TOTGS Bruno Fernandes

We did it… We made it through last weekend without selling entire teams, breaking controllers, or uninstalling the game … or at least I made it, and I hope you managed the same.  But honestly what even was the past three days?  The kaleidoscope of gameplay issues, unexplainable sequences, and input delay were truly insufferable; finding bright spots in the darkness was difficult and would have challenged even the most positive of mindsets.  For me, that bright spot always comes in the form of my reviews… I enjoy making comparisons, chatting about what others are finding, and developing a final thought on the level of performance across the review.  This is of course made easier by reviewing a top tier player and TOTGS Bruno Fernandes truly checks that box.  The Portuguese sorcerer has provided some mesmeric football for Manchester United since his transfer and has truly placed the giant club on what appear to be very broad shoulders.  These talismanic performances have equaled a growing selection of FUT options and I was hoping Fernandes could provide similar performances in my squad this weekend.  The easy part was the positioning as Bruno slotted into my attack minded CM position flawlessly.  However, throughout the review I struggled to find the right chemistry boost for Bruno, moving from a HUNTER to an ENGINE and finally settling on a HUNTER yet again.  In the end, I think I finally got it right, but regardless of chemistry style, Bruno truly was the engine all weekend in the following squad:   


Starting Formation:

Overall

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

Right off of the get-go you will notice that the statistics do not exactly add up in average to his overall rating.  The idea here is that Bruno is a stone cold CAM or attacking CM from my perspective and therefore I am judging his 9.5/10 rating on those facets of the game alone.  In a more defensive formation, or even if you require a huge contribution defensively from your CM, I would opt for closer to a 8.5/10 for his all-around game.  But when you come back and focus on attack, for me he is the ultimate link-up man and can bridge the gap between defence and attack in majestic fashion.  The key here is in the 91 ACCELERATION & 89 SPRINT SPEED, which truthfully felt quicker than advertised.  Ultimately, this is why I made the return to HUNTER after a brief experiment with the ENGINE chemistry style.  Throughout the early matches this weekend I was struggling with Bruno’s passing as his accuracy just felt off, so I tried the ENGINE chemistry with little success.  I eventually chalked this up to the gameplay as Bruno had a much improved passing game the second half of the review… but what I did notice was a drop off in pace moving from HUNTER to ENGINE and that just wouldn't do.                 
      
          

Main Statistic - Shooting

Shooting Rating: 9.5/10
Weak Foot: * * * * 
Traits: Outside Foot Shot

18 goals in 20 matches (2 of the matches lost connection so reads 22 games) is a quality return for a CM, the level of which I have not witnessed very often.  Bruno definitely found himself in more attacking areas than other CM’s I have used… and when he did the rest was history.  94 POSITIONING meant that Bruno would be finding the correct pockets of space all weekend long.  While his 93 FINISHING, 99 SHOT POWER, 95 LONG SHOTS & 99 VOLLEYS allowed Bruno to use this space with devastating effect and deadly accuracy throughout the weekend.  Obviously, we are talking about a set of statistics that would make even the most quality of strikers jealous, and thankfully they performed as advertised in-game as well. 

Main Attribute - High/High Work Rate 

Work Rate: High/High
STAMINA: 98
Trait: Solid Player

I have already mentioned my passing woes with Bruno, but it is hard to have a solid argument about passing when Bruno chipped in 14 assists in 20 matches from a midfield role.  There are really two scenarios at play here… one was the eventual return of manageable gameplay that allowed Bruno to better assert his passing ability on matches, and really showed what this card was capable of… and two, that Bruno’s work rate and the Balanced Attack instructions led him into areas that my strikers would normally occupy.  It was a normal occurrence throughout the weekend to find Bruno at the top of the box, feeding passes into the feet of my strikers, while then overlapping into dangerous areas.  These sequences provided Bruno with ample opportunities to be involved in the goals and it wouldn’t have been possible without his tremendous work rates and of course the 98 STAMINA.  While helping tremendously at one end, it was also a common occurrence to see Bruno doggedly tracking back to break up the play of my opponents, the card seriously never stops.  While not as effective in the defensive third, Bruno wasn’t simply there to just make up the numbers and was a true box to box midfielder in every sense of the definition.

Value/Coins & Good vs. Bad 

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

I am not sure how this card is 900k.  I guess when Neymar drops to below 800k anything is possible, but it just feels insanely low for the quality you are getting.  If you search FUTBIN for players with Bruno’s level of base statistics… 80+ Pace, 90+ Dribbling etc… when you are finished you get two players.  TOTGS Bruno Fernandes & the three versions of Zidane, the cheapest of which goes for 2.8 million.  Yes I realize that 5 STAR - 5 STAR is worth a lot, and yes Zidane does have the edge in most categories… but Bruno is right there… and for almost 2 million less.  Seems like a steal, and felt like a steal based on the way he can dominate a match.

While the early passing issues had me extremely frustrated, I do think that it was mainly gameplay and my focus on Fernandes for the review made him stand out as the main culprit.  By the end of the review, with everything flowing and gameplay back in check it was clear to see the quality of this card.  Honestly, there are no real weaknesses to note and even the 70 STRENGTH feels extremely solid.  However, I will reiterate that Bruno’s 72 Defending was not weak … but it was certainly not a strength.  It wasn’t just the typical ball bouncing off of shins in a tackle and instead felt more like a mistiming of tackles, even in solid gameplay.  For my situation, this was not a game breaker and I do not rely heavily on both CM’s in defence… but in matches where I was pinned back and Bruno was more involved, his lack of quality did become more noticeable.  Again, a minor detail for me and my style, but could be a deal breaker for other FUT Managers.

Closing Words

Bruno 98 Penandes… what more can I say to close out this review?  This card is one that really does speak for itself when you look at the statistics, and I can confirm that he is every bit as good in-game.  Honestly, the only thing that would stop me from saying “go out and buy this card right now,” is the fear that I would be responsible for coins lost as the market continues to bottom out.  However, from an in-game perspective, this card is a no brainer for me; Bruno was a revelation in the midfield and really reminded me what I have been missing out on by not having a top tier game changer in such a vital position.  Bruno was certainly up there as the best CM/CAM I have used this FIFA and his statistics speak for themselves… let me know in the comments if you have, or plan on testing him out… stay safe out there. Cheers for reading.  
 

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