[Ultimate_Red_Devil]

Attacking Midfielders

The job of an attacking midfielder is to create chances for the strikers and score goals. Attacking midfielders usually attack through the middle using a combination of dribbling and passing.
Example: Kaká

Main Attributes

Creativity – Attacking midfielders should have a high creativity stat. Scoring highly in this stat means they are able to easily create chances for other players and themselves, either by passing, playing through balls or dribbling.

Decisions – If an attacking midfielder has a high decisions stat, he will be able to choose the correct type of pass to play to the right player. He will be able to make crucial decisions in a split second such as choosing whether to run with the ball, have a long shot or play a defence splitting pass. He will know which choice is correct for each situation.

Passing – Attacking midfielders must be good at passing. Their job is to create goal-scoring opportunities for the strikers. The only way they are going to do this is by passing. Therefore they need to have a high passing stat. Good attacking midfielders can effectively play a range of different passes, such as a short pass, a long pass or a through ball.

Dribbling – If an attacking midfielder is good at dribbling, he will be able to easily take the ball past opposing defenders and get himself into good positions for a shot or a pass.
If good dribbling is coupled with pace, it makes for a devastating combination.

Technique – This is a useful skill to an attacking midfielder because it enables them to easily control passes played at a variety of different heights. Good technique means they can control the ball easily and run with it without losing control of it or letting it get too far away.

Long Shots – Attacking midfielders often get into the right positions for a long shot. This is because their starting position is not near the goal, but still close enough for a long shot. Being good at long shots is an added bonus to an attacking midfielder’s game. Long shots can catch a goalkeeper by surprise, and can sometimes be the only way forward if the opposition defence is not allowing anything through.

Centre Backs

All good teams are built on a strong defence. If you do no concede goals, you cannot lose, so that is half of the job done already. Central defenders are very important player in a team. It is their job to make the goalkeeper’s life as easy as possible. They must do this by keeping opposing strikers quiet.
Example: John Terry.

Main Attributes

Marking – If a central defender is good at marking, he will be able to keep opposing strikers out of the game. Every time the striker he is marking gets the ball, there will be no-where for him to go and he will end up losing it. If a central defender is not good at marking, he will allow strikers space to run into, and he will not mark effectively at set-pieces.

Heading – Many teams like to play a ‘long ball’ game. Hoofing the ball directly over the top of the midfield and up to the big striker is a popular strategy with some lesser teams. If your centre-backs are good at heading, they will be able to win the aerial battles and clear up anything that is hit up in the air. This stat goes hand in hand with Jumping.
Centre-backs with good heading and jumping stats are a big threat at attacking set-pieces and can score many goals for the team this way.

Tackling – Centre-backs must be good at tackling in order to cleanly win the ball off of tricky strikers without giving a free-kick or penalty away.

Positioning – Central defenders must know how to position themselves correctly when defending against crosses or set-pieces. A centre-back who can position themselves well will be first to a loose ball or cross and make the clearance.

Pace & Acceleration – These stats are valuable to a centre-back in order to keep up with quick forwards, or catch up with them if they get past them. Also useful when defending against quick breaks and counter attacks. You'll find that speed of the defender only affects you if your playing in one of the top leagues (La Liga, The Premiership..) If you are managing in one of those leagues or another top one then you'll require a pacey CB, look for around 15+ in both Pace and Acceleration.

Strength – Good centre backs must be strong. They need to have good strength in order to hold off other players when they are on the ball, to win the aerial battles and to shrug strikers off when they are in tight spots.

Stamina – This is essential to a centre-back. They must have good stamina in order to keep up their performance until the very end of the match. If they do not have the stamina to keep playing until the final whistle, they could be punished by conceding a goal in the final minutes of a match.

Bravery – Centre backs have to be brave. They must have no fear of getting hurt; otherwise they might pull out of a 50-50 challenge, this could result in a striker getting the ball and scoring.

Defensive Midfielders

A good defensive midfielder can be an integral part of a team. The job of a defensive midfielder is to sit in front of the defence, to protect them. A good defensive midfielder will not allow much to get through to the defence, and will tackle players in midfield before they have had a chance to threaten the goal.
Example: Patrick Vieira.

Main Attributes

Tackling – Defensive midfielders who are good at tackling will be able to tackle opposing players in midfield in order to prevent them from making any creative passes, or going on surging runs.

Stamina – Defensive midfielders must have good stamina because the central midfield positions involve more running than any other position. Defensive midfielders have to do a lot of running back to help out the defence. They must also make forward runs to support the attack when needed. Their job involves a lot of running backwards and forwards.

Work rate – Defensive midfielders must have a high work rate because their job involves running from one player to the next, closing down whichever player is on the ball and chasing back to help out with the defence. A lazy defensive midfielder will not be able to do his job properly.

Passing – Once they have won the ball back from the other team, they have to do something with it! Defensive midfielders must have good passing abilities in order for them not to give the ball straight back to the other team. If they have exceptional passing abilities, they will be able to create chances for the forwards and create openings with through balls.

Marking – This is a useful attribute for defensive midfielders to score highly in. If they are good at marking, they will be able to mark the opposing attacking midfielders out of the game. This will limit the chances that the attacking midfielders can create for their team. Marking is also useful to defensive midfielders when defending set-pieces.

Heading – During a match, the opposing goalkeeper will take lots of long goal kicks, and there will generally be a lot of high balls around the middle of the pitch. Part of a defensive midfielder’s job is to get to these high balls and win the aerial battles with the opposing midfielders. For this he will need to be good at heading and jumping.

Technique – Defensive midfielders must have good technique because they have to able to control the ball effectively without giving it away.

Strength – It is not essential for a defensive midfielder to be strong, but still preferable. If they are strong, they will find it easier to win the aerial battles and to shrug off other players when they are on the ball.

Forwards

Forwards are versatile players who can operate in midfield, attacking midfield and up front. They are usually played up front in the same position as a striker. Their job is the same as a striker’s, to score goals, but they also bring another dimension to the team.
Their style is different to that of a striker. Out and out strikers are more like target men, but forwards are slightly different.
Example: Ronaldinho

Main Attributes

Finishing - This stat determines the player’s ability to convert chances into goals. This is a very important stat for a forward. Players who have a high finishing stat will have greater success in one on one situations.

Dribbling – Forwards who are good at dribbling are extremely useful players to have in your team. They can easily go past defenders which can help them to get into good positions for a shot on goal or a pass to a team mate. This stat is devastating when coupled with Pace and Acceleration as defenders do not like it when players run at them with the ball at pace. Pace is extremely useful to a forward if they manage to get a break which puts them clean through. Their pace will prevent any defenders from catching up with them.

Passing – Creating chances for team mates is part of a forward’s game. In order to do this they must have good passing abilities.

Creativity – Forwards must be creative when they are on the ball in order to carve out opportunities for fellow team mates. A player who scores goals is valuable, but one who scores goals and creates them too is even more valuable.

Technique – Forwards need to have good technique in order to control passes to them from their team mates. Without good technique, they will rarely be able to get the ball under control and will often lose the ball when it is passed to them. Forwards need a good First Touch for the same reason.

Off the Ball – This is a very important part of a forward’s game. He must be able to make intelligent runs to get away from defenders. He must also be able to time his runs to perfection so he is not caught by the offside trap. Players who are good at moving off the ball are easier to pick out with a pass.

Team work – Forwards are constantly linking up with other players in the attack, therefore they must be good at team work. They need to have a good knowledge of the team’s shape as they attack in order to know where their team mates are.

Flair – Sometimes players are stifled out of the game by good defenders. Especially in Europe, players can be marked out of the game. Flair determines a player’s ability to come up with something un-expected, try something spectacular or attempt the incredible.

Full Backs

Full-backs are an important part of the team. A good full-back is good at defending but also a threat when going forward. The main job of the full-back is to defend against attacks coming from down either flank. Good full-backs will tackle opposing wingers before they have a chance to get a cross in.
Example: Roberto Carlos.

Main Attributes:

Tackling – This is THE most important stat for a full-back. If they are unable to tackle opposing wingers, the goal will be under threat from a cross. If they are good at tackling, they will not allow the winger to cross the ball, then win it from him and begin a counter-attack.

Marking – This stat is useful to a full-back. If they score highly in it, they can mark opposition wingers out of the game. They will be onto them every time they receive the ball and cut out passes to them.

Dribbling – Full-backs must be good at attacking as well as defending so dribbling is an important attribute. They must be able to turn defence into attack and running with the ball is one way of doing this. If a full-back is good at dribbling, he will be able to constantly make ground with the ball down the touchline and get into threatening positions.

Crossing – All that dribbling down the flank needs an end product and no end product is better than a delicious cross which curls away from the goalkeeper and falls perfectly for your striker to head into the back of the net.
As full-backs are nearly always at the side of the pitch, crossing is important for them when attacking.

Off the Ball – When full-backs do not have the ball, and the team is on the attack, they need to know where to be running. A full-back who scores highly in this stat will be constantly running up the touchline and in behind defenders looking for the ball.

Pace – This is very useful to a full-back if they have it. A pacey full back will be able to keep up with pacey wingers. Similarly, a fast full-back can charge up the line with the ball and past defenders before they can catch up with him.

Acceleration – If a winger manages to trick his was past a full-back, the full-back must have good acceleration in order to catch up with him again. This works both ways; a full-back with good acceleration can tackle wingers and then accelerate away from them before they can do anything about it.

GoalKeepers

Goalkeepers are the last line of defence for your team, they guard the goal so it is a good idea to have a good one! A good goalkeeper can be the missing link in many teams. Make sure you have a good goalkeeper because if you don’t concede goals, you can’t lose!
Example: Gianluigi Buffon.

Main Attributes:

Handling - Good handling skills are important to a goalkeeper as it allows them to easily catch and hold on to the ball. A goalie with poor handling skills will not be able to hold the ball after saving a shot, where-as a goalie with good handling skills will be able to save shots and hold onto them and catch crosses without dropping them. Try to get a keeper with good handling, around 15-20 for this stat would be good.

Reflexes – If a goalkeeper has good reflexes, he will be able to make quick saves from close range and he will be able to save powerful shots which may catch lesser goalkeepers by surprise,

Aerial Ability – Goalkeepers who score highly in this attribute are able to produce spectacular saves, diving across the goal and keeping the ball out with one hand. Goalies that have 20 in this stat will rarely be beaten from long range.

One on Ones – During a match, there will be many occasions when goalkeepers are in a one on one situation, faced with an opposing striker dribbling towards them with no defenders in between. Goalkeepers with a good one on one stat will be more likely to prevent the striker from scoring.

Positioning – Goalkeepers must know how to position themselves correctly at different situations in order to be effective. Goalies with a good positioning stat will take up the best positions when defending set-pieces such as free kicks and corners. They will also position themselves correctly when anticipating a cross into the penalty area.

Agility – Goalkeepers need to be agile in order to spring to either side to save shots, get down low to keep the ball out, save shots destined for the top corner and produce difficult saves in general. This stat is very important.

Jumping – This stat is important when defending crosses and set pieces. Goalies with a good jumping stat can jump above other players and catch the ball or punch it to safety.

Strikers

The main job of a striker is to score goals. Part of their job is to create as many chances as possible for other players if they cannot score themselves.
Good strikers are essential to any team because you cannot win games if you do not score goals.
Example: Christian Vieri

Main Attributes

Finishing – This stat determines the player’s ability to convert chances into goals. This is a very important stat for a striker. Players who have a high finishing stat will have greater success in one on one situations.

Heading - This stat determines how well the player can head the ball. It is useful to have a striker who is good in the air, because they will be able to feed off of the crosses coming in from the wings. This is also useful if you decide to play long passes up to your striker, he will have to be good at heading to win the ball. This stat goes hand in hand with Jumping.

Technique – Strikers need to have good technique in order to control passes to them from their team mates. Without good technique, they will rarely be able to get the ball under control and will often lose the ball when it is passed to them. Strikers need a good First Touch for the same reason.

Anticipation – This is important to a striker. Good anticipation will enable them to judge the flight or trajectory of a pass or cross, and time their run to meet it at the right time.
Similarly, Positioning is important to strikers. A striker may have 20 for finishing but what good is it if they can never get into the right positions to score?

Strength – This can be used to a striker’s advantage when holding up the ball for other players. A strong player can use his physical presence to impose himself on the defence. He can use his body to hold off defenders while support from his team mates arrives.

Off the Ball – This is a very important part of a striker’s game. He must be able to make intelligent runs to get away from defenders. He must also be able to time his runs to perfection so he is not caught by the offside trap. Players who are good at moving off the ball are easier to pick out with a pass.

Sweepers

Sweepers are very similar to central defenders and their job is almost exactly the same. They sit just behind the defence and clear up anything that comes through. They are also used to start attacks.
Example: Mikael Silvestre.

Marking – If a sweeper is good at marking, he will be able to keep opposing strikers out of the game. Every time the striker he is marking gets the ball, there will be no-where for him to go and he will end up losing it. If a sweeper is not good at marking, he will allow strikers space to run into, and he will not mark effectively at set-pieces.

Heading – Many teams like to play a ‘long ball’ game. Hoofing the ball directly over the top of the midfield and up to the big striker is a popular strategy with some lesser teams. If your sweeper is good at heading, he will be able to win the aerial battles and clear up anything that is hit up in the air. This stat goes hand in hand with Jumping. Sweepers with good heading and jumping stats are a big threat at attacking set-pieces and can score many goals for the team this way.

Tackling – Sweepers must be good at tackling in order to cleanly win the ball off of tricky strikers without giving a free-kick or penalty away. This area is very important and I think you should be looking for player's with around 18-20 stats.

Positioning – Sweepers must know how to position themselves correctly when defending against crosses or set-pieces. A sweeper who can position themselves well will be first to a loose ball or cross and make the clearance.

Strength – Good sweepers must be strong. They need to have good strength in order to hold off other players when they are on the ball, to win the aerial battles and to shrug strikers off when they are in tight spots.

Passing – Sweepers are used to start attacks so they must have good passing skills. If they score highly in this stat they will be able to play short accurate passes and accurate passes over longer distances to the strikers.

Bravery – Sweepers have to be brave. They must have no fear of getting hurt; otherwise they might pull out of a 50-50 challenge, this could result in a striker getting the ball and scoring.

Pace & Acceleration – These stats are valuable to a sweeper in order to keep up with quick forwards, or catch up with them if they get past them. Also useful when defending against quick breaks and counter attacks.

Wingers

A winger’s job is to create goal-scoring opportunities for the strikers. The easiest way for them to do this is by crossing the ball into the penalty area. Wingers are usually expected to chip in with a few goals themselves too.
Example: Vicente

Main Attributes

Crossing – A winger must be able to cross the ball well. If they can do this, they will be able to create many good chances for strikers. Crossing is a main area for a winger so look for wingers without around 15+/20 for this.

Dribbling – This is another very important stat to a winger. If a winger is good at dribbling, he will be able to easily get past full-backs and other defenders to allow him space and time to deliver a cross into the area. A good dribbler of the ball is extremely effective as a winger if his dribbling skills are coupled with good pace and acceleration. For a winger dirrbling is essential so you should be looking for players with 20/20 for this stat.

Creativity – The main job of a winger is to create chances for the strikers. In order to do this, he must be creative. If he is creative, he will be able to easily create chances for other players either by crossing, dribbling or playing through balls. It's not an important stat for a winger, but a player with around 10-15 out of 20 in this area is a bonus.

Stamina – A winger’s job involves a lot of running up the touchline. In order to cope with this, they need to have good stamina. If they do not have good stamina, they will eventually fade out of the game. Around 15/20 would be good enough for this area.