Scream Bernard

I am going to be honest, I was not looking forward to the Halloween Scream event this year; based on prior experience it is a lot of hype with a lot of disappointment.  But credit where credit is due, EA has done a fantastic job of this promo thus far. The squad offered a variety of options, the player SBCs have been useable players (a bit pricey), and the daily SBCs have been enjoyable (minus the kit).  It was immediately obvious that Scream Bernard was going to be a popular option and it just so happen I was in the market for LW.  After last weekend I knew I needed a formation overhaul and so Bernard played on the LW and left ST position in a 4-1-2-1-2 wide formation. I set out this Weekend League wondering if Bernard would be a trick or treat in the following formation:  

Overall

Rating: 8/10
Pace Rating: 9.5/10
Dribbling Rating: 9/10
Shooting Rating: 8/10
Passing Rating: 8/10
Physical Rating: 6/10
Defending Rating: N/A

Back down to an 8/10 with Bernard, who bears a spooky resemblance to Lucas Moura in terms of quality.  Both Brazilians are short in stature, quick, agile dribbling, 4 STAR WEAK FOOT and SKILLS, and both could seriously use some additional strength on the ball.  Bernard was a steady Eddie player for me throughout the weekend; he would get a goal, link-up play, provide pace, and find the gaps in opponent’s backlines.  Honestly, if Bernard was more clinical around goal he could have added 10 – 15 goals based on really good chances alone.  But you can only go off of results and with that Bernard was good, but could have been better.    

Linkability

Rating: 4/5

Quality league, quality nation, and a nice link to those red Lucas Digne’s from last weekend, and of course if you decide to go with Roberto Carlos from the ICON Swaps he is a nice link there as well. Bernard offers some interesting team selections and the only thing that would make him stronger would be a centralized position.

Current Game Strength

Rating: 5/5

Despite a slightly lower overall rating I had to go with the 5/5 for this category, and the main reason is the current meta. These types of pacey, agile dribbling, 4+ STAR SKILLERS are boss right now and the current price tag on Messi only accentuates that.  Honestly, my overall is extremely jaded by the number of chances missed with this card throughout the weekend.  Perhaps I should have tried a different chemistry style after 10 games, but everything else was just working so well.  The dribbling and responsiveness with this card is insane and borderline unplayable.  99+ AGILITY and BALANCE with 96 DRIBBLING sent defenders for hot dogs in the stands all weekend long, and then the stock 92 ACCELERATION leaves most defenders flailing in the dust when you take off.  On the wing, this card caused a lot of issues that didn’t always translate directly to goals and assists, but he was involved in a lot of the good things I did in possession this weekend.

Value/Coins

Rating: 5/5

He dropped to 200k late Sunday evening and then was around 222k during the day Monday, suggesting this card will be somewhere in this area.  I think good value for money comparison for Scream Bernard can be found in Sadio Mane who carries a lot of the same attributes and similar in-game statistics but at 120k more.  The biggest area of difference is in the strength category though as Mane stands taller and stronger on the ball, additionally, I found Mane to be considerably more clinical around goal.  There is no doubt that Bernard holds his own in comparison though, and justifies the price tag and then some… I honestly feel 250k would still be fair given the qualities in this card. 

Good vs. Bad 

Good vs. Bad Rating: 4.5/5

I have mentioned a lot of positives, but one more for good measure … 99 STAMINA is such a nice feature on a card and the amount of work rate on the wing was impressive.  High/High would have been even better in the 4-1-2-1-2 formation but he still put in a shift when called upon.  But in the end, this leads to my negative and the fact I felt I had to move Bernard to the wing in the first place, due to a lack of finishing.  Strength on the ball was also an issue in that it is non-existent … and the 99 JUMPING is a bit of farce given the Brazilians inability to get on height regulated amusement park rides.

Closing Words

Having read over everything said so far I think it is clear.  Bernard is a creator, a magician, a pace merchant, and a handful to defend.  He is not a goal poacher, a clinical finisher, and he needs to hit the gym.  But his 4 STAR SKILLS can be absolutely lethal in the right hands; and if you are needing someone to break lines to get the ball into capable striker’s feet, he is a gold mine. Cheers for reading.
 

Game Stats:

Game Highlights: