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Our first hero pack has dropped, while many will get their dream hero card, many will not. I would be lying if I said this was my dream card. But here we are. Rather than turn my nose up at the gift I received, it felt like it was an opportunity to try something new and interesting. Enter Nwankwo Kanu.
Kanu played in an era before I started watching, so I won't delve into his real life abilities or how he may have been robbed stat wise in the game. This is based purely off my experiences with him over a handful of games, bear in mind it's Division 5 gameplay (in the past I've been a Div 1/Elite but I don't put as many hours in these days to grind my way up, the joys of getting older kids...). He's a big boi, 6'5" is nothing to sneer at. Partnering him with a nimble striker has made for a good combo.
I've had 4 games with Kanu playing as a left striker in a 4-4-2. Typically with a 3 star weak foot I would play a striker on the same side as their foot but with his strike partner being Griezmann I have opted to provide a finesse opportunity instead. Kanu has good dribbling stats too so I felt I could make the left side work for him. Finally, I've paired him with a HAWK chem style to try make use of his size and bulk. I can see an argument for using an engine so improve his feel on the ball, might even try it myself. Hunter seems like a waste but if you really can't live without the pace i suppose it could work, not really optimising the card strength though.
Let's get into the details:
Pace: 7/10
78 Acc, 87 Spt. Not the best pace split but plenty to be happy about after he gathers a head of steam. I found he had the legs to get in behind reasonably often. 4-4-2 really helpful here by stretching the defensive width giving plenty of running channels for my attackers, Kanu capitalised. Could be caught in longer distances and was on occasion. I recommend keeping him central as you'll be quickly snapped up by rapid, nimble wing backs. At this early stage of the game cycle (mid October) this is totally useable but in a couple months time will be outclassed most likely, keep an eye out for better versions.
Shooting: 8.5/10
My man is straight smacking rockets. Excellent shot power, had a shot fly past Ter Stegen that was directly at him from around the penalty spot. Finishing is 92 with a HAWK, you'll find the target most of the time, especially if you make use of his TRIVELA trait to mitigate the weak foot. Longshots possible as well with the boost from HAWK, of course stick with trivelas here too. All in all I felt confident with his shooting though i avoided his weak foot where possible. Worth noting that I never noticed his FLAIR or ACROBATIC playstyles. Not bad to have but never factored in. His playstyle kind of demands a simpler style of play.
Dribbling: 8.5/10
Pleasantly surprising. The 81 agility and 74 balance was a real worry initially but for a man of his stature he feels reasonably smooth. If you're a fan of pacey, nimble players this probably isn't for you. But if you can read the game and anticipate defenders well you'll have a great time with the 88 dribbling. Really pleased he has FIRST TOUCH as a trait, he snapped up a couple of over the top through balls that he was able to bury, despite incoming pressure from defence. Also found his touch paired with 89 ball control enabled me to set myself up for layoffs quickly too. Reactions of 87 were very noticeable as well. He was always quick to make runs and get in position in turnover phases of play.
Passing: 9/10
Oh boys, the incisive pass. Such a great playstyle in my opinion. He has great passing stats for a striker and playing in a two man front line was a joy. I was able to use Kanu as a focal point in attack and start the plays by slipping in through balls. We're talking 87 vision and 86 short passing and it got the job done perfectly. Probably the part of this card that most impressed me if I'm being honest.
Defending: N/A
He's a big chungus. Won a couple tackles I think, probably just by being there. Would get similar results from a traffic cone or scarecrow.
Physical: 7.5/10
A weird one for me, and something that made me interested in the first place. It's so strange to have such a tall guy have such low strength. I was curious to see if the size of Kanu would be useful at all. I can tell you that his bulk definitely added something to his game. I used the HAWK chem because I wanted to get some extra utility from his frame and I think it made a difference. Strength of 82 combined with his size allowed me to hold off centre backs with good consistency, I think they just simply couldn't get around his bulk. An honourable mention to his heading ability. I won a fair few headers on corners but none of them scored. I had to green-time them to ensure they were on target but I couldn't beat the keeper, possible user error. I think he has it in the locker but I might need a few more games to say for certain. One real downside is his stamina. He never made it to the end of a full game, always subbed if we went to 90 mins.
Summary:
For his price I think you get a really decent player. Hero links are super handy, effectively like having an extra league player. I had fun with him but I can see him getting put down in higher divisions. Not anywhere near meta but if you want to try him I don't think you'll be disappointed. I'm personally looking forward to his other versions down the track, if he gets skill moves this card will be crazy fun, like the Zlatan of old.
- Shooting
- Passing
- Ball control
- Sprint speed
- Agility/Balance
- Acceleration
- Stamina
LowestBin
