TOTS Zaha Review

And so begins the long winding road through the TOTS gauntlet and into the later stages of the FIFA cycle.  While I can’t speak for all experiences, I will say that for me, this weekend proved to be an absolute grind.  One look at Zaha’s statistics and it paints the picture of what I was up against this weekend as it took 20 matches to get 15 played with the 0-0 quits piling up on themselves.  The test was tricky and the matches hotly contested which only elevates these reviews in my mind… “Can Player X do it on a cold rainy night in the FUT Champions Stadium?  There were certainly some shenanigans throughout the weekend but the goal was still the same… 16 wins and eternal glory for the club.  While the goal fell a little short in the end at 14 wins, there were still some quality performances across the squad.  Wilf Zaha is always a FUT favorite near the end of the cycle and has accumulated some fantastic cards across the FIFA generations.  In truth there have been numerous times in the past few months that I have kicked myself for not completing the Wildcard SBC in December… but this weekend proved a good chance to right that wrong and follow the Crystal Palace man into battle.  With the 3-5-2 continuing to be my go to formation it was a weekend up front for Wilf… although I am not sure this formation truly suited this card 100%.  However, there was a perfect fit in the form of the DEADEYE chemistry style which elevated this card to a fantastic performance throughout the weekend.  Zaha was the King from his Palace all weekend long in the following squad:            

Starting Formation:

Overall

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

I mentioned the formation and while Zaha managed just over a goal per game across the 15 matches as a striker, the positioning still left a feeling of wasted potential through the middle of the pitch.  The RM and LM positions don’t lend themselves as well to wing play in the traditional sense given the defensive responsibilities and therefore left Zaha in a tricky situation.  I think a return to the 4-2-2-2 with Zaha as a LAM/RAM might have offered more opportunities to exploit just how fast this card feels in game… but the results were still favorable in what turned out to be a fun review overall.        

Main Statistic – Pace

Pace Rating: 10/10
Physical: 9/10
Height: 180cm | 5’11

From minute one of the first match, it was noticeable just how fast this card was moving around the pitch.  The height of the card, the length of the strides & the unique body type… they all work together beautifully to get the most out of the base 97 ACCELERATION & 98 SPRINT SPEED.  It was crazy how effective this card could be running the channels, especially against opponents who like to run their CDM back and cause pressure from behind… Essentially that pressure was made void after Zaha lengthened his stride and blew them out of the water for pace.  The impressive part is just how little you notice the difference between Zaha running with and without the ball, the card is rapid and overall was a big part of why I feel he would be a force on the wings as well.  The size not only aids the pace but was also critical in magnifying the 90 STRENGTH and was a key asset to everything Zaha did well this weekend.

Main Attribute – 5 ★/ 4 ★

Dribbling: 9/10
Shooting Rating: 9/10
Skills: ★★★★★
Weak Foot: ★★★★
Attributes: Flair

I have found for a few years now that the sweet spot for FIFA 22 players to get the most out of their Pace & Physical statistics while still maintaining their Dribbling ability is 173cm - 177cm | 5’8 - 5’10 … anything under and the strength really suffers… anything over and the dribbling becomes clunky.  I realize Zaha is only slightly outside of this range but I swear the margins are normally this fine for the majority of cards.  In the case of Zaha, the unique body type mixed with the FLAIR trait seems to have broken the mold and allowed the 96 AGILITY, 92 BALANCE & 99 DRIBBLING to feel smooth, responsive and threatening on the ball.  The unexpected result provided the opportunity to use the DEADEYE chemistry style and certainly helped with the Shooting quality overall.  99 POSITIONING, 99 FINISHING, 99 SHOT POWER & 90 LONG SHOTS equaled some quality finishes across the review.  My one and only concern came in the form of the 4 STAR WEAK FOOT which did have moments of pin point accuracy… only to be followed by incredibly confusing and frustrating moments of wild misses.   

Value/Coins & Good vs. Bad

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

370k is outrageously low for this card but certainly keeps in the trend of the FIFA 22 markets.  If you put Zaha’s base statistics for Pace, Shooting, Passing and Dribbling into FUTBIN you are left with one comparison… ONE… TOTY Mbappe. And while that card is 3.7 million you have to be careful with that comparison given how broken the PSG man feels in the game in the first place.  But what is clear is just how crazy powered Zaha is overall in comparison to what is currently out there.  Of course, we are about to face an onslaught of similar cards with crazy statistics… but for now, the Ivorian is almost standing alone in those categories.

There are moments where I wish I had a little bit more time with cards to use them in other formations and in other game types.  The problem is that those extended reviews often come with a massive coin loss from my end and the quicker I can use and sell each card the better for my coin total.  But in this case, I do wish I would have had time for an extra 10-15 matches out in a wing position because the further I dove into this Weekend League the more I noticed just how perfect the qualities of this card would align with that positioning.  The pace and power aside, this card also has some quality passing and the 7 assists in 15 matches are up there with some of the better strikers I have used.  99 VISION, 90 CROSSING, 99 SHORT PASSING & even 81 LONG PASSING would all make a lot of midfielders jealous and translated really well into on field success.   

Closing Words

The problem with TOTS is similar to kids and their toys… you play with one, it is the best thing ever, but soon a new model comes out and you find yourself bored and wanting something new.  For me, in all honesty, I was just explaining a few nights ago that I don’t like the lack of a dynamic winger in my squad to come off the bench and change matches.  The ones I have previously used have slowly been phased out by the power curve and so the search goes on.  My plan… wait for Zaha to get caught up with the PL TOTS and other insane options and to come down in price before re-adding him to the mix and back into my squad.  The ability to play Zaha as a ST, Winger, or CAM also offers the opportunity for versatility off of the bench and would definitely be a difference maker moving forward.  I definitely recommend this card for those considering him and would love to hear from those using him… what formations and chemistry styles are getting it done for you?  Hoping you are safe and well.  Cheers for reading.

Game Stats:
 

Game Highlights: