FIFA 15: Underrated Squads to Utilize in New Game
Sure, you can pop in your new copy of FIFA 15, go online and beat that pesky 11-year-old with Barcelona or Chelsea. But does that really provide any kind of satisfaction?
OK, so it definitely does if that particular pre-pubescent child is especially annoying or has beaten you seven times in a row, but there's still nothing quite like taking down a world superpower with Blackpool F.C. (sorry, Blackpool) or Cordoba CF (sorry, Cordoba) or any team that looks like a massive underdog on paper.
With the newest version of the world's most popular sports video game now out for a week, we're starting to get a good feel for which underrated teams are best to use when you want to truly embarrass that unsuspecting foe on the other side of the couch (or world).
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Let's take a look at some.
Note: Any ratings or attributes taken from Futhead.com
A.C. Milan
Speed kills, and Milan have it in droves. Six players possess a pace of 85 or higher, and it's not just limited to one part of the pitch.
Ignazio Abate (92 pace) and Pablo Armero (89), the two fastest players on the team, can make dangerous overlapping runs from the full-back positions, while Stephan El Shaarawy and M'Baye Niang combine four-star skill moves and blazing wheels on the wings.
Jeremy Menez, who is also equipped with four-star skill moves, is listed as a right-winger, but he could be slotted at center forward to get five lightning-fast players in the same starting XI.
Throw in Fernando Torres, whose virtual self has been better than his real-life counterpart the last several years, and exciting veteran Robinho, and this team has loads of dangerous options moving forward.
The defense is hardly anything to scoff at, either, with Alex (92 strength, 88 jumping) and Rami (90, 80) holding down the central defense.
F.C. Schalke 04
Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund deservedly get most of the attention out of the Bundesliga, but Schalke, who currently sit 10th on the league table, are a sneaky good option if you want to roll with a German squad.
Sidney Sam (90 pace) and Jefferson Farfan (87) provide tremendous speed on the outside, while Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, albeit a mostly unexciting player in terms of video games (68 pace), is the second-highest rated striker in Germany (84 overall) behind only Robert Lewandowski. With 88 finishing, 85 heading accuracy and 87 shot power, he's a multi-faceted threat inside the box.
The defense outside of center back Benedikt Howedes is a little shaky, but with Kevin-Prince Boateng and Julian Draxler also providing solid attacking options, you won't have much difficulty finding the back of the net.
Seattle Sounders FC
Any upset is fun, but beating an EPL or La Liga squad with an MLS team provides instant and complete gratification, mostly because of the relentless flak American soccer typically receives. It's not easy, but the Seattle Sounders will give you a fighting chance.
Not surprising considering the Sounders have scored 57 goals in 30 matches this season, there is a plethora of tantalizing weapons here.
It starts with Clint Dempsey, U.S. Men's National Team star and highest-rated MLS player. While his 73 pace isn't going to set the world on fire, he has four-star skill moves, can shoot from distance and is a tremendous playmaker in the middle of the pitch.
Then there's the speed (sensing a theme here? Sprinting past defenders isn't always advised, but being able to do so can be a great equalizer). Right-back DeAndre Yedlin, who is Tottenham-bound, and striker Obafemi Martins, are two of the 20 fastest players in the game, let alone in the MLS. They both have 93 pace, making them extremely valuable.
Exhibit A, via Bleacher Report UK:
Osvaldo Alonso is also a solid passer and defender in the middle, while Brad Evans has previously made some noise on the international level.
Don't let the underwhelming team rating fool you: This team is a rock-solid pick in the virtual world.
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