We are back with our latest article, which discusses the FM abbreviations and role explanations in the Central Defensive area.
It was an area I missed previously when I did the other positions on the pitch. Here are the FM central defensive abbreviations and roles:
CD (Central defender can be used on defend, stopper and cover duties)
The CD’s primary role is to stop opposition attacks and ensure the ball isn’t in critical defensive areas for their team. He will likely be slightly more proactive in winning the ball than, say, a Ball Playing Defender.
The Central Defender is unlikely to spray passes about, although he will generally have enough technical ability to play short passes to the players in front of him.
As the game explains, if set to Defend duty, ‘The Central defender will stay in line with his defensive partner look to break up attacks, mark opposing forwards and prevent the ball from getting into the box.
Example
When I think of the best Central Defenders, the first player that comes to mind is Manchester City’s Ruben Dias. He is big, strong and brave but has many of the attributes to play in many of the centre-back roles in the game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFvapGz2kUI
Dias is unavailable except to most elite clubs. A much cheaper option for the role is Croatian international Josip Sutalo. The defender starts the game at Dinamo Zagreb and becomes a world-class centre-back. I have picked him up for less than £15m plus future add-ons at the start of the game.
L (Libero can be used on support and attack)
The Libero role is also an attacker masquerading as a defender. He drops behind the team’s defensive line, almost akin to a sweeper, to intercept long balls and make last-gasp tackles, blocks and interceptions.
He will be a player with exceptional athleticism and the ability to read the game in order to cover any defensive errors caused by his centre-backs while taking possession of loose balls from a deep position and securing the ball. When his team has control of the ball, he will, however, roam forward into midfield, providing support to the players in the middle of the park.
As the FM role description states, ‘With a Support duty, the Libero will step into the midfield when possession is secured and look to play balls through to attacking teammates.
Example
Unlike many of the central defensive roles, there is not an abundance of players that can play the Libero role. Some defensive midfielders like Rodri and Declan Rice could be considered for this role due to their attributes.
However, a defender that seems to fit the bill is PSG centre-back Marquinhos. The Brazilian’s attributes suit the role. If you are looking for a cheaper option then Bayer Leverkusen star Edmond Tapsoba is one to consider. I would always recommend signing him early in the game anyway, as he can prove to be a defensive stalwart for years to come.
BPD (Ball-Playing Defender can be used on defend, stopper and cover duties)
The Ball-Playing Defender’s primary job is to stop the opposition from scoring, like any player playing in the centre of defence. However, the Ball-Playing Defender is likely to be more creative than some of his fellow centre-backs, as he will have the ability to launch defence-splitting passes and start counter-attacks.
However, according to the FM role description, ‘With a Defend duty, the Ball-Playing Defender will stay in line with his defensive partner and look to break up attacks, mark opposing forwards and prevent the ball from getting into the box’
Example
There is a plethora of players out there who could fit this role. However, one of the players I have enjoyed using the role with is Atalanta and Italy defender Giorgio Scalvini.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBQ7WR1kT7k
He is one of the most highly-rated young defenders in the game. One of the biggest advantages of signing the Italian is that he can often be bought for less than £20m at the start of the game.
NCB (No-Nonsense Centre-back can be used on defend, stopper and cover duties)
Similar to the other players in his position, like a Central Defender, the NCB’s main job is to stop the opposition attacks and get the ball away from his own goal.
As the description suggests, he will be the sort of centre-back who is unlikely to complicate defending and take fewer risks on the ball. He is an old-fashioned defender, with winning the ball his priority.
Example
A player that I have used in this role in my recent saves is Italian international centre-back Luiz Felipe, who starts FM 23 at Real Betis after a long spell at Italian club Lazio. His best attributes are tackling, bravery, teamwork, anticipation and aggression, which are all excellent for most centre-backs.
WCB (Wide Centre-Back can be used on defend, support and attack duties)
Once again, like the other centre-back roles, the WCB’s main job is to prevent the opposition from scoring and clear the danger.
Unlike the other centre-back roles, as the role title suggests, they stay wide in possession, attack more like a full-back and support the midfield more often than a traditional centre-back.
The FM role description states. ‘With Defend duty, a Wide Centre-back is more like a traditional centre-back in a back five. They will provide support in wide areas at times but from deep. Less likely to overlap or underlap and more likely to provide a diagonal backwards passing option’
Example
One of the players who has performed well for me in this role is now Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol. In truth, though, Gvardiol is so good that he can play in most of the Central Defensive roles without much trouble. The fact that he can play as a full-back also helps playing in this particular role.
He has so many good attributes that he is a must-buy for any club with the available finances. A big-money move to City earlier this summer will mean he will be almost impossible to sign in the FM24 edition.
