2 November 2026
Tactics Win the Game
Most Used Tactic / Formation of the Week: Long Ball Counter Takes Three Spots, Quick Counter Holds Two
The leaderboard stays extremely tight this week. Long Ball Counter claims three of the Top 5 places, while Quick Counter occupies the remaining two (including the highest Collective Strength overall). Pure single-shape setups dominate the list once again. Squad synergy, manager proficiency and clean transitions continue to separate the elite.
Top 5 Pro Tactics of the Week
Here are the five standout tactics from the current Top Division 1 / high-rank pro players:
1. BRU_JEANSUI09
Manager: Thomas Tuchel
Formation / Playstyle: 4-2-2-2 Quick Counter
Collective Strength: 3312
2. SIR-SALAH
Manager: José Mourinho
Formation / Playstyle: 4-2-1-3 Long Ball Counter
Collective Strength: 3295
3. APACHE199524
Manager: José Mourinho
Formation / Playstyle: 4-2-2-2 Long Ball Counter
Collective Strength: 3291
4. dinono_
Manager: Fabio Capello
Formation / Playstyle: 4-1-3-2 Long Ball Counter
Collective Strength: 3281
5. SVC_Bumbalabum
Manager: Jürgen Klopp
Formation / Playstyle: 4-2-1-3 Quick Counter
Collective Strength: 3324
Most Used Managers in Top 5
- Quick Counter: Thomas Tuchel, Jürgen Klopp
- Long Ball Counter: José Mourinho (×2), Fabio Capello
Meta Summary
SVC_Bumbalabum’s Jürgen Klopp 4-2-1-3 Quick Counter posts the highest Collective Strength in the Top 5 with 3324. Long Ball Counter now occupies three of the five spots, while Quick Counter retains two strong entries (including the week’s top CS). Collective Strength above 3300 remains the clear elite benchmark — two of the five entries clear that mark, with the rest sitting just below.
Fluid Formation Analysis (Attack & Defence shapes among the Top 5)
None of the five players list separate Attack and Defence formations. All five entries show a single formation/playstyle, indicating pure single-shape setups (or Fluid Formation with identical Attack & Defence shapes that are not differentiated in the displayed data).
Patterns observed this week:
- Same-shape Fluid Formation (Attack = Defence) or pure single-shape setups account for the entire Top 5.
- Different-shape Fluid Formation is absent from the Top 5 this week.
- 4-2-2-2 and 4-2-1-3 remain the two most common base shapes, with one 4-1-3-2 appearing.
- Long Ball Counter claims three Top-5 spots; Quick Counter claims both the highest CS and the other two places.
- Long Ball Counter continues to prove a highly reliable high-level system across multiple managers.
Flexibility remains crucial. Players who understand how their squad transitions between phases under the Fluid Formation system continue to outperform pure copy-paste setups, even when the final shapes look similar on paper.
Bonus: Fluid Formation (Attack & Defence)
As of the v6.0.0 update, you can set separate formations for when you are attacking and when you are defending.
- Attacking formation: Players push higher, create overloads, and focus on build-up or direct runs.
- Defensive formation: Players drop into a more compact block, prioritising recovery and solidity.
On console you effectively have access to four shapes (main tactic attack/defence + sub tactic attack/defence). On mobile it is two. The formation switches automatically based on possession. Auto-Pick has also been updated so it can fill both the attacking and defensive shapes with one click.
This change rewards managers who design realistic travel distances for players so the team can actually shift between the two shapes without leaving huge gaps. Many top players still use the same base shape for both phases, while others experiment with more aggressive attacking shapes that recover into a deeper or differently structured block.
Bonus: Player Cards Now Have Attack & Defence Skill Branches (Playing Styles)
On the individual footballer level, player cards have received a major overhaul. Playing Styles are now split into two separate branches:
- Attacking Playing Style – Controls movement, runs, support, and positioning when your team has the ball.
- Defensive Playing Style – Controls pressing, marking, recovery, and line behaviour when your team does not have the ball.
A single player can now have one style for attack and a completely different style for defence (or only one of the two). New defensive styles have been added, giving cards more specialised behaviour out of possession. For example, a forward can be a Goal Poacher when attacking and switch to Front Line Pressure when defending.
This means squad building is no longer just about the overall rating or the attacking playstyle. You must now check both the attacking and defensive styles (and position proficiency) to make sure the player fits the role you want in each phase of play — especially important with Fluid Formation.
Note this week: None of the Top 5 used separate Attack & Defence formations or visibly differentiated the dual Playing Style branches in their listed setups. All five ran single-shape / single-playstyle configurations.
Test these high-performing tactics (or adapt them with the new Fluid Formation and dual Playing Styles) for your next Division push!
Weekly Tactics Report every Friday.
Drop your current formation and favourite player in the comments!
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