FIFA 23 Team of the Season Saka Player Review

And another one… The Premier League TOTS offering just too many intriguing options and we just had to take a look at the Star Boy himself, Bukayo Saka, the Arsenal winger having himself a fantastic season and contributing largely to the overall success of the Gunners this season.

I know there has been general discontent with the level of boosts to the Team of the Season cards (and rightfully so in many cases), but I do think Saka is an example of one they got right.  You can offer comparisons or nitpick individual statistics, but it is the 5 STAR WEAK FOOT that really does it for me.  The quality and value of this card is tenfold what it would be if they had juiced different statistics instead of adding the weak foot upgrade.

I did have some difficulty deciding where to deploy the Arsenal superstar from the outset of this review.  The 5 STAR WEAK FOOT tempting me to play Saka as the left striker in my 4-2-2-2 formation, which I did for 4 matches.  But equally, the 76 DEFENDING and fantastic attacking statistics lending themselves well to the LAM/RAM positions, which I did again for 4 matches. 

In all cases it was the HAWK chemistry style that won out and added some much needed strength to a card that needed the benefits in that department to compete in the latest version of the Weekend League grind.

Bukayo Saka was able to sprinkle some of his stardust all weekend long in the following squad:

Overall 

In the end it was the LAM/RAM part of the experiment that won out and is my recommendation for those thinking about adding the English attacker to their squad.  It was a mixture of a few things, which I will touch on later, but it wasn’t really a close competition and the wider areas of the pitch are where this card can definitely shine.

Main Statistics – Dribbling

Dribbling Rating: 10/10

Physical Rating: 7/10

Height: 178cm | 5’10

Skills: ★★★★

One of the key reasons I enjoyed Saka out on the flank during this review was his ability to beat a man, accelerate into space, and then maintain the gap for long enough to pick out a pass or have an effort on goal.  

The responsiveness of the dribble didn’t come as much of a surprise given the 94 AGILITY, 94 BALANCE & 95 DRIBBLING.  The LEAN body type is a huge factor and allows for Saka’s slightly taller frame to feel just as clean and smooth on the ball as smaller players.  The EXPLOSIVE AcceleRATE and 99 ACCELERATION combine perfectly for that early boost away from defenders and overall I felt I was able to cause a lot of headaches for my opponents on Saka’s flank.  

I mentioned Saka’s size and when mixed with the HAWK chemistry style I even felt like the 77 STRENGTH overperformed during this review.  Don’t get me wrong, Saka can still be dispossessed with ease by the best defenders.  However, there were numerous moments where I think my opponents felt they had Saka dead to rights… Only for the Arsenal man to shrug off challenges, coming out the other side with the ball and a smile.

Value/Coins

Value/Coins Rating: 5/5

I think the 5 STAR WEAK FOOT just about seals this one as a good value for coins.  TOTS Moments Min Son stands as an absolute fantastic comparison given the similar price tag.  The Korean proving a better striker with his more potent finishing and taller build.  However, Saka easily takes the LAM/RAM competition given his far superior defending and agility on the ball.  Both have incredible statistics, 4 STAR SKILLS, 5 STAR WEAK FOOT and multiple positions leaving me confident that the price is right with this one.

Good vs. Bad 

Good vs Bad Rating: 5/5

The versatility of Saka and the fact that there is even a debate on where to play this card suggests there are a lot of areas to like when you start breaking down the overall performance.

+ The Shooting with this card is at an elite striker level and certainly gave me a choice to make with position selections.  The lack of an OUTSIDE FOOT SHOT Trait was a minor hindrance on some attempts, but the lack of a FINESSE SHOT Trait didn’t bother this card at all as Saka still slings them in.  The 5 STAR WEAK FOOT is on song most of the time and save for a couple of missed attempts I was quite confident when this card had the ball at its foot with opportunities to score.

+ The passing played a big role in the quality of wing play that Saka was able to produce.  The 92 SHORT PASSING & 94 CROSSING both performed perfectly in game…  The 75 LONG PASSING never obstructed anything I tried and seemed much higher given the quality Saka delivered.

Minor inconveniences still impacted this card and might just tip the scale for some away from purchasing Saka in the end.

- I have already mentioned the 99 ACCELERATION and the 98 SPRINT SPEED was just about as effective.  Perhaps the curtailing that happens with the EXPLOSIVE AcceleRATE had the most minimal effect, but I did notice a few defenders catching up more than I would like. 

- The 5 STAR WEAK FOOT had a few wildly inaccurate moments despite a generally steady goal output.

- This card is not a defender and so I didn’t leave a defensive rating in the end, but I will say that during the trial run this card can do a job when asked… But oddly the 80 INTERCEPTIONS were notably poor as more than once I can recall times where Saka should have easily dealt with passes from my opponent, only to experience small hiccups when getting the ball under control.

Closing Words

10 goals and 2 assists in 8 matches… 4 of which were played out in the LAM/RAM positions and in more of a support role.  Arriving late into the box as the third man in my attack afforded Saka a lot of decent chances, which were obviously taken quite well overall.

All in all Saka offers an extremely versatile card that delivers a lot of what you would expect given the fantastic set of statistics.  This card had some surprising moments (both positive and negative) and just about lived up to the price tag in the end.  I would recommend at least a test run with this card, especially if you have been trying to nail down an attacking threat with some defensive quality to bolster the wing play in your squad.
Hoping you are well.  Cheers for reading.