ShapeShifters Werner Review

ShapeShifters Round 2. The newest list of special cards have hit the markets and certainly offer some intriguing squad building options. In truth when we saw the list it was Sergio Ramos at striker that immediately leapt off the page. Unfortunately this was obviously the thinking of many FUT Managers as the Spaniard remained extinct as of Saturday evening when I sat down to carry out this review. After about an hour of very poor attempts to snipe Ramos it was clear that I would have to shift gears, bringing in El Shaarawy along with Werner to bolster my attack. Despite the Ramos disappointment, it was always in my plan to unleash Werner on my opponents this weekend… the 5 STAR WEAK FOOT was an obvious temptation… but for me it was the change to a left foot dominant player. It might just be in my mind, but I swear that my opponents often struggle the most with players who have shifted their strong foot. It is ingrained in our FUT minds which player will favor which foot and how to anticipate a return to their favored side. When this is changed it always seems to cause defenders issues… and for me this was sure to be a key asset to Werner’s threat this weekend. Alongside the change in foot preference and 5 STAR WEAK FOOT, the MARKSMAN chemistry style was also applied to aid the German as he led the line in my 4-2-2-2 formation. Timo Werner proved to be the enigma all weekend long in the following squad:

Starting Formation:

Overall

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

There will be anger about this rating, I am sure. FUT Managers who have produced x number of goals in x number of games coming out of the woodwork to tell me I am bad. But I called this card an enigma for a reason, and that is due to the blatant fact that this card does not produce anywhere near the levels of statistics on the card. After only 5 matches it was obvious that there was something wrong with the way this card operated in the game… and after 20 it was certainly cemented in my mind that this card is a complete fraud. Interestingly enough I came across a few FIFA streamers using Werner and encountering similar situations. Definitely a small sample set, but it is certainly a common trend.

Main Statistics - Shooting

Shooting Rating: 9/10
Weak Foot: ★★★★★

This review had me flashing back to a previous version of Rashford that I had reviewed many moons ago. 98 POSITIONING, 99 FINISHING, 99 SHOT POWER, 99 LONG SHOTS & 98 VOLLEYS… and beyond the non-existent traits, this card literally has it all. Like Rashford before him, Werner can be violently clinical and was certainly dangerous throughout this weekend. 14 goals in 15 matches is still an excellent return and I am certainly not pretending that there isn’t a potency behind this card that could be an asset to any squad. However, what I am saying and as I previously mentioned, there is just something about this card that does not seem right. For one, the shooting animation on this card is one of the most peculiar I have seen. There seems to be a hitch or ‘lag’ in the time it takes for Werner to swing through the ball and caused numerous blocked shots this weekend in matches that I could not afford error. Interestingly, I was playing Division Rivals soon after my weekend ended and experienced an opponent using Werner and noted the same occurrence with his version. While the quality of finishing is undeniable with this card, the lack of traits and off putting animation was key to a less than perfect rating.

Main Attribute - Unique Body Type

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

With 99 ACCELERATION & 99 SPRINT SPEED it would not surprise anyone to hear that this card is rapid. But that wasn’t really the experience I had this weekend. It is odd, but there were moments when Werner exited dribbles with a giant boost of pace, and then moments later the card felt stuck in the mud. 98 AGILITY & 92 BALANCE are not perfect but you would expect a certain level of quality. If you watch the video you will see some intricate left stick dribbling on different goals, but it didn’t always feel like Werner was 100% responsive to stick movement.

Value/Coins & Good vs. Bad

Value/Coins Rating: 3/5
Good vs Bad Rating: 4/5

830k for this card is a bit scandalous. From a statistical perspective there is certainly a fantastic card to look at, but it was all show and not so much go for me this weekend. Against weaker opponents Werner filled his boots and scored goal after goal, yet struggled against defenders that didn’t dive in and simply waited me out.

Like the majority of conversations about this card it all started with hope. The 96 SHORT PASSING & 96 STRENGTH look like key factors to getting the most of this card and yet didn’t live up to their full potential. Again, they are not poor and the 5 assists is proof of that… but with further accuracy it could have easily been more. Similarity with the body type and strength I simply thought Werner would be more of a handful around goal than he proved to be.

Closing Words

I am ready for the backlash, but thankful I am not on an island in my experience. The card is not one I would classify as bad but it is one I was certainly happy to finish the review. I can’t see many using Werner in a tradeable fashion beyond this weekend, and will simply look to place that 850k in better served areas on the pitch. In the end there are some uncanny connections to be made between the lack of results with Werner in real life and his pixelated version… but we will leave those for another day. Hoping you are safe and well. Cheers for reading.

Game Stats:
 

Game Highlights: