IF Joe Gomez

Back to back… after getting Rashford in my rewards last week I assumed my pack luck was all over for this year.  But if you follow me on Twitter: @IVIaeNine you would know that the red Joe Gomez that followed was only the beginning as I then packed UCL Mbappe a few days later.  I would say that it is pointless to open my reward packs and expect any returns from now on… but that won’t stop me.  Up until Gomez joined my backline I had been really enjoying his non-inform option and was hoping the 85 would somehow improve on an already fantastic performer… and wow did it ever.  While Van Dijk has been a stalwart juggernaut in the past few editions of FIFA… IF Joe Gomez gives VVD a serious run for his money.  In fact, I actually prefer controlling Gomez over VVD in defense … but VVD just does some things that are inexplicably awesome (tackles, interceptions, blocks, and of course the ninja kick deflection that went viral) and remains the best in the game for me.  Returning to Gomez though, I opted for the overkill option of the SHADOW chemistry style and he obviously slotted in beside VVD in my 4-4-2 formation.  Gomez proved to be the perfect partner all weekend in the following squad:
   

Overall

Rating: 9.6/10
Pace Rating: 9.9/10
Dribbling Rating: 9/10
Shooting Rating: N/A
Passing Rating: 9/10
Physical Rating: 9/10
Defending Rating: 9.9/10

The question here is not really how good Gomez is… he is fantastic.  Ultimately the question comes down to the rating and in the end what is a perfect 10/10?  Or is there such a thing?  I would contest that the best players in the game can receive that rating and I can afford none of them, in fact, I cannot afford half of them.  But from there you start slowly going down the list of options and slowly drop the rating which brings me to the 9.6/10 I gave to Gomez.  For me, he is going to be one of the best CBs in the game, and I don’t mean just until more is released.  This card is honestly incredible and while bigger and better options will arrive… they won’t be that much bigger or better when the dust clears.  There is just no beating this card for Pace and the chances you can then take in tackles give you the ultimate freedom.  90 ACCELERATION and 97 SPRINT SPEED on a 188cm (6’2) CB?!? Are you kidding me!?  It is ludicrous… and just so fun to use. 

Main Statistic - Defending

Defending Rating: 9.9/10

I bet you couldn’t have guessed that a top tier CB is a top tier defender, well, believe it!  However, I don’t want to get bogged down in discussing the 96 INTERCEPTIONS, 97 STANDING TACKLE & 99 SLIDING TACKLE; it is obvious that this card has defensive abilities in abundance and I can confirm they translate in-game.  I couldn’t count the number of times my opponent tried to play out to their attackers only to find Gomez had stepped in between and the attack was not only dead but now they were on the defensive.  While this is all good, I really wanted to talk about the sprint/jockey that this card has. Honestly, Joe Gomez has some of the craziest jockeying speed I have used, ever.  The ability to follow your opponent’s skills and movements is unmatched and if you are playing well, they are not getting by you 1v1.

Main Attribute - Size

Strength: 85

Even when you look at the card in-game it does not appear that Gomez is actually as tall as he is.  I think it has to do with his more slender frame, but it does not stop him from winning a ton of headers.  The 78 JUMPING is also key along with the 81 HEADING ACCURACY allowing you to find teammates and begin the attack from the air.  Additionally, this size mixes well with the 85 STRENGTH on this card and really creates a powerhouse defender to go along with his speed and agility… and honestly, the list keeps going, this card is insane.

Value/Coins & Good vs. Bad 

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

485k is a massive price tag for a defender… and if I was advising someone whether to spend those coins in attack or defense I would 100% suggest the bright lights of a top tier forward.  As I have stated the 83 Joe Gomez is really good and could do a job and then some, but this 85 IF version is just a whole nother animal. The fact that I was deferring to Gomez in defending situations over VVD just highlights the trust I had in this card, he shuts down everything!

I want to be honest and I want to avoid overhyping cards and getting too carried away and this is normally where I can come back down to earth with even the most effective cards.  But I am not lying when I say that I did not have a single issue with this card the entire weekend.  It felt as though Gomez did not put a foot wrong and having played against him I know he is just as frustrating to attack against as he is fun to use when shutting down opponents.  In fact, I actually wanted to point out even more positive about this card in the Dribbling and Passing departments.  When you intercept or steal possession with this card you can immediately move on the front foot… the dribbling is full of pace while the passing is pinpoint and accurate, the card seriously does it all.

Closing Words

Easy to link.  Easy to use.  Easy to break your budget and leave you reverting back to gold Teixeira in attack.  Truthfully the single negative about this card is how inaccessible he is for a lot of FUT Managers who are slowly building those spending budgets.  I guess I leave you with the promise that if you keep this card in the back of your mind when you finally get the coins, Gomez will still be sitting and waiting to dominate.  Cheers for reading.  
 

Game Stats:
 

Game Highlights: