FM21 Wolfsburg tactic and team guide. Club culture and board requirements, tactics, key players, youth prospects and potential transfers.
Football Manager 2021 Wolfsburg tactic and team guide. Club culture and
board requirements, tactics, key players, youth prospects and potential
transfers in FM21.
Here is a brief analysis of the Wolfsburg squad, their club structure, relationship any potential managers will have with the board, expectations and possible tactics any FM21 manager can use.
About the club
Wolfsburg are a professional football club that ply their trade in the Bundesliga. The club interestingly grew out of a multi-sports club for Volkswagen workers in 1945.
Wolfsburg had their best years under Felix Magath when they won the Bundesliga
in the 2008-2009 season. The same season Wolfsburg went on to equal the
Bundesliga record for longest winning streak and became the first and only
club in the Bundesliga where 2 players each had more than 20 goals in a single
league campaign.
After a disastrous couple of years where Wolfsburg barely avoided relegation, the club has steadied with respectable upper mid-table finishes in the last 2 years. In the 2019-2020 campaign, Wolfsburg finished 7th in the league and have made it to the Europa League playoffs. The board requirements once you take over will be;
1. Make the top 6 of the Bundesliga (Automatic Qualification into the Europa League)
2. Make the QF of the DFB Pokal.
3. Reach the 2nd knockout stages of the Europa League.
The board will not judge you on how you approach and play games as long as you achieve desirable results. However, they do have an emphasis on signing u23 players who can be improved and play a major part in the club’s future.
Wolfsburg have good training facilities and a good youth system. However, you will need to work on improving these after you stabilize your position at the club.
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Starting Transfer Budgets
Wolfsburg are a team that generally like to build up an attack. However, they can go on quick counters when the need arises. Vertical tiki-taka is the best-suited system.
A 4-2-3-1 is probably the best-suited formation to the available squad of players. This enables the players to play to their strengths.
A rough example of what your line-up would look like in a 4-2-3-1 formation is as follows;
Keon Casteels as a sweeper keeper.
Marin Pongracic & John Brooks as the 2 Ball playing centre backs.
Jerome Roussillon & Kevin Mbabu as the 2 wing-backs. Increased crossing instructions are recommended.
Xlaver Schlager & Maximilian Arnold as the 2 central midfielders with Schlager playing as a deep playmaker and Arnold as a box to box midfielder.
Josip Brekalo & Renato Steffen as the 2 wide players in an inside forward and inverted winger role respectively.
Maximilian Philip as an attacking midfielder in a No10 role.
Wout Weghorst as a lone striker in a pressing forward role.
Alternatively, you can go with a 4-3-3 and strengthen midfield, especially in tough games which enables you to play on the counter-attack.
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Tactics
The versatile attacking midfielder will be the key to opening defences and will be the main source of assists for your team.
Arnold is the creative presence in midfield and links attack to defence. His industry and ability to run non stop for 90 mins will be crucial in achieving results.
The full-back can cause problems to most defences with his pace and direct running. He is also an able crosser and can enable strikers.
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Best Players Shortlist
1. The quality of backups in the squad may not be upto quality and could prove fatal if your squad is affected by injuries.
2. You run the risk of some talents being poached by other clubs especially in search of higher wages.
3. This is not a big goalscoring team and the scrap for goals can cause crucial points.
Wolfsburg are not the best squad in the league with respect to squad depth, these players could be welcome additions to the side.
· Munas Dabbur
· Armel-Bella Kotchap
These players may be surplus to requirements at the club or may not be of the expected quality.
· Yannick Gerhardt
· Daniel Ginczek
There are a few exciting young prospects in the ranks who have the potential to be some of the best players in the league. A few examples are,
The 20-year centre back is already good enough to play a role in the first-team squad and will only improve in the future.
The young Polish striker is similar to a dominating presence in the box and can be a leading striker for Wolfsburg in the future years.
RELATED:
Best Football Manager 2021 Wonderkids
To Summarize, Wolfsburg are a steady club to manage, but their lack of ambition and quality of the squad may not be an appetizing prospect for many. Can you take over the club and take them back to Felix Magath’s glory days?
Board Requirements
After a disastrous couple of years where Wolfsburg barely avoided relegation, the club has steadied with respectable upper mid-table finishes in the last 2 years. In the 2019-2020 campaign, Wolfsburg finished 7th in the league and have made it to the Europa League playoffs. The board requirements once you take over will be;
1. Make the top 6 of the Bundesliga (Automatic Qualification into the Europa League)
2. Make the QF of the DFB Pokal.
3. Reach the 2nd knockout stages of the Europa League.
The board will not judge you on how you approach and play games as long as you achieve desirable results. However, they do have an emphasis on signing u23 players who can be improved and play a major part in the club’s future.
Wolfsburg have good training facilities and a good youth system. However, you will need to work on improving these after you stabilize your position at the club.
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Starting Transfer Budgets
Squad, Formation and Tactical Style
Wolfsburg are a team that generally like to build up an attack. However, they can go on quick counters when the need arises. Vertical tiki-taka is the best-suited system.
A 4-2-3-1 is probably the best-suited formation to the available squad of players. This enables the players to play to their strengths.
A rough example of what your line-up would look like in a 4-2-3-1 formation is as follows;
Keon Casteels as a sweeper keeper.
Marin Pongracic & John Brooks as the 2 Ball playing centre backs.
Jerome Roussillon & Kevin Mbabu as the 2 wing-backs. Increased crossing instructions are recommended.
Xlaver Schlager & Maximilian Arnold as the 2 central midfielders with Schlager playing as a deep playmaker and Arnold as a box to box midfielder.
Josip Brekalo & Renato Steffen as the 2 wide players in an inside forward and inverted winger role respectively.
Maximilian Philip as an attacking midfielder in a No10 role.
Wout Weghorst as a lone striker in a pressing forward role.
Alternatively, you can go with a 4-3-3 and strengthen midfield, especially in tough games which enables you to play on the counter-attack.
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Tactics
Key Players
1. Maximilian Philip
The versatile attacking midfielder will be the key to opening defences and will be the main source of assists for your team.
2. Maximilian Arnold
Arnold is the creative presence in midfield and links attack to defence. His industry and ability to run non stop for 90 mins will be crucial in achieving results.
3. Jerome Roussillon
The full-back can cause problems to most defences with his pace and direct running. He is also an able crosser and can enable strikers.
RELATED: Football Manager 2021 Best Players Shortlist
Weaknesses
1. The quality of backups in the squad may not be upto quality and could prove fatal if your squad is affected by injuries.
2. You run the risk of some talents being poached by other clubs especially in search of higher wages.
3. This is not a big goalscoring team and the scrap for goals can cause crucial points.
Potential Transfers (in)
Wolfsburg are not the best squad in the league with respect to squad depth, these players could be welcome additions to the side.
· Munas Dabbur
· Armel-Bella Kotchap
Potential Transfers (Out)
These players may be surplus to requirements at the club or may not be of the expected quality.
· Yannick Gerhardt
· Daniel Ginczek
Youth Prospects
There are a few exciting young prospects in the ranks who have the potential to be some of the best players in the league. A few examples are,
1. Maxence Lacroix
The 20-year centre back is already good enough to play a role in the first-team squad and will only improve in the future.
2. Bartosz Bialek
The young Polish striker is similar to a dominating presence in the box and can be a leading striker for Wolfsburg in the future years.
Summary
To Summarize, Wolfsburg are a steady club to manage, but their lack of ambition and quality of the squad may not be an appetizing prospect for many. Can you take over the club and take them back to Felix Magath’s glory days?
