For every Football Manager aficionado each November represents the release of the latest iteration of the franchise’s iconic football simulation game. A game that is so realistic that many real-world clubs actually use the data from the game to help guide their own scouting and transfer policy.
At this point, Football Manager needs little introduction: since its first introduction to the gaming world back in 1993 (under the Championship manager brand), it’s become a mainstay in the games collection of any self-respecting football fan.
With the Football Manager 2022 game set to release Friday 5th November, we got our hands on the BETA version for early release, taking a look at some of the new features, the interface re-skin, along with some of this year's wonder-kids and even give you advice on how to replicate some of your favourite managers tactics.
New Features for Football Manager 2022
Manager Creation
One area of change in this year’s game is in the creation of the users in-game avatar. The team at FM22 have redesigned the creation centre, allowing players to use additional tools, enabling greater control over user appearance - this includes brand-new head meshes, additional feature settings such as eyebrows and hair accessories, as well as a far more extensive range of attire for your manager to wear on the touchline. All meaning you can get a closer to real-life look to your avatars.
On pitch authenticity
Football Manager 2022 also features an all new animation engine creating a far more realistic dribbling and player movement experience. There’s also additions to the tactical pressing system in the game, which brings a new level of intelligence, unlocking smarter decision making and realism. Whilst the game also adds an all new Wide Centre Back role to give you the ability to find innovative ways to attack from the back.
New and improved Data
Data analysis has become an integral part of day-to-day life at football clubs around the world. Football Manager 2022 takes this even further than previous versions, with its own suite of data analysis to deliver the information most relevant to your team’s success.
Football Manager 2022: Interface re-skin
As with any annual games, it’s always difficult for game developers to come up with something completely new every year - so it tends to be more of a database update and a re-skin of the interface. This year is no different, but Football Manager 2022’s re-skin does give a refreshing feel to the experience with their primary purple colour-way. Other additions see tweaks to the icons and highlight colours.
Football Manager 2022: Wonderkids
Each and every year - we hear about the best ‘wonderkids’ in each game, for Football Manager 2022 we took a look at some of the most ‘hyped’ young players in the game and how much each will cost your club.
Maarten Vandedoordt
Position: GK
Club: Genk
Value: £16M
Young Belgian goalkeeper who has the potential to be a long term starter for any club on the game.
Tino Livramento
Position: RB
Club: Southampton
Value: £38M
Former Chelsea academy graduate arrived at Southampton ahead of the 2021/22 season and has had a storming start to the campaign. Will cost you a lot, but has potential to be the best right back in the game.
Jude Bellingham
Position: CM
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Value: £93M
One of England’s most promising stars in years. The midfielder rejected a move to Manchester United in favour of Dortmund in the summer of 2020 and has gone on to establish himself as one of the brightest young players in Europe. You would need a club with deep pockets to prize him away from Dortmund; but the potential is through the roof.
Pedri
Position: CM
Club: Barcelona
Value: £79M
If Jude Bellingham is one of the brightest young talents in Europe, Pedri may well be the benchmark. After a stunning debut season for Barcelona he was a pivotal part of Spain’s Euro 2020 squad, and even featured in the Olympics for his country as well. It is well publicised that the Spanish midfielder recently signed a new contract with his club, with a reported £1bn release clause, so it would take something special to get him away from Barcelona, but he may well be the best player on the game - so worth a try.
Ransford-Yeboah Konigsdorffer
Position: ST
Club: Dresden
Value: £6M
One of the best aspects of playing the Football Manager games is finding those high-potential players for a very small fee. Ransford-Yeboah Konigsdorffer could be one of the biggest bargains in the game. Well worth taking a chance on him for those that are after a more affordable wonder-kid.
Football Manager 2022: Tactics
Always wanted to see what it would be like if Jose Mourinho were managing Stockport county? Or see Jurgen Klopp trying to implement his high-pressing football at Barnsley? Well, we figured we would recreate some of the world’s top managers' tactics, and share them with you - so you can find out for yourself.
Jose Mourinho Football Manager 2022 Tactics
For the 'Special One' - setup your side to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, utilising 2 deep lying central midfielders.
Overall Team Settings
In Possession:
Pass into space | Play out of defence | Shoot on sight | Play for set pieces | Underlap left | Underlap right | Higher tempo | Very narrow | Waste time sometimes
In Transition:
Distribute quickly | Counter
Out of Possession:
Force opposition outside | Higher defensive line | Higher line of engagement | Press more often | Get stuck in
Player Roles:
GK: Sweeper Keeper - Support | RB: Wing back - Support | RCB: Ball Playing Defender - Defend | LCB: Central Defender - Support | LB: Wing back - Support | RCDM: Segundo Volante - Support | LCDM: Half back - Defend | RW: Inverted Winger - Support | CAM: Advanced Playmaker - Attack | LW: Inverted Winger - Attack | ST: Deep Lying Forward - Support
Jurgen Klopp Football Manager 2022 Tactics
For Klopp's famous 'Gegenpress' - setup your side to play a 4-3-3 formation, utilising 1 deep lying central midfielder.
Overall Team Settings
In Possession:
Pass into space | Play out of defence | Overlap left | Overlap right | Higher tempo | Fairly narrow
In Transition:
Take short kicks | Counter | Counter-press
Out of Possession:
Force opposition outside | Higher defensive line | Much higher line of engagement | Press more often | Prevent GK distribution | Use offside trap
Player Roles:
GK: Sweeper Keeper - Defend | RB: Complete Wing back - Support | RCB: Central Defender - Defend | LCB: Ball Playing Defender - Defend | LB: Wing back - Support | CDM: Ball winning midfielder - Defend | RCM: Mezzala - Support | LCM: Box to box midfielder - Support | RW: Inside Forward - Attack | LW: Inside Forward - Attack | ST: False Nine - Support
Pep Guardiola Football Manager 2022 Tactics
For Pep's high-pressing tempo based approach - setup your side to play an asymmetric 4-3-3 formation, utilising 1 deep lying central midfielder, 1 attacking midfielder and 1 winger.
Overall Team Settings
In Possession:
Much shorter passing | Play out of defence | Low crosses | Dribble less | Work ball into box | Higher tempo | Wide
In Transition:
Roll it out | Counter-press
Out of Possession:
Much Higher defensive line | Much higher line of engagement | Press much more often | Prevent GK distribution | Get stuck in | Use offside trap
Player Roles:
GK: Goalkeeper - Defend | RB: Inverted Wing back - Attack | RCB: Central Defender - Defend | LCB: Central Defender - Defend | LB: Inverted Wing back - Attack | CDM: Defensive midfielder - Defend | RCM: Box to box midfielder - Support | LM: Winger - Attack | RW: Winger - Attack | CAM: Shadow striker - Attack | ST: False Nine - Support
Football Manager 2022 officially releases Friday 5th November, see below for our list of the best prices on the game;
Steam
Europe Region
