FIFA 16: Top 10 Overrated Ultimate Team Players
Many things in life are overrated. From the Coen Brothers' back catalogue to coffee cups with badly spelt names etched into them, average things can gain traction too easily.
FIFA 16's selection of Ultimate Team players is no different. A handful of top stars have taken it easy over the last year—either through laziness, a lack of form or just by being awful—but many over-generous FUT ratings remain.
Here, I cast a searchlight over the worst offenders.
10. Alvaro Arbeloa, Real Madrid
1 of 10
FUT16 Rating: 80
For Comparison: Dani Carvajal (81), Danilo (81).
Every team needs reliable players; those who can come in and do a job whenever needed. Alvaro Arbeloa is that man at Real Madrid.
The Spaniard is a quality defender, but not someone who immediately fits into the all-out attacking image of Los Blancos. He's destined to receive more love under Rafa Benitez, but FUT16 players will likely opt for his team-mates Dani Carvajal or Danilo, both of whom are rated 81 and possess far greater attacking stats.
It's almost inconceivable that Arbeloa is just one point below considering the three players' real-world counterparts, but conservative gamers across the globe might find him useful.
9. Mario Balotelli, AC Milan
2 of 10
FUT16 Rating: 80
For Comparison: Mauro Icardi (79), Paulo Dybala (78), Harry Kane (78).
Mario Balotelli is often referred to as an "enigma," but that would imply there's questions still needing to be answered. Nothing is more telling than the fact he failed to score more than one goal in any competition for Liverpool last season.
Putting his well-renowned attitude problems aside, here we have a physical specimen who just refuses to remember he is meant to be the focal point of a team. This is replicated in Balotelli's low attacking and defensive work-rates on FUT16.
Despite possessing decent pace (76) and shooting (80), Balotelli's passing (68), balance (54) and reactions (66) underline the void which is also known as his potential. He held an 85-rated in-form on FUT14, an overall score which his normal card should have achieved by now.
8. Phil Jones, Manchester United
3 of 10
FUT16 Rating: 80
For Comparison: Chris Smalling (79).
Phil Jones' average stats receive a massive boost from his "99-rated gurn," a tactic which is designed to put strikers off their game.
Unfortunately for the Manchester United man, he's another player who EA Sports has looked generously upon. We live in a world where it's possible to say, "Jones is no Chris Smalling." Think about that for a second.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
7. Dejan Lovren, Liverpool
4 of 10
FUT16 Rating: 79
For Comparison: Fabricio Coloccini (79), Winston Reid (78).
Dejan Lovren isn't going to be a popular player on FUT16. He's slow (56-rated pace), isn't particularly handy on the ball (60-rated passing, 63-rated dribbling) and unfortunately for him, looks just like the man who has been earning poor reviews for Liverpool this season.
While FUT players won't have to spend anywhere near the whopping £20 million transfer sum the Reds splashed out, Lovren falls into the discard category. There's no greater insult.
6. Didier Drogba, Montreal Impact
5 of 10
FUT16 Rating: 81
For Comparison: Romelu Lukaku (80), Graziano Pelle (77)
Didier Drogba, quite rightly, should be considered for the FUT Legends list when he retires. The Ivorian bulldozer was a generation-defining player in his prime and once held a 90-rated card on FUT10.
Five years on, he's slowed down completely and is now being judged with the Major League Soccer scale in mind.
Look at Steven Gerrard (84), Clint Dempsey (81) and Robbie Keane (80), three players who would all have their stats lowered if they remained in England. I'd like to surmise that, because they are leading the American club game, their stats have been kept notable to ensure MLS teams are built on FUT16.
That may be completely off the mark, but Drogba has maintained an 81-rating over the last year, despite a significant drop in his performance level.
5. Kevin Mirallas, Everton
6 of 10
FUT16 Rating: 80
For Comparison: Nacer Chadli (79), Yannick Bolasie (76), Adnan Januzaj (75).
Kevin Mirallas once scored a handful of extremely nice, weaving goals for Everton. Even so, he has never managed double figures in Premier League goals or assists for the Toffees.
He is a potential game-changer who, despite his quality on the ball, doesn't fit into Roberto Martinez's hard-working, well-disciplined team (summed up by his recent red card against Swansea City).
Aside from an 82-rated in-form Mirallas gained on FUT12 while playing for Olympiakos, this year's card is the highest the Belgian has ever enjoyed. Although useful for those looking to build a cheap pace team, he is lucky to remain in the 80s at all.
4. Per Mertesacker, Arsenal
7 of 10
FUT16 Rating: 83
For Comparison: Laurent Koscielny (83), John Stones (77).
Per Mertesacker is another FUT player who many gamers will avoid due to his exquisite lack of pace (31). Statistically, he is slower than a laid-back sloth pulling a piano to the tune of Bruno Mars' 'Grenade'.
Still, his defensive rating stands tall at 88. His reactions—yes, reactions—are rated 84. That's equal to Thiago Silva. We all love a bit of the "BFG," but that's absurd.
3. Antonio Cassano, Sampdoria
8 of 10
FUT Rating: 81
For Comparison: Luca Toni (77), Loic Remy (81).
Antonio Cassano has averaged seven Serie A goals per season since his 2009-10 campaign with Sampdoria.
He is a well-travelled man, having played for seven clubs in his career, and that's without mentioning three separate spells which his current side.
Back on FUT10, Cassano was rated 88 overall. Last year's game pitched his rating at 80, but five league goals with Parma has seen that improve. Imagining his rating if he ever hit form is frightening to say the least.
2. Naldo, Wolfsburg
9 of 10
FUT16 Rating: 85
For Comparison: Vincent Kompany (85), Gerard Pique (85), Diego Godin (85).
Only five centre-backs possess a higher overall rating than Naldo on FUT16. As highlighted above, he sits alongside the elite. Dig a little deeper and Naldo's qualities mark him as an absolute must for Bundesliga or Brazilian teams.
He is 6'5" and flaunts 73-rated pace. His individual defensive stats average out at an incredible 88, with only Thiago Silva and Giorgio Chiellini topping him in this area (both are rated 90).
Every year FIFA throws up one or two head-scratchers—the ongoing dominance of David Luiz being one of them—but Naldo's card is almost so beautiful it's difficult to be angry with.
First person to play Naldo, Silva and Luiz with three at the back wins.
1. Wayne Rooney, Manchester United
10 of 10
FUT16 Rating: 86
For Comparison: Thomas Muller (86), Karim Benzema (86), Antoine Griezmann (83).
Wayne Rooney is one of football's worst world-class players. That may seem incredibly harsh, but it's been years since he genuinely belonged in the top bracket of global stars.
Granted, he's powerful, a good finisher and someone who instills energy into his side, but the Englishman's technical game leaves a lot to be desired. FIFA 16 doesn't pick up on this. His medium attacking work-rate and high defensive style is spot on, however, and will make him frustrating to players who want the former Everton man to stay up front.
Best put him in midfield, then.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
