FIFA 23 FLASHBACK WALCOTT PLAYER REVIEW - COP OR FLOP?

Fire up the Arsenal past and present squads again, it’s our third Arsenal linked player in a row as an SBC!

The year is 2006, England have qualified for the World Cup in Germany in what would turn out to be Sven Goran Eriksson’s last tournament in charge of England. The squad was announced on 8th May. In it was a 17 year old who’d never played a game in the top flight. It was never his fault, but it always felt like this frankly ridiculous inclusion set Theo Walcott up to fail. Having said that the “wally with the brolly” sent Walcott to the Under 21’s so maybe he was ready after all!

Almost 17 years later, and still only 33, Walcott has amassed 47 England caps and almost 400 games for Arsenal. Now back at Southampton where it all started, he’s old enough to have a Flashback card in FIFA, making any of us over the age of 25 feel incredibly old indeed. 

Check out the card! - Theo Walcott 87

Flashback Walcott SBC Requirements

Here are the following SBC Requirements you’ll need to complete for Theo:
#1 - England
England Player - Min 1 
Min 85 Ovr Player - Min 1
Squad Rating - 83
Reward - Prime Mixed Players Pack

#2 - Premier League
Premier League Players - Min 1
Squad Rating - Min 86
Reward - Prime Electrum Players Pack

Total Cost from scratch ~ 169K
Estimated Return From Packs ~ 13k

For what, on the surface, looks like a fairly novelty card, this is quite expensive. Released on a day when we had a party bag re-released at 30k higher than the cost of the previous release however, it seems as though EA are pricing this as though we still all have fodder from TOTY. However, when the card is looked at a little more closely, it doesn’t seem quite as expensive. 

Flashback Walcott SBC In Game Analysis

I know he has 99 pace and so the next statement will come across as very Michael Owen-esque. But this card is rapid. I mean raaaaaapid. Colorado Rapid. It’s not just the pace that helps him do this though. His dribbling is really nice. It allows you to burn defenders with the pace but keep enough control to be able to change the angle in behind them once you are around them too. Honestly, some of the matchups were hilarious. It was like playing with sliders on he was that quick.

What I wasn’t expecting however was a clinical finisher. He has 87 finishing as a base stat and it really shows. Coupled with 86 composure, not only could this card scream around a defence, once he got into a shooting position, he was putting them away with ease. But only on his right foot. I played him on the right wing and he was like the anti Arjen Robben. Easy passes and shots from close range were passable on his left foot but you really shouldn’t be expecting anything remotely special off it. 

His passing was also surprisingly good. With 99 pace allowing you to get full chemistry boosts in his technical stats, both his passing and crossing were very consistent on both Maestro and Deadeye. Whilst I wouldn’t expect Kevin De Bruyne, he’s certainly no Scott McTominay either (sorry Scott). 

On the negative side he is incredibly weak and no amount of chemistry juicing is really going to change that. It’s just not what he’s built for. He’s fast and he does that part well. 

Overall I really enjoyed using this card. Again, something more on the fun side but absolutely usable for 11/14 win players in FUT Champs. I do think his lack of 5 star skill moves and 3 star weak foot will let you down in higher quality matches but he could be a game changer off the bench. I also think Right Wing is his best position by far. You can put him up at Striker but he’s far more likely to be in close quarters with bulky centre backs who’ll eat him alive if they can catch up. 

How Does He Compare?

He’s coming in at around the 9th most expensive RM/RW base Premier League player in the game. Just beneath him at 159k is RTTK Dejan Kulusevski. Who was actually one of the first Cop or Flop’s we ever did!

Trying to compare Dejan to Theo is like comparing Spurs to Arsenal, they’re in the same place but they couldn’t be more different. Both 87 rated and both 4/3 the first obvious difference is in pace. Walcott is a whole 13 pace quicker than Kulusevski. Even in shooting, despite only one difference on the face card stat, Theo comfortably wins in every category bar Long Shots which may explain his lethal streak. 

However this is where Theo’s walk over comes to a halt. Whilst 73 balance is criminally low on the Swede, he has 4 more Ball Control and Dribbling, and whilst that may not be enough to give him the win in this category, in physicals it’s an unfair contest. Taller, heavier and 22 stats stronger, Kulu does not get pushed off the ball in the same manner. He even brings some defensive proficiency too with a respectable 71 standing tackle. 

However, for the current meta, Theo is the clear winner here. 

For our other comparison we are going to use a current English, Arsenal winger in Bukayo Saka’s World Cup Phenoms card. Slightly higher rated at 88, this is coming in at 123k on Playstation and a whole 45k cheaper than Walcott. 

Saka has 4/4 and really pulls ahead in passing, where his vision alone puts him ahead of Walcott, and dribbling, where more consistently high stats trump Theo’s overexcited 91 agility. 
Saka also has better defending and physicals, although he also is not the strongest.

But where Walcott shines is the two things that really make this card the joy it is to use. His pace is unmatched and his shooting, for a winger, is absolutely solid. Only the creme de la creme of wingers or strikers that have had a position change can really match in this department and if you are someone who likes to come in with your wingers and get shots off, you are going to do serious damage with this card. 

Links, however, are a little more difficult with Theo. Only James Ward Prowse has a special card from Southampton and, whilst it’s a technically wonderful card, it doesn’t quite have the pull of other midfielders in the prem. There is no Silver Mayuka card to give you something a little different either.

Fortunately, there is a plethora of Englishmen in the Premier League that can offer the double link to Walcott. Be it the aforementioned Saka, any Kyle Walker card, Rashford, Sancho, Foden, Joe Cole etc. The list is honestly endless. With just a couple of these cards together, you can get Walcott on Threeo chem in no time. 

Flashback Walcott - Cop or Flop?

This card has 77% upvotes. I’m a little surprised by this. Whilst 99 pace is always going to be a fan favourite,  it’s quite expensive and hardly a super popular player over the last few years. 

Comments time and for today we get a glimpse into a horrific future…

This is more of a novelty card than a meta card. When I reviewed Mahrez, I was unsure whether he was worth it in terms of longevity. I definitely think this could be said of Walcott too. But he has that x factor. The thing that will make him a nightmare off the bench. 99 pace is just unmatched. It could really be this year’s Ryan Kent.

This is a tight one, he isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, this is a Theo Wal…

COP

SBC Rating: 6.5/10