Useful players and sample teams | FUT FIFA 17 Guide
Last update: 17 October 2016
Portraying the actual skills of real players in a game with absolute accuracy is not possible. There will always be those who have the qualities valued in a virtual game world, while in reality they are your average footballers. That is why the overall evaluation of the players does not define how well they will perform in the game. In this chapter you will learn which statistics to focus on when selecting players for you team.
Useful players
Striker
For a striker the most important statistics are: finishing, shot power, pace and strength. There are a lot of slow strikers in the game. You can play with them without a problem, you just need to learn not to pass to them when trying to launch a quick counterattack. In addition, a good striker has a higher Player Work Rate in attack than in defence. The player's height and jumping stats are also important things to keep in mind, as they are essential when trying to score a header.
Wingers
A good winger must above all have more than 80 pace. Dribbling and a minimum of four stars in Skill Moves are also important, making it easy to cut down to the centre of the pitch. It's also good to note the player's preferred foot and the amount of stars in his Weak Foot stat. An example of a great winger on the wrong side of the pitch is Nicolas Gaitan, who as a LM prefers his left foot and only has 2 stars in his weaker foot. Therefore he is suitable almost exclusively for passing, despite his other statistics being very good.
The player on the wing must also have pretty good finishing and shot power.
Centre Attacking Midfielder
The centre attacking midfielder must have good values in dribbling, ball control, passing and long shots. One common practice is to change the position of slow strikers (e.g. Zlatan Ibrahimovic) to CAM. They perform very well in this position.
Centre Midfielder
Centre midfielders are the key position in many formations. It is good to have the middle of the field full of strong players with the defensive value of at least 60. Especially if it is a formation without a defensive midfielder. The most important statistics are vision, passing and ball control. In addition, stars in the Weak Foot stat are very important, as they prevent the player from having to think if he has the ball on his stronger or weaker foot each time before passing. Stars in Skill Moves also come in handy. The shots are not critical, but it is good to have a player who can score from a distance or accurately execute a free kick. The best Player Work Rate is high/medium, high/high and medium/medium.
Centre Defensive Midfielder
The defensive midfielder is really where the defence starts. The player in this position must be strong, aggressive, and needs to have high values in interception and standing tackle. The Player Work Rate is extremely important here, especially if the player does not belong to the most technically proficient. A player must have a greater Player Work Rate in defence than in attack. It is desirable for the CDM to be tall, so that he can fight for the ball in mid-air.
Left/Right Back
The defenders on the wings must above all be fast. Their pace has to be at least 80, and their defensive skills at least as high as 75. It is also good if the defenders are of above average height or have a high value of the jumping stat. Good dribbling can also be very useful for passing opponents. When choosing, pay attention to the player's preferred foot. If he plays on the right side of the pitch his preferred foot should be the right one and vice versa. This is even more important when the player's Weak Foot statistic has a value of less than three stars.
Centre Back
A good pair of centre backs in Ultimate Team is one of the most important aspects of any team composition. Good defenders are 185 cm tall or taller. Statistics such as: the slide and stand tackle, strength and aggression should have at least 80 points. The pace must at least 60 or higher. The smaller Player Work Rate in attack, the better. The wrong Player Work Rate types are often the downfall of many cards. For example, Sergio Ramos, who has a 89 point value sometimes leaves a hole in the defence due to his Work Rate: High/Medium.
Sample teams for the beginning of the game
Rico - Semedo, Carrico, Rui, Yanbaev - Carvalho, Jorginho, Fernandes, Cardona - Pabon, Gabbiadini.
Rico - Rui, Kolodziejczak, Yanga-M'Biwa, Wiel - Strootman, Tolisso, Sneijder - Elia, Haller, Narsingh.
Ederson - Grimaldo, Lopez, Dragovic, Weiser - Yokusli, Ekici, Baumgartlinger - Nakoulma, Traore, El Ghazi.