Winning the ball up the field
The gegenpress is a big part of the new era of football. Using energy to win the ball back further up the field has proved so effective, recreate it on FM24.
So, do you want start gegenpressing or are you a fan of the gegenpress already? I am a massive advocate of the the gegenpress tactic on FM24 as it is attacking and aggressive. The whole point is to win the ball back quickly after losing possession. As a result it has changed the way that we see the game, by changing our understanding of transitions.
We have put together 5 tactics that we have used in the Premier League with a number of different clubs to great success. Try each one with your team to see how you get on, I promise that the gegenpress will reward you.
What Gegenpress tactics?
442 Narrow Diamond
This tactic was used with Sheff United with great effect, finishing in 7th in the first season which you will find here. The full backs played a vital role here, rampaging down the wings sand crossing the ball in to two forwards. The midfield is there to defend the centre and push the ball out wide due to the number of mid blocks.
This FM24 gegenpress tactic is set up with high line which was a mistake for Sheff United as it forced the opposition to play long balls over our high line. Playing a mid block is the next step for this team and force the opposition out wide.
433 DM Wide
This tactic is a go to for me on FM24. When I started the Luton Town save game I wanted something solid. We went on to finish 9th in the league which you can see here. Again what works here is the strong and combative midfield to win the ball back quickly. Once the ball is won, we need to get the ball out wide to the creative players and get it in the centre.
Very similar to the 442 narrow diamond in defence, but inverted in the attack with wide players. This again could be played with a mid block to stop through balls either through or over your team.
4231
Now onto the most attacking gegenpress tactic on FM24. With this tactic we took AFC Bournemouth to 9th in the league, which you can see here. This tactic is designed for passing play and getting forward to create more opportunities with the AMC. The problem is that you do not have a DM, so no one to screen the back four bringing the defence under pressure. To remedy this, you could pull the MCs into the DM slots.
As with every gegenpress tactic on FM24, we are looking to win the ball back quickly with the swarming midfield. With Bournemouth’s young team this proved to be great tactic to introduce.
442
I bet you didn’t think the 442 would make an appearance on list, right? Everton on FM24 fitted into a 442 perfectly and I wanted to see how a gegenpress would work for them, see here. It worked to great success getting us to 8th, even with a 10 point deduction, although I think Calvert-Lewin was to thank here.
While I have opted for a big man little man combo here, you could better off have two pacer forwards. This could be an advanced and deep lying forward which can both be good in the air too. Get the ball wide to the wingers and let them bombard the box with crosses, make sure they have great crossing.
532
This tactic with Nottingham Forest is a bit of a bonus. I really wanted to play something different in the Premier League on FM24. We had a weak defence so I opted for three centre backs, and we didn’t have a single strong striker, which is why I went with two strikers. With this tactic we ended up 7th in the first season in the EPL, which is impressive.
The reason this tactic work so well is the positioning of the players. When we lose the ball we are able to swarm immediately in most positions on the pitch. We then counter from this position through the centre.
Gegenpress Recruitment
When looking for new recruits within your new tactical system you could take the Klopp approach. While Klopp is a data driven manager he used a lot of young players who were energetic. Unfortunately older players do not have the stamina that a lot of younger players have for a system like this.
In terms of actual attributes in FM24, we need to be looking at players that have great physical stats especially pace. Mentally the players need to have strong anticipation and positioning stats to win the ball back quickly. Another stat to look at is players that run longer distances per game.
Go and start a save game with these tactics today! Let us know in the comments below what you think of the gegenpress and how you get on.
