2005-06 Review (II): What is Linkage?

Player linkage/partnership has always been a confusing topic in WCCF.

A number of managers think that better linkages lead to better pass distributing and receiving, but often find exceptions to this during games.

I have read an experienced player's blog entry claiming that a team's linkages simply refer to the attacking mode and the passing routes/preferences of the team. While this definition does appropriately incorporate a team-oriented analysis, it still does not present the whole picture.

So, what is linkage?!
My definition of linkage is actually very simple, probably too simple.
LINKAGE = COMMUNICATION

Some of you are probably more confused than ever right now. How do I tell when my players are communicating? Well, this is exactly where the KEY PLAYER SYSTEM comes in.

A target man would call for balls to be played to him, and calls for teammates to come up for support.
This is communication.
A playmaker would call for teammates to make forward runs when holding the ball.
This is communication.
A line leader would call for teammates to line up properly and run together for making offsides.
This is communication.

So, now that we understand LINKAGE = COMMUNICATION, what does that imply about how linkages work in WCCF?

(Here I assume you understand the 5-level 12-group linkage system, and how WCCF linkages are automatically increased to a "wall" level where only friendly-game upgrades will get the linkage improved)

The following are my personal observations between friendly-game linkage upgrades:

1. Linkage upgrades tend not to occur between key men of the same types.
Players competing for the same role in the team are often found difficult to coexist. This effect is probably more visible between two Target Men, two Playmakers or two Line Leaders.

2. Linkage upgrades tend not to occur between a covering DF and a line leader.
This is similar to point #1, in that a covering DF seems to be in conflict to a line leader. A covering DF mostly exist in a stopper-sweeper type defence while a line leader prefers a line-defence formation.

3. Linkage upgrades tend to occur between key men types who cooperate with each other.
Personally I believe that the following key-man combos seem to cooperate with each other more frequently:
ANCHORMAN - COVERING DF
(both filling in spaces of the formation)
COVERING DF - MARKING DF
(especially in a stopper-sweeper defence)
MARKING DF - LINE LEADER
(as a centerback combo in a line defence)
LINE LEADER - OFFENSIVE GK
(e.g. the GK may command for a higher line)

In essence, linkage upgrades tend to occur between partnerships who cooperate frequently. For example, a target man would cooperate frequently with his FW partners and runners from MF.

Am I starting to sound like an advocate of the Enneagram?! *_^ Is it just a mere coincidence that there are 9 types of key men I have listed?! Anyway, I sincerely hope this article gives you an added perspective of WCCF as a management game.

2005-06 Review (I): Key Player System

Your probably have all heard about the all-new World Club Champion Football Intercontinental Clubs 2006-2007 by now. ^_^

(In case you have not, check these out:

Japanese with video clips and photos
http://am-net.xtr.jp/game/profile.cgi?_v=1178716134
http://plusd.itmedia.co.jp/games/articles/0705/11/news062.html
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/juveneko/5829008.html
English:
http://arcadeheroes.com/2007/05/12/wccf-06-07-info-pictures/
)

At this point, I would refrain myself from all the fun spectulations on the new WCCF teams, rare cards, etc. Instead I take note that, during an interview, the producer of WCCF emphasised on the 2006-2007 introduction of a key player system as well as strengthening of player communications. Here I continue my typically technical, boring *_^ way and provide you with a 05-06 review and 06-07 headstart into WCCF's key player roles as well as the linkage system.

KEY PLAYER SYSTEM

In my opinion, WCCF has always had a Key Player System embedded, especially in the complete versions of 2002-03 and 2005-06 (versus the "beta versions of 2001-02 and 2004-05). Tactics buttons (aka left-hand-side buttons), regardless of how skilful you are at using them, are being applied to the team's 11 players as a whole. A key player system presents a framework for personalising the tendencies and preferred movements of various important players, and allowing different ways that a team can be constructed.

The following list of key player roles comes from months of WCCF 05-06 experiments by my friends and myself. However, I must also state that much of the list is "stolen" from ideas in other football games such as WE/PES or FM/CM. Any football game requires a player system to program player tendencies that cannot be manually controlled. WCCF does indeed implement the most "automatic" system because it neither allows "truly"-manual controls nor overly-complicated individual player settings. ^_^

TARGET MAN
A target man is someone who will look to bring others into play via flick-ons or holding up the ball. Personally I also like to call him the "control tower at the front line".

-- requires strength, jumping, and sometimes good first touch and creativity
-- most passes to the front line will go to the target man first
-- good at holding up the ball, e.g. a "sticky dribble"
-- rare forward runs
-- bring others (especially runners from MF) into play

Examples: KLUIVERT, SHEARER, KONE

PLAYMAKER
A playmaker is someone who will generally forgo defensive duties to get himself into positions to recieve the ball and create goal-scoring oppurtunities. Also sometimes called a conductor, a regista (Italian) or the brain/CPU of the team.

-- requires top passing ability and vision
-- during game-making at MF, most passes will go to the playmaker
-- when holding ball, other players make better reactionary forward runs
-- best under low closing down (non-press)/FREE role
-- forward runs only occasional

Examples: XABI ALONSO, PIRLO, RIQUELME

MIDFIELD RUNNER
A midfield runner is someone who create goal-scoring opportunities by making forward runs from midfield. Here a run refers to both a ball-carrying dribble or an off-the-ball run into space. Both a playmaker and a midfield runner may be called a "general" or a commander at midfield.

-- requires good dribbling and understanding of forward movements
-- like a playmaker, receive many passes at midfield
-- make tactical dribbles -- long winding dribbles
-- keep possession and bring overlapping players into play
-- most common type of command tower

Examples: DECO, KAKA, SEEDORF

MIDFIELD ANCHORMAN
A midfield anchorman may also be called a Volante (Portugese) or a Pivote (Spanish). A midfield anchorman is a defensive midfielder whose main responsibility is to restrain the opposition's midfield commanders and provide added protection for the defensive line. He must also possess good sense of game balance and fill in the spaces of the formation.

-- requires good stamina and decision-making
-- mark / close down opposing playmaker / midfield runner
-- fill in space, especially in the defensive-half
-- uses short link-up passes to start transition, tends not to risk losing possession by dribbling

Examples: GILBERTO, MAKELELE, ALBELDA

COVERING DF
A covering DF is a key player who ensures that there are no "holes" in the defensive line. Whenever a DF runs out of position for a tackle, intercept or overlap, the covering DF would fill in the hole and cover for the teammate. A covering DF key man is often ideal to play at the sweeper position.

-- requires good covering and anticipation abilities
-- prefers free (non-marking) role
-- strongly prefers not to mark/tackle (i.e. very small area of tackling responsibility)

Example: LE COSTACURTA

MARKING DF
A marking DF is a key player who ensures that opposing strikers are marked properly. Also called an ace-killer. This key man will command his partners so that all opposing attackers are marked within a suitable range. (Note that this does not mean the marking DF himself must be marking someone all the time!)

-- requires top marking, tackling abilities as well as good physical play
-- Stay at back of defence, never overlapping for attack

Example: CORDOBA, BOUMSONG, CRIS

LINE DF
A line leader is a crucial player in a line-defence scheme. This key man helps maintain the defensive shape as a line and commands for making offisdes. Sometimes a line leader is also referred to as a libero.

-- requires wonderful decision-making ability
-- commands offside
-- maintains defensive shape for line defence
-- occasional overlaps for interception and subsequent playmaking

Example: MARQUEZ, LEGROTTAGLIE, DEHU

OFFENSIVE GK
A goalkeeper who posses this key man ability tends to be active as a 11th field player of the team. This key man not only acts as an extra "watchman behind the defence", but also helps organising the attack as the starting point from backfield.

-- requires good footwork, fielding and good passing sense
-- acts as a second sweeper and commands for balls to be played by GK
-- makes short hand passes to the backfield more often

Example: BARTHEZ, VICTOR VALDES

CHARISMATIC KEY MAN
This is a special type of key man that can exist on any position. The key man possesses good mentality abilities and more-often-than-not a visibly unique style which can encourage surrounding players and bring out other players' abilities.

Example: Spider-man LE KAVIEDES, Wonderboy LE AMOROSO

Some reference materials:
WE/PES9 Player Attributes
SAKA 04 play-styles (Japanese+Chinese)
FM/CM Target Man
FM/CM Playmaker