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If we’re being brutally honest, most of us don’t quite know how to use individual instructions in Football Manager. Team tactics are complicated enough, and the idea of adding another layer of tactical nuance and complexity is enough to make anyone’s head spin.
But here’s the thing: individual instructions are incredibly important. You can’t just slap a player with the best hidden attributes into a match and expect to win. Do you think Pep Guardiola doesn’t tell individual players to do specific things differently from the rest? Of course, he does. And it’s those marginal gains that can turn a frustrating draw into a glorious win—or, conversely, cause your defence to crumble into chaos if you get them wrong.
So, I’ve scoured the internet to find the best individual instructions you can use. Some are logical; others are borderline hacks for the match engine. In an ideal world, every instruction would work equally well, depending on your system. But this isn’t an ideal world, and we’re here to exploit what works. Let’s dive in.
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Aiming crosses at the far post
If there’s one group of people who know what works in Football Manager, it’s the content creators and streamers. They clock hundreds of hours in the game, so it’s no surprise they uncover all the best tips and tricks. Enter Stinger, a Football Manager content creator, who discovered that far-post crosses are overpowered.
Here’s how it works: by aiming crosses at the far post, the ball ends up in areas where opposition full-backs typically defend. If your winger happens to be taller or better in the air than their full-back, expect to see a steady stream of headed goals. Tall players are basically the meta in Football Manager, so this strategy makes perfect sense. Check out Stinger’s video here for a deeper dive into why this works—and to explore more of his content.
Take more risks
Struggling to create chances? Feel like your strikers couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat? Dark Horse FM has your back. The “Take More Risks” instruction is a game-changer for creating chances in Football Manager 2024. Sure, it might slightly reduce your passing accuracy, but the increased attacking threat more than makes up for it.
Worried about your less creative players constantly giving the ball away? Counterbalance this by instructing them to “Play Shorter Passes,” keeping the risky plays in the hands (or feet) of your more technically gifted players. Want a more detailed breakdown? Dark Horse FM’s video here has all the juicy details.
Tackle Harder
Ah, the “Tackle Harder” instruction—an absolute classic. It’s one I always turn on, and it never fails to improve my team’s performance. Why does it work? Honestly, I’m not entirely sure. Maybe it boosts pressing intensity? Maybe the players just feel more committed? Who knows? All I know is it gets results.
Now, before you object with concerns about red cards, let me tell you this: your players are going to pick up silly red cards no matter what. Whether you’ve set “Ease Off Tackles” or not, that one Ecuadorian regen with 18 aggression is still going to destroy someone’s Regista. So, you might as well embrace the chaos, turn on “Tackle Harder,” and reap the rewards of increased intensity while waiting for the inevitable sending-off.
Cross More Often
Wing play and crossing have been ridiculously effective for me in Football Manager 2024. My standout tactic so far has been an attacking 4-2-4, with an emphasis on wing play and a relentless barrage of crosses into the box. If you’ve got two decent strikers and wide players who can whip in a good ball, you’re guaranteed a ridiculous goal tally.
Case in point: when I used this approach with Orlando Pirates, my team scored 113 goals in 30 games—that’s 36 more goals than the second-highest-scoring team. It worked so well that I had to change tactics at my next club because it felt like cheating. Sure, 4-2-4 is a meta tactic, but one of the reasons it’s so overpowered is how effectively it overloads the wide areas.
For most stats, I was fairly average compared to other teams—except for one: crosses. I put in an absurd number of them, and it paid off big time.
Conclusion
These individual instructions can make a massive difference, but remember: they need to fit your overall tactic. The best Football Manager player in the world uses an arsenal of highly specific instructions to dominate his opponents. So, if you fancy yourself a tactical mastermind, experiment and see what works for you.
If, on the other hand, you just want to gain a sneaky advantage over the AI without too much brain strain, give these suggestions a try. Just remember: even the best instructions won’t save you if your players have six passing and seven crossing. Sometimes, no amount of tactics can make up for terrible stats.
For more Football Manager coverage, read our thoughts on features that need to arrive in future games.
Football Manager 2024
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s): Management, Soccer, Sports