Bizarre Football Manager tactics that really shouldn’t work, but weirdly do

There are the classic Football Manager tactics everyone knows are broken. The 4-2-3-1 vertical tiki-taka. The 4-2-4 gegenpress. I’ve even ranked the most overpowered tactical styles for those who need a leg up, but, sometimes, you want to go against the grain.

The brilliance of Football Manager is that you have the opportunity to create unique tactics that that make people sit up and take notice—something that screams, “I’m a tactical genius.” You could pile up on the best strikers, or try and force your way through with a Strikerless spread.

The problem is that these wild ideas often fall flat. Trust me, I’ve tried. Strikerless systems, one-centre-back madness… and I’ve shipped five goals more times than I’d like to admit. But what if there’s a sweet spot? A tactic that’s both innovative and effective? Something that turns heads and wins matches. After all, this is a results business.

Here, I’ve gathered a collection of such tactics—quirky, crazy, and surprisingly successful. Plus, these setups breathe life into player roles you’d usually ignore. Let’s dive in.

The Football Manager “No Midfield Tactic”

Yep, you read that right: no midfielders. What could possibly go wrong? A lot, you’d think. Just picture Kevin De Bruyne or Bruno Fernandes galloping through acres of open space. And yet, somehow, this tactic defies logic and works spectacularly well. Don’t take my word for it—check out Stinger’s video here to see the madness in action.

The Single Midfielder Tactic

If “no midfielders” is a bit much, how about one? This tactic is the perfect blend of crazy and clever. With inverted wing-backs and a libero, your lone midfielder isn’t completely stranded. Sure, your assistant manager might panic about being overrun in midfield, but that’s their problem. This setup oozes tactical genius, and you can grab it here.

A Strikerless Run

Nothing screams “Football Manager nerd” like a strikerless tactic. It’s the ultimate “not like the others” move, but pulling it off is notoriously difficult. In FM24, the META leans towards two strikers, making strikerless setups even more of a challenge. That hasn’t stopped FM DNA, who created a masterpiece that even took Luton to the Europa League. Check out the details here, but beware—this tactic is heavy on individual instructions.

All-Central Tactic

No tactics article is complete without a shoutout to RDF Tactics. His 3-2-3-2 setup is nothing short of wild, featuring a regista and a libero—what’s not to love? It’s as effective as it is unconventional, though it’s designed for FM23. Will it work in FM24? Maybe, maybe not. But honestly, it’s worth trying just for the fun of it. Find the tactic here.

All-out Attack Tactic

Sometimes, you just want to score goals. Lots of them. If your opponent bags three, you’ll score seven. That’s the spirit of Nukeball. It’s so aggressive it’d probably fail miserably in real life, but in FM, it breaks the match engine. Finally, a tactic that makes Raumdeuters shine! Download it here and get ready for fireworks.

Football Manager disaster – Worst Player Role Hotpot

Ever wanted to give unloved roles their time to shine? This tactic features an Enganche, an inverted full-back on defend, and a wide target forward. It’s like the Island of Misfit Toys, but for Football Manager roles. It sticks to a classical formation while embracing the weird and wonderful. Get it here and let Josh explain the madness in detail.

One-Centre Back Tactic

Last year, I tried a one-centre-back tactic, and, well, it was a disaster. Two strikers? Game over. But Josh Daly has cracked the code. Somehow, his one-centre-back setup holds its own against the FM match engine. Hats off to Josh—the king of quirky yet functional tactics. Full instructions and downloads are available here.

So there you have it. A lot of tactics that look absolutely absurd, but somehow work. Some of you won’t want to download tactics as that can feel a bit like cheating. So just use these masterpieces as inspiration! Football Manager can often feel stale if you always use 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, so experiment and go wild!

About the Author

William Reid

William is the admin of Out of Context Football Manager, an X account that focuses on FM news. He's worked for LADbible Group and is VG's resident FM expert.