Player Review
91 - Icon
Last year, Hagi was a mainstay in my team. Something about him seemed, you might say 'iconic'. Sadly, it's a different story this year. In the 28 games I used Hagi, I played him at CAM in the 4-2-3-1, and also in the 4-1-2-1-2 as a CAM and a CM. From all these positions, I found him most useful at CM.
When using Hagi, one expects several things. A nimble, tricky player, with the ability to slide team-mates in, and score some nice goals. For me, Hagi did not deliver in many of these aspects. For you, he might possibly.
My main issue with the card, and I mean a SERIOUS issue was the stamina. 78 itself doesn't seem too bad, especially with Med/Low workrates. However, inexplicably no matter what I did with the card, whether I put his interceptions to conservative, adjusted his other instructions or my team's pressing instructions he was dead by the late 70's. I'm not sure how many of you know this, but when a player's stamina reaches a certain point, their stats begin to deteriorate. So, in effect, you're going to only be using your 'Prime Hagi' for two thirds of every game you play! It's simply ludicrous.
I must say, at times I did enjoy the card. When I managed to work Hagi into a bit of space where no-one could breathe on him, he was able to unleash some very incredible shots.
To be honest, I'm finding it hard to gather the words to form a review, because that is how stunned I am by the lacklustre performances of this card.
With regard to chemistry styles, I tried almost every attacking chemistry style. The one I found the most success with was Marksman. If you choose to ignore my advise, either because you think I'm lying, I'm bad or you want to use the card; I wish you all the best of luck, and I hope you enjoy him more than I did. As for me, I traded him in for Vieri, who so far has blown me away (review will be up when it is approved).
If you think his record for me is good, thats probably because I played a few games of squad battles with the card to make myself feel better about his record.
I am genuinely so disappointed by a card that I was excited to use.
- Shooting - Hagi can hit a ball very hard, and with superb accuracy. 93 SP, and 92 LS mean that you don't even need to utilise timed finishing.
- Dribbling - Hagi's dribbling itself is very good. He will step past players rather easily, and the bumper dribbling is exceptional. He executes skill moves quickly, and has a superb first touch.
- Finesse shots - If you time it correctly, congratulations - you've just scored.
- Passing - I know the stats look exceptional, but I really struggled to play any killer passes with Hagi. I don't even believe I was trying to force anything, he simply just did not have the quality to pick people out. I have used KDB for over 100 games this year, and Hagi did not come close to matching KDB's passing prowess.
- Agility/Balance - For someone as small as Hagi, Agility and Balance are crucial to maintaining possession. Sometimes, good balance can negate for a lack of strength. When you see that Hagi has 86 agility and 84 balance, that is actually quite low for someone of his stature. In game, you will notice this, I promise you. He does not turn as fast as you would expect him to.
- Strength/Aggression - Absolutely appalling. I appreciate that Hagi is not someone you associate with strength, but it really is shocking. I lost count the amount of times I was left frustrated by Hagi losing possession all too easily, to even the weakest of opponents.
- Pace - It might just be me, but Hagi really didn't seem all that fast. Vieri, who I am currently using feels faster.
- Stamina - Quite simply put, it ruins the card. If you're paying 800k for a game-changing Icon, you expect for them to be game-changing from minute 1, to 90. Hagi cannot be that 'game-changer' due to the atrocious 78 stamina EA have burdened him with.