Online Soccer Manager

OSM Even Match Tactic 2027 (26/27)

What to play when two OSM 26/27 sides are evenly matched: average settings, a home and away table by opponent formation, choosing 4-3-3A or B and small edges.

FireGhost

November 6, 2026, 10:30 PM5 min read

Contents11 sections

For an OSM even match tactic, the 26/27 community data shows a clear pattern: a 4-3-3, Wing play and average values of Pressing 62, Style 66, Tempo 59. The A or B variant and the tempo change with the opponent's formation, but retreating is not recommended in even matches.

The values come from the "even" rows of OSM Next Level's counter tactic tables (23 October 2026) and its setting guides, a community tool; we have not tested them.

OSM even match tactic: average settings

OSM pre-match tactics screen: Passing game plan and Normal tackling

Setting	Even-match average	In-game label
Pressing	62	Close down opposition
Style	66	Attacking
Tempo	59	Play possession (just below 60)
Game plan	Wing play	In 52 of 54 recommendations
Line tactics	Attack only / Protect the defence or Stay in position / Defend deep	Forwards and defenders identical in every recommendation
Marking / Offside trap	Zonal marking / No	A back four has a spare man against 1–3 forwards

For comparison, the same source's averages are 66/72/65 when stronger and 59/63/60 when weaker. In even matches pressing and style sit between those two: attack-minded, but trying not to leave gaps.

Even-match table by opponent

OSM line-up screen with a Real Madrid starting eleven in a 4-3-3

Values are Pressing/Style/Tempo. The game plan is Wing play except in the row marked *, which uses Passing game.

Opponent	Home (even)	Away (even)
4-3-3A/B	4-3-3B · 67/70/54	4-3-3B · 68/69/54
4-4-2A/B	4-3-3A · 60/65/60	4-3-3B · 68/62/62
4-2-3-1	4-3-3A · 65/60/55	4-3-3B · 64/70/54
4-5-1	4-3-3B · 68/71/51	4-3-3B · 64/70/54
5-2-3A/B	4-3-3B · 64/72/60	4-3-3B · 57/60/47
5-3-2	4-3-3B · 60/69/60	4-3-3B · 55/62/65
5-3-1-1	4-3-3A · 51/61/71	4-3-3B · 66/61/54 *
5-4-1A/B	4-3-3A · 61/71/71	4-3-3A · 70/70/59
6-3-1A/B	4-3-3A · 65/65/60	4-3-3A · 50/60/75

Two patterns stand out:

Higher tempo against parked sides: At home against 5-3-1-1 and 5-4-1, tempo is 71. Ball speed is what opens a crowded defence.
Lower tempo against shoot-on-sight sides: 51 at home against 4-5-1 and 55 against 4-2-3-1. Losing the ball gives those opponents long-range chances.

A or B?

OSM tactics screen: Passing game, Normal tackling; Drop deep, Protect the defence and Defend deep line tactics

According to OSM Next Level's guide, 4-3-3A has an attacking midfielder in the centre and 4-3-3B a defensive midfielder. In even matches, the engine's choice depends on the opponent:

4-3-3A: Against parked sides such as 5-4-1 and 6-3-1, and at home also against 5-3-1-1, 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1; one more attacker to open the block.
4-3-3B: Against 4-3-3, 4-5-1, 5-2-3 and 5-3-2, and in most away matches; protecting the space in front of the defence matters more.

Why not retreat in an even match?

OSM match screen showing goals and a substitution in a Real Madrid vs Manchester City game

According to the source's 5-3-2 and 5-2-3 pages, when both sides sit back waiting for a turnover, the match comes down to a single mistake. That is why OSM Next Level recommends a controlled attacking setup down the flanks even in even matches. Keeping style in the 60–72 range aims to send enough players forward while leaving men at the back.

Another community source points the same way. OSM Helper's most liked site tactic is 4-3-3B with Wing play, flagged for weaker and even opponents. Its values (Pressing 79, Style 75, Tempo 79) are clearly more attacking than OSM Next Level's even-match averages.

Small edges that decide even matches

Referee: According to OSM Helper, referees get stricter from green to red; lowering your tackling under a strict referee is how you avoid going down to ten men in a tight game.
Analyst: According to OSM Helper, the data analyst shows the opponent's line-up, game plan and aggressiveness. Knowing their formation lets you pick the right row from the table above.
Training camp and secret training: According to OSM Helper, a camp gives a 25% boost in the next match and secret training 2.5%. We could not confirm these figures in an official source.
Nation bonus: According to OSM Helper, you need at least six players of the same nationality in your starting eleven.

What changed since our older guide

The tactics screen has not changed since our 2022 even-match tactic guide. The 26/27 version gives even-match values that change with the opponent's formation instead of a single setup. OSM's official advice still applies: test the tactic in a friendly.