SWOS 96/97 database - excel format

I m not sure about switching positions for players...

Try to play with Italy and put Maldini in attack. He is a maximum value player, so should be perfect in speed, ball control, shooting, finishing, etc. But somehow his strikes are not so powerful as those of nominal attackers (like Zola or Ravanelli)...

I agree.. This is quoted from along time ago...

all 7 s doesn t mean that the player will express his full potential regardless of where he s placed on the field, role matters as does affinity between certain skills and a given area of the pitch.

None of this is fixed though and seems like the same player will perform differently depending on the area of the pitch he s running above, which means that the system is working in real time, too, so if you push ahead on the wings a defender through passing alone he might play like shit (as in lose speed, lose BC or TA, etc.) even though he s gotten all 7 s, as long as he s kept there.

As a matter of fact, an A will underperform (to the point of losing SP while being in the last and second to last tiles of the pitch near the corners and on the sides near the halfway line) as attacking wings (I mean, the forwards playing on the sides) in the 5-2-3 formation compared to an RW/LW with the same exact skills.

Have you guys not read my interview with Jon Hare from last year ?

I have read it for sure. Interesting read. But like i wrote before this was quoted from along time ago, before your interview. People here had many ideas regarding player perfomances, ticks and crosses.

Never the less, in SWOS you are left with a lot of compromises setting up your team, if you want the best solution between playerskills and player positions. This means of course to put players in wrong positions mostly because the speed skill is desired, but yes the player is often weakened by his ball control etc.

If you want find out which positions fits each formation the best in general , you can do this by using a team editor to give all players max in skills. Next, go to the game and change positions from bench to a certain position on the starting 11. When you cant find a better player for this position getting ticks, you ve found the best player for this position. I hope this makes sense, but I ll share my experience trying this out with 442/sweep, 532, and 523.

442/sweep is pretty straight forward. An attacker as offensive midfielder is the most desired, even players starting in attack want this position better than normal attack.
A Defender is better for Def. midfielder than M, and also wants this position better than normal defence. Unfortunately in SWOS, there are no real good players with D position that is good in passing too.

RB D D LB
RW D A LW
A A

352/532 is almost the same as 442/sweep. Desired team is
RB D LB
RW D D A LW
A A

Obviously no team in swos has 3 D s with max in speed, but brazil is close. This looks almost like Playavelis setup for 532, only he has juninho in center defence in lack of a better choice. Sampaio is too slow.

As I play 523 myself I found this optimal setup quite weird. And of course no team in swos has double wingers, so you are left with compromises, were as A or LB/RB or even M as best alternatives for off. wingers.
RB D D D LB
RW LW
RW A LW

Worst thing from this is that Midfielders (M) are not desired as a prefered player in any position above other on the pitch. You can test all this yourself if you want with other standard formations like 343, defend, 451 etc.

Just thought I would share this with you guys. Again compromises are made to fit your style of play, not a must.

Exception: Redondo!