Playing out of position
What it costs to field a player away from their natural role, and when it's worth it.
Every player has one natural position. You can field anyone anywhere, but the further a player is from their role, the more their effective rating drops. The match engine and the rating you see use the same multiplier, so what you see is what plays.
The fit ladder
The lineup screen labels these Natural, Adaptable, and Emergencyso you don't have to remember the numbers.
Wrong foot
A left-back wants a left foot and a right-back a right foot. Playing one wrong-footed costs a flat extra ×0.95. Two-footed players never pay it, and wingers are deliberately exempt, an inverted winger is a real tactic, not a mistake.
Example
When it's worth it
A great player in an Emergency role can still beat a mediocre one who's Natural: 0.78 of a star is a lot of star. But field three or more players in unfamiliar roles and the team reads as disorganised, which the engine flags as a tactical mismatch. Cover a gap, don't build a lineup on it.