1 Manchester City Player Whose FIFA 16 Stats Overestimate Him

The release of the new FIFA football video game is highly anticipated by many football fans each year. FIFA 16, this year’s version of the game, was released last month and offers users the most realistic simulation of top-level football on the market.

The statistical database employed by EA Sports, FIFA 16’s creators, which ranks each player and determines their ability on the game, always causes debate. Fans will discuss at length why they feel certain players are ranked higher or lower than they think they should be. This year has been no different.

But what about Manchester City? Are there any players on their roster whose ratings don’t reflect reality?

The system EA Sports uses is largely a fair reflection of reality. David Silva is City’s highest-ranked player, which is an accurate portrayal given his brilliance and effectiveness, with Sergio Aguero not far behind.

Silva is ranked as the 10th-best player in the world, while Aguero comes in at No. 12. They are City’s best and most consistent players, and EA Sports have acknowledged that with their rating system.

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Samir Nasri, though, is perhaps slightly overrated on the new game. His overall score of 83 means he is considered a better player than Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho. Reality, of course, would suggest this isn’t the case.

It is perhaps a lack of nuance in the FIFA 16 database which sees Nasri rank more favourably than two players who are higher up Manuel Pellegrini’s pecking order. Technically, Nasri is a wonderful player, and his FIFA statistics, quite rightly, show that.

Inconsistency is his downfall, something that isn’t captured on the game. Nasri has a tendency to drift in and out of matches and, indeed, in and out of seasons, with his commitment sometimes undermining his obvious quality.

There are very few in the City side who can compete with him in terms of ability. His touch is sublime, he possesses great vision and he keeps the ball brilliantly through a combination of strength, determination and skill.

However, under both Roberto Mancini and Pellegrini, he has too often found himself on the periphery of the first XI due to periods of poor form. When he’s good, there are few better attacking midfielders in the league. But when he’s bad, which happens too often, he can be a liability.

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In 2012/13, with City defending their fist title in 44 years, Mancini grew frustrated with Nasri. He felt a player with his game-changing abilities should be influencing matches far more than he was.

Pellegrini's arrival saw a happier Nasri, and in City's league- and cup-winning 2013/14 season, Nasri was superb and once again a significant part of the first XI.

Defending titles appears to be problematic for Nasri, though, as his form dipped again in a title-defence season. His half-time substitution at the Camp Nou during City's last-16 game with Barcelona in March was pretty much the last we saw of the Frenchman. He lost his place in the side, and with Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne arriving in the summer, his first-team chances suffered further. 

In seasons gone by, it was perhaps easier for him to get another chance to show his downturn in form was a blip. That may not be the case anymore. 

The FIFA 16 database that ranks players is largely accurate. Nasri, though, is perhaps the one City player who has been overrated. 

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2015/16 season. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard_.