Tactics

The tactics editor is one of the best things about Sokker. It can also be somewhat tricky for a new manager to get a handle on.

Here is a youtube video of someone setting up a tactic. There is a lot of versatility. Basically, you need to move the ball on the tactic editor to each square, and set up where you want your players to be when the ball is in that portion of the field.

If you are coming to Sokker from another manager sim, like, I dunno, Hattrick (which sucks), you may think that if you're training midfield the only formation available to you is 3-5-2. Not so, in Sokker! A player can be a defender in your tactic, but have a MID order for training purposes. Thus, your training program does not restrict you to only one or two formations.

Experiment with your tactics! I like an attacking style of play, so most of my formations use attacking wingbacks and aggressive player positioning. Do you have defenders that are faster than other players in your league? Maybe you can position your defenders upfield and play an offside trap. Are your midfielders pretty decent passers? Spread them wide and use the whole field. Crappy passers? Tighten up your formation and try to power the ball upfield.

Your starting personnel will dictate, to a certain extent, what kind of tactic will work best for you. Eventually, however, you will be able to afford to buy players that will give you a lot more tactical freedom. I decided early on that I wanted to use my wingbacks to support the midfield, so I buy wingbacks that have pace, PM, and passing, and design my tactics around them. I use three strikers, but my offensive midfield presence is weak... so one of my striker trainees has PM and passing and plays an offensive mid role.

It's your team, make a tactic that suits your tastes and buy players that fit your style of play. If your focus is on ball control, get guys with defense, PM and passing. If your focus is on a wide open, aggressive style of play, get fast guys with great passing. The choices, both tactical and player-wise, are vast.

Tactics can help you win a match when your opponent has better players, and it can help you lose a match when your players are superior. Just because lots of top Polish managers or older teams in your country use a particular tactic does not make it "the best." Older teams have pretty entrenched views on tactics and hardly ever experiment. Many top teams don't even scout their opponents! Use a tactic that fits your players, your style of play, and your opponent.