TOTS Bundesliga Predictions

Moving onto Bundesliga for the second installment of my TOTS predictions and what a squad this has the potential to be. With familiar faces leading the line while multiple youngsters have seen breakthrough seasons in the division. Looking at the player stats this could easily be the strongest TOTS we see this year.
 

Goalkeeper

Manuel Neuer – GK - OVR 90>>96
Although there have been a lot of impressive shot stoppers in the Bundesliga, I simply cannot overlook Neuer who although has had less to do than other options he has always been present when needed. The likes of Trapp and even Riemann have seriously impressed for their clubs but I think most expect a Neuer and with it going to a fan vote most will go for the Munich option. Munich has the best defensive record in the division with only 29 goals conceded and with Neuer making a total of 63 saves he has done well to keep the tally so low. 

Defenders

Alphonso Davies – LB - OVR 82>>93
The lack of game time for Davies this season does result in a threat upon his place in this side but with 18 matches played there have been players in the past who have featured with fewer appearances and thus I am willing to take the risk. The Canadian has impressed while fit, as shown by his POTM card early in the season. Kicker has him down as the third best defender this season too. So, despite the minutes played issue I feel that EA will overlook it as Afterall who doesn’t want a TOTS Davies?

Manuel Akanji – CB - OVR 80>>92
When it comes to CB’s there are a few strong contenders but the two I feel have been the best are unlikely to win the fan vote, which is just how they play it in the Bundesliga. That being said Akanji was still a strong candidate just not as clear cut as he probably is now. With 43 goals conceded from 30 matches Dortmund are quite a way off the best defensive record in the division and with just the one goal to his name Akanji is perhaps a questionable inclusion. The Swiss defender obtains the fourth best average match rating for defenders from Kicker however and thus is almost certainly going to be included in the fan vote. From there he will be carried by the FIFA community and thus that is why I expect him to be included.

Josko Gvardiol – CB - OVR 75>>90
Similarly, to Akanji I would expect the prospect of a TOTS Gvardiol to go down well with the FIFA community and thus increasing his chances of ending up in EA’s side. Although Leipzig look set to finish in third outside of the obvious Nkunku they actually have very little in terms of options. I do expect them to receive a few seeing that it has been a good campaign for them but who that could be is rather questionable. Gvardiol fits the bill well though and with two goals and two assists alongside helping towards the second-best defensive record in the division I don’t think there can be too many arguments about him should get the nod.

David Raum – LWB - OVR 73>>93
The first of many players who started this FIFA as a silver card is Raum. The Hoffenheim wingback has been sensational throughout the season providing a constant threat down the left-hand flank. With eleven goal contributions, three goals and eight assists, he has one of the best attacking records from defence across Europe. With Hoffenheim currently in eight position and unlikely to feature in Europe next season Hoffenheim will have a difficult job keeping him on their books.

Midfielders

Serge Gnabry – RM - OVR 85>>93
With the Community TOTS list out for all to see you can quite easily tell that there won’t be too many overlapping options with the domestic TOTS’s Gnabry is the biggest shout within the side with the German recording some impressive statistics for Munich. EA has been hit and miss with rereleased cards in the past so although I will try and avoid most, Gnabry is one that I simply can’t. With 12 goals and five assists from the wing, Gnabry has been an ever-present part of the deadly attack Munich possesses. Although he does get some rotation meaning that he comes off the bench on a regular basis he has done more than enough to feature in this side.

Joshua Kimmich – CM - OVR 89>>97
There have been multiple breakthrough candidates centrally in the Bundesliga this season, pushing many of the usual suspects to one side. One player who has continued their dominance of the division however is Joshua Kimmich. The German offers just about everything for the German champions, his defensive support in brilliant while also developing into a playmaker from the deeper role. With 10 assists to his name so far, making him joint third on the assist tally. With three IF’s and a headliner card to his name already the inevitable TOTS card could be very good indeed.

Florian Wirtz – CAM - OVR 78>>95
I actually knew very little about Wirtz before this season but what a breakthrough the youngster has had. At only 18 years of age, he has been one of the best performers in the Bundesliga this season. With an impressive seven goals and ten assists, he has helped Leverkusen towards a Champions League finish and in turn is one of the most in demand youngsters in world football. The likelihood is that Munich will probably buy him in the summer. There are figures of 150 million being thrown around which when you consider his age is crazy. Wirtz has the potential to be one of the biggest stars in the world though.

Moussa Diaby – RM - OVR 81>>93
Diaby’s pace has caused some real problems in the Bundesliga during the 2021/22 campaign with the Frenchman providing attacking contributions regularly as a result. With three IF’s to his name already it's no real surprise that Diaby looks set to feature in the Bundesliga’s TOTS. In total Diaby has an impressive 12 goals and 9 assist for Leverkusen, while being able to produce on either wing showing his flexibility to the side

Forwards

Robert Lewandowski – ST - OVR 92>>97
I think one of the biggest scandals in world football right now is that Lewandowski is still without a Ballon D’or to his name. The weakness of Poland’s national side is the dominating factor for that but still, the footballing world almost unanimously agreed that Lewandowski should have been awarded the award before Coronavirus halted the ceremony. The Munich striker has not slowed down and continues to score for fun. With 32 goals in 30 domestic league matches, he currently leads the golden boot race in Germany by an impressive 12 goals. Will Lewandowski ever claim the Ballon D’or, probably not in truth but he will still go down as one of the greatest goal scorers that ever lived.

Erling Haaland – ST - OVR 88>>96
A player who could see a similar fate to that of Lewandowski is Haaland with Norway's national side unlikely to go deep into a major competition either. Although I would say they are stronger than the current Polish side. Haaland has been slightly hindered this campaign by injuries however with 18 goals and 7 assists to his name from 17 starts and 3 substitute appearances to exclude him from this side simply wouldn’t be an option. It appears as though Haaland will sign for City in the summer with a ludicrous salary. His goalscoring record speaks for itself though and with City’s supply chain behind him he could go on to break record after record. It’s scary to think that Haaland is still only 21 years of age.

Substitutes

Yann Sommer – GK - OVR 85>>93
Gladbach’s defensive record is actually one of the worst in the league with only Furth who are rock bottom conceding more goals. Going from that statistic it is perhaps strange to see myself including Sommer in the side. The main influence is the defence however rather than Sommer who has made a ridiculous number of saves this season, 120 to be exact which is the most in the division, 11 ahead of Hradecky in second. Neuer for reference is on 63. This shows how much Sommer has to do each match and thus no wonder he has conceded so many. The Swiss keeper has picked up a lot of points for Gladbach and with three IF’s to his name this season I can easily overlook the number of goals conceded.

Nico Schlotterbeck – CB - OVR 72>>90
There have been a few surprises within the Bundesliga this season, perhaps the biggest is Freiburg's dominant displays. Their dominance at the back with just 34 goals conceded, the third best in the division, has allowed them to climb up into 5th in the table. Schlotterbeck has been outstanding for them and has rightfully so seen a lot of plaudits as a result. Not only has he been a rock at the back but has also popped up with four goals, making him arguably the best CB in the division this season. The German should definitely find himself in the side despite starting the game as a 72 rated silver.

Christian Gunter – LB - OVR 79>>92
Continuing on the Freiburg theme we move on to another one of their defenders with Gunter. As already stated, Freiburg's defence has been excellent this season so with Gunter who is also providing a constant attacking threat there is no surprise that we have a TOTS candidate as a result. That being said he would be the third LB in this side which is pushing it and I guess it depends on if EA allows Davies into the side or not. All three deserve a spot in this side though and thus I have let it pass. Gunter has an impressive seven assists from LB this campaign which has seen him claim two IF’s to date.

Jude Bellingham – CM - OVR 79>>95
It’s quite easy to forget that Bellingham is still only 18 having displayed superb performances for consecutive years for Dortmund now but the English talent is still just beginning his career. With a future star to his name, this TOTS card could be among the best midfielders we have ever seen on a FIFA game. Although statistically, he is slightly behind several other options, I would be shocked if Bellingham fails to make it into this side. There remains a lot of hype surrounding him and he has been one of Dortmund's most important players this season and with them likely to finish second you would expect multiple of their players to make the TOTS.

Thomas Muller – CAM - OVR 87>>94
We have already covered so many midfielders and yet we are still to cover Muller, who leads the assist tally yet again with 16 to his name so far. I covered a couple of years back how Muller has adapted so well further back on the pitch turning his goalscoring prowess into a more of a supplier route and he has continued to excel doing that. With all the talent within the Munich squad seeing Muller continue to keep his spot is great to see. It’s not like he is only providing assists now though Muller is still a danger in front of goal, recording seven so far this campaign. How many more seasons will we see of Muller is unclear but he doesn’t appear to be slowing down yet.

Christopher Nkunku – CF - OVR 81>>96
If you don’t know who Nkunku is by now where have you been? The Frenchman has shown simply ludicrous levels in the Bundesliga this season, quickly becoming one of the most talked about players in worldwide football. Leipzig has developed several gems over the past few years but Nkunku is on another level. The Frenchman could even beat Lewandowski to player of the season despite Lewan's goal tally and with three player of the month awards, I don't think there can be too many arguments should that happen. Nkunku has played in various positions over the course of the season which is why I have opted for CF but he could be ST or even CAM instead, not that it changes much. With 17 goals and 13 assists, he has helped Leipzig compete at the very top. Despite finishing quite some way off Munich and even Dortmund they will still be more than happy with their progress this season.

Patrik Schick– ST - OVR 79>>92
Several strikers have recorded impressive scoring totals in the Bundesliga this season and Schick is another. With 20 goals from 23 appearances, the Czech forward is starting to state his dominance, impressive in several competitions now. There are several sides linked with his signature however as it stands Leverkusen are adamant, they intend on keeping him

Reserves

Jeremie Frimpong – RB - OVR 73>>90
Had Frimpong have started the game as a low rated gold we would have seen numerous IF’s go his way this season but the way the current system works it was close to impossible for him to receive an IF without two goals in a single week, which in the Bundesliga is very difficult. When it comes to RBs this season Frimpong is the only one worth mentioning in terms of TOTS candidates. With one goal and six assists, he has been a consistent threat down the right-hand side. While also standing out in a Leverkusen side which looks set to re-enter Europe's elite competitions.

Niklas Sule – CB - OVR 82>>92
Another defender with a slight risk due to minutes played is Sule. As with the majority of Munich players, there is a rotation in place due to the squad depth they obtain. While Sule has been on the field he has impressed though, helping towards Munich’s defensive record which is the best in the division. Sule is ranked as the second best in terms of average rating for defenders on Kicker and that is something I just cannot overlook.

Vincenzo Grifo – LM - OVR 79>>91
I have already briefly covered the lack of wide midfield options in the Bundesliga this season and with Freiburg doing so well, currently up in fifth I feel that Grifo fits multiple criteria. He is a wide player from an overachieving club and could also easily be an objective player. The Italian has played various positions but the majority have come from the left-hand side. With eight goals and six assists, he obtains a very respectable tally while his three IF’s already this FIFA show just how important he has been to Freiburg's success. 

Marco Reus – CAM - OVR 85>>95
Just when you feel that this side is can’t get any better, we move on to a fan favourite in Marco Reus. Especially during the second half of the year, Reus has excelled for Dortmund, proving pivotal for their push on Munich. With nine goals and ten assists, the German in right up there in terms of goal contributions and with several special cards going his way over the course of FIFA a TOTS card would prove to be very impressive. There are a lot of central options which will make it difficult for Reus’s inclusion but I do feel that he has done enough to scrape in.

Anthony Modeste – ST - OVR 72>>88
At the start of the season, you would have been able to quite easily guess the other strikers included in this prediction however the same can't really be said for Modeste. The Frenchman and Koln as a whole have seriously impressed in the Bundesliga this season. With 16 goals to his name Modeste is the fifth highest goal scorer in the Bundesliga, helping Koln towards a potential European finish, currently sitting in 7th place.