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FIFA 15: 10 Over-Rated Teams Who Need Downgrading
Maybe the one thing which overshadows the release of a new FIFA game is the release of a new set of player ratings, systematically ranking the best (and worst) players on the planet by the numbers. Each and every year with the release of a new instalment, the most exciting thing for we FIFA nerds is to place the brand-spanking new disc in the drive and go straight to the team selection menu to see what rating the egg-heads at EA Sport have given to all the top players, long before we ever even sit down to actually play the game. This excitement most certainly doesn’t stop at the player ratings though. Equally as important is to see what the team as a whole has been rated based on their previous year’s endeavours.
Inevitably there will always be fractious fans moaning that their favourite team hasn’t been adequately represented or that the EA Montreal team have once again overestimated their local rivals from across the city. Now that FIFA 14 is nearing the end of its cycle and FIFA 15 is rapidly getting closer to its highly anticipated release we can make some suggestions about which generously rated teams should be given a more realistic set of statistics in the next release in the beloved franchise.
Everybody wants FIFA 15 to be the most realistic package it can be. EA have shown us at E3 how much attention they are putting into the graphics and player emotional intelligence – it is just as important that they rate the teams accurately based on their performance in the 2013/14 season. Here are the 10 teams who must be downgraded
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Maybe the one thing which overshadows the release of a new FIFA game is the release of a new set of player ratings, systematically ranking the best (and worst) players on the planet by the numbers. Each and every year with the release of a new instalment, the most exciting thing for we FIFA nerds is to place the brand-spanking new disc in the drive and go straight to the team selection menu to see what rating the egg-heads at EA Sport have given to all the top players, long before we ever even sit down to actually play the game. This excitement most certainly doesn’t stop at the player ratings though. Equally as important is to see what the team as a whole has been rated based on their previous year’s endeavours.
Inevitably there will always be fractious fans moaning that their favourite team hasn’t been adequately represented or that the EA Montreal team have once again overestimated their local rivals from across the city. Now that FIFA 14 is nearing the end of its cycle and FIFA 15 is rapidly getting closer to its highly anticipated release we can make some suggestions about which generously rated teams should be given a more realistic set of statistics in the next release in the beloved franchise.
Everybody wants FIFA 15 to be the most realistic package it can be. EA have shown us at E3 how much attention they are putting into the graphics and player emotional intelligence – it is just as important that they rate the teams accurately based on their performance in the 2013/14 season. Here are the 10 teams who must be downgraded
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10. Borrusia Dortmund (5 Star)
Att: 86 / Mid: 78 / Def: 82
Dortmund’s 2012/13 season saw the club take Europe by storm, cruising to the final of the Champions League after annihilating Real Madrid. If the club’s 2012/13 season was a dream, 2013/14 was certainly the rude awakening. Dortmund once again met Real Madrid in the knock-out stages of the Champions League though were this time knocked out after the Spanish side effectively killed off the tie with a 3-0 victory in the first leg.
After opening the season by raining on Pep Guardiola’s debut parade with a decisive 4-2 victory in the Supercup, many fans and pundits believed that this could be the season where Dortmund finally overcame Bavarian giants Bayern Munich. However, Jürgen Klopp’s team failed to deliver on the hype and once again Bayern won the league with ease, with Dortmund failing to come out of their shadow.
Currently Dortmund’s offensive rating on FIFA 14 is an 86, but with the loss of Robert Lewandowski – the club’s highest goal scorer from the past 3 seasons – the second best team in the Bundesliga will lose a great deal of potency, likely resulting in their being downgraded in FIFA 15. The fact that the Polish striker is bound for Bayern Munich will surely only strengthen Dortmund’s rival’s vice-like grip on the top German league.
Att: 86 / Mid: 78 / Def: 82
Dortmund’s 2012/13 season saw the club take Europe by storm, cruising to the final of the Champions League after annihilating Real Madrid. If the club’s 2012/13 season was a dream, 2013/14 was certainly the rude awakening. Dortmund once again met Real Madrid in the knock-out stages of the Champions League though were this time knocked out after the Spanish side effectively killed off the tie with a 3-0 victory in the first leg.
After opening the season by raining on Pep Guardiola’s debut parade with a decisive 4-2 victory in the Supercup, many fans and pundits believed that this could be the season where Dortmund finally overcame Bavarian giants Bayern Munich. However, Jürgen Klopp’s team failed to deliver on the hype and once again Bayern won the league with ease, with Dortmund failing to come out of their shadow.
Currently Dortmund’s offensive rating on FIFA 14 is an 86, but with the loss of Robert Lewandowski – the club’s highest goal scorer from the past 3 seasons – the second best team in the Bundesliga will lose a great deal of potency, likely resulting in their being downgraded in FIFA 15. The fact that the Polish striker is bound for Bayern Munich will surely only strengthen Dortmund’s rival’s vice-like grip on the top German league.
9. England (4.5 Star)
Att: 83 / Mid: 79 / Def: 79
One of the longest running criticisms of the FIFA franchise is that England and English players are perpetually overrated and this is certainly the case in FIFA 14. After the performance Hodgson’s men recently gave in Brazil it seems all too clear that England are undeserving of 4.5 stars – particularly when teams like Costa Rica, Ghana and Nigeria are inexplicably excluded from the game entirely.
In the FIFA 2014 World Cup the youthful England team, which had promised so much delivered almost nothing, gaining just a single point from three games. The much discussed lack of a single world-class player was certainly not the only issue. The absence of any significant experience in the defensive line was all too evident while at the other end of the field the strikeforce of Rooney and Sturridge lacked venom.
The fact that England’s John Terry-less defence is rated at 79 certainly needs amending in FIFA 15 and our overall rating of 4.5 stars needs to become more realistic. Just because some of the players perform well for their respective clubs shouldn’t automatically mean that the country is highly rated on FIFA – an international team’s rating on the game should reflect how that team has played in competition.
Att: 83 / Mid: 79 / Def: 79
One of the longest running criticisms of the FIFA franchise is that England and English players are perpetually overrated and this is certainly the case in FIFA 14. After the performance Hodgson’s men recently gave in Brazil it seems all too clear that England are undeserving of 4.5 stars – particularly when teams like Costa Rica, Ghana and Nigeria are inexplicably excluded from the game entirely.
In the FIFA 2014 World Cup the youthful England team, which had promised so much delivered almost nothing, gaining just a single point from three games. The much discussed lack of a single world-class player was certainly not the only issue. The absence of any significant experience in the defensive line was all too evident while at the other end of the field the strikeforce of Rooney and Sturridge lacked venom.
The fact that England’s John Terry-less defence is rated at 79 certainly needs amending in FIFA 15 and our overall rating of 4.5 stars needs to become more realistic. Just because some of the players perform well for their respective clubs shouldn’t automatically mean that the country is highly rated on FIFA – an international team’s rating on the game should reflect how that team has played in competition.
8. Barcelona (5 Star)
Att: 86 / Mid: 86 / Def: 83
There was a time just two seasons ago when it looked like Barca were completely untouchable. In the 2008/09, 2009/2010, 2010/11 and 2011/2012 they won La Liga (with the exception of 2011/12) and the UEFA Champions League and won the Copa del Rey in all but one of these seasons. It was this Barca team under the leadership of Pep Guardiola which is considered to be one of if not the greatest team of all-time. However, we are now going into the 2014/15 season; Guardiola has moved on from the Camp Nou to the Allianz Arena and Barcelona’s stranglehold over club football no longer exists.
In spite of their fall from grace in the Champions League – getting systematically flattened 7-0 on aggregate in the 2012/13 tournament – and despite no longer being the behemoths of La Liga, the Catalan team are still arguably the greatest club team in FIFA 14. The fact that Barcelona are rated as being better than Bayern Munich is flabbergasting. EA need to recognise in FIFA 15 that this is no longer 2010 and Barcelona are no longer the irresistible force they once were.
The decline of Xavi – once the conductor who brought the mighty orchestra that was Barcelona to life – is a major factor in the Spanish giant’s fall from power.
Att: 86 / Mid: 86 / Def: 83
There was a time just two seasons ago when it looked like Barca were completely untouchable. In the 2008/09, 2009/2010, 2010/11 and 2011/2012 they won La Liga (with the exception of 2011/12) and the UEFA Champions League and won the Copa del Rey in all but one of these seasons. It was this Barca team under the leadership of Pep Guardiola which is considered to be one of if not the greatest team of all-time. However, we are now going into the 2014/15 season; Guardiola has moved on from the Camp Nou to the Allianz Arena and Barcelona’s stranglehold over club football no longer exists.
In spite of their fall from grace in the Champions League – getting systematically flattened 7-0 on aggregate in the 2012/13 tournament – and despite no longer being the behemoths of La Liga, the Catalan team are still arguably the greatest club team in FIFA 14. The fact that Barcelona are rated as being better than Bayern Munich is flabbergasting. EA need to recognise in FIFA 15 that this is no longer 2010 and Barcelona are no longer the irresistible force they once were.
The decline of Xavi – once the conductor who brought the mighty orchestra that was Barcelona to life – is a major factor in the Spanish giant’s fall from power.
7. Norwich City (4 Star)
Att: 74 / Mid: 74 / Def: 74
Having established themselves as a legitimate Premier League team, Norwich City were seemingly expected to have a strong 2013/14 season. It was their third consecutive campaign in the Premier League after finishing 11th in the previous year’s season expectations were rightly high. However, Norwich disappointed in almost every area and were relegated to the Championship after finishing 18th after a terrifying run-in that sealed their fate. The low point of the season was doubtless the 7-0 drubbing the Canaries suffered at the hands of Manchester City who made them look like a Sunday league team.
With just a handful of games left to play, the club’s manager Chris Hughton was inexplicably sacked to be replaced by Neil Adams in a pathetic bid to save the rapidly sinking ship of Norwich. This had the opposite effect of confounding the already rudderless Canaries even further – all but sealing their relegation.
Now they’re no longer in the top-tier of English football Norwich will certainly lose several of their strongest players who believe that they should be in the Premier League. Norwich should try particularly hard to hang on to Scottish international Snodgrass if they plan on returning to the top any time soon.
Att: 74 / Mid: 74 / Def: 74
Having established themselves as a legitimate Premier League team, Norwich City were seemingly expected to have a strong 2013/14 season. It was their third consecutive campaign in the Premier League after finishing 11th in the previous year’s season expectations were rightly high. However, Norwich disappointed in almost every area and were relegated to the Championship after finishing 18th after a terrifying run-in that sealed their fate. The low point of the season was doubtless the 7-0 drubbing the Canaries suffered at the hands of Manchester City who made them look like a Sunday league team.
With just a handful of games left to play, the club’s manager Chris Hughton was inexplicably sacked to be replaced by Neil Adams in a pathetic bid to save the rapidly sinking ship of Norwich. This had the opposite effect of confounding the already rudderless Canaries even further – all but sealing their relegation.
Now they’re no longer in the top-tier of English football Norwich will certainly lose several of their strongest players who believe that they should be in the Premier League. Norwich should try particularly hard to hang on to Scottish international Snodgrass if they plan on returning to the top any time soon.
6. Real Betis (4 Star)
Att: 74 / Mid: 72 / Def: 73
Real Betis’ most recent season has been an incredibly painful affair for the club’s devote fans in Seville. Last summer the club’s president Miguel Guillén suggested that the realistic aim for the club was to achieve a place in European football going into 2013/14, but how wrong he clearly was: obviously the loss of Beñat combined with some vital injuries hit the club far harder than he expected.
Real Bettis’ fate was mathematically sealed with four games still remaining and they became the first team guaranteed to be playing in the second tier next season. Last season Betis racked up a paltry 25-points (the next closest team was Real Valladolid with over 10 points more) and also had the worst goal difference in the league with -42.
It is ridiculous that such a poor team is rated as being four stars. It’s no secret that La Liga is of a fairly low standard outside of the top 5-or-so teams but Betis made everyone look good. They even lost both derby ties with Sevilla to add insult to injury.
Att: 74 / Mid: 72 / Def: 73
Real Betis’ most recent season has been an incredibly painful affair for the club’s devote fans in Seville. Last summer the club’s president Miguel Guillén suggested that the realistic aim for the club was to achieve a place in European football going into 2013/14, but how wrong he clearly was: obviously the loss of Beñat combined with some vital injuries hit the club far harder than he expected.
Real Bettis’ fate was mathematically sealed with four games still remaining and they became the first team guaranteed to be playing in the second tier next season. Last season Betis racked up a paltry 25-points (the next closest team was Real Valladolid with over 10 points more) and also had the worst goal difference in the league with -42.
It is ridiculous that such a poor team is rated as being four stars. It’s no secret that La Liga is of a fairly low standard outside of the top 5-or-so teams but Betis made everyone look good. They even lost both derby ties with Sevilla to add insult to injury.
5. AC Milan (4.5 Star)
Att: 80 / Mid: 79 / Def: 77
The former giants of European football are no longer the potent force they once were, reflected by the fact that they were rated four-and-a-half stars on FIFA 14, however, even this less than perfect rating is too much for the fallen giants. Milan fans will be eager to forget the 2013/14 campaign as quickly as possible. By early 2014 it was all too clear that Milan were having a terrible campaign, dipping into the second half of the table in February. Their chances of redeeming their abysmal league performance with a cup win were dispatched in embarrassing fashion by Udinese – a bottom half club – in the quarter finals.
It should come as no surprise that this disappointing performance provoked a change in management in mid-January. However, while most of the failure was blamed on Massimilano Allegri, too little oweness was placed on the players. Eventually finishing eighth (three places below fierce rivals Internazionale), the players are certainly responsible too. The squad is now composed of too many journeymen and mediocre players for the current team to live up to the lofty expectations of Milan’s legacy. It says a lot when the 32-year-old veteran Kaka – who has for the past few seasons looked well past his best – is the rudderless team’s best player.
Att: 80 / Mid: 79 / Def: 77
The former giants of European football are no longer the potent force they once were, reflected by the fact that they were rated four-and-a-half stars on FIFA 14, however, even this less than perfect rating is too much for the fallen giants. Milan fans will be eager to forget the 2013/14 campaign as quickly as possible. By early 2014 it was all too clear that Milan were having a terrible campaign, dipping into the second half of the table in February. Their chances of redeeming their abysmal league performance with a cup win were dispatched in embarrassing fashion by Udinese – a bottom half club – in the quarter finals.
It should come as no surprise that this disappointing performance provoked a change in management in mid-January. However, while most of the failure was blamed on Massimilano Allegri, too little oweness was placed on the players. Eventually finishing eighth (three places below fierce rivals Internazionale), the players are certainly responsible too. The squad is now composed of too many journeymen and mediocre players for the current team to live up to the lofty expectations of Milan’s legacy. It says a lot when the 32-year-old veteran Kaka – who has for the past few seasons looked well past his best – is the rudderless team’s best player.
4. Fulham (4 Star)
Att: 71 / Mid: 74 / Def: 72
Fulham used to be one of the better-run Premier League sides, distinguished for their solid management and organisation. In their woeful 2013/14 campaign the south-west London club were anything but well run. Under the new chairmanship of Shahid Khan, Fulham got through three managers in a single season (Martin Jol, Rene Meulensteen and Felix Magath) and seemed to lack any direction as a result.
In a bid to save their woeful season Fulham frittered away £11 million on striker Kostas Mitroglou from Olympiakos in January who started just one game and failed to score a single goal. Rather than supplementing their offence they arguably would have been better served buying an entirely new back four as Fulham had by far the worst defensive record in the league. It came as no surprise when the club were relegated to the Championship after 13 years in the top-flight.
It seems obvious that Fulham should be downgraded to reflect their relegation and lack of potency on the field, though they might have ensured a few more goals with the signing of former Leeds man Ross McCormack.
Att: 71 / Mid: 74 / Def: 72
Fulham used to be one of the better-run Premier League sides, distinguished for their solid management and organisation. In their woeful 2013/14 campaign the south-west London club were anything but well run. Under the new chairmanship of Shahid Khan, Fulham got through three managers in a single season (Martin Jol, Rene Meulensteen and Felix Magath) and seemed to lack any direction as a result.
In a bid to save their woeful season Fulham frittered away £11 million on striker Kostas Mitroglou from Olympiakos in January who started just one game and failed to score a single goal. Rather than supplementing their offence they arguably would have been better served buying an entirely new back four as Fulham had by far the worst defensive record in the league. It came as no surprise when the club were relegated to the Championship after 13 years in the top-flight.
It seems obvious that Fulham should be downgraded to reflect their relegation and lack of potency on the field, though they might have ensured a few more goals with the signing of former Leeds man Ross McCormack.
3. Brazil (5 Star)
Att: 82 / Mid: 81 / Def: 84
The hosts of the World Cup may have managed to progress to the relatively advanced stages of the tournament’s semi-finals but this wasn’t good enough for the nation full of fanatical fans who had waited years to see Brazil lift the coveted trophy on home soil. What was even worse was the manner in which Brazil exited the competition, as the ultra-organised German team managed by Joachim Löw made them look like amateurs, scoring five goals within the first half hour of play to the dismay of the packed Estádio Mineirão.
Football fans across the world have attributed this annihilation to the loss of the super-talented duo of Neymar and Thiago Silva but it must be remembered that prior to their being stripped of these talismanic players Brazil looked mediocre. We didn’t see any signs of the jogo bonito that normally defines Brazil – save for a few moments from Neymar – throughout the whole contest and they barely made it past Chile in the round of 16.
After last night’s performance, the fact that EA have deemed Brazil’s defence to be worthy of an 84 is laughable. If the semi-final flop proved anything it was that without Thiago Silva the defence is utterly useless. The world’s greatest centre-back may be a supremely talented player but he isn’t enough to account for this high defensive rating on his own. Players like Marcelo and the €50 million David Luiz looked like they didn’t know the fundamentals of defensive play.
The team responsible for the lowest point in the history of Brazilian football cannot be rated this highly on FIFA 15.
Att: 82 / Mid: 81 / Def: 84
The hosts of the World Cup may have managed to progress to the relatively advanced stages of the tournament’s semi-finals but this wasn’t good enough for the nation full of fanatical fans who had waited years to see Brazil lift the coveted trophy on home soil. What was even worse was the manner in which Brazil exited the competition, as the ultra-organised German team managed by Joachim Löw made them look like amateurs, scoring five goals within the first half hour of play to the dismay of the packed Estádio Mineirão.
Football fans across the world have attributed this annihilation to the loss of the super-talented duo of Neymar and Thiago Silva but it must be remembered that prior to their being stripped of these talismanic players Brazil looked mediocre. We didn’t see any signs of the jogo bonito that normally defines Brazil – save for a few moments from Neymar – throughout the whole contest and they barely made it past Chile in the round of 16.
After last night’s performance, the fact that EA have deemed Brazil’s defence to be worthy of an 84 is laughable. If the semi-final flop proved anything it was that without Thiago Silva the defence is utterly useless. The world’s greatest centre-back may be a supremely talented player but he isn’t enough to account for this high defensive rating on his own. Players like Marcelo and the €50 million David Luiz looked like they didn’t know the fundamentals of defensive play.
The team responsible for the lowest point in the history of Brazilian football cannot be rated this highly on FIFA 15.
2. Manchester United (5 Star)
Att: 85 / Mid: 79 / Def: 80
The departure of the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson from Manchester United after a 17-year tenure was always going to have a drastic effect on the club’s standing in the Premier League. However, nobody anticipated quite how far United would fall in the 2013/14 season, frustrating fans and players alike. Prior to the start of the season it was thought that the appointment of a proven manger in David Moyes and the addition of some expensive signings like Mario Fellani (and Juan Mata in January) would at least partially fil in the void left by Sir Alex.
United didn’t look their former selves under David Moyes. Despite being triumphant in the Community Shield in his first game and guiding United to a 4-1 win at Swansea City in the opening Premier League fixture, United under Moyes quickly crumbled in the league and endured some of their worst form since the end of the 1980s. This tepid form continued till the end of the season when United finished seventh in the league, though Moyes had already been sacked for a couple of months by this point.
There is no denying that United in FIFA 14 are horrifically overrated and need downgrading in FIFA 15. The fact that they’re rated as being better offensively than local rivals Manchester City despite their difficulty getting goals all season is laughable. If Louis van Gaal has any hope of bringing United back to where their legions of fans believe they should be, the Red Devils need to flash the cash this summer to supplement their lacklustre squad
Att: 85 / Mid: 79 / Def: 80
The departure of the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson from Manchester United after a 17-year tenure was always going to have a drastic effect on the club’s standing in the Premier League. However, nobody anticipated quite how far United would fall in the 2013/14 season, frustrating fans and players alike. Prior to the start of the season it was thought that the appointment of a proven manger in David Moyes and the addition of some expensive signings like Mario Fellani (and Juan Mata in January) would at least partially fil in the void left by Sir Alex.
United didn’t look their former selves under David Moyes. Despite being triumphant in the Community Shield in his first game and guiding United to a 4-1 win at Swansea City in the opening Premier League fixture, United under Moyes quickly crumbled in the league and endured some of their worst form since the end of the 1980s. This tepid form continued till the end of the season when United finished seventh in the league, though Moyes had already been sacked for a couple of months by this point.
There is no denying that United in FIFA 14 are horrifically overrated and need downgrading in FIFA 15. The fact that they’re rated as being better offensively than local rivals Manchester City despite their difficulty getting goals all season is laughable. If Louis van Gaal has any hope of bringing United back to where their legions of fans believe they should be, the Red Devils need to flash the cash this summer to supplement their lacklustre squad
1. Spain (5 Star)
Att: 86 / Mid: 86 / Def: 83
The world’s perception of Spain – who for so long dominated the international scene with a swagger rarely ever witnessed in international football – is suddenly very different. So much can change in a month and suddenly the national side who some thought would win its second consecutive World Cup seem rather toothless. It was believed by some that the addition of the talented goal scorer Diego Costa to the mix would breathe new life into the aging Spanish line-up. However, they were ripped apart in their first two games of the Brazilian World Cup and the previous tournament’s champions rather unceremoniously became the first team to exit the competition.
As we saw with the earlier inclusion of Barcelona, teams have become accustomed to dealing with the tika-taka style of play and Spanish football simply hasn’t developed with the times. This was all too apparent in Brazil as the former bohemoths of world football crumbled before our very eyes. This recent performance in the all-important international tournament is more than enough to warrant Spain being stripped of their extremely high rating. The midfielders may make it hard to argue against the 86 rating but the offensive and defensive ratings certainly need to be made more realistic.
Which other under-performing teams do you think should be downgraded in time for FIFA 15′s release? Share your thoughts below in the comments thread.
Att: 86 / Mid: 86 / Def: 83
The world’s perception of Spain – who for so long dominated the international scene with a swagger rarely ever witnessed in international football – is suddenly very different. So much can change in a month and suddenly the national side who some thought would win its second consecutive World Cup seem rather toothless. It was believed by some that the addition of the talented goal scorer Diego Costa to the mix would breathe new life into the aging Spanish line-up. However, they were ripped apart in their first two games of the Brazilian World Cup and the previous tournament’s champions rather unceremoniously became the first team to exit the competition.
As we saw with the earlier inclusion of Barcelona, teams have become accustomed to dealing with the tika-taka style of play and Spanish football simply hasn’t developed with the times. This was all too apparent in Brazil as the former bohemoths of world football crumbled before our very eyes. This recent performance in the all-important international tournament is more than enough to warrant Spain being stripped of their extremely high rating. The midfielders may make it hard to argue against the 86 rating but the offensive and defensive ratings certainly need to be made more realistic.
Which other under-performing teams do you think should be downgraded in time for FIFA 15′s release? Share your thoughts below in the comments thread.
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