Hole Player

AttackStill being reviewed

In one sentence

While his team has the ball, one edge of his support area is 8 m further upfield, he is almost never put in the holding layer, and a 12 m rule is 17 m for him.

Who does this affect?

Only players the CPU is moving: your AI teammates and the opponent's players. The style changes where the CPU puts him and what the CPU decides for him; while you steer him yourself, your input decides. Found on: Compatible: SS, AMF, CMF, LMF/RMF. In the mobile card data: 1,197 cards (AMF 656, CMF 311, SS 95, side midfielders 133, LWF 2 - no effect at LWF).

How it works

In the CPU's support positions while his team has the ball, one edge of the area he may use is set 8 m further upfield. While his team has the ball, the CPU picks up to two central midfielders (DMF/CMF; AMF only under some team settings) for its deepest, holding layer: the players furthest back are picked. For the pick each player counts as his position plus 5 m, with -5 m for a DMF and +15 m for an AMF; an Anchor Man counts 30 m deeper, a Classic No. 10 or Hole Player 30 m further forward, so they are almost never picked. The first pick is treated like an Anchor Man in one later positioning rule. In one shared check that ten CPU attacking decisions use to pick players, players outside the attacking third must be within 12 m of the offside line; for a Hole Player it is 17 m. Limit: these CPU decisions give players numbered roles that have no names in the code. Turning each role into a named move (for example a run in behind) needs the whole CPU role system mapped, which this audit could not complete, and live measurement was not possible (no device connection). They are therefore described only by what the code checks.

When it applies

Support area: one edge 8 m further upfield.
Holding pick: counts 30 m further forward, so he is almost never picked.
Shared CPU check: within 17 m of the offside line instead of 12 m (Goal Poacher: no limit).
In one CPU option score (an option the code numbers 3, scored from his width, his distance to goal and his spacing) the style sets his weight: Prolific Winger 1.0; Creative Playmaker, Roaming Flank, Classic No. 10, Hole Player and Attacking Full-back 0.85; Deep-lying Forward, Target Man, Dummy Runner, Goal Poacher and Fox in the Box 0.7; no style 0.5.
Only in SS, AMF, CMF or side-midfield slots.

Without it

A midfielder without the style keeps the normal support area, is a normal candidate for the holding layer and has the 12 m rule.

Common questions

Does Hole Player make a CMF play higher?

Short answerYes

At CMF the style is active: the support-area edge moves 8 m upfield and he is almost never put in the holding layer.

Does it raise his shooting or finishing?

Short answerNo

No shooting code reads the style.

Does the style help when I control the player myself?

Short answerNo

Every place in the code that reads this style is CPU positioning or a CPU decision. Your own dribbles, passes, shots and runs never look at it.

Does the style still work if I play him out of position?

Short answerNo

No for the positioning parts: they check his formation slot every time and do nothing outside SS, AMF, CMF or side-midfield slots.

The maths

ConditionWorks only while he is deployed in a SS, AMF, CMF or LMF/RMF slot. The game checks the slot every time against a fixed list; in any other slot these parts do nothing.

StepSupport area edge +8 m upfield.

Step+30 m in the holding pick.

Bend17 m instead of 12 m in one shared CPU check.

DetailLimit: these CPU decisions give players numbered roles that have no names in the code. Turning each role into a named move (for example a run in behind) needs the whole CPU role system mapped, which this audit could not complete, and live measurement was not possible (no device connection). They are therefore described only by what the code checks.

DetailNot used by this style: No player stat is read by the style's code.