the Tactics section.
06/12/2015: A Guide to Football Manager iOS app is now available to download.
06/12/2015: Various improvements made to the Attacking Theory guide.
22/11/2015: New Attacking Theory guide added to the Tactics section.
15/11/2015: New Tactical Theory guide added to the Tactics section. Further guides on Attacking Theory, Defensive Theory, Tactical Suitability, Applying Tactical Theory and Choosing a Tactical Style are also due to be added.
15/11/2015: The Tactics Introduction and Assessing Your Team guides have been updated for FM 2016.
21/06/2015: The remaining Match Day guides have been revised and updated for FM 2015 – Preparing For The Match, Tactical Planning, Opposition Instructions and During The Match.
02/06/2015: The Squad Building and Player Morale & Relationships guides have been updated for FM 2015.
17/05/2015: The Scouting guides have been updated for FM 2015 – Scouting Knowledge, Scouting Assignments, Scout Reports and Player Search & Shortlists.
02/05/2015: New Manager guide added to the Staff section.
02/05/2015: The following staff guides have been revised and updated for FM 2015 – Staff Introduction, Staff Roles, Coaches, Scouts and Physios.
06/04/2015: The Team Talks guide has been revised and updated for FM 2015, and a new Types of Team Talk reference guide has been added.
31/03/2015: The Player Development guides have been revised and updated for FM 2015 – Player Development, Player Tutoring and Match Experience.
22/03/2015: The remaining Training guides have been revised and updated for FM 2015 – Individual Training, Training Reports, Individual Training Focus, New Position Training, Preferred Move Training, Assigning Coaches and Youth Training.
22/02/2015: New Pre-Season Preparation guide added to the Squad section.
22/02/2015: The following Training guides have been revised and updated for FM 2015 – Training Introduction, Team Training, General Training and Match Preparation Training.
20/02/2015: The homepage has been redesigned with pictures added.
Older updates: All guides in the Tactics and Players sections have been revised and updated for FM 2015. A guide to Player Fitness has also been added to the Squad section.
