Prime Moments Van Basten

With the celebration of King’s Day on Saturday it seemed only fitting to represent the Oranje this weekend with this review; wearing the objective earned kit and testing out a Dutch legend in Prime Moments Marco Van Basten seemed like a good fit.  Even more entertaining is the fact that Marco Van Basten even sounds like the name of the king but would he reign supreme throughout this past Weekend League?  Alongside the Brazilian Prince Bobby Firmino in the 4-2-2-2 formation, they were a force to be reckoned with.  While the final picture shows a HUNTER chemistry style, it is worth noting that I applied the CATALYST chemistry style throughout the review; one look at Van Basten’s shooting statistics makes it clear that he does not need any help in that department.

Final Score

Final Rating: 9.4/10

The word that comes to mind when summarizing this card is: POWERFUL.  6’2 (188cm), 85 STRENGTH, 87 JUMPING, 98 SHOT POWER, & 90 LONG SHOTS are just the beginning of the ways Van Basten can impose himself on your opponents.  Van Basten is the biggest threat I have utilized in the air since Flashback Ibrahimovic was released and every corner felt like it was bound for goal this weekend.  Holding up the ball is simple just based on the sheer size of this unit and then you have the Shooting statistics.  The first time I looked at this card I thought I had accidentally clicked a chemistry style with the 90+ Shooting statistics across the board, but no that is just Marco Van Basten; this card is a weapon to be unleashed in the attacking third. 

Link-ability

Rating: 5/5

So easy to write this category with ICONs.  However, it is worth noting that the Dutch strong link to POTY Van Dijk makes this card even more of an asset for building hybrids now.  

End Game Strength & Value/Coins

EGS Rating: 4.5/5
V/C Rating: 4/5

I won’t dive too much into the negatives for this card in this category and save the issues I had for the Good/Bad section.  However, I will echo my earlier statement that this card is basically Flashback Ibrahimovic.  The SBC for Ibrahimovic is one of, if not the best SBC for money that has been in FIFA 19.  Ibra continues to pop up in teams every Weekend League as a starter or late in games as a super sub.  So what would that card cost on the market?  Are the million coins that you would pay for Prime Van Basten a fair representation of that?  In my mind, it is about 200k too high and therefore the value for coins receives a 4/5 rating.  

Uniqueness

Rating: 3.5/5

Van Basten falls into an extremely unique category of sharpshooters;  99 POSITIONING & 99 FINISHING with a 4 STAR WEAK FOOT.  Then you throw in the rest of his shooting statistics and he is just about automatic around goal.  The Prime Moments dynamic images are a huge favorite of mine and of course, this adds a unique feel to these cards.  However, that is where it ends for Van Basten and so I feel like the rating is appropriate.

Good vs. Bad

Rating: 4.5/5

One last time I evoke the memory of Zlatan and suggest that a lot of FUT Managers have a “version” of Van Basten in their squad already.  Perhaps if you wanted to play the doppelgangers up front together they could cause opponents fits and just about every cross ends up in the back of the net.  However, the negative comparisons also exist in the maneuverability of these cards.  If you are playing Van Basten you need to supply him with a pacey partner or wingers who can get in behind your opponents and make the space for this unit to operate.  Even with the CATALYST chemistry style applied this card was sluggish at best and this was not a gameplay issue, Van Basten was just significantly slower than the rest of my attackers.

Closing Words

What is left to say about this card?  If I was sitting on a million coins and looking to improve my squad I do not think this is the option I would choose.  This card is one that fits a very specific need and only a small number of FUT Managers would benefit from Van Basten’s skill set.  However, if you are looking for a strong, powerful, & clinical juggernaut up front that this is the perfect card for you.  If you are upset that you missed the Flashback Ibra SBC and hate watching the Lion rip apart your team in extra time, this might be the card for you.  If you are a fan of the Oranje or Van Basten then this card will definitely not be a disappointment and you will enjoy watching the big man win you games.  When all is said and done if you cannot check any of these boxes then I would stay away from this card and look for other options in the end.  In closing, I would be lying if I said my Kings Day celebration with King Marco wasn’t filled with some stunning finishes… but I just think he falls short of keeping the throne.  Cheers for reading.

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