On the forum there was a suggestion to make an article about tactics. The subject is very hard and complicated but to make the readers of The Zone happy and to fulfil their expectations we decided to do it. The tactic is a key for the victory in ManagerZone. It is a combination of proper spacing and players’ skills. Every manager has an idea for an ideal tactic, so it’s impossible to make a perfect one for every team. However you can make tactical thinking confrontations between the top managers in Poland, which everyone will be able to individually evaluate and possibly choose something for themselves.

Now we will explain what this involve. Every manager of Polish Top League and the National Coaches got the message with 5 players (2 defenders, 2 wingers, and a center) and the empty tactic field. Then every one of them was asked to make a tactic from those players, and show them to us. At the end they talked a little about the tactic that they mention.

I hope it will be helpful for new managers who are starting the adventure with hockey, and also for the managers who plays this game for many years.

Ziomale (pereszczak)

Firstly no information about the players either they're are left or right handed. Secondly we don't know how strong is our rival's team? The setting has to be universal so we're playing with normal mentality and pressing. Now I'll explain the tactic's setting. First defender is weak at quickness so I won't put him forward, he has to be near the goal. The second just a bit higher, so (at least in theory) he is first to jumped to the attacker centres of the rivals team. The first winger is set a bit lower because he has more pucks in strength, so I set him closer to the center player to support him when he loses the puck. The second one is a good winger with 10 pucks in shoting. He is set a bit higher, to be the first one that goes for the counter attack, and to be the one that have the most shots in goal.

Ateo Hypatia (irateo)

Center is better in checking than in shooting, so I set him as extended defender or very rare attacker. Wingers were elected to make the symmetry, stronger defender plays with a weaker attacker and vice versa. Right winger plays offensive he is set highly, left winger with 4 pucks in checking can support the defensive, so he is set lower than the right one. We could choose a defensive mentality or normal here.

Grube Bolki Gizycko (grubebolki)

Immediately I have to say that I dont have a huge contact with a players like this,although I'm taking part in u-21 or u-23 competitions where more less, the players like those should occur but I never managed to get big victories. OK so, let's start with defenders, because they are not too good at quickness and with a medium level of skating, I set them near the middle and the keeper, this setting can't guarantee us that it will work, the defenders which I have contact with every day, look slightly different, they've more pucks in quickness and skating, then you can put them further forward and closer to the centre.

Centre player- this matter is very simple, more pucks in shooting you put him up or equally in the middle, if he is better with checking you can set him below the blue line.

Wingers – quickness and skating are at the medium level, so for this reason I set them roughly in the middle of the rectangle, if they were faster and better on skating I would put them at the back, and the worse ones I would put them forward.

The defenders and the wingers, I'm trying to choose them in a way that more less they are close to each other, so I dont have to set them asymmetrically.

By the way it's good to make a few settings, and try to test them with a different rivals, and don't judge a tactic set after one bad or one great match, if we want to draw conclusions, we have to look at the hundreds games that we've played. In this case, hockey is much better than football because if we think of some good tactic, then others can't copy it from you. Recently I've been testing few settings on football, and at last I came with something great, and maybe it could be a HIT (joke). Even if it would be a hit, someone else could copy this setting.

Greetings and I wish all of you to find a great tactic for yourself.

AA Elan Shattaners (bockxer)

Center player is better at checking than at shooting so he is an intermediary between attack and defense. The better defender(1) goes first (he is on higher position) because he is slower than his partner(2). Left winger(4) is a typical striker, he is set for attacks and counter attacks. Right winger(3) is capable of getting the puck from his opponent and to support the defensive line- he is set lower than his partner. The mentality and pressing is set to normal, but we can use a defensive style here. Personally I didn't see any difference between normal style or defensive one. Usually I play with offensive style, and sometimes but very rare I'm changing the style to defensive.

Bøts of mogilska (finekk)

Defenders: lined up near the center due to the sufficient number of discs in Power, (1)slightly lower because he lacks in quickness, (2) he has not many pucks in skating, but for me in this issue (for now) quickness is more important.

Wingers: (3) near the middle,due to the greater number of pucks in power than his partner, he is lined above the blue line, because he lacks in quickness and skating. (4) Set wider than its predecessor, but the above due to the amount of pucks in the shooting, quickness and puck control.

Centre: the most important position. (5) I would set him just in the middle of rectangle - on the blue line, because he doesn't have much difference between shooting and checking.(mostly: more shooting than checking – over the blue line - and vice versa). This centre player lacks in puck control, so its ''safer'' to set him on the blue line or even under it. As for every position quickness and skating also play a significant role, but I think in terms of player (5) does not play a key role(unless our center(5) has on all of those important skills over 8 pucks).

Summary: Why the players were set in those places, I hope, I clearly explained it above. As for the style of the game: offensive will allow us to create a greater number of situations, and (depending on the strength of opponent) putting more shots (I noticed a difference in this issue as compared to the normal style (I tested defensive once , but without revelations].) What to keep : aggressive, because the number of penalties in the game is practically the same as in the normal, and according to my observations, the players fights more for the puck (theory ...).

I do not know if my relatively short (or at any rate) experience in hockey can help someone with anything, but I decided to present you my thoughts.

HC Worms (crazeworm87)

As for my tactics, for almost seven years that I played ManagerZone, probably already tried all the options I've found on the forums of MZ. Wingers, depending on the quickness and power, ie. The more power the closer to the centre of the ice rink, the less the more outside. If a player have good speed he is playing a more withdrawn, to make sure he can avoid offsides at the slower players. I set up the defenders closer to keeper in defensive tactics and many other treatments that were intended to improve the game my team ....

After all, I read a post on a forum in which one of the leading Polish hockey managers in MZ, talked about his conversation with the manager leading a team of England.

He spoke that he uses the proposed player's spacing provided by MZ,so I added to that only my playing style (aggressive) and hooked positions on whether the player is right or left hand. For me this tactic corresponds properly, it will find its enemies but I'll hold on to it.

Deep Blue Team (datysu)

Not because I do not want, because I am always very eager but just do not have a clue about tactics. I set the players at the center of each of the rectangles, and so I play like this from the start. I do not mix them depending on the opponent or the game, I do not set them looking for strength, speed or ice skating – as previous writers said. I have a standard setting and either succeed or not, as you can see so far it's so good for me.

I'm collecting the money from the time I created my team, and I got a very good amount, and then I just started to spend it- as you can see I did it in a smart way because I can see the effects up to now.

ORŁY KĘDZIERZYN (bobi1980)

The team set normal/normal, possibly defensive/ normal.

Defender(1) – set near the keeper because he's slow.

Defender(2) – He is a bit better on speed so he is moved a little forward.

Winger(3) - due to the lack on speed, he is set below the blue line but close to the band, because he is strong and has few pucks on checking so He will be smashing the rival's attacks.

Winger(4) – ha is a slightly better on quickness so he is moved a little forward (perhaps I would put him even higher and closer to the bands), by the way he has pucks on pucks control, I think he would score mostly.

Centre player(5) – unfortunately he is slow , and he has more pucks on checking than on shooting (although to be honest, I don't pay attention to it), so I set him a bit lower, he determines the team's setting, as normal/normal or defensive/normal.

Cursed Souls Plock (soul17)

I would not call myself a tactic specialist, I think if you don't combine with the tactic too much then it's better for you. I set players more/less like you can see on the attached picture, with the normal style. For the young players I set a normal pressing because on agressive they're getting tired too quickly.

I would add that I don't concentrate on the youth teams, but some success came by the way

Pandemonium Warszawa (apatia)

Standard setting, but with a particular opponent I would contrive with it a bit more.

Defenders ( players 1 and 2) I would set them near each other, in one line, symmetrically, near the red dots. Playing with a worse opponent or attacking one the so-called. "deep position" I would moved the them up and this is the only variable that I use. Any unbalanced settings in the game I consider as pointless, during the game they are changing the positions and they're all over the ice rink anyway. Wider setting makes it easy for your opponent to overtake the puck( I don't like that one).

Almost all the time, I lined up the center player at the back of the rectangle, either he is good on checking or not, I'm trying to buy center with a defensive skills with a chance to develope his offensive ones. The center is moved back to support the defensive line- when he is skating back he can stop the attacking rival( to be capable of that he has to have at least 8 pucks on power),secondly if he is lined up close to defenders he can more often get a passes from them. His more important offensive task, is to pass the pucks to the wingers. Sometimes he can also go through the middle of the rink and try to shoot at the goal, but this depends on your opponent's power.

I'm trying to set wingers in one equal line, I experimented with one extended and it doesn't convince me, it was more offsides then, and when the wingers beat up the defenders and were skating at the goal they have been very ineffective.I have a strange feeling that it is best when wingers are shooting from a distance and therefore I don't set them far behind the blue line.

I set the stronger winger on the middle of his rectangle(horizontal axis), and the slightly weaker one closer to the center, but it's my perversion and I do not know if it gives you something.

Im choosing the ofensive mentality- wingers and center player, all together they've 25/30 pucks on shooting so it's a schame to waste their potential. They are not Gods on speed and skating, so the chance that they'll make a good counter attacks from the middle of the rink is very low.

Thanks to offensive mentality moved back center can very often attack your rival's goal, if you choose the defensive mentality, he would get stock at the back of the rink, in normal mentality it can have different effects hard to say it. Agressive pressing, I never played with others, and the number of penalties is pretty the same as on normal.

A few comments, which in my opinion determine the success in junior competitions and more. Firstly good keeper must have 9 or 10 pucks on keeping. Secondly for power play it's good to choose from 8 wingers and 4 center players, and to box play to choose 8 defenders. Thirdly more stamina=better line. And finally the fourth, in Uxx generally the better value ( of course I mean in power, primary and secondary skills, not in puck control and play inteligence), then a chance of winning is bigger, so U-18 – 3 camps for 21 players ( there are problems with the keeper unfortunately) + 9 pucks on form, and I guarantee the final stages on every Cup. In U-21: training but also unfortunately economics, but that's another story...

Hc Bartków Nowy (hulku)

The setting is offensive/agressive

I regret to admit that I am a believer in the theory of random action of the Sim,and I think that giving the input of players with the greatest number of pucks, is not essential in what locations you put the players on the rink. Maybe tactics have a larger meaning, but I do not know if anyone ran any tests on this issue. I set the players according to the old rules. Best winger closest to the opponent's goal (in this case the one with the 10 pucks on shot (not too high, because he has 6 pucks of quickness. His partner has few more pucks in checking so I would set him a bit lower of the rink. Center player is moved back because he has more pucks in checking than in shooting. Defender with greater amount of pucks in power close to the middle, and the defender with more pucks in checking he is set lower, and because of his quickness close to the line.

World Class Wreckin Cru (m_nowakowski)

First of all, you can easily see that the formation of offensive players, practically plays in one line.

So my team play like this, I tried different settings, but I got the impression that the three players, entering a opponent defensive zone, it's more effective than just one advanced winger or winger and center.That is why I strive to balance the physical parameters, so matching triples in the attack and settings that lets you take an attack on one line. I think that even small differences in the setting in the attack have an impact on behavior on the ice.

Centre plays just a little bit forward, despite the weak shooting skill, I think that with the good checking he would quickly pick up the puck and resume the attack, and in terms of u23 and u21 this condition is sufficient. Winger(3) plays close to the middle, because of his power which allows him to have an equal battles for the puck with his opponents, Winger(4) little wider, actually he is designed only to attacks, slightly higher than No. 3, to quickly traveled to the attack, but also in the middle. I believe that this setting allows you to bypass defenders more often than just trying to play with the body.

I always try to set the defenders near the middle(in order to eliminate long passes across the ice rink) and one extended and one retracted – this is a second chance to stop the attacking player.

Defender(1) is weaker, but faster, he plays higher, just behind the stronger winger. I think that if he is passed by the attacker, he could try to get the puck back one more time. I would bet that the stronger winger will be less likely to lose the puck, so the weaker defender will have to intervene less. Defender No. 1, as a stronger and slower, is revoked and he plays behind the weaker Winger. In the event of a clash with an opponent will have only one chance to intervene, but the force should help him to win the battle.

Only winger No. 4 has a weaker condition (which is why I would not fit him into the top five), the condition with 5 pucks would be enough to play offensive and aggressive, although I observe the game of all formation, and possibly I would change my behavior to normal, if this players would play in the box play or power play.Personally, I've tried different settings, very wide, very close to each other, with recessed up centers strongly protruding wing and only one wing extended. In my experience, for my team arose with such a setting as presented and I'm happy with it.

Small changes to the setting are important, I encourage yous to change the settings until you find the right one for your team. Best of luck for all the managers.

New York Rangers (jacek1998)

The defenders are lined up closer to the center because They hbave a good checking, it could also reduce to a minimum the long perpendicular passes (which often result in losses) between them during the match.

Defender (1) set very close to the keeper because of his weak speed, this is to make sure he don't have to run after fast wingers with whom there is no chance. For example .: after the loss in the vicinity of the center of the rink when the opponent performs counterattack.

Defender (2) because of better speed is set higher and it's his task to pick up a puck away from his opponent before he reaches the goal area.

Winger (3) is set closer to the center and slightly withdrawn, because he's slower, but he has better checking and strength, so he plays the '3^rd defender ' in defensive actions. With the power and checking he can possible take the puck from the rival before he reaches the defensive line.

Winger (4) is positioned slightly further to the front, and further in comparison with the wing (3). His role is limited mainly to offensive action due to feeble checking -1, but also on the stamina as the weakest in the team - 3, just because of stamina he has not enough forces to take part in defending and attacking.

Center (5) playing almost in one line with the strikers. The first time I tested this setting in the ongoing U21 National Cup it proved famously, as best evidenced by reaching the semi-finals, but then unfortunately I lost to Hulk 2-3.

So thanks to this tactic (especially in Uxx) actions are much accurate, there is a greater number of passes between attackers, it creates more situations. The mentality is offensive, you can try agressive pressing also but it can end as many penalties.

That's all from me, I hope that at least a small part of this setting will be handy for some of you.

By kunas

Translated by lukaszsz182