Being tactically flexible is one of the most important characteristics any manager can have. Having the insight to change your approach mid-game when things aren’t working or employing different game plans for different opponents stops you from being predictable and can keep the positive results coming. 

One of the best ways to do this is by setting up different tactical approaches for home and away matches. Here, Rock’s End FM dives deep to show how you can do it in your latest FM24 careers to gain that extra edge with a newly-promoted team.  

Since his appointment as Brighton & Hove Albion manager in September 2022, Roberto De Zerbi has received plaudits for his entertaining and effective style of play. 

Making the most of a lot of the good work done by his predecessor, the Italian has crafted a bespoke tactical approach that is paying off for his side in league and cup.

Having studied a lot of the Seagulls’ recent games, Dan Gear has put together this explainer to show how you get your sides playing just like them in Football Manager 2023. 

Central midfield is the battleground of this piece. It’s the area of the pitch where creativity stems, where defence transitions into attack, and where it can either go horribly wrong or wonderfully right. 

In recent decades football’s brightest minds have dabbled with two- and three-man midfields, and both systems have their merits. Which is better though? 

Sports Interactive's Andrew Sinclair and FM Grasshopper can’t hope to answer that, but they have done an experiment with two K-League 1 clubs to demonstrate two contrasting approaches to setting up your midfield, showing how they differ and offering insight into how the central midfielders complement your wider tactical approach. Andrew has implemented a three-man central midfield with Ulsan Hyundai, which caters for all kinds of offensive and defensive responsibilities. Meanwhile, FM Grasshopper has opted for the two-man dynamic with Suwon Samsung Bluewings - where being the shield and recycling possession are the primary goals.

It's an eternal debate among Football Manager tactics aficionados. Is it best to use a single playmaker in your formation or multiple designated playmakers? Do you use an Advanced Playmaker, Deep-Lying Playmaker, or a Wide Playmaker? Ihor Crusadertsar will tell you that the answer is not that simple. Unsurprisingly, it all depends on your desired tactical style and what you are trying to achieve with your tactics. Ihor explains both how to use playmakers in your team and to get maximum results from them.

So, you’ve decided to manage an underdog... a club which has to fight tooth and claw for every point and where draws often feel like wins. That might not appeal to everyone, but for some of us there’s no better feeling than giving the league’s big hitters a run for their money. 

Choosing an underdog isn’t too difficult, but how are you going to defy expectations and set them up for success? FMSamo walks us through the things we should take into consideration when setting up an underdog.
 

Regular Wednesday Wisdom contributor, FM Grasshopper is back and this time he's joined by his Grass n Gear podcast co-host, Dan Gear. Today, they're running an experiment to see if aggressive and passive tactical styles can be applied to the same squad, while giving you guys an idea of what's required to get the best out of both options.

This week's Wednesday Wisdom comes courtesy of @FMSamo who has created a guide for the 3-5-2 formation. Here, he covers the main points you need to consider in the system while stressing the importance of finding the right players and attributes to fill those roles. 

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This week's Wednesday Wisdom comes from @FM_Samo who has discovered the keys to utilizing the 442 formation. The traditional system is making a resurgence in the modern game as well as in FM19. Here's how to get the best from a classic of football philosophy. 

If you think you've got what it takes to spread your own Wednesday Wisdom then drop us a line on byline@sigames.com with your idea and your work could be in the spotlight.