Football Manager 2020 Tactics: Defending In A José Mourinho Mid-Block

I mentioned earlier that you’re not pressing high up the pitch, but that doesn’t mean you’re not pressing at all. The English FA use terminology that describes this pressing approach perfectly: Delay, deny and dictate.

Under the in transition (when possession has been lost) tab on the tactics page, you’re given three options. Choosing one should be based on your players' ability.

Delay  - No option selected  - Sometimes the best option is to do nothing. Leaving the tab unchecked passes the decision making to your players. More aggressive roles and players in your formation will look to close down while the more balanced in your team will likely choose to sit and hold their position. When selecting this approach choosing the correct players and roles in your tactic becomes even more important. You want to have a balanced side with a mixture of attack, support and defend duties throughout the team.

Deny  - Regroup  -  Select this if you’re the underdog in your next fixture. This instruction tells your players to snap back into shape the minute you lose the ball. When your players drop, the opposition has to attempt to break you down once again. It’s by no means an adventurous approach but one that makes you harder to beat.

Dictate  -  Counter-Press  -  If you want to control a game in and out of possession, select counter-press. The minute you lose the ball the nearest player will look to win it back by applying pressure. Unlike a high press though, your players will only attempt do this up to where your line of engagement sits. This is particularly helpful when you’re looking to force teams into mistakes.