TOTS Dembélé

The list goes on and on of useable TOTS options in the FUTmosphere and this week was no exception with a strong French contingent in the La Liga TOTS.  Griezmann, Benzema, and of course Ousmane Dembélé were all potential review candidates and so I went with the more affordable option this time around.  It was a grind once again as server issues, God Squads, and an obsession with hitting the bar plagued my return to the Weekend League.  However, Dembélé offered a few interesting reviewable quirks and kept my interested across my games.  Dembélé was an excellent reminder of how slightly different player archetypes can have both good and bad effects, the supremacy of the 5 STAR WEAK FOOT was present, and the importance of pace in any squad confirmed yet again.  

Here is what I found:

Final Score

Final Rating: 9.0/10

At the beginning of every review/Weekend League, I find myself really testing the player I am looking at.  Taking a few ill-advised shots, clipping the ball up to them for headers, and really trying to maximize the amount of efforts on goal.  I want to let you guys know the ins and outs of their abilities and that involves getting them into the play.  But by about game 15 it has turned into a full-on sweat fest and you cannot have this focus if you want to succeed.  It is in these moments that I truly get an idea of a players strength and for the most part Dembélé took a back seat to the likes of TOTS Salah and FB Firmino. It is with this in mind that I go with a slightly lower rating, but it cannot be denied that this card is excellent. 

Link-ability

Rating: 4.5/5

Maybe I am getting a little carried away in this category but the amount of solid French links is ridiculous at this point.  Just about every league offers a good option and none more than La Liga at this point.  Barcelona also has a long list of options and you can fit this card in with ease.

End Game Strength & Value/Coins

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

I can see this card falling away from a well-used option faster than Manchester United from the title race next season. However, that does not change the fact that he could still do a fantastic job.  After applying the FINISHER chemistry style this card boasts a crazy mixture of speed and finishing, the boost to 96 LONG SHOTS as an excellent addition.  

From the time I picked up Dembélé until now he has fallen 300k into a nice value, I can get on board with.  Basically, he is a slightly shorter, better dribbling and passing, higher skilled version of Jovic.  Better links are also a bonus and then you save around 100k.  96 STAMINA makes Dembélé a nice wing option as well, with 93 CROSSING getting the ball where it needs to be.  Really nice card for a reasonable price = good value in my books.

Uniqueness

Rating: 3/5

Not a lot to brag about here.  It seemed like every top La Liga squad had a French TOTS coming, and all of them offer firepower in slightly different areas.  The 5 STAR WEAK FOOT & 4 STAR SKILLS is a nice combination and not many players have these attributes mixed with 90+ Pace, Shooting, Dribbling & Passing.  Mkhitaryan to name one, which drives me nuts I never completed that SBC.

Good vs. Bad 

G/B Rating: 4/5

I mentioned player archetype at the beginning of this review and here we are.  The lean body type is one that I would generally categorize as quick, slick dribbling, and weak.  Dembélé is all of these things except doesn’t always ACCELERATE quite as fast as he probably should.  The weakness and lack of aerial ability here is my main concern and with the quickness of top CBs (Van Dijk, Ramos, and co.) it felt like I could not make the ball stick.  Frustrating to say the least and makes those difficult games even harder.  But after that everything about this card is class and he is a true danger man.  A wand of a left foot, a cannon on the right and dance moves on the ball that sends defenders for hot dogs outside the stadium.  His passing is also pinpoint and creating goals is not an issue here.  The good definitely outweighs the bad, but you still need to consider that he has true weaknesses.

Closing Words

Before anyone says anything, yes the last minute of this video is an Ode to Bobby.  With Liverpool winning the Champions League it had to be done.  But it also serves a bigger purpose of pointing out the difference between an excellent Dembélé at 9/10 rated and an absolutely fantastic Bobby at 9.9/10.  The quality, class, and style of goals is something Dembélé just could not reach.  Down the stretch of my Weekend League, Bobby was still scoring, while Dembélé limped over the finish line.  A small metaphor for their semi-final and a good look at what truly sets these high tiered cards apart.  Cheers for reading.

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