FIFA 13: Buying or Selling Arsenal's Key Player Ratings

Video game fans rejoice, FIFA 13 has been released.

EA Sports' football simulation game has been the ultimate time-killer over the years; its addictiveness having caused much aggravation for mothers, girlfriends and wives around the world .

For fans of Arsenal Football Club, much will be said of the game's valuations of the current Gunners' squad.

Here are several key player ratings, and my opinion as to whether or not EA Sports got it right.

Buy: Lukas Podolski, 83

German powerhouse Lukas Podolski has already proven Arsene Wenger's decision to bring him to North London justified.

His experience has been proven vital, in an otherwise youthful attack, with him showing the more inexperienced players, like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gervinho, how it's done.

83 is a decent rating for Podolski, consequently making him one of the highest rated players in the whole squad.

It is also no surprise that "Shot Power" is one of his best attributes. 

Sell: Santi Cazorla, 84

Attacking midfielder Santi Cazorla has been one of the Premier League's most influential players these first few weeks of the season.

He has filled the creative hole left in the wake of Cesc Fabregas' departure last year, running the attacking show with an exuberance that defies his age.

His rating in FIFA 13, in my opinion, fails to reflect that fact. I believe the game has sold him short by at least two points, possibly three.

Consider the fact that Manchester United's Nani is rated 85, and I'm sure you'll agree.

Buy: Theo Walcott, 81

In rating Theo Walcott 81, EA Sports are recognizing his ability, rather than his consistency.

Sure, he is always liable to go missing for significant portions of games, but when he is on form, he can be devastating.

Walcott's potential rating is 85—another fair reflection by the game.

Though we've been saying it for years, he remains a player capable of developing into one of the best attacking footballers in the world.

Sell: Mikel Arteta, 81

Come on EA Sports, Mikel Arteta rated only 81? Seriously?

Not only is the Spaniard one of the most effective players of his position in the Premier League, he is also in the elite group in all of Europe.

85 would be closer to the mark for me...85, at least.

The rating just goes to show how under-appreciated Arteta is in world football—not that he minds being overlooked.

FIFA fanatics might, though.

Buy: Jack Wilshere, 82

It is a positive, at least, that Jack Wilshere's absence due to injury has not had any impact on his rating in FIFA 13.

Wilshere was rated 82 in FIFA 12 and the same in this year's edition.

His potential of 90 has not changed either. In that respect, he is the joint sixth-best player under the age of 25 in the game.

He also has the highest potential of any young English player in FIFA 13.

Sell: Vito Mannone, 70

OK, so this one's not really EA Sports' fault.

Granted, Vito Mannone's emergence as a quality goalkeeper has only really come in the past few weeks—too late for any effect on his game ratings.

But still, 70 is at least 6 or 7 points off the mark; his potential of 76, too.

Given that Wojciech Szczesny is rated 80, Mannone could be forgiven if he kept the Pole in goal whenever he plays the game.

Sell: Thomas Vermaelen, 82

I have to be wary of the game's rating of Thomas Vermaelen, too.

At 82, he is the highest ranked central defender in the Gunners' lineup, one more than both Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker.

Considering that Arsenal have had, arguably, the best back line in the league so far this season, this seems incredibly harsh.

84 would be a far better rating for me.

What do you think of FIFA 13's Arsenal player ratings?

Follow @MaxTowle