Review - Aubameyang (90 rated)

February.  Two packs into the OTW Untradeable SBC, a Gabonese flag appeared and I experienced the best pack pull in my FUT career.  Two painful months of watching subpar performances have now finally past and 90 rated Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang arrived in the latest installment of the TOTW.  I was hopeful he would be worth the wait.

I have previously used Aubameyang as a super sub and so his stats are quite good for 45 minute or less appearances.  However, I do not think I can leave him on the bench any longer.  After the TOTW release I used Aubameyang in the DKT, Online Season Matches, and a few Weekend League matches.  Auba led the line in the following squad (in game):

PACE

Not quite 99, but I can’t imagine players can move much faster.  He pulls away from defenders on and off the ball.  If speed kills, Auba is the lethal injection for your opponents.

RATING: 5/5

SHOOTING

Auba’s 4 STAR WEAK FOOT has always been his second best attribute behind his pace.  Prior to this inform I would have said that Auba’s shooting is excellent and his weak foot is really good.  Now.  This card comes equipped with dual stingray missiles that target and destroy opponent’s nets.  It has been 50/50 right and left footed goals and this gives defenders nightmares.  Equipped with FINISHER chemistry style he is lethal; 98 PACE, 97 SHOOTING, 21 Games, 29 Goals, and 18 Assists as of now. 

RATING: 5/5

DRIBBLING & PASSING

After you are done drooling over Auba’s pace, shooting, and flawlessly executed front flips there is a massive drop off in stats.  On the surface his 85 DRIBBLING with 80 AGILITY and 73 BALANCE is not ideal. Previously Auba was like driving a Ferrari on bald tires and could be quite frustrating. Whatever stat increase turned him into the F1 car he is now I don’t know, nor do I care.  I couldn’t believe the difference.  Tight turns were responsive, even at pace, causing loads of issues for my opponents.  As for passing, he always found the targets I wanted and really he is the one you want on the end of through balls anyway.

RATING: 4.5/5

PHYSICAL

Defense stats are irrelevant here.  I wouldn’t play him in a position with those responsibilities.  FINISHER again plays a part in this category and boosts Auba to 94 JUMPING and 89 STRENGTH.  At 6’1 with a tall and strong body type it just adds to the threat this card is all around. The only physical stat of concern is 81 STAMINA.  Yes, he is a ST and his work rates lend themselves to reduced running.  However, the last 10 minutes you can see and feel a drop off in his running and extra time usually warrants a substitution.

RATING: 4.5/5

FINAL SCORE

RATING: 4.7/5

Two words.  End game.  While my video demonstrates how lethal Auba is, it does not contain the numerous tap-ins he had from being in the right spots in front of goal.  Auba is a magnet for the ball and it was nice to benefit from his positioning throughout the weekend.  I cannot overstate the amount he added to my attack this weekend.  Like Carlos Tevez in a prison football match, he doesn’t take it easy.  He is a full throttle attacker and constantly trying to find gaps and avoid defenders, the same way Spanish footballers try to avoid taxes.  On a serious note, I am sat here trying to figure out a FUT Manager who couldn’t use Auba as a ST and I can’t.  If you cross the ball, he is amazing in the air.  Long shots, absolutely. Pace depended and through balls, 100%.  Tiki-Taka? You have a two footed finisher at the end of your moves; still good. This card was worth the wait.  He is the most complete forward I have used in FIFA 18 and this card will definitely not be leaving my squad any time soon.  

Cheers for reading.

Game Stats:
(21 Games, 29 Goals, and 18 Assists as 90 rated OTW)

Game Highlights: