Manchester City tactic and team guide for Football Manager 2021. Club vision, tactic, key players, youth prospects and transfers in FM21.
Manchester City tactic and team guide for Football Manager 2021. Club
vision, tactic, key players, youth prospects and transfers in FM21.
Here is a brief analysis of the Man City squad, their club structure, relationship any potential managers will have with the board, expectations and possible tactics any FM manager can use.
About Manchester City
Manchester City are the strongest Premier League team in this decade with 4 league titles and 2 FA Cup wins. They’re also easily the most consistent PL side during this period.
The club is owned by what you would call in FM terms a “Sugar Daddy” owner who
will pour in money as long as you show the results.
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Sugar Daddy Clubs in Football Manager 2021 That Make Spending Simple
Board Requirements
Man City lost out to Liverpool last season after winning back to back EPL
titles. The board expectations should you take over will be,
1. Challenge for the PL title
2. A final < finish at the UEFA Champions league
3. A Final < finish in the FA cup
Obviously, the expectations are high but this isn’t a surprise considering you’ll already be taking over a champion side and be replacing the manager who is regarded as the best in the world currently (No Pressure).
The board will require you to play attacking football, whilst playing a possession heavy entertaining brand of football. You will also be required to sign high profile players and develop players that emerge from the club’s youth system.
Man City probably have the best training and youth facilities in the league and have already produced world-class youngsters that are taking world football by storm. Although you will not start off with a big budget, the chairman will soon provide you with plenty of funds should you look to bolster your squad.
Man City have a plethora of stars in their squad with multiple options for each position. However, you can deploy multiple tactics and still find success let us see what works best for the personnel available.
Man City in real life play a very possession heavy style of football with them pressing high up the field and winning back the ball. You can do the same with a tiki-taka / vertical tiki-taka style of football with high pressing instructions and a free role for the attacking wingers.
A 4-2-3-1 is the best-suited formation for Man City where all the players can play to their strengths. This would also help in winning possession high up the pitch and play a fast-tempo game.
A rough example of what your line-up would look like in a 4-2-3-1 formation is as follows,
Ederson Moraes as a sweeper-keeper
Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy as wing-backs.
Aymeric Laporte & Ruben Dias as a Ball playing centre back with defend instructions.
Fernandinho/Rodri to play as a defensive midfielder in a Deep lying playmaker (Defend) role, Ilkay Gundogan deployed as a B2B midfielder.
Kevin De Bruyne who is the club’s most important player will be an advanced playmaker in the 10 role.
Raheem Sterling & Bernardo Silva as the left inside forward and right inverted winger respectively. Alternatively, you can replace Silva with Riyad Mahrez who is just as capable.
Sergio Aguero as an Advanced forward or a Pressing forward.
Man City have the most star-studded squad of all teams in the Premier League. Some key players in their line-up are,
Sergio Aguero has the best goal to game ratio among all PL players and is a goal machine. Keep him fit, and he will be smashing in 20+ league goals every season.
Kevin De Bruyne is a master passer, his vision is second to none and will rake up those assists and constantly trouble the assist chart. He will also pop up with crucial goals. He is probably the best-attacking midfielder in the game.
Laporte is a key cog in the Man City wheel. Keeping him fit for a greater part of the season is crucial for managers in securing favourable results. He is also very good in the air and will help at both ends from set-pieces.
Sterling is amongst England’s elite wingers and is a constant menace from
the wings. He is supremely fast and agile and is an accomplished finisher.
His goals will be crucial in securing important results.
With a squad full of superstars and a sugar daddy owner, there are very few weaknesses with managing man city, however some problems you may encounter are,
1. Man City are a very diminutive side and are not very physical. Against tall, strong sides that rely on set plays you could end up conceding silly goals.
2. Having a squad full of superstars could create a new problem on its own with players constantly getting unhappy over playing time. This also makes it very hard to give youngsters minutes, and you could lose some best talents.
3. The board and fan expectations are pretty high and anything other than championships will be the season as a failure.
There are many exciting young prospects in the ranks or on loan who have the potential to be some of the best players in the league. A few examples are,
At just 20 Foden is already a regular in the Mna City side and has also earned a couple of call ups for the England NT. He is amongst the best-attacking midfielders (wonderkid) in the game and will be a prolific performer in most saves.
Eric Garcia is a product of the fabled La Masia. His in-game stats are
already very good for a 19-year-old, and he goes on to become a star
defender in almost all saves. You will do well to hold on to him as there
are interests from several clubs.
Although he still has not joined Man City technically, a future transfer for the Serbian youngster has already been arranged. He has earned more than 50 caps for Partizan despite being just 17 and has played at several junior levels for Serbia. He is a very versatile wide player and can be developed into a superstar in the game.
1. Challenge for the PL title
2. A final < finish at the UEFA Champions league
3. A Final < finish in the FA cup
Obviously, the expectations are high but this isn’t a surprise considering you’ll already be taking over a champion side and be replacing the manager who is regarded as the best in the world currently (No Pressure).
The board will require you to play attacking football, whilst playing a possession heavy entertaining brand of football. You will also be required to sign high profile players and develop players that emerge from the club’s youth system.
Man City probably have the best training and youth facilities in the league and have already produced world-class youngsters that are taking world football by storm. Although you will not start off with a big budget, the chairman will soon provide you with plenty of funds should you look to bolster your squad.
Squad, Formation and Tactical Style
Man City have a plethora of stars in their squad with multiple options for each position. However, you can deploy multiple tactics and still find success let us see what works best for the personnel available.
Man City in real life play a very possession heavy style of football with them pressing high up the field and winning back the ball. You can do the same with a tiki-taka / vertical tiki-taka style of football with high pressing instructions and a free role for the attacking wingers.
A 4-2-3-1 is the best-suited formation for Man City where all the players can play to their strengths. This would also help in winning possession high up the pitch and play a fast-tempo game.
A rough example of what your line-up would look like in a 4-2-3-1 formation is as follows,
Ederson Moraes as a sweeper-keeper
Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy as wing-backs.
Aymeric Laporte & Ruben Dias as a Ball playing centre back with defend instructions.
Fernandinho/Rodri to play as a defensive midfielder in a Deep lying playmaker (Defend) role, Ilkay Gundogan deployed as a B2B midfielder.
Kevin De Bruyne who is the club’s most important player will be an advanced playmaker in the 10 role.
Raheem Sterling & Bernardo Silva as the left inside forward and right inverted winger respectively. Alternatively, you can replace Silva with Riyad Mahrez who is just as capable.
Sergio Aguero as an Advanced forward or a Pressing forward.
Key Players
Man City have the most star-studded squad of all teams in the Premier League. Some key players in their line-up are,
1. Sergio Aguero
Sergio Aguero has the best goal to game ratio among all PL players and is a goal machine. Keep him fit, and he will be smashing in 20+ league goals every season.
2. Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne is a master passer, his vision is second to none and will rake up those assists and constantly trouble the assist chart. He will also pop up with crucial goals. He is probably the best-attacking midfielder in the game.
3. Aymeric Laporte
Laporte is a key cog in the Man City wheel. Keeping him fit for a greater part of the season is crucial for managers in securing favourable results. He is also very good in the air and will help at both ends from set-pieces.
4. Raheem Sterling
Weaknesses
With a squad full of superstars and a sugar daddy owner, there are very few weaknesses with managing man city, however some problems you may encounter are,
1. Man City are a very diminutive side and are not very physical. Against tall, strong sides that rely on set plays you could end up conceding silly goals.
2. Having a squad full of superstars could create a new problem on its own with players constantly getting unhappy over playing time. This also makes it very hard to give youngsters minutes, and you could lose some best talents.
3. The board and fan expectations are pretty high and anything other than championships will be the season as a failure.
Youth Prospects
There are many exciting young prospects in the ranks or on loan who have the potential to be some of the best players in the league. A few examples are,
1. Phil Foden
At just 20 Foden is already a regular in the Mna City side and has also earned a couple of call ups for the England NT. He is amongst the best-attacking midfielders (wonderkid) in the game and will be a prolific performer in most saves.
2. Eric Garcia
3. Filip Stevanovic
Although he still has not joined Man City technically, a future transfer for the Serbian youngster has already been arranged. He has earned more than 50 caps for Partizan despite being just 17 and has played at several junior levels for Serbia. He is a very versatile wide player and can be developed into a superstar in the game.
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Football Manager 2021 Best Wonderkid Players
Man City already boast of some of the best stars in the world, however, these players could be welcome additions to the side.
· Lionel Messi
· Erling Haaland
· Nuno Mendes
These players may be surplus to requirements at the club or may not be of the expected quality.
· Benjamin Mendy
· John Stones
· Oleksander Zinchenko
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Starting Transfer Budgets
Potential Transfers (in)
Man City already boast of some of the best stars in the world, however, these players could be welcome additions to the side.
· Lionel Messi
· Erling Haaland
· Nuno Mendes
Potential Transfers (Out)
These players may be surplus to requirements at the club or may not be of the expected quality.
· Benjamin Mendy
· John Stones
· Oleksander Zinchenko
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Starting Transfer Budgets
Summary
However, the expectations are as high as the quality of the squad. Could you one up Pep Guardiola and lead Man City to their elusive first UEFA Champions League win?!
