IF Allan Saint-Maximin

It’s release week for FIFA 21; given the early access and web app grinding it feels more like halfway through the season, but we are only just getting started.  This weekend in the absence of the Weekend League, I made it my goal to qualify into Division 1 along with getting my hands on OTW Diogo Jota.  I am happy to say that it was a mission accomplished on both fronts and this was largely down to my newest signings: Wissam “The Rat King” Ben Yedder and Allan “Gucci” Saint-Maximin.  We kick start this weekend's review by looking at the later of the two Frenchman, as Saint-Maximin received a lethal looking Inform for his goal and assist performance against Burnley a weekend ago.  After waiting to see where the dust would settle I ended up picking up Saint-Maximin for 225k and immediately made room for the speedster at the top of my ever-consistent 4-4-2 formation.  Due to my concerns with the passing and shooting statistics, I went with the DEADEYE chemistry style and immediately set to work on the Road to Division 1 grind.  Allan Saint-Maximin brought the lightning to the perfect storm in the following squad:
 

Overall

Rating: 9/10
Pace Rating: 9.7/10
Dribbling Rating: 9.5/10
Shooting Rating: 9.4/10
Passing Rating: 8.5/10
Physical Rating: 8.5/10
Defending Rating: N/A

I couldn’t help myself.  I have been trying to play it cool and avoid going too high with my ratings to kick start the season, but this card needs its praise.  Please remember that these ratings are only good for about a month as new cards coming out start to change the landscape of what is an “8” versus a “9”.  But having used a variety of cards already in Rivals, in Drafts, and even in Co-op… I can say without hesitation that this is one of my favorites… and one of the best.  It all starts with the pace, which is already proving vital in FIFA 21; 95 ACCELERATION and 95 SPRINT SPEED border on the ridiculous, and this card absolutely jets down the pitch.  I even found myself moving ASM out to the wing in the second half to terrorize the tired legs of my opponent’s wingbacks… and it was here that Saint-Maximin simply racked up a large portion of his 19 assists. The game becomes simple with a player like this…:

1. Find the wing 
2. ASM get in behind
3. Cut into the box
4. Take your time and pick out a pass.  
5. Goal & Repeat   
    

Main Statistic - Dribbling 

Dribbling Rating: 9.5/10

While this card can absolutely dance on the ball with the close control dribbling and even simple left-stick dribbling… I would rather talk about another key component to FIFA 21, dribbling at pace.  Currently, there are only three cards available with the pace (95+) and dribbling (90+) to match the levels of Inform ASM.  Mbappe (1.42 million) and Pele (4.87 million) … obviously there are other factors involved in these price tags, but you can’t go wrong when a card valued at 220k can match two of the most important statistics with two of the absolute best cards in the game.

Main Attribute - 4 Star Weak Foot

While Ansu Fati was good… ASM is fantastic.  I would say that ASM easily scored over 60% of his 18 goals in 20 matches on his left foot.  There is really only a finite difference between his preferred right and lethal left and that comes out when trying to finesse the ball far post.  In trying to get OTW Jota completed I had more experimentation with this technique than normal, and while I was successful on two occasions, I did not feel confident attempting these finishes after a couple of terrible misses.  But in the end, you have to look at the experience as a whole, and what I experienced was closer to 5 STAR WEAK FOOT perfection than anything else. 

Value/Coins & Good vs. Bad 

Value/Coins Rating: 4.5/5
Good vs Bad Rating: 5/5

I have sat here for too long flipping back and forth from a 4.5 to a 5.  I realize that it is stupid and in the end “who cares?”  But I always want to be as accurate and honest as I can and at this point, I am going lower due to the early stages of the game.  If this were a month into FIFA 21 and managers had more coins I would go with a hard and fast 5/5 … the card is insane, and the 37 contributions in 20 matches are what I would normally expect in Weekend League where you get the odd match off. However, I can not overlook the fact that there are quite a few cards under this value that can do almost the exact same job… Anthony Martial and the new Ansu Fati POTM are just two that come to mind.  They are not quite the Gucci God himself, but they come close for over 40k+ less.  

There were two categories that were always going to worry me with this card… pre-chemistry style the 70 STRENGTH and 81 SHORT PASSING were slightly concerning.  But yet again ASM sprinkles the star dust over everything and his 70 STRENGTH feels amplified by his pace and 5 STAR SKILLS, making it difficult for opponents to really get a clean challenge into Saint-Maximin’s body.  There were a few times ASM was bullied, but overall it was a non-issue.  As for the passing… the +15 SHORT PASSING boost to 96 with DEADEYE really did the trick and finding the right angle and weight of pass felt effortless at times.

Closing Words

You know things went well when my Good vs Bad rating is used as a glorified endorsement for how amazing the card was. Saint-Maximin has already become a FUT legend and this card will only work towards increasing this status.  I know for myself I am struggling with the fact that I need to sell ASM at some point to continue with reviews next week… and the thought of entering my first Weekend League without this weapon in my arsenal is a depressing and worrisome thought.  In the end that is the ultimate issue with this card… it is going to cost you, and at this stage in the game, it is probably going to be a big part of your budget as well.  If you can, and do end up fitting this mad lad in your squads, let me know how he is performing… I can tell you for me he was the key to moving into Division 1, and I think he would open doors for you too. Cheers for reading. 
 

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