Fantasy FUT Sissoko Review

284.  That is how many reviews I have completed for FUTBIN.  To be honest I am not really sure what to do with that, as it all seems so long ago that we started this journey.  In truth, I was waiting for review 300 to bring it into the limelight but was forced into it by Moussa Sissoko.  Why?  It was not until article 284 that a card under review received a red card.  In fact, it is going to add another column to my tracker as in the past I had only kept track of yellow cards.  The prior record? Article 64 - a review of Third Inform Paul Pogba in FIFA 19 in which he also received two yellows but in separate matches.  And with that, Fantasy FUT Sissoko became a record breaker in all the wrong ways.  It is worth noting that they were perhaps two of the softest yellows in the history of the beautiful game and I wish I would have saved them for the video.  In any case, records were made to be broken and there is a lot more to say about this card beyond the bad luck.  With the knowledge that Sissoko would be patrolling the midfield in front of my backline this weekend, I applied the SHADOW chemistry style to help the big man get around the pitch.  The CDM in the 4-2-2-2 formation, a position that was absolutely made for the Frenchman and I was hoping the added protection would lead to an improved defensive record this weekend.  Sissoko was the man mountain all weekend long in the following squad:   

Starting Formation:
 

Overall

Rating: 9/10
Pace Rating: 9.5/10
Dribbling Rating: 8/10
Shooting Rating: 7/10
Passing Rating: 9/10
Physical Rating: 10/10
Defending Rating: 10/10

If you have used Winter Wildcard Guendouzi or his more expensive upgrade in RTTF Renato Sanches then you have experienced the benefits of a quick, agile, yet defensively solid option in the midfield.  TOTY N’Golo Kante might just be the epitome of this style of player, which is certainly a FUT Manager favorite in FIFA 22.  However, for those managers that are in the camp of a bigger body patrolling the midfield such as any of the Viera variations, then this review is for you.  For myself… NIF Fabinho and then his Winter Wildcard have both done a job for me this year and was hoping Fantasy FUT Sissoko might carry this forward with his recently upgraded card.        

Main Statistic - CDM Patrol

Pace Rating: 9.5/10
Defending Rating: 10/10
Physical Rating: 10/10
Height: 187cm | 6’2
Trait: Solid Player

I had an idea of what this card would feel like in game and was not going to be surprised by his pace and power in the center of the pitch.  Until I was.  The ground that this card can cover when hunting down opponents is insane and certainly did justice to the 99 SPRINT SPEED.  I actually think some opponents were caught off guard and therefore caught on the ball by Sissoko’s pace.  The 86 ACCELERATION was generally a non-issue as I never really needed Sissoko to run away from, or after opponents from a standstill, his constant motion with the MED | HIGH work rates a key detail.  When I did track down opponents it was easy pickings as the 99 STANDING TACKLE & 96 SLIDING TACKLE made short work of the majority of opponents, with the 98 STRENGTH bullying some of the most physical of opposition… a run in with TOTY Lewandowski and the ease in which I dispossessed him was a massive eye opener.  When not destroying attackers in the tackle Sissoko was just as menacing with his 96 INTERCEPTIONS, as the Frenchman’s massive frame aided in picking off opponents' passes before their attacks even got going.  With all of these quality statistics, it could have been undone if Sissoko didn’t have the engine to influence the entire match, but the 93 STAMINA was just about enough to keep the big man moving through 90 minutes and beyond.

Main Attribute - 3 Star/ 3 Star

Shooting Rating: 7/10
Dribbling: 8/10
Weak Foot: ★★★
Skills: ★★★

I would be shocked if anyone is buying this card to produce worldies at the attacking end of the pitch, but it is worth noting that Sissoko did chip in with some quality attacking moments during the review.  Interestingly the 95 SHOT POWER felt effective despite a lack of real support from the remainder of his shooting statistics.  While I wouldn’t want the ball on Sissoko’s foot to decide a match in the dying minutes, he wasn’t awful.  However, the area that Sissoko did aid the attack was his ability to carry the ball at pace through the midfield.  A large majority of my opponents struggled with his pace and it did open up backlines with goals coming later in the move.

Value/Coins & Good vs. Bad

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

480k feels like the perfect price for this card.  I am not sure I have reviewed many cards that I could sit there and think, “what is this card worth,” and then see the same number staring back at me on FUTBIN.  500k is exactly what I would have said was fair and the 480k feels like a small discount.

One more detail regarding the statistics with this card comes in the form of Sissoko’s passing.  For the most part, I was quite impressed with the feel, accuracy and pace of the 90 SHORT PASSING & 87 LONG PASSING when using this card.  On a few occasions, I did feel that the 79 VISION was impending some of the cross field balls that I attempted and is part of the passing rating in the end… but for the most part, I was more focused and impressed with Sissoko’s ability to find the feet of my attackers in dangerous positions after yet another powerful run through the middle of the pitch.         

Closing Words

This card all comes down to preference.  If you enjoy the bigger style of CDM in your midfield, as I do, then this card is a dream.  Not quite the level of Viera but also not quite the price tag either.  Again, the perfect price for what felt like a near perfect card in that CDM protection role.  I am not entirely sure where my ‘everyday squad’ is going in the near future, but the link to both French and EPL players has me considering using Sissoko for the foreseeable future in the CDM role.  If you have used Sissoko I would love to hear how he is performing for you so far in the comments.  Hoping you are safe and well. Cheers for reading.
 

Game Stats:
 

Game Highlights: