Check out the most accurate Barclays Premier League Players Predictions for FIFA 17 Ultimate Team. In this page we will analyse the Arsenal players.
FIFA 17 Ratings Predictions for Premier League Players
With the FIFA cycle almost coming to an end, and EA in the process of creating the next installment in their franchise, there is no bigger time for the FIFA team to analyse and study the ability of the players residing in their game. From the upcoming youth players at your average League 2 team to the superstars of Messi and Ronaldo, every player will be reviewed to get a measure of how accurate their ratings are, and whether they need updating.
The league that generates the most attention is the Premier League – after all, it is the most watched worldwide and draws the largest TV audience in many countries across the footballing world. EA have to make sure they hold a small margin of error with the players plying their trade here to avoid any unnecessary backlash. As a result, we are going to look at the players of each of the top clubs in the country, and give them a rating ourselves for FIFA 17. I will only be doing the players who have a chance at the first team, to avoid having to rate every young player in the team.
Today we will cover the Arsenal but you can also expect FIFA 17 ratings predictions for the other five biggest Barclays Premier League clubs.
FIFA 17 Ratings Predictions for Arsenal Players
Given the criticism levelled at the club and its players from supporters and rival fans alike it would come as a surprise to see the side placed 2nd in the league at the end of the season. Their high league ranking should not hide the mixed bag of performances from the club’s players this season.
GK – Petr Cech – 85
Cech is definitely within the best keepers in the division– however his age is definitely catching up with him and mistakes were made across the season, if across time intervals too wide to be considerably noticeable. 86 is probably too high a rating for a season like Cech’s, which will probably see him given a minor downgrade, though nothing more than that for the legendary Czech.
GK – David Ospina – 78
David Ospina appears to save his best performances for his country, as whilst his season with Arsenal was marred with high profile mistakes and a lack of confidence in him from manager Arsene Wenger, his performances at the Copa America showed he does hold ability as a goalkeeper. As his strong international performances lie clearer in the memory, I don’t see Ospina’s rating being knocked down this season.
RB – Hector Bellerin – 82
Bellerin emerged as one of the most promising young players in 2014-15, and his continued excellence in 2015-16 should see him receive a major upgrade into next season. Perhaps the best of Arsenal’s often shaky defence last year, I fully expect him to enter the 80+ zone and rank as one of the best right backs in the division, with a strong upgrade for FIFA 17.
RB – Carl Jenkinson – 75
Positive performances with West Ham should see the English full back earn a small upgrade to jump up to a gold rating. Though he is nowhere near claiming a spot in the first team ahead of Bellerin it is clear that Jenkinson is decent enough to be a backup player a la Gibbs in the Arsenal squad, and that should be reflected in a small upgrade.
LB – Nacho Monreal – 80
Monreal certainly had a decent start to the season but performances tailed off over the second half of the season for Arsenal – and defensive lapses cost the club dearly when trying to maintain their title challenge. Whilst his season was by no means downgrade worthy, I don’t feel he warrants an upgrade given the considerable boost he earnt last year – thus keeping him at 80 for now.
LB – Kieran Gibbs – 80
Gibbs didn’t feature often for Arsenal over the season, which will have been frustrating for him as he looked decent whenever he featured – and had he been given more playing time could have made a stake for an England place at the Euros. Instead his lack of playing time leaves him keeping his rating for next year.
CB – Laurent Koscielny – 84
Koscielny is a defender who divides opinion – some see him as a mistake prone liability for Arsenal, and others see him as an intelligent tackler and the best defender the club have. I lie more in the latter camp – whilst he has and did make costly mistakes across the 15-16 season, when at his best he is crucial for the club, and his performances at Euro 2016 when many pointed at France’s defence as a weakness highlight this. I see him maintaining his rating just about next year, if largely through the solidarity he showed at the European Championships.
CB – Per Mertesacker – 81
If Koscielny keeps his rating at a push then there can be no leverage with Mertesacker, who did not enjoy a successful season with Arsenal. Though he suffered from injuries across the campaign his recklessness and sluggishness leave him exposed against offensively capable teams, and often his defensive weakness left his team throwing away valuable points across the season. I think his rating has been in need of a downgrade for a while, and I can’t see him keeping 83 next season at all.
CB – Gabriel – 77
The Brazilian CB was called into action numerous times over the season, with both Koscielny and Mertesacker falling victim to injury and suspension at differing points in the season, and was unable to really stamp his authority at the back for the club. I think a minor downgrade is reflective of a disappointing season for him.
CB – Calum Chambers – 72
The versatile young defender, like Gibbs before him, was decent when given playing time but didn’t hold enough playing time to really warrant a change in rating. Whilst I would be pushed to predict a minor boost due to being silver, and a young player, I don’t see his rating changing next year.
RM – Theo Walcott – 81
Whilst I do not dislike Walcott it cannot be argued that if he wanted to be judged as a striker his performances were not great, and being dropped for the Euro 2016 squad will be a huge blow to Walcott’s standing as a player. However I feel that he is nowhere near as poor as some people make him out to be, and as a winger does and can perform for Arsenal if given a chance. If EA decide to move his card to striker then I can’t see him keeping his 81 rating, but I reckon he’ll be left at RM and just about maintain his current rating.
RM – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 78
The fact that Oxlade-Chamberlain broke into the Euro 2012 squad at 18, and didn’t get into the squad this year, is perhaps a testament to the struggle that the guy has had over the last season. Injuries haven’t helped but the Ox isn’t making the progress expected of him and I don’t think his performances have done enough to keep him at his current rating.
RM – Joel Campbell – 78
A winger who did impress, however, was Joel Campbell, who proved to Wenger that he is well worth a place in the Arsenal squad. Strong performances whilst Arsenal’s squad lay injury ridden and some crucial goals should put Campbell in line for a moderate upgrade for FIFA 17, and perhaps give him the platform to challenge Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain in the future.
CAM – Mezut Ozil – 88
Ozil probably ranks as one of my favourite players around at the moment, easily being the best offensive based player at Arsenal last season and possibly the only one to really show up in the second half of the season. His assisting exploits were phenomenal to watch in the first half, which pretty much guarantee he’ll keep his esteemed, world class rating – but in order to move a rating higher from an already world class figure he needed to be exceptional to an even greater degree – and thus I don’t see him having done enough to move any higher for FIFA 17. Which is a shame, as I do think both at the Euros and for Arsenal he was exceptional.
CM – Santi Cazorla – 85
Another personal favourite of mine, I think Cazorla faces a fight to keep his 85 rating for FIFA 17. His long periods out injured was a major factor in Arsenal’s major dip in form around the Christmas-New Year period, which count in his favour, however he failed to score a single goal and wasn’t selected for Spain’s Euro 2016 squad, which may well cost him his 85 rating. I remain optimistic and have predicted a continuation of the 85, as he is without doubt one of the most technically gifted and intelligent players in the league when, though a downgrade would not come as a major surprise.
CM – Aaron Ramsey – 84
Ramsey had an OK season with Arsenal, in which he wasn’t as good as his previous two seasons, yet it will be his exemplar performances with Wales at Euro 2016 that give him the upgrade into FIFA 17. Arguably one of the players of the tournament I would be surprised if EA don’t place his card further into the 80s – his absence for Wales in the semi-final arguably cost them the game. I expect a significant boost for FIFA 17.
CM – Granit Xhaka – 82
The Swiss midfielder is a strong replacement for the haphazard Flamini and looks set to be a key part of the Arsenal midfielder for next season. Whilst I can’t see a rating change for the midfielder going into FIFA 17, with his rating already placed at a decent 82, he may well have some stat boosts to make his card that bit more appealing (penalties aside!)
CM – Jack Wilshere – 81
Wilshere spent almost the entire season injured so moving his rating up or down does seem unfair, especially when he was given so little playing time at Euro 2016 by England. His card being non rare was an odd choice by EA so that might change, though given the rating doesn’t look set to change I don’t see any change on that front either.
CDM – Francis Coquelin – 79
Coquelin had a mixed season – whilst it was nowhere near as impressive as the initial 2014-15 breakthrough and had plenty of games where he looked reckless and inexperienced, his role in the heart of the team is key for Arsenal and he does have ability in the role of CDM. I would expect his rating to remain the same going into FIFA 17.
CDM – Elneny – 71
As with many transferred players the stature of the Premier League alone virtually guarantees a ratings boost going into the next title. Elneny looks set to be a back up player for the team though I would still expect a minor boost for the next game.
LW – Alexis Sanchez – 86
Sanchez’s league season with Arsenal was inconsistent – he had games where he was unplayable, and the clear star of the Arsenal attack, and then periods where his form dipped off and couldn’t find his goalscoring form. A clear drop off from 2015-16 – yet his brilliance at the Copa America put to bed any potential room for a downgrade, being crucial in Chile’s triumph at the tournament. I can’t see Sanchez moving down from 86 as a result of that.
ST – Olivier Giroud – 82
Giroud is another player who divides opinion – he can be wasteful and lethargic in one game, and an unplayable goal machine the game after. His goal scoring tally is never poor yet he doesn’t hold the same recognition other strikers with similar tallies do. And he takes the brunt of Arsenal’s chance conversion problems yet often isn’t the person missing the chances. I find myself torn on the guy, and I see both arguments – and I think his form at Euro 2016 will allow EA to see both arguments and keep his 82 rating for next FIFA, as being part of a tournament like that will ensure he doesn’t lose his rating.
ST – Danny Welbeck – 80
This might be a controversial one! Danny Welbeck suffered from a long term injury that kept him out of the first half of the season, and another one that kept him out of Euro 2016 – yet his ability as a forward was perhaps seen in a run of games played by Arsenal in which he scored, and his general ability as an impact substitution in the team. Whilst he is by no means the best striker around there is no doubt he is a valuable player to have in the squad for Arsene Wenger, and I reckon EA may just about see this and push him up to an 80 rating.
The Author: Owen Macdonald
Owen Macdonald is a 25 year old from London, United Kingdom and supports Fulham FC. Whilst a relative newcomer to the Ultimate Team franchise, having created his first team in FUT 13, Owen’s passion and ever growing knowledge of the footballing world has led to a love for FUT.
His enthusiasm for the game is not matched by many, and if asked will gladly talk about FUT and football on the whole for hours. Away from football Owen is a keen writer and enjoys politics and cinema.