Player Review
91 - TOTS Obj
So here goes, my first review! This guy... I completed him today and started playing with him... He is very, very good! I do not have the strongest PL squad, but this guy definitely improved the entire defensive line. I don't know where to start...
I'll go from stat to stat, starting with PACE. His pace is seemingly not the highest. With a shadow chemstyle, I can boost it up to the low 90's and let's be honest. This does the job for a CDM.
Personally, I haven't used him much in front of goal, but whenever he has the chance, he gets in the right position. 86 positioning really shows when needed.
His passing... This is where it gets interesting... I used mid Guardiola before (unfortunately this was my Icon Swaps 2 pack) and Pep's passing is good. But then there is TOTS Rodri. He rather makes the pass when not. His high passing stats, in combination with 90 vision and 91 composure makes his passes unstoppable and very deadly even when under pressure.
The biggest downside is probably his dribbling. He 'feels clunky' as some people would say, but I think the right terms would be 'heavy tank'. He is very strong on the ball, but definitely not the most agile kid in class. 3* skill moves is nothing special, but does the job for a (free) CDM.
This definitely is compensated by the defending stats. Especially with a shadow chemstyle, his defending is near enough perfect. His standing tackles are something I have never seen before. This is what makes him much MUCH better than all versions of Guardiola combined. Also his 4* weak foot comes in clutch when needed!
As well as his defending, his physicals are really clean. 96 stamina is amazing in combination with 92 strength. 86 aggression is high enough to rely on. Also his 6'3" (191 cm) and average body type are really nice for a strong guy.
Another flaw would be the absence of any traits. Finesse shot would make him a better B2B for example.
All in all, he is really noticeable on the pitch and makes a big impact. The card is fairly easily obtainable and therefore very worth your time in my honest opinion. For me, he is "The tall Kanté", or "The Spanish Guardiola".
- Pace
- High key passing stats
- Near perfect defending (with a shadow)
- Physicality
- Height
- Stamina
- 4 star weak foot
- Shooting is too low to be a B2B in my opinion
- Agility & balance
- Aggression could be higher
- Lack of traits