FM22 New Player Role: Wide Centre Back

Following on from our introduction to the new Data Hub and Match Engine Improvements we're looking at a new player role featured in FM22, the "Wide Centre-Back". This role is specifically for central defenders that play in the RCB or LCB position.

Football Manager 2022 provides the following description of the Wide Centre-Back: "The main job of the Wide Centre-Back is to stop the opposing attackers from playing and to clear the ball from danger when required. However unlike standard central defenders, the Wide Centre-Back is encouraged to stay wide in possession and support the midfield more like a fullback."

What a short clip of the WCB in the Match Engine

When the opposition has the ball and your team is defending, the Wide Centre-Back will act much like a normal centre back, with a focus on stopping the opposition attacks.

But when you have the ball, the role of the Wide Centre-Back becomes more important, unlike a normal central defender, a WCB will try and join in the attack by making forward runs, either overlapping to create a 2v1 or underlapping to try and take a defender out of the game.

In FM22 the Wide Centre-Back comes with three duties, defend, support and attack. With a "defend" duty the player won't try and make forward runs as much but will make themselves available for a diagonal backwards pass.

With a support or attack duty however the player will look to make runs forward and with an attacking duty they'll even have a tendency to dribble with the ball.

So when looking at Wide Centre-Backs you're going to want to look for players with attributes usually more suited for Full Backs and Wing Backs than your standard Central Defender. Good passing is a must and if you want them to have a support or attack duty you'll want things like dribbling, stamina as well.

What's interesting about the Wide Centre-Back is that you're also going to have to really think about the other players on the pitch as well. It's unlikely you're going to be able to play with attack minded WCB's if you don't have a good defensive midfielder in front of them, and that DM is going to have to have a more defensive role where they can cover the defenders forward runs. Playing with WCB's with an attack or support duty and either no DM, or a similarly attack minded DM is unlikely to work well.

 

What does everyone think of the new role? Are you going to use it? Where you already trying to make use of WCB's in FM21, how did that go?

You can also join in the discussion via our Twitter Thread

Really excited to try it 😀

No preorder this year on Sortitoutsi?

You've probably seen it by now, but this post explains why FM22 won't be sold here 😢 

If you are in the UK, I got my version this year from ShopTo at just over £25! 🙂