Football Manager is easy to conquer if you have the right tactics and good players to play in each position. However, sometimes the roles of your players matter just as much as your formation or even the quality of players.
There are some roles I hardly ever use, as they don’t fit the player’s strengths or how I want to play the game. Here are some player roles I never use in FM:
Raumdeuter
This role was made popular by German international Thomas Muller during his long spell at Bayern Munich. The term ‘Raumdeuter’ translates into English as a ‘space interpreter’, meaning that the player knows how to be in the right space at the right time.
The Raumdeuter position sees a player in an attacking midfield role, almost as a false number nine, with freedom to roam where there is space anywhere across the forward line.
Unfortunately, few players can operate in the role as well as Muller can. The veteran star will leave Bayern this summer after a long career.
Half Back
This is a role that I cannot remember using much in FM over the years. That’s probably because I prefer my defensive midfielders to either be deep-lying playmakers or ball-winning midfielders. That may be due to the fact that my players’ strengths have fitted those roles better than the Half Back.
It’s primarily a defensive role, as the Half Back acts as a shield for the backline and provides stability in midfield. They often drop back between the two central defenders to offer added protection or to pick up the ball.
Many FM players like the Half Back role for their defensive midfielder because of the extra defensive cover it provides. Maybe I should use the role more in the future.
Carrilero
The reason for not using the Carrilero role is similar to why I don’t use the Half Back; I prefer other roles in the centre midfield.
Players playing in the Carrilero role tend to move laterally to cover space out wide in the centre of the pitch. It’s almost a wide central midfield role.
Rodri, Jordan Henderson, and Fabinho are all players who can play the role expertly.
Wide Target Forward
This is arguably the least-used role in Football Manager. I can’t ever remember using this role in any edition of the game. In fact, I have hardly seen anybody use the role. Maybe it’s because it’s hard to find players who can successfully pull off the role.
As the title of the role suggests, it’s basically a target man who plays in a wider attacking role. The perfect player to play in the role would be tall and physically imposing.
Enganche
This is another role that I have hardly used, and probably takes the right tactics to make the role successful. Enganche is the classical number ten attacking midfield role, who plays between the midfield and the main forward or forwards. They can be the creative hub of a team’s attack.
The term Enganche comes from Argentinian football, where Diego Maradona was a typical example of the role. He wasn’t just a goal scorer. The diminutive forward also created opportunities for his teammates.
I have always liked to use an advanced playmaker, attacking midfielder or shadow striker in the number ten position. Maybe I am just set in my ways, and should look at the role more in future games. It could be an interesting experiment, especially if I couple it with other roles I have never used before.
Trequartista
The Trequartista is similar to the Enganche when it comes to FM use, as I prefer the other role options available for the number ten role. However, I know for a fact that I have used the Trequartista more than the Enganche over the years.
Players operating in the role have slightly more freedom than an Enganche, who tends to have a far more set position. They operate similarly to an Advanced Playmaker, but have fewer defensive duties. That means they may be more of a luxury player, as their lack of defensive responsibilities can put a burden on the rest of the team.
Maybe I should do a test involving playing a system with two number tens, one Enganche and one Trequartista. It could be a recipe for success.
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