SIF Mané

Back at it again this weekend looking at potential players to bolster and bring life to your squads.  While TOTW 13 was not entirely unlucky, there was not a wide range of options with Sadio Mané the key standout.  Mané is an extremely interesting card for me; at one point he seemed like a must-have option and even pros had him in their squads; then he tailed off with the patches released, and now there are so many versions you do not know which way to turn.  While I cannot justify completing the POTM Mané given his price tag, it is possible to consider the differences to his 90 rated IF and consider the value for money on both.  Mané was the electric slide in the following squad this weekend: 
 

Overall

Rating: 9.2/10
Pace Rating: 9.5/10
Dribbling Rating: 9.5/10
Shooting Rating: 9.5/10
Passing Rating: 8/10
Physical Rating: 9/10
Defending Rating: N/A

This weekend I went for pace and power up top as Mané was joined by 89 rated ICON Drogba in a 4-4-2 formation set up.  I was a goal fest from the get-go as both men scored a brace to kick off the weekend in style.  I feel like the goal/assist tallies for this card are the perfect representation of what you are getting with Mané.  1 goal & 1 assist per game.  Honestly, I do not know if I have used a more consistent card production-wise; oddly enough it was quite similar with his 89 rated inform that was in my squad a few weeks ago.  I cannot pinpoint why this happens if I am honest; against my weakest opponents this weekend Mané would pop up with a goal and possibly an assist created by his pace; in my toughest of matches Mané would pop up with a goal and … you get the idea.  I always felt like goals were coming and it was a reassuring feeling even down a goal going into the closing stages of any match. 

Linkability

Rating: 4/5

The Senegalese options the only thing holding Sadio back from an even higher rating, and once again this weekend I was kicking myself for not completely Gueye (why did I not complete this card???).  Mané does have an ever-growing collection of LFC players to connect with, a large portion of which fit the Meta and can improve any squad, and then, of course, you have the popularity and consistent addition of EPL players to choose from as well.

Current Game Strength 

Rating: 5/5

I went with MARKSMAN this weekend as 97 ACCELERATION & 94 SPRINT SPEED proving more than enough … and I was happy with the results of 98 POSITIONING, 99 FINISHING, and 92 SHOT POWER.  This is one of a few cards I have used where the 4 STAR WEAK FOOT feels perfectly connected to the player's ability.  Whether on the right or left, just harness you Frozen spirit and let it go.  Time and time again he finds the top corner of the goal and you are on your way.

Value/Coins & Good vs. Bad

Value/Coins Rating: 5/5
Good vs Bad Rating: 5/5

The value for coins ratings is getting more and more convoluted as the market takes a downward spiral akin to our New Years' resolutions after a weeklong bender.  Honestly, I feel we are all the children gathered around the pummeled Krusty Burglar screaming, “stop, stop, he’s already dead.”  Is 560k a good price for this card?  I think so … does that mean he will not be under 500k tomorrow, nope!  

My reasoning for MARKSMAN was the look of Mané’s statistics compared to other chem. styles.  The nice additions to dribbling were key and as you can see my 9.5/10 dribbling rating was my findings.  This card is incredibly agile and can turn in an instant.  Not quite as responsive as TOTGS Mertens was, but he can still create a lot of difficult for defenders with lower agility.  4 STAR SKILLS are a nice addition and Mané just looks and feels like a well-rounded option.  So well rounded that I struggled to think of what bad experiences I had this weekend.  His passing stats are not the best, and I went with a lower rating given a few errant balls, but honestly, 15 assists are nothing to scoff at… and perhaps this begins the key portion of my closing words.

Closing Words

Well-rounded; a phrase I have used a few times and the key quality I enjoyed in Mané this weekend.  What separates this card though is being well-rounded with shooting and dribbling statistics that are through the roof.  There have been a few reviews already this FIFA where I just wished player A had more pace, or player B could finish a bit better … but with Mané I always found what I was needing in his card.  The biggest negative is actually in the LM position that his 90 rated IF has returned too… centralized cards just offer those extra links but again, there are quite a few options for getting Mané into your squad.  If you are thinking or planning on saving/purchasing this card then he gets a solid recommendation from me, as he was the gift that kept on giving (one goal a game) in my squad this weekend.  Cheers for reading.

Game Stats:
 

Game Highlights: