How would you describe an explosive striker in Football Manager?
Rocket man or goal-scoring machine are real epithets that define an explosive striker in my team.
It is a player who has speed, strength, and creativity, but most importantly – it easily resolves situations one to one.
He doesn’t care who is on the opponent’s goal because a lot of self-confidence and quality, that is indisputable, leave 1% of space for failure.
The question is how to find such a striker in Football Manager. If money isn’t a problem, it’s very easy.
Just look at the TOP 5 leagues in Europe, and pay attention to those with double figures in goals during the season.
However, I like to work with a player who has the potential to become a goal-scoring machine.
This means transformation, a young → world class player so that the results are visible after several successful seasons.
In the end, the goal is to make an excellent transfer that will provide financial stability to the club in the period that followed.
Who is an explosive striker in my team?
He’s called Fiete Arp and he’s only 21 years old. Last season, he scored 11 goals in 24 appearances for Hamburger SV.
A talented and young player looks set for a glittering future. But …
The lack of international experience and matches in Champions League represent a major obstacle on the road.
That’s why I decided to pay attention to the Bundesliga this season, in order to secure a place in the group stage of Champions League, through qualifications.
In the meantime, Fiete needs to be ready for new challenges by learning a few tricks in training.
5 traits that will make my player a powerful striker
I deeply believe that the player, without the preferred moves, can’t show his lavish talent on the pitch.
Maybe there’s a world class player who achieved excellent results based on attributes and some other indicators. Indeed, I don’t know.
But my team has clearly defined training tasks.
As you can see, there is too much green on my monitor screen.
And here’s what I prepared for the future striker number 1 in the Bundesliga …
Shoots with power
Being an explosive and powerful striker means that a player must have this task on the to-do list.
Otherwise, he will not justify the nickname assigned to him by the media.
Luckily, Fiete successfully overcame the first obstacle on the road so we go to the next level.
Comes deep to get ball
Currently, one of my formations is 4-2-3-1 and I expect the striker to help players in the middle of the pitch.
In this way, my wingers have time to move forward and open a space for a quick attack.
I think Fiete is the real man for this task, and the references are as follows: height 191 cm, strength 16, acceleration-pace 14, first touch 14 and passing 11.
Can he keep the ball for a few seconds? – Yes of course.
Likes to round keeper
The task requires less flair and technique than Lob Keeper. So it’s not bad to add this trick to the “player traits” list.
I don’t ask my strikers to perform acrobatics on the pitch, but to score the goal.
Is it going to be pleasing to the eye, it is less important. The score is only remembered at the end of the match!
Plays with back to goal
This is a combination of Comes deep to get a ball and Plays one-twos.
Ideal for Target Man, Complete Forward, and lone strikers. I enclose a video …
Shoots from distance
The key to all is the long shots attribute. Someone will say that some other attributes are needed. It’s OK.
But we shouldn’t look at the little things because we come to the conclusion that lower-league players (eg National League North – England) have a slight chance for preferred moves or not?
Here’s other interesting tasks that can be of great help to the striker:
- Stops play (low tempo possession based football);
- Plays short simple passes or Plays one-twos (poor-good passing);
- Likes to lob keeper (excellent technique – left and right foot);
- Runs with ball often (dribbling);
- Likes to try to beat offside trap (Poacher and Advanced Forward roles);
- Attempts to develop weaker foot;
- Tries first time shots.
My Super Star has just stopped scoring?
No goals? No problem. Everyone can have a bad day in the office. But …
Sometimes time doesn’t work for us, but lost points we could hardly go back. Who is the main culprit?
Someone will say the striker, and I say the manager. You see that something isn’t going as you planned, and you again give a chance to the same player. Why?
Because he’s the best striker in the club? It’s ok while somebody else scoring goals.
However, the errors should be sanctioned on time! How? – Very easy. The first step is to talk to the player and the option “criticize recent form”.
In this way, I send a message to know where the problem is. After that, I am following the situation on the pitch.
If I see that the player didn’t take my warning seriously, I’m sending him to the reserve bench.
Someone else gets a chance to take the place among the top 11.
In the end, I have only a few options available: B tim, loan or transfer list. Although in most cases, the player with the “goal drought” on the back is more motivated in training.
The green arrows, next to the attributes, are evidence that it is on the right track.
What about the roles?
It depends on the tactics and our system. Maybe I like the combination of the Deep Lying Forward & Poacher, and you – Trequartista & False Nine. That’s less important now.
But I think we need to pay attention to the player’s attributes and, on that basis, choose a role.
For example, Fiete Arp is a good Advanced Forward or Target Man, but I know that he has the potential for the Complete Forward. It only takes time …
Let’s see which options Football Manager offers for the ST position.
Deep-Lying Forward (STC)
The Deep-Lying Forward’s main function is to link the attack to midfield.
He aims to drop deep into space and hold up the ball before supplying linking passes to teammates, moving the ball back to midfield support, spreading it wide to the flanks, and if he has time to turn, playing in his strike partner.
Support – the player will largely aim to bring teammates into play before attacking the box from deep.
Attack – the player will look to fashion chances for himself in addition to playing others in.
Advanced Forward (STC)
The Advanced Forward’s main role is to lead the line and look to spearhead attacking moves.
His primary duty is to be the focal point of attacking moves and he is required to both score and create goals.
His secondary role is to chase down misplaced through balls or clearances from deep, win possession and lay off passes or crosses to his teammates.
The Advanced Forward is only available with an Attack duty.
Target Man (STC)
A Target Man can transform an average team into a good one by using his sheer physicality to disrupt the opposition’s defence and open space for his striker partner and supporting midfielders.
The Target Man uses his strength and aerial presence to bring teammates into play rather than relying on technical ability.
Support – the player will look to win flick ons and play simple possession passes to his teammates to bring them into play.
Attack – the player will lead the line and open space for teammates to move into.
Poacher (STC)
The Poacher sits on the shoulder of the last defender looking to break the defensive line and run onto through balls from midfield.
Although the Poacher is always ready to run at his marker and is happy to cross the ball when required, his main aim is trying to put the ball in the back of the net.
His focus on scoring goals is so extreme that he rarely offers much help in constructing moves, preferring instead to remain central and sniff out opportunities in and around the box.
This role is only available with an Attack duty.
Complete Forward (STC)
A Complete Forward possesses all the technical attributes of a Deep-Lying Forward, the goal scoring ability of a Poacher and the strength and power of a Target Man.
He is equally adept at playing in others, fashioning chances for himself and getting on the end of team moves.
Such a player transcends tactical instruction and should simply be allowed to do his own thing.
Support – the Complete Forward will look to drop into space, run at the defence, take long shots, drive to the flanks or play balls through the defensive line.
Attack – the Complete Forward will lead the line, spearheading attacks and crafting out chances for himself and others.
Defensive Forward (STC)
The Defensive Forward is becoming more and more important in the game.
His main duty is to put pressure on the defensive line, chase down the man in possession and loose balls and generally stop the opposing defence having any time on the ball.
In an attacking sense he keeps things as simple as possible, preferring to bring other players into the game than create his own chances.
Support – the Defensive Forward will stay a little deeper and put pressure on defensive midfielders.
Attack – the Defensive Forward will press the back line and put pressure on the central defenders.
More information about the Trequartista and the False Nine can be found here.
That’s it. Maybe Fiete Arp will score 30 or 8 goals this season? It really does not matter.
But what’s much more important is his contribution to the team in every match. I don’t want my players playing under pressure.
He is still young and his time is coming. We will go step by step, but at the end of the road, we will receive awards: a goal-scoring machine, a rocket man and the explosive striker.
Thank you for your attention and time.
Author: Alen Stefanovic Game: Football Manager 2017
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March 15, 2020 @ 12:34 PM
thanks for sharing, manager. good explanation. 🙂
March 15, 2020 @ 7:11 PM
You’re welcome 👍.