ICON Dalglish (90) Review

The 4-2-3-1 is slowly becoming my go-to formation in FIFA 21… while the 4-4-2 will always have a special place in my heart, the current gameplay trends just don’t quite suit the expansive requirements the formation demands.  With Drop Back Danny reaping the benefits of the latest patch I could no longer risk the open gameplay of the 4-4-2 and had to get an extra body in the CDM, while also tucking in the LAM and RAM from my normal RM and LM.  For me, the 4-2-3-1 is simply more stable and organized around the pitch and defensively I am considerably better.  In attack, I have had mixed success but one thing is absolutely clear, the need for a clinical striker is crucial.  With the majority of chances falling in one direction, the squad morale relies on the lone striker making opponents pay for their mistakes, while also rewarding teammates who are putting in the hard yards to get them the ball in the first place.  This weekend the goal scoring responsibility fell to the feet of the Liverpool talisman, the Scottish sniper, the sovereign saint… Sir Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish.  In the end, if you follow me on Twitter: @IVIaeNine you will know that this weekend came down to the wire for an Elite finish.  I left myself needing to win 6 out of 6 at the end and had all but given up hope when out of the quagmire,  King Kenny Dalglish decided to take the squad on his back, as he had all weekend, and carry us over the finish line.  Aiding Dalglish in his exploits was the application of the HUNTER chemistry style, which felt just about perfect while leading the line in the aforementioned 4-2-3-1 formation.  Kenny ruled with an iron fist all weekend in the following squad:


Starting Formation:

Overall

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

While Dalglish tallied 39 goals and 7 assists across the 20 match review… it was the 53 goals and 15 assists in the 30 match weekend that really blew me away.  The majority of the cards I review are often victims of their own success as my opponents increase in difficulty with every weekend win.  However, in the case of Dalglish, there was no slowing the Scottish warrior … even tallying a 4 goal master class in my 29th match.  The staggering 17 MOTM performances across the weekend only accentuates how involved and how effective Dalglish can be match in and match out.  

Main Statistic – Shooting

Shooting Rating: 10/10
Weak Foot: * * * * *
Trait: Outside Foot Shot

FUT Birthday Antoine Griezmann was the pinnacle for me in FIFA 20.  Having not had the opportunity to use TOTY CR7, 94/96 R9 & and other players of this caliber it was always Griezmann for me.  The card was perfect in every way but most importantly it felt like he would never miss.  Throughout the past weekend, I really started to get similar vibes while using Dalglish and I do not say that lightly.  99 FINISHING & 5 STAR WEAK are always going to combine for fireworks with any card, but in this case, it was the 92 SHOT POWER that really piqued my interest.  In previous reviews of quality finishers, I always felt like they left a few goals on the table, with misplaced finishes or crazy saves from my opponent’s keeper.  But with Dalglish, it seriously felt like everything was flying into the goal.  The velocity he gets on shots sends the ball on a missile like trajectory to the top bins and that is where the Griezmann comparison started.  It was much the same last year, as both players place the ball in areas that keepers simply cannot reach.  I wish I could use him again next weekend to really test my theory… but one thing is certain… If you use him, he will reward you with goals.   

Main Attribute - Height

Height: 173cm|5’8
Pace Rating: 9.5/10
Dribbling Rating: 9.5/10
Skills: * * * *
Trait: Flair

Lots going on with this section of the review, but it is part of what drove Dalglish to success throughout the weekend. Dalglish does not appear to be a smaller card in-game, or at least I didn’t really notice and was, I think, a big part of why he still feels strong on the ball.  One thing that I don’t have to think about is how fast and agile this card felt throughout the weekend.  98 ACCELERATION, 97 SPRINT SPEED, 90 AGILITY & 89 BALANCE… honestly you can’t draw it up much better and the card was incredibly responsive throughout the weekend.  Dalglish can put a defence on edge and that is one of the reasons I enjoyed the card so much.  Even the staunchest of midfield-only-controllers felt the need to change to their CB when I played the ball into Kenny’s feet and that lack of comfort caused opponent after opponent some serious issues throughout the weekend.
 

Value/Coins & Good vs. Bad 

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

1.3 million still seems like a steal here.  I was lucky enough to snag one at 1.23 and couldn’t have been happier with the performance per coin return that I experienced.  Even the passing has just the right set of statistics to not require a boost, yet still perform.  85 SHORT PASSING was certainly enough to get the ball into the dangerous areas and Dalglish ended with a nice assist return to bring his goal contributions to 2.3 a match for the weekend. 

In a long list of positives, there is always a “but”... or “if only” and in this case it was the 65 STRENGTH and 89 LONG SHOTS. As I mentioned before the strength did not feel quite this bad and Dalglish was normally able to hold up play well. However, there were a few examples in close matches, when my opponent was pressing with everything to tie the game… and these moments just called for a stronger option to hold up play and take the pressure off.  Finally, the long shots were not really a massive issue as Kenny found plenty of other opportunities to get his goals… but I just didn’t feel confident letting them fly from distance after a few failed attempts early in the weekend.  Both of these observations about Kenny’s deficiencies are absolutely an example of nitpicking fine margins, but they are also the only honest reason to not give Dalglish a full 10/10 overall after the master class he produced this weekend.    
 

Closing Words

By now the recommendation should be abundantly clear… Dalglish is an animal and worth every coin.  I can hear the “Liverpool supporter bias” ringing down already… but if anything it works the opposite in these cases.  I always want current and legendary LFC players to be phenomenal in-game… there is really nothing better than using a childhood idol or current favorite and watching them dominate a Weekend League in your squad.  The let down when they don’t is a bitter pill to swallow and can rip the soul out of your club.  Gerrard has always been this card for me in FIFA and does not begin to do justice to the career and talent that he had.  But in the case of Kenny… they got it right… so, so, so right.  I strongly recommend you give this card a try, just one weekend and I think you will agree that he truly lives up to the nickname King Kenny.  Hoping you are safe and well.  Cheers for reading.
 

Game Stats:
 

Game Highlights: