IF Rashford

Sir Marcus Rashford … it has a nice ring to it and surely based on his contributions to society at only 22, it is a foregone conclusion that one day he will receive this prestigious honor.  Regardless of whether or not it happens, it is impossible to deny the amazing things he is attempting to accomplish as a footballer with his global platform.  I always have to remind myself that he is only 22… and when I compare it to myself at 22 it is a humbling flashback.  While I could never support him on the pitch, what he has done off of it is worthy of a standing ovation and I can gladly give credit where it is due. Thankfully, my allegiances can stretch when it comes to the virtual pitch as I had some insane luck getting Rashford in my Week 1 red picks... and truthfully I am starting to notice a worrisome trend... in FIFA 20 one of my favorite players in the entire game ended up being RTTF Greenwood … and now I feel a lot of the same vibes forming towards Marcus Rashford’s latest inform… I really need a Rulebreaker Bobby Firmino Friday in the worst way to level this out before I burst into flames, but I digress.  I applied a HUNTER chemistry to Rashford who immediately became the focal point of last weekend’s battle for Elite, playing as the right striker in my 4-4-2 formation.  Rashford was the red devil, punishing my opponent’s defensive sins all weekend in the following squad:    
 

Overall

Rating: 9.5/10
Pace Rating: 9.9/10
Dribbling Rating: 9.5/10
Shooting Rating: 9.9/10
Passing Rating: 9/10
Physical Rating: 9.5/10
Defending Rating: N/A

If you follow me on Twitter: @IVIaeNine you will know that Rashford didn’t stop producing after the 20 match image that is posted with this review… 40 goals and 20 assists in 27 matches to be exact.  Additionally, Rashford was a huge factor in setting my WL rage quit record of 13 across the same set of games, yet simultaneously limited the goal and assist returns Rashford could have reached… a scary thought.  The problems for opponents are numerous but all stem from the 99 ACCELERATION & 99 SPRINT SPEED.  Whether it was VVD, Joe Gomez, Diego Carlos or Varane; Rashford pushed them to the brink and beyond.  For a slightly taller card I couldn’t get over just how quick Rashford could be off the mark, and he only needs the one step to create panic and overcommitted tackles from opponents who know they are moments away from staring at the back of Rashford’s heels.  
    
 

Main Statistic - Shooting

Shooting Rating: 9.9/10
Weak Foot: 4 * 

In my Allan Saint-Maximin review, I mentioned that it is difficult to really decipher the difference between 4 STAR and 5 STAR WEAK FOOT in FIFA 21 beyond the odd moment.  News Flash: I swear Rashford does not have these moments and his left foot parallels his right in power, accuracy, and efficiency.  I mentioned the issues that Rashford’s pace causes and the fact that you can not predict which way the attacker will turn only increases the defending difficulty.  I could almost hear my opponent talking themselves through it … “show him to his left, show him to his left” *GOAL* “what?!?” After this point it is all downhill and cutting inside on the right opens up as well… you just simply pick the best option, pull the trigger, and plan the celebration.

Main Attribute - Dribbling

Skills: 5 *

Wait! There is more!  One of the main reasons that CR7 is a perennial powerhouse in FUT is that mixture of pace, shooting, agility … and all of this in a card that is 187cm (6’2) tall.  Well, I will add another name to this list with inform Marcus Rashford.  Truthfully, I thought I was going to have to play with chemistry styles and add to the 87 AGILITY & 75 BALANCE at some point during my review.  But in the end, I noticed zero drop off and really enjoyed the left-stick dribbling Rashford can pull off.  Then you add in the 5 STAR SKILLS (not in my hands haha) and you have attacking perfection.   

Value/Coins & Good vs. Bad 

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

This category does not read “Cheap Beasts,” and that is important to remember.  The 600k you would have to pay to bring Rashford into your squad is a hefty price tag.  But after 27+ matches now with Rashford, I can say he is worth every coin.  “Game Changer” doesn’t even touch the surface of what this card brought to my squad this weekend, and for only the second time in my FIFA career, the Elite 1 finish was still in play with less than 5 matches left.  While I did have a really nice mixture in my squad, I truly feel this success comes down heavily on the contributions of Rashford alone, he’s that good. 

This doesn’t normally happen to me, but I am lost for words.  I can’t nitpick the 88 STAMINA as it is good enough to last 120 minutes if needed. The 76 STRENGTH with the added height makes Rashford a rock on the ball. Maybe, just maybe, the 77 FREE KICK ACCURACY is a little low to compliment his POWER FREE KICK trait?  Maybe, I’ll just leave this here.  There is just nothing tangible to hold against this card beyond the terrible club he plays for in real life.   

Closing Words

I am going to be honest… I acknowledged my luck when red Rashford dropped for me last Thursday… but I didn’t really know how insane it was until I sat down and really started test driving this card.  I realize we are early on in the cycle and a lot can happen, but I can’t picture a scenario where Rashford is not at least a super sub for me well into February.  At this point in the game, he is simply too good … and as the players improve to offset this difference, who still couldn’t use a 99 Pace-two footed-agile-powerhouse?  I acknowledge that this card is incredibly difficult to afford… but if you find the means, I can’t think of too many better players to rule over your squad than Sir Marcus.  Cheers for reading.
 

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