Recreate Nancyball in Football Manager 2026 with this fluid 3-4-3, relational build-up, narrow overloads and relentless counter-press for trophy-winning results.
French manager, Wilfried Nancy, has joined Celtic as the club’s new manager, signing a deal that keeps him at the club until 2028, as he replaces the sacked Brendan Rodgers.
Nancy is a relatively unknown manager, having previously managed in the MLS in America.
It was in the MLS, with Columbus Crew, where Wilfried Nancy grew in prominence, as foreign fans and analysts began eagerly tracking his progress at the club, whilst analysing his unique, interesting tactics.
In this article, I’ll be providing my brief analysis of Nancy’s Crew, before demonstrating my recreation of their tactics on Football Manager 26 and showcasing the shockingly brilliant results said tactics achieved in testing.
Firstly, let’s break down the core principles of this system.
Flexible 3-2/3-1 Build-Up Structure
Wilf Nancy primarily set his Crew side up in a 3-4-3 formation.
However, his system was far more flexible and fluid than most typical back-three systems, as his team could situationally build-up in a multitude of ways.
The most regular set-ups were using a 3-2 or 3-1 base, usually containing all three centre-backs and one, or both, of the holding midfielders – although, the players within this 3-2/3-1 base could rotate and interchange positions with one another, particularly on the right.
Constant Fluidity
As aforementioned, Nancy’s Crew side would, indeed, set up in a 3-4-3 formation.
However, their shape rarely ever resembled this formation, as players could roam, rotate, and interchange with one another; the right-sided centre-back could move higher and wider, allowing one of the double-pivot to take up his position in the back-three.
This constant fluidity led to the creation of, one of, the most exciting teams in world football, as Nancy’s Crew side often resembled that of a street football side, as players had complete freedom to drift and roam wherever, and whenever, they please.
Relationism > Positionism
‘Relationism’ is a term that describes the approach of relying/leaning into pre-existing relationships with team-mates on the pitch, rather than pre-defined positions/zones on the pitch, to create unpredictable, chaotic plays in-possession.
Nancy’s Crew were one of the pioneers of relationism in football, as players would converge together to paint beautiful pieces on the narrow canvas, of which they were usually confined within.
Said narrowness led to Crew adopting a key facet of their in-possession game: Minimum width.
When they would reach the final third, Crew’s wide players would narrow to establish boundaries and confines to try and suffocate opponents from every angle – this created ideal conditions for Crew to counter-press immediately, should they have lost the ball.
Let’s Break Down the Tactic
In Possession:
When Crew had the ball, they would predominantly use very short passes to establish control in the game – these shorter passes could also draw opposition teams out of their blocks.
As aforementioned, Crew would converge into central areas as often as possible, creating ideal conditions for players to link-up with one another and, if they lost the ball, to counter-press effectively.
From build-up, Nancy’s Crew took inspiration from European trends, as they primarily looked to bait teams into pressing high, creating space between the lines or in-behind;
When this space would occur, Crew would try and penetrate the space constantly with runs in-behind being found with through balls.
Finally, when they would reach the final third, Nancy’s Crew were patient in their attacking exploits, zipping the ball backwards, forwards, and sideways constantly to look for gaps/source their next relational product.
Out of Possession:
When Crew would lose the ball, they would intensely counter-press immediately to try and regain possession as quick as possible.
Nancy’s Crew were akin to one of his Celtic predecessors, Ange Postecoglu, as they would press high rigorously and incessantly to regain possession as soon as possible.
They demanded control!
To supplement this high, aggressive press, the backline were told to hold as high a line as possible, whilst being asked to step up immediately if any passes were found in between the lines.
Finally, from Crew’s high-press, they would try and force opposition teams into wide areas as often as possible.
Opposition Instructions
Player Roles
Ball-Playing Goalkeeper | Sweeper Keeper:
In this system, the ‘keeper was asked to move higher and be as active as possible in build-up, offering passing options consistently and giving Crew the extra man advantage in-possession.
When Crew didn’t have the ball, the ‘keeper was asked to hold a higher position to sweep any loose balls in-behind or claim any crosses into the penalty area.
Overlapping Centre-Back | Centre-Back:
Crew’s back-three were very flexible, as they could vacate their positions often to create wide overloads or, in the right-sided centre-back’s case, overlap the right wing-back.
It’s fair to say the right-sided centre-back was certainly the more aggressive and adventurous of the two wider centre-backs in the back-three.
Centre-Back | Centre-Back:
The central centre-back, in this system, would prioritise shorter, simpler passes to the outside centre-backs or into the double-pivot, and would primarily focus on his defensive responsibilities.
Wide Centre-Back | Centre-Back:
The left-sided centre-back, in this system, was the more reserved of the two wider centre-backs in the back-three.
He’d move wider to support the team’s wide play and create overloads, however, he wouldn’t overlap as often as the right-sided centre-back.
When he had the ball to feet, he could carry forward at times or pass in-behind for an attacker to chase.
(AMR/WBR) Wide Forward | Wing-Back:
Whilst Nancy’s Crew would set up in a 3-4-3 formation, their ‘wing-backs’ were much more akin to natural wingers, than typical wing-backs, as they would stay high and wide throughout the duration of Crew’s attacking exploits.
From this position, they would constantly make runs in-behind – as excellently shown in Crew’s second goal of the Final preceding their MLS Cup victory!
When Crew didn’t have the ball, the ‘wing-backs’ would drop deeper into typical wing-back positions.
(AML/WBL) Wide Forward | Wing-Back:
On the left, I did slightly tweak the role’s instructions to suit Jota, whose right-footedness suits having the ‘Cut Inside With Ball’ instruction added to his role.
Half-Back | Pressing Defensive Midfielder:
In Crew’s double-pivot, the right-sided pivot would often drop into the backline to allow the wider centre-backs to move higher/wider.
When Crew didn’t have the ball, the right-sided pivot would advance higher and would press more aggressively consistently.
Box-to-Box Playmaker | Defensive Midfielder:
The left-sided pivot, on the other hand, could, at times, move higher in-possession to create a temporary 3-1 base for Crew to progress from – however, he would often drop deeper to support build-up and aid deep progression, creating a 3-2 base for Crew to build upon.
When Crew didn’t have the ball, the left-sided pivot would stay a bit deeper to cover for the right-sided pivot’s pressing.
Attacking Midfielder | Tracking Attacking Midfielder:
The right-sided ‘10’, in this system, was much more of a potent threat to opposition sides, as he could make runs in-behind and he would move into the penalty area to offer a secondary crossing/cut-back option.
However, whilst his threat was a lot more direct and potent, he could roam and drift to initiate Crew’s relational moments.
When Crew would relinquish possession for longer periods, they would drop into a 5-4-1 from their initial 5-2-3/5-2-2-1 shape.
Channel Midfielder | Tracking Attacking Midfielder:
Whilst the right-sided ‘10’ would offer more of a potent, direct threat to opposition teams, the left-sided ‘10’s’ threat was a lot more indirect and, let’s say, strategic, waiting for the right times to crash the box as a tertiary crossing/cut-back option and waiting for the right time to make a run in-behind from the left half-space.
Like the right-sided ‘10’, the left ‘10’ would roam and drift a lot – however, he would predominantly drift wider to create an ‘escadinha’ containing the left-sided centre-back, himself, and the left ‘wing-back’.
Centre Forward | Tracking Centre Forward:
In this system, the striker had a ‘complete’ role, with the flexibility to situationally drop deeper, run in-behind, or move into the channels.
When he would receive to feet, he would tend to hold-up and link play.
Results
William Hill Premiership:
We absolutely steamrolled all competition in the Premiership, as we strolled to a comprehensive title win, accumulating 102 points in an outstanding league campaign.
Of our 38 league games, we won 33 games, drew 3 games, and lost just 2 games, scoring 99 goals (2.6 goals per game) and conceding just 24 goals all season – although, the xG table suggests we should have conceded 5 goals less!
Domestic Cups:
We secured our first piece of silverware for the season, as we won the Premier Sports Cup, lifting the trophy following a comfortable 3-1 victory over Dundee United in the Final.
We made it a domestic treble late into the season, as our victory on penalties against fierce foes, Rangers, secured the Scottish Cup.
UEFA Champions League:
A fairytale journey; A 5-6 aggregate victory over PSG, a 1-2 aggregate victory over Manchester City, a 7-2 first-leg DEMOLITION of Inter Milan.
It was Lisbon Lions all over again… until it wasn’t.
Real Madrid would break green hearts in the UEFA Champions League Final, as Kylian Mbappé proved to be the difference in a tight contest that went, almost, all the way.
Heartbreak, but what a story.
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Conclusion
Wilfried Nancy is an excellent, truly excellent manager who deserves the step up in his managerial career, following a truly fantastic stint at Columbus Crew.
He’ll need time, but upon being given that time, he will make it work, I’m sure – even if his start has been relatively shaky.
If you want a taste of this staggering tactic, make sure to download the tactic using the link attached to this article and make sure to follow FM Blog (@fmbIog) and myself (@AshtonGgmu) on our respective socials.
I hope you have enjoyed this article, and I wish you much success with this tactic on your saves! Thanks for reading!
