Role Instructions

## Attack Instructions

Many of these instructions are the same as the team instructions, though some only exist as role instructions. If a role instruction conflicts with a team instructions then the role instruction will take precedence. This allows you to fine-tune exactly how each player will play if you want them to differ from your general team instructions.

### On The Ball Instructions

#### Dribbling Frequency

The level you choose determines how likely it is for the player to dribble with the ball when the opportunity arises.

#### Dribbling Tendencies

There are a number of different dribbling tendencies that a role can contain:

##### Dribble Wide:

When dribbling the player will look to move out wide to the flanks, or stay out there if already wide. This is can be useful if you want a centrally positioned player to dribble the ball towards the outside, or if you want to ensure that a wide player stays wide when dribbling.  If a player has this tendency they cannot also have the tendency to Dribble Inside.

##### Dribble Inside:

When dribbling the player will look to move inside, dribbling towards the centre channel of the pitch. If already central then will ignore this tendency. This is useful if you want a player positioned out wide to dribble in towards the centre when they get the ball, or to make sure a centrally located player doesn’t try to dribble it wide. If a player has this tendency they cannot also have a tendency to Dribble Wide.

##### Bring Ball Out of Defence

This instruction tells a player to try and dribble the ball out of defence and into the midfield. Can be useful if you have a good ball-playing centre-back or full-back.

##### Beat Players

This instruction encourages the player to try and beat opposition players when they are dribbling with the ball.

##### Disciplined Dribbling

This instruction tells the player that they are allowed to dribble with the ball, but should not go too far from their formation position when doing so. If a role has 'Hold Position' for their Dribbling Frequency then setting 'Discilpined Dribbling' for the tendency is a good idea, just in case they do ever break their hold position and start to dribble.

#### Passing Risk

This covers how much risk the player will take when they look to pass the ball. The riskier the pass, the more effective the pass can be in opening up the defence, but the more chance the pass will lead to a loss of possession.

#### Passing Distance

This instruction sets the typical distance your player will look to pass the ball.

#### Passing Aim

This instruction determins whether the player will have a tendency to try pass into space or to the feet of other players, or just to mix it up.

#### Attack Focus

This instruction determines whether the player has a tendency to focus on playing the ball down one or both flanks, or through the middle. You can also set it to ‘No Preference’ meaning the player is not swayed one way or the other when it comes to where they want to focus their attack.

#### Switch Play

This instructs the player to actively look to switch play to one flank to the other. If the instruction is ‘Mixed’ then it means the player may switch play through passing if an obvious situation arises, but is not actively looking to switch play.

#### Crossing Frequency

This instruction sets how often your player will look to cross the ball into the area when they are in a position to do so.

#### Crossing Location

This instruction sets how far down the field the player will look to get to before they cross the ball. ‘Cross from Byline’ means just that, the player will try and get near the goal line and then cross the ball in. ‘Cross from Wide’ covers an area from just above the byline to a level equal to the top of the opposition box. ‘Cross from Deep’ is a cross from deeper up the pitch.

#### Crossing Type

This instruction sets a tendency for the type of cross the player likes to deliver. A ‘Standard Cross’ is at a standard height aiming to be headed. These crosses will be inswinging or outswing depending on the foot used by the crosser and the flank they are crossing from (e.g. Left foot crossing from the left flank would be an outswinger, whereas from the right flank would be an inswinger, and vice versa for right footed crosses).  A ‘Floated Cross’ aims to have more hang time in the air. A ‘Drilled Cross’ is one that is hit hard across the area or low to the ground.

#### Box Shooting

This instruction allows you to encourage or discourage a player from shooting when they are in the box. If you encourage them by choosing ‘Shoot on Sight’ then they will tend to shoot as soon as they have a space to do so rather than waiting to see if they can improve their position or set up someone else. ‘Look to Lay Up’ means the player will tend to look first to set up another player with a better chance rather than just having a go themselves. If you don't want to encourage or discourage, then choose ‘Balanced’.

#### Long Shots

Like box shooting, this instruction allows you to encourage the player to take long shots from outside the area or discourage it. If you do not want to encourage or discourage, then choose ‘Balanced’.

#### Tempo

This instruction dictates how quickly the player will look to make decisions when they have the ball.  If the player is allowed a slow tempo then they can take their time when on the ball, but if you give them a fast tempo, then they will make decisions much quicker.

### Off-the-Ball Instructions

#### Run Depth

Run depth covers how far from the player’s position in the formation they will move to when looking for space. ‘Hold Position’ means the player will not really make runs from their formation position at all, bar a few steps, while ‘Long Runs’ mean the player can seek space any distance away, though will not overlap other teammates to find space unless they have an overlap instruction. The other instruction levels fall in between these two extremes.

#### Run Instructions

There are a number of run instructions that can be given to a player. All players will look to make forward runs, but run instructions can create a tendency for them to make runs in other directions as well.

Here are the possible run instructions:

##### Outside Runs

The player will look to make runs wide of their position, towards the flank areas of the formation.

##### Inside Runs

The player will look to make runs inside of their position, towards the centre of the formation.

##### Drop Back Runs

The player will look to make runs backwards from their position.

##### Overlaps

With this instruction the player will look to overlap teammates if the opportunity arises. Without an overlap instruction a player will not look to run into space beyond a teammate. The overlap instruction is not just useful for wide players (e.g. you want your fullback to be able to overlap your winger), but can be very useful for central players players as well, when you want them to have the freedom to really get forward e.g. you want a deep-lying central midfielder to make runs past other midfielders in front of them, or you want a box-to-box type midfielder to make runs into the opposition area beyond teammates in front of them.

#### Opposition Box Instructions

This instruction covers the timing of the player making runs into the opposition area, and is often used when a cross is about to come in. The default is having ‘No preference’, but you can choose ‘Arrive Early’ or Arrive Late’, or even tell the player to not enter the opposition’s area but stay on the edge of it instead.

## Defence Instructions

#### Marking Tightness

This sets how closely the player will mark the opposition. The closer they mark, the harder it is for the opposition to pass to the marked player, and also harder for that player to do something with the ball when they do receive it. The looser the player’s marking, the more chance they have of intercepting any pass to the player they are marking.

#### Marking Range

This instruction influences how far a player will move from their formation position to pick out and mark a threat.

#### Tackling Frequency

Tackling frequency governs how much of a risk the player is willing to take when going in for the tackle. If they are willing to take more risks, then they will tend to go into the tackle early, but if they are more risk-averse, wanting to reduce the chance of giving away free kicks, then they will want to be more patient.  Balanced sits in between these two.

#### Tackling Intensity

This covers how aggressive your player is when they go to tackle. ‘Aggressive’ means they are more willing to attempt slide tackles, at the risk of committing a foul, while ‘Cautious’ means they like to try and stay on their feet when making the tackle. ‘Balanced’ sits in between.

#### Pressing Tendency

This instruction covers the tendency of the player to leave their formation position and go and press the ball. If the instruction is to ‘Sit Off’ they are far less likely to want to press, if it is ‘Close Down More’ then they are far more likely to start to press, and ‘Balanced’ sits in between.

## Goalkeeper Instructions

#### Attack Positioning

This instruction will set the limits of how far your goalkeeper will wander off their line when the team is attacking.

#### Passing Target

If you set this to ‘Yes’, then it means that the goalkeeper will be viewed as an outfield player when it comes to being a passing option. If it is set to ‘No’, outfield players are far less likely to pass to the goalkeeper in normal play.

#### Distribution Distance

This covers how far the goalkeeper likes to distribute the ball when they have a goal kick. If you want to begin your attacks with a build-up from the back, then choose ‘Short’ distribution. If you want to just get the ball up to the attacking line as quickly as possible, then choose ‘Long’ distribution. The default is ‘Mixed’, where your goalkeeper will vary how he distributes it.

#### Distribution Direction

This covers where your goalkeeper prefers to distribute the ball. If you distribute to the flanks, then it is your wide players who are likely going to be the recipients and the opposite for centre distribution. ‘Mixed’ is the default, meaning your goalkeeper likes to vary his direction of distribution.

#### Defence Positioning

This instruction will set the limits of how far your goalkeeper will wander off their line when the team is defending.