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FM26 Tactics: Take A Chill Pill (Proof of Concept)

By on Dec 01, 2025   8449 views   12 comments
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Downloads: 325 / Size: 1.1 kB / Added: 2025-12-01
Football Manager 2026 Tactics - FM26 Tactics: Take A Chill Pill (Proof of Concept)
PLEASE READ before you you click download button. It probably won't work for most of you.
This is not a plug and play tactic but if you get lucky it might work for you.

This is rather a proof of concept that I’m not a lunatic/hater who makes comments because I'm bored. Especially those who send me a private message and call my testing fraud and that I have no idea how to play this game.

I have chosen a week team as I always play that way. The tactics is pretty basic because the team is average. I didn't want to confused the players.

There are two files (tactics). One is called Take A Chill Pill (base one) and second by the name FBI Open UP (my son named it).They are very similar and the only difference is in the line of engagement, and I changed some positions for more offensive ones.

Tactics tested by 2 methods. First one (holiday testing – different settings, teams) and second one I just played the game.

DISCLAIMER #1
I didn't dive in to full possibility of the new tactics screen as the new UI is annoying and I’m not planning to make more content. I just felt I owe some of the users some form of clarification why I'm so negative of holiday testing tactics. I have no problem with user making tactical replication as this is a whole new spectrum.

SET UP USED IN TESTING

1) no transfer allowed (all of them)
2) the same Set Pieces Routine (all of them)
3) training - staff responsibility (all of them) The game I have played the matches myself I have used rotation and rested players.
4) the tactic used for testing is TAKE A CHILL PILL. Obviously when I played the game myself I was adjusting team instruction accordingly to match statistics and used more offensive occasionally.

DISCLAIMER #2
I know that testing by holiday doesn’t allow you to do this.
THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS APPROACH: YOU PLAY, REACT, LEARN and the most important you need match engine on your side. Normally I would have 3 tactics trained, but this time I stuck to two.

5) tested only with DEMO VERSION
6) no editor used

I will keep all data files for a month and then it will be removed. If anyone has questions they need to be addressed before that period.

1) Testing simulation by holiday TAKE A CHILL PILL (LEEDS, balanced mentality)

Sim 1 PL 20 games 15 points / 19th sacked


Sim 2 PL 20 games 21 points / 13th


Sim 3 PL 14 games 10 points / 20th sacked


2) Testing simulation by holiday TAKE A CHILL PILL (LEEDS, positive mentality)

Sim 1 PL 17 games 15 points / 18h sacked


SIM 2 PL 15 games 08 points / 19th sacked


SIM 3 PL 20 games 27 points / 10th


all results compare in here


3) Testing simulation by holiday TAKE A CHILL PILL (Chelsea, positive mentality)

Sim 1 PL 20 games 34 points / 5th


Sim 2 PL 20 games 35 points / 2nd


Sim 3 PL 19 games 24 points / 12th sacked


4) TESTING BY PLAYING THE GAME

Unfortunately some Leeds players were not fit and lack of squad depth was also a problem. I didn’t want to loan or buy players as I wanted to use only the same players across all simulations with Leeds.

Leeds PL 20 games 36 points / 4th * to be fair some of the result was lucky as I usually played on back foot. I always play to win games so the more offensive tactics (FBI open up) was used when game statistics indicated that my team is in control of the game.

PL table


injures


schedule



Tactics screenshots.
formation


tactical instruction IP


tactical instruction OP


For those who call it a fraud and claim this is save and load or editor used. Game Status Screenshot –
played 22 matches and save game 6 time (-2 first and last doesn’t count) = 4

22matches / 4 saves = 5,5 match


To prove that I always play that way this is my actual long term FM 24 save (created club Camden Town - before Kings Lynn).

Manage (Camden, South Korea, Uruguay, England – just got a job) in 506 matches and saved the game 147 times. (most of the time game is running in the background so whenever restart needed saved applied.

Nevertheless 506 matches / 147 saves (-2 first and last doesn’t count) = 3,44 matches.


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Downloads: 325 / Size: 1.1 kB / Added: 2025-12-01
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Discussion: FM26 Tactics: Take A Chill Pill (Proof of Concept)

12 comments have been posted so far.

  • luk4sh31's avatar
    @rakijator I think the question you should be asking is why the SI create a match engine with allow you to win with only certain formation. I would rather say 424 is much better but the way you play it is up to players you have.

    How you want to win matches with average team and having in the squad average speed and small striker ? if not give him a support? Not everyone is playing with Liverpool and Arsenal where strikers and midfielders with lighting speed who can overran all of the players in the squad.

    I'm not a magician or not claiming to be some form of tactical guru. I would rather argue the only reason you win matches is because the match engine will allow you.

    I my simulation even the team you are not managing have inconsistent results which shows that the that match engine is programed to be random.

    Have you seen any good football team playing low block and low defensive line nowadays in real life? it is all about pressure. I will say if I can come up with this so can the SI developers and they have this reflected in the game.

    You are forgetting the fact that this is a game not a real life. If you tell a real player to do low crosses he will do low crosses. In the game you tell the players to do that and they do what they like.

    I have never claimed that my tactic is something new, it was created only for purpose of this test. I only play this game for 20+h as I try few hours thing today with Tottenham.

    Therefore if you claim this is a meta tactics and it will break the engine every time why the results are random. Think about it.

    I was trying it with Tottenham and low block doesn't seems to work well with better teams.
  • rakijator's avatar
    Kudos for the effort and the long post, but mate you've came up with the same boring meta shit that's been going on for years and years and years and years. FM2789 will come out and people will still post and play the fucking 4-2-3-1 with symmetrical roles like some sort of a breakthrough.
    1
  • luk4sh31's avatar
    @Parisian pm me a email address I will send you the file.
  • Parisian's avatar
    Like you said, playing is better than holiday testing, which is true.
    I know i wont get sacked in the sim though 😂
  • luk4sh31's avatar
    @Parisian do you know how to use exel file. I created this and if you just open this and fill two column it will calculate for you.

    https://fmshots.com/image/wjRo8J

    You can use it any time you run a simulation.
    1
  • Parisian's avatar
    Fair enough
    If you could do the same test with my 433 v3 and send the results to me
  • luk4sh31's avatar
    @Parisian to answer you question I have run additional 8 simulation to make it more reliable.

    19 matches consider only as in some simulation I was unable to play Man C.
    I consider points to measure the success rather than position in the league.

    19 matches Chelsea
    sim1 31 points
    sim2 35 points
    sim3 SACKED 16m 23 points
    sim4 SACKED 15m 20 points
    sim5 38 points
    sim6 SACKED 15m 22 points
    sim7 32 points
    sim8 36 points
    sim9 27 points
    sim10 26 points
    sim11 Sacked 19m 26 points

    I have also create an exel file with shows points gain in 19 matches with top other 4 teams in all simulation (MAN U, MAN C, ARSENAL, LIVERPOOL)

    so by 19 matches played you could get overall 57 points so I have divided the points gained by that number and you got the PROCENTAGE OF MAX POINTS IN EACH SIMULATION

    https://fmshots.com/image/wjRIet
  • luk4sh31's avatar
    01) HolTest Leeds (bal) sim 2 21 pts https://fmshots.com/image/wjND2C
    02) HolTest Leeds (pos) sim 3 27pts https://fmshots.com/image/wjNnbW
    04) playing test FINAL LEEDS 36 pts https://fmshots.com/image/wjNNDA
    03) HolTest Chelsea (pos) sim 1 34 pts https://fmshots.com/image/wjNRY2
    03) HolTest Chelsea (pos) sim 2 35 pts https://fmshots.com/image/wjN1rq

    I would like you to draw attention to the fact that the simulation which result in sacking use the same principals.
  • luk4sh31's avatar
    First of all I would like to thank Stam for spending time to post the tactics.

    @Parisian to answer your question in more depth I will run couple more test.

    for the time being I will upload a screenshots of data hub from each save apart the one I was sacked as I the simulation was set to January so some teams played without me.
  • Tikitaka Master's avatar
    Very good explanation and good tactic. I want to try it in Serie A
  • Parisian's avatar
    Holiday test doesn't work but Chelsea got similar points. Twice
    1
  • Tejash's avatar
    @luk4sh31 post this on fm arena mate :D
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