Player Review

Well, let's be honest. We all know why you here. You saw this beauty of a card with blistering pace and incredible agility. But, you also noticed his 3* weak foot en 3* skill moves and are now wondering: is he worth the big investment of 280k-295k he is going for at the moment (writing this at the 18th of october 2022 and playing on old gen/PS4). Knowing that the card is new, so no one has played with Smolarek on former Fifa's.

It's still the early stages of the game and Smolarek simply is one of the fastest strikers in Fifa 23 (for now). Especially if you boost his 93 acceleration en 89 sprint speed with a hunter-card. This card does amazing things, but it comes with a price. Therefor, a manual!

Smolarek is a player that your opponent needs to take care of. You simply cannot let him run and do his magic. Which means he is going to create holes in your opponents defence for other players to dive in to. Or the other way around, Smolarek dives in the those spaces, and in that case he is through and cannot be stopped. And he keeps making runs that will drive your opponent crazy. All match long. His movement, his speed, his agility makes Smolarek a threat for any defence.

Well, let's buy him then, right?

Wait!

Because this card comes with a price. And not just the 280k-295k you have to pay for him on the market. Yes, he gets through a lot, but does not always put the ball in the back of the net. He is not a clinical finisher like, for instance, Aubameyang is. Especially not when you take the shot with his weaker right foot. True, he creates chances other strikers would not have created, because they lack the pace. Still, it can be quite frustrating is he misses the chance for the win. You have to deal with that, or just not buy this card.

The 3* skill moves. If you believe in skilling, stop reading. This card ain't yours. He dribbles en speeds past defenders, but can't skill past one. His agility makes him a threat in the box of your opponent and there lies the key for seeing that he can make the shot, but don't expect him to skill to make room for the shot. Won't happen.

I played Smolarek in a one-striker formation and he sucked. He is simply to quick to get that final pass in his run. Besides, you want a clinical finisher on top of a one-striker formation and Smolarek is not that. Because i believed in this card i changed formation to 4-2-2-2. And there he started to deliver with Robbie Keane next to him. Smolarek making the runs to tear the opponents defence apart, Robbie Keane as the clinical finisher getting the job done. Smolarek was fine, usefull and dangerous. But not quite worth the big investment of coins.

And then... On the left-CAM i played Mostovoi and one match i decided to switch Mostovoi and Smolarek ingame. Mostovoi as a false 9 next to Keane and Smolarek tearing up the left side of the pitch. This is where the card really started to shine and deliver. As a left-CAM. His speed and agility kept opponents busy, creating spaces for Keane and opportunities for Mostovoi.

The conclusion: Is he worth 280k-295k?

Well, yes... If you have the coins. but if you really have to clean out your squad to get enough coins to buy Smolarek, please don't! There are better, cheaper options like Landon Donovan. Not quite as fast, but only a third of the price of Smolarek. If you're looking for that clinical finisher that finishes everything? Look elsewhere... Looking for a skilled striker? This is not your card... But if you want a player that teares your opponent apart, to have a lot of fun with and to enhance your attack: he is your man!

Extra:

This is the first Fifa Smolarek appears in. So hereby a few players from Fifa 22 that can he can be compared to. Del Piero (87) (but without the strong weak foot), Puskas (89), Stoichkov (87) and Dries Mertens his base gold card.