Ranking every Football Manager Tactical Style for elite players

The United States Declaration of Independence famously claims that all men are created equal, and 99% of us are happy to agree with that sentiment. However, the same cannot be said of the tactical presets in Football Manager. They are definitely not all made equal.

Some are good, some are game-changing, and some are downright dreadful. So, I’ve taken it upon myself to rank them all, from the absolute dross to the tactical pinnacle. My ranking methodology? Purely personal experience and intuition. If you’re here expecting rigorous testing or scientific analysis, you’ve come to the wrong place. This is vibes-based ranking at its finest.

Right, let’s get into it, starting with the worst tactical style of all…

10. Catenaccio

If you’ve played Football Manager recently, you’ll know how hard it is to make defensive football work. Unless you’re a tactical genius who’s spent hours crafting a bespoke defensive system with roles so specific they’d confuse a seasoned coach, Catenaccio will make you suffer.

Roll this tactic out, and you’re in for a 0–2 loss with 26% possession and about two shots. It’s fair enough, really – defensive football isn’t exactly in vogue in real life either. But if you’re trying to channel prime Jose Mourinho, prepare for heartbreak.

9. Direct counter attack

This one’s just as bleak. Sadly, this tactical preset feels like it’s been left behind in 2008 with Tony Pulis’s baseball cap. Its one saving grace? The higher tempo. At least it suits teams playing a low block and looking to break quickly.

Could you use this to scrape survival with a squad predicted to finish 17th? Maybe. But chances are, you’ll still lose your first five games and switch to something higher on this list.

8. Route one

Let’s be clear – this tactic is still terrible. Your pass completion will hover around 46%, and you’ll be lucky to see 40% possession. But at least it’s honest.

Catenaccio tricks you into thinking it’s something sophisticated because of its fancy name. Route One? No illusions. You know exactly what you’re getting: long balls, Brexit football, and a nod of approval from Sam Allardyce. None of that “modern tactics” nonsense here.

7. Park the bus

This one feels harsh to rank so low. After all, Park the Bus has a clear purpose: hold onto a one-goal lead in the dying minutes. For that, it’s great.

But try using it for longer than 20 minutes, and it’s a disaster. You won’t see an attacking highlight, and when their box-to-box midfielder inevitably scores a screamer, you’re done.

Honestly, it’s not defensive enough. Where are the three centre-backs? The two DMs? The fullbacks throwing their bodies in front of every shot? And why on earth does this preset still include two strikers?

6. Fluid counter attack

There’s a lot to like here. Higher tempo? Check. Running at defences? Love it. On paper, this style has all the ingredients for creating chances.

But the lower defensive line and lack of pressing cripple its effectiveness. In a perfect world, this would be a dream to use – sadly, we live in Football Manager’s reality.

5. Control possession

This tactical preset reminds me of Russell Martin’s Southampton: loads of possession, crisp passing, and very little end product.

Unless you’ve got a squad full of wonderkids, you’ll struggle to score. It’s too passive, too predictable, and too easy for opponents to defend against. You’ll probably do fine – a safe mid-table finish beckons – but don’t expect to set the world alight.

4. Wing play

Here’s a shock: Wing Play actually works. Despite its old-school vibes, it’s oddly effective – mostly because Football Manager loves crosses.

This style maximises wide play, overlapping full-backs, and constant deliveries into the box. If you’ve got a decent target man, you’ll thrive. It won’t make you the next Pep Guardiola, but for mid-table overachievers? Perfect.

3. Tiki-Taka

If Control Possession is Russell Martin, Tiki-Taka is Pep Guardiola. It’s slicker, smarter, and more ambitious – but it’s also very demanding.

With the right players, this style will dominate. Without them? Good luck. Tiki-Taka is a luxury tactic – use it wisely, preferably when you’re odds-on to win the league.

2. Vertical Tiki-Taka

This is as close to perfection as you’ll get without going full Gegenpress. Vertical Tiki-Taka combines control and cutting edge, letting you dominate matches no matter your squad’s quality.

Even if you’re managing in the Vanarama South, this style will have fans swooning over football they didn’t know existed. The only reason it’s not number one? Because there’s one tactical style that reigns supreme…

1. Gegenpress

Was it ever going to be anything else? Gegenpress is the king of Football Manager tactical styles.

Stuck in a winless streak? Switch to a 4-2-3-1 Gegenpress. Need a miracle on the final day? Roll out a 4-2-4 Gegenpress. Lazy? Slap it on and watch the magic happen.

It’s so good it almost makes the game boring. Every time I hit a rough patch, I have to stop myself from turning to this cheat code of a preset.

Thank you, Jürgen Klopp, for blessing the Football Manager community with this masterpiece.

Do you agree with my rankings? Let me know in the comments which tactical style you’d crown as number one!