Player Review

....Is if you're a Diables Rouges (or Inter) fan...

So ladies and gentleman, yesterday @ 5,59 pm I was still hoping to get an FB Mertens, or a EOA Mertens (for his total goal numbers record @ Napoli),

Dreaming to pair him with my Belgian front of Amuzu, Hazard and Musonda...

Small and sweaty dribbling little midgets, 4x4 or 5x4 rockets of tight dribbling and fast shooting animation...

@6pm, the dreams were squashed, and here comes the big truck Rom!

Despite the general outcry about his agility and balance, I was still hoping that he could play a little bit like Haaland as tall and sturdy striker (I know Haaland is much more agile and balanced...).

Well without further ado, here's the review after 20 Rivals game and 4 SB games. Tried both Engine and Sniper chem (to no avail...).

Speed: 6/10

99 sprint speed looks lethal BUT the 80 acceleration kills it... I've tried it with Engine and Sniper, but still, the ball animation makes him hard to reach his full speed without being poked by a fast and agile CDM or CB.

I might have to try him with Catalyst or Shadow (but don't really wanna waste a 25k chem style...)

Shooting: 8/10

That's when I thought I would love him given the announced stats... well, mixed feelings...,

Longshots are no good (not even 86 LS stat good),

Power shots in the roof of the goal are good, and funny enough, like in real life, when you stroll on the left side of the pitch and shoot it, he'll often do automatically a driven shot in the right corner of the goal: that's cool!

1vs1 situation against the Oblak's and Ter Stegen's of the world where always in favor of the goal (wonder if it's the speed of the shooting animation that's slower).

4 stars weak foot feels more like a 3 stars weak foot.

Still, I've scored a bunch of goals just because he was Ro(a)m(ing) around the box and was powering tap ins at the right moment. So still a pretty good striker.

Fun enough didn't score a single goal with his head, so don't know about that part...

Passing: 8/10

No problems with passing, he's clearly above average in that category and also delivered some really nice and precise through balls.

Dribbling: 1/10

And that's the biggest let down of the card, no matter what chem style I used to boost it, it felt like the real-life big Rom. Despite a 91 ball control, he often pushes it just a tad too far when you're trying to move with the ball and you crash into the defender or the ball is just poked away...

Where Haaland is deceptively smooth, Rom is really moving hard with the ball. And I wouldn't even say he feels clunky in his moves! It just seems that whenever he gets the ball, he's gonna lose it soon after...

And even more problematic, is his balance!

Despite having 99 Strength, Rom is super easily pushed down by his opponents... It's as if everybody on the pitch is just pushing him down whenever he's in their zone... I just don't get how easily and how often he falls on the pitch...

(Well, I used to play Amuzu up top, so maybe I'm just sucking at using a tall non-dribbling striker...).

Defense: N/A

Not much to say, he can pester the opposing players but will get tired towards the 70th minute if you do so.

Physicality: 5/10

Sometimes he feels like Hulk and when you protect the ball he'll do his job, but like I said earlier, as soon as you're moving and dribbling with him, he transforms from Hulk to Bulk... and can easily have the ball stolen and just be pushed on the ground without having a foul called.

Conclusion:

I'm happy to have a Belgian nice rated card and I love Rom in real life.

Will I use him in weekend league? If I learn how to use him properly maybe, but I guess I'll turn back to use the Hazard and Mertens of the world in this FIFA...

Do I regret doing him? 95 rated for 200K (if you don't have fodder) well, I'd say do it if you're a fan of the man or the team or the country.

And for sure, if TOTS Mertens comes @ some point and I pack Nainggolan in my reds, TOTS Lukaku will clearly be gone in an SBC where his balance and agility won't be a problem...