🔥 OSM Pressing Guide: What It Does and the Right Value
Updated: · Figures: the free Counter Engine's 54 public recommendations, computed when this page was built.
Pressing sets how hard your players chase the ball when the opponent has it. Across the 54 recommendations of our free Counter Engine, pressing runs from 48 to 76 with an average of 62: higher when you are the stronger side (66), lower when you are the weaker side (59).
What pressing changes in an OSM match
High pressing wins the ball back closer to the opponent's goal, but it pulls your players out of shape and costs stamina. Low pressing keeps your block compact and waits for the opponent to come to you. Neither is better on its own: the right value depends on who has the stronger squad and what the opponent's attack can punish.
How the engine decides it
The engine weighs the pressing power of your forwards and midfield against the counter-attack threat of the opponent's forwards. A side that is clearly stronger can afford to press high, because losing the ball costs it less. A weaker side presses less, so it is not opened up behind its midfield.
- Stronger side: average pressing 66
- Even match: average 62
- Weaker side: average 59
- Home 63, away 62: venue alone moves pressing very little; squad strength moves it most.
Pressing against each opponent formation
Averages and ranges from the free engine's 54 public recommendations (all six venue and strength situations per formation):
| Opponent | Average | Range | Stronger | Even | Weaker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-3-3 A/B | 65 | 48–70 | 70 | 68 | 57 |
| 4-4-2 A/B | 65 | 56–76 | 73 | 64 | 58 |
| 4-2-3-1 | 66 | 60–73 | 68 | 65 | 67 |
| 4-5-1 | 65 | 60–70 | 70 | 66 | 60 |
| 5-2-3 A/B | 60 | 56–67 | 63 | 61 | 58 |
| 5-3-2 | 62 | 55–70 | 70 | 58 | 60 |
| 5-3-1-1 | 58 | 51–66 | 57 | 59 | 59 |
| 5-4-1 A/B | 63 | 51–70 | 65 | 66 | 60 |
| 6-3-1 A/B | 57 | 50–65 | 58 | 58 | 55 |
Common mistakes
- Pressing at the maximum in every match. High pressing against a stronger squad leaves space behind your midfield for its forwards.
- Copying a pressing value without the other two sliders. Pressing, style and tempo are calculated together; changing one alone breaks the balance of the tactic.
- Ignoring the referee. Aggressive pressing plus hard tackling under a strict referee collects cards. See the tackling guide.
Get the exact value for your match
The numbers above are averages. The Counter Engine gives the exact pressing, style and tempo for your opponent's formation, the venue and your squad strength, free.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best pressing value in OSM?
- There is no single best value. In the free engine's recommendations pressing ranges from 48 to 76; it averages 66 when you are stronger and 59 when you are weaker.
- Should I press high when I play away?
- Venue changes the recommendation only slightly (home 63, away 62 on average). Squad strength matters far more than venue.
- Does high pressing tire my players?
- Yes. Pressing makes players run more, which is one reason the engine lowers it when your squad is the weaker one.