FIFA 18 gone wrong?

 With the release of the top-notch game around the corner, all the top hundred player ratings are up, FIFA ratings go a little speculative again. Ronaldo again making the headlines after topping the FIFA charts with 94 overall rating followed closely by his arch rival, Messi with 93 and their unarguable heir to the Ballon d’or, Neymar with 92 overall.

UPGRADES

There have been certain notable,worthwhile and not so deserved improvements and depreciations in the overalls this time. Certainly, one of the most noticeable revision was for the Champions League winner and scorer in the final 2017, Casemiro. 82 rating in the previous edition to 85 rating in the latest edition makes him a top catch. 

Talking about the defenders, the team with the most deserved and rewarded upgrades is Tottenham hotspurs.  With Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld receiving decent upgrades in their overalls, makes them a good defence line to have; star midfielder Eriksen saw a considerable increase of 3 points putting him in the list of top 40 players of FIFA 18. 

Taking about the premier league stars, David Luiz can’t be omitted, with a two-point upgrade to 86, makes him a strong and agile defender. Although his teammate and the Premier league player of the season winner 2017, N’golo Kante stole the limelight with an increase of four points to reach the overall of 87. Another shining star, Hamsik, with an outstanding performance in the last season see him boosted two points to 87.

SETBACKS

Let’s face the music, the previous edition’s leading left back, David Alaba took an unanticipated dip in his rating this time, pushing him off the list of top 50 players. With a decent and strong run in the previous season he deserved an upgrade more or less.Champions league winner, Pepe, now a Besiktas defender, falls to two points overall of 86 in this edition. Just a two-point dip is a good bet for him to get away with, considering the injury filled and under-performing season he had with the Los Blancos. 

Another arguable stance can be seen in the top 20 players, Sergio Aguero and Gareth Bale. The former escapes without a notch dropped in his rating considering a low-level performance as per his achievements, doesn’t make him worthy of a rating of 89. Gareth Bale on the other hand saw a slight dip of one point in his rating, reflecting his lack of availability in the team due to numerous instances of injuries during the last season, making him lucky enough to escape with a lenient retrospect of the jury.




A lot other dips are seen not because of the class of the players or theirunfruitful season, but on the axiom of first signs of age. Top notch striker of FIFA 17, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Barca talisman, Andres Iniesta, London club’s legend, Petr Cech, Bavarian skilful winger, Franck Ribery all have seen dips in their ratings. Defying this impression, the rich wine of Football, Gianluigi Buffon seems to get better with age. Earning a bonus of one point to 89 this edition, the Champions League finalist and the winner of UEFA Goalkeeper of the year, sets his mark to be rated as the 3^rd best Keeper of FIFA 18.

 SHOCKERS

Bickering upgrade was seen for the Spanish midfielder Thiago, who became one of the top-rated midfielders of the game. Certainly, a rise of four points draws criticism as his season was a decent one, but if compared to his other contemporaries like Real Madrid’s rising star Isco and PSG’s midfield dynamo Verratti does make his overachieving rise debatable.



Barca’s multimillion target, Coutinho, manages to settle at a mere overall of 86, displaying that just receiving sky rocketing offers in the over inflated transfer market, does not influence the overall.Top trolled striker of the previous season, Gonzalo Higuain, dragged through the finish line to be on the list of top 10 players of FIFA 18 was an unbelievable shocker.  If Netting just 32 goals in all competitions for a striker is something which can fetch you a place in top 10, then it is not so far, that FIFA will just become a game of goal scoring strikers, just like the Ballon d’or!