Jürgen Klopp

/Liverpool 2018-20

Champions League winners (2019) · Premier League champions (2020)

The original gegenpress + high press + direct transitions

Source: FBref / Sports Reference

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Style vector

Pressing IntensityVery High

The original gegenpress

Pressing Start PositionVery High

Tries to win it back immediately in the opposition half

Defensive LineHigh

The press and the line push up together

TempoHigh

Heavy metal football

DirectnessVery High

Goes vertical the instant the ball is won

Transition Speed After Winning PossessionVery Fast

The sprints of Salah and Mané are the key

Reaction After Losing PossessionCounter-Press

The definition of gegenpressing

WidthWide

Full-backs and wingers hug the touchline to stretch the defence

Players only move where their role tag says — it's not a match replay

4-3-3

Both full-backs push on like wingers to own the width and the crosses while the two inside forwards cut in to shoot. The midfield three focus on energy and covering rather than creating.

MentalityPositive to AttackingBased on: Defensive Line High · Pressing Intensity Very High

StyleClosest to GegenpressSet the instructions below by hand instead — picking this overwrites them with the preset's values · Based on: Pressing Intensity Very High · Defensive Line High · Defensive Transition Counter-Press

Line of EngagementHigh PressDiagram block: High Press

Style axesPressing Intensity Very High · Pressing Start Position Very High · Defensive Line High · Tempo High · Directness Very High · Transition Speed After Winning Possession Very Fast · Reaction After Losing Possession Counter-Press · Width Wide

In possessionPassing Directness More Direct · Tempo Higher · Attacking Transition Counter · Attacking Width Wider · Build-Up Balanced

Overlay with another manager

Identity

·The striker links and starts the press before he scores — if the false nine does not drop, the first line of the press is beaten
·The full-backs swing hard between phases — up like a winger in possession, tucked in to protect the middle out of it
·Losing the ball is where it really begins — if the counter-press fails, the space behind the high line is wide open

Position mapping

Shows where the same player moves to between in- and out-of-possession phases.

In possession	Out of possession
GKBall-Playing Goalkeeper	GKSweeper Keeper
FB (L)Wing-Back	FB (L)Holding Full-Back
CB (L)No-Nonsense Centre-Back	CB (L)Centre-Back
CB (R)No-Nonsense Centre-Back	CB (R)Centre-Back
FB (R)Wing-Back	FB (R)Holding Full-Back
DMDefensive Midfielder	DMScreening Defensive Midfielder
CM (L)Central Midfielder	CM (L)Central Midfielder
CM (R)Central Midfielder	CM (R)Central Midfielder
AM (L)Inside Forward	AM (L)Winger
STFalse Nine	STTracking Centre-Forward
AM (R)Inside Forward	AM (R)Winger

Team instructions

Most important first. Switch to in-game order when you copy it across.

Amber badges are the identity-defining instructions. We only set a value where the data gives a clear signal; where it does not, the FM default is left in place and shown faded — those are yours to adjust. Click an item to check it off.

In Possession

Out of Possession

Things FM's tactic settings cannot express

FM26 handles one in-possession shape, one out-of-possession shape, and the switch between them. The items below fall outside that — this card carries only what the game can take.

Chained rotations within a phase — Switching between the two shapes exists, but there is no setting for players swapping positions with each other depending on where the ball is.
Ball-position triggers — Conditional movement like "the right wing-back tucks in only when the ball is on the left" cannot be set.
Player-to-player rules — Roles are set per player and cannot reference each other — "when A pushes up, B covers" is not expressible.
Automatic changes by time or score — In-match tactical changes are manual; there is no way to pre-set a condition.

Players who defined this system

Not an appearance ranking — these players embodied the system’s roles.

Mohamed SalahCuts inside from the right to finish
Virgil van DijkCovers the space behind a high line on his own
Trent Alexander-ArnoldDistribution from the right that opens the transition

Attribute profiles

Tap a position on the pitch and the attributes that spot needs appear right there.

False Nine

Top priority

False Nine in possession, pressing forward out of it — linking and starting the press before scoring

Required

Off the Ball 16+Teamwork 15+Work Rate 16+Decisions 15+

Preferred

First Touch 14+Passing 13+

Common approach (reference only)

In possessionFreedom of Movement: Roam From Position

Out of possessionTrigger Press: More Often

A common tweak among users of this role — not something the game requires, so feel free to change it.

Link-up play and starting the press matter more than Finishing

Weights: Work Rate×3, Off the Ball×3, Teamwork×2

Both Inside Forwards

Core

Inside Forward in possession, standard winger out of it — cutting inside is the key movement

Required

Pace 16+Acceleration 16+Finishing 14+

Preferred

Technique 14+Off the Ball 14+

Common approach (reference only)

In possessionDribbling Direction: Cut Inside With BallAttacking Width: Sit Narrower

A common tweak among users of this role — not something the game requires, so feel free to change it.

An inverted foot (right-footed on the left, left-footed on the right) suits the cut-inside shooting angle

Weights: Pace×3, Acceleration×3, Finishing×2

Both Full-Backs

Core

Wing-Back in possession, dropping into the defensive line out of it — the biggest swing between attack and defence in the side

Required

Stamina 16+Work Rate 16+Crossing 14+

Preferred

Pace 14+Teamwork 14+

Set by the role

In possessionGets Further ForwardStays Wide

Out of possessionHolds PositionStays Wide

Every other player instruction stays at its default — those are yours to adjust.

Without enough Stamina the player cannot sustain the repeated up-and-down running for 90 minutes

Weights: Stamina×3, Work Rate×3, Crossing×2

GK Ball-Playing Goalkeeper

In possession: Ball-Playing Goalkeeper · Out of possession: Sweeper Keeper

Required

Technique 14+Passing 13+Pace 13+Positioning 14+

Preferred

Decisions 13+Marking 12+

Centre-Back

In possession: No-Nonsense Centre-Back · Out of possession: Centre-Back

Required

Tackling 13+Positioning 13+Strength 12+

Preferred

Heading 12+

DM Defensive Midfielder

In possession: Defensive Midfielder · Out of possession: Screening Defensive Midfielder

Required

Positioning 13+Tackling 12+Teamwork 13+Anticipation 13+

Preferred

Passing 12+Stamina 13+

Common approach (reference only)

In possessionPassing Risk: Take Fewer Risks

Out of possessionTackling: Ease Off Tackles

A common tweak among users of this role — not something the game requires, so feel free to change it.

M L Central Midfielder

In possession: Central Midfielder · Out of possession: Central Midfielder

Required

Passing 13+Work Rate 13+

Preferred

Teamwork 12+

M R Central Midfielder

In possession: Central Midfielder · Out of possession: Central Midfielder

Required

Passing 13+Work Rate 13+

Preferred

Teamwork 12+

This is a well-founded starting point — the FM match engine is a separate system, so real match performance is not guaranteed.