The Backpage | FIFA 12 PREM TRANSFERS!
dmcdonagh
2011-08-15
Football journalist and FIFA gamer Darren Cross looks at the ins and outs in the Premier League this summer, and how they could affect who you choose to play as in FIFA 12…
In last week’s Backpage we looked at the European teams that have been getting busy in the transfer market, how their squads have changed and how that might influence which clubs you choose to play as in FIFA 12.
This week we’re going to focus on every Premier League club. Now if you’re a big football fan then you might think you already know all the ins and outs of this summer’s Prem transfer market, but there will be some you’ve missed and there’s definitely plenty to think about in terms of how some of these changes could influence who you choose to play as in FIFA 12.
There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started…
ARSENAL
Ah. A tough club to open with because, by the time you read this, pretty much everything could have changed but unfortunately they’re first in the alphabet. So, I’m writing this while both Fabregas and Nasri are technically still Gunners but I think it’s fair to assume at this point that they won’t be in your squad when you select Arsenal in FIFA 12.
The good news is that between now and the end of the window Wenger is certain to add to his squad and is under pressure to spend big, so you could have a whole bunch of exciting new players to choose from – Jadson, Hazard and Goetze have all been mentioned recently. Until they do some business Gervinho is the only signing who’ll almost certainly start for you in the game – anyone who plays as Lille in FIFA 11 will know that the Ivory Coast forward brings pace and tricks to the table. Ex-Southampton winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will give you options out wide and he will definitely be much better in 12 than he is in 11, but many Arsenal players like to use Walcott on the right for his pace and I would expect him to still be quicker than Chamberlain. Gael Clichy is a loss at left-back in FIFA terms, he’s quicker and stronger than Gibbs, but you probably won’t miss Denilson – who’s joined Sao Paolo on loan – or Jay Emmanuel Thomas, who’s signed for Ipswich.
ASTON VILLA
Like Arsenal, Villa are another club who look a little weaker in FIFA terms right now, largely because all the transfer news on them is about who they’ve sold rather than who they’ve bought. The big loss is Ashley Young, who brought acceleration, pace, dribbling crossing and free-kick ability to the team, but players who like using Villa may also miss big John Carew. He joined West Ham recently and has so far not yet been replaced. On the plus side, Charles N’Zogbia is a cracking replacement for Stewart Downing and you won’t miss Brad Friedel in goal, following the arrival of Shay Given.
If right winger Marc Albrighton receives a stats boost for 12, as I’m sure he will, and The Villans bring in a defender with pace and a top partner for Darren Bent, they could again be a great choice for online matches.
BLACKBURN
I don’t think I’ve ever played against anyone online who’s picked Blackburn, and I’m not expecting that you change too much for FIFA 12 after a summer of inactivity in terms of players in. Dundee United striker David Goodwillie does bring some much-needed pace to the frontline, but the only other signing so far is defensive-midfielder Radosav Petrovic who isn’t going to win you any FIFA games.
As far as sales, Phil Jones is a loss in real-world terms but won’t make a great deal of difference to you if you’re using Rovers in the game, and the same goes for keeper Frank Fielding and forwards Benjani and Maceo Rigters.
BOLTON
Winger Chris Eagles from Burnley is useful from set pieces and has a bit of pace, so Bolton FIFA players won’t miss Matt Taylor too much – he’s gone to West Ham. Tyrone Mears, who has unfortunately broken his leg in real life, gives you options at full-back while Nigel Reo-Coker – a free signing from Aston Villa – brings a bit of zip to a midfield that also includes ex Swansea player Darren Pratley.
Johan Elmander has gone to Galatasaray so boss Owen Coyle has brought in Tuncay on loan, but expect them to move for another striker soon, and keeper Ali Al-Habsi has joined Wigan permanently.
CHELSEA
The Blues have allowed a lot of players to leave, including one that they only just signed – keeper Thibaut Courtois from Genk who will spend the season on loan at Atletico Madrid – but they look set to complete the signing of powerful young striker Romelu Lukaku any day now and, of course, there are still those rumours about Luka Modric.
If you don’t know a great deal about Lukaku then Didier Drogba is a good reference point. Like the Drog, the Belgian striker is a big unit with excellent finishing ability, but he’s also a little quicker and left-footed so does offer something slightly different.
After signing Torres and Luiz back in January, Chelsea have an incredibly strong FIFA squad and are a very popular choice. If they do get Modric from Tottenham, expect to see even more of them online.
EVERTON
No change here in terms of FIFA. Move on please.
Oh okay… Everton have only signed Eric Dier – an English central defender on loan from Sporting Lisbon – but he won’t make your line-up. They’ve sold striker James Vaughan to Norwich but he probably didn’t make your Everton XI in FIFA 11 anyway so right now The Toffees offer pretty much the same in 12 as they do in 11.
FULHAM
For Fulham you can almost read Everton, in that they’ve done some business but nothing that will really affect the eleven players you choose. The exception is John Arne Riise from Roma.
You can pick him to play anywhere on the left side and you’ll get a bit of pace, power and crossing ability, but above all you have a good left-footed option for free-kicks and corners.
LIVERPOOL
In contrast to their Merseyside rivals, Liverpool have brought in a number of players who will make it into your team. You’ll pick winger Stewart Downing on the left and use his dribbling and crossing ability to feed giant striker Andy Carroll. Recent signing Jose Enrique is an automatic choice at left-back after The Reds sold Paul Konchesky to Leicester, and surely there will be a place for Charlie Adam in the packed midfield.
Personally I still think Kuyt is a better option than £20 million new-boy Jordan Henderson on the right, and I’d also stick with Pepe Reina in goal over Alexander Doni, who’s come in from Roma as back up.
Don’t be surprised if The Reds figure out a way to bring in a new centre-back too. They’ll have to sell first, but if they do manage to ship someone out then a move for Birmingham’s Scott Dann could be on the cards.
MAN. CITY
The headline signing at City is Sergio Aguero, but if Samir Nasri has completed his rumoured move to Eastlands by the time you’re reading this then he’ll be right up there too. Aguero has much more to offer in FIFA terms than Nasri – his acceleration and sprint speed are exceptional and he’s very strong for a smaller player – and if City can’t find a buyer for Tevez then you’ve got a ridiculously good front line to select from.
Stefan Savic lacks the strength and physical presence to creep ahead of Kolo and Kompany in my FIFA starting line-up, and I’m not sure I’d select Gael Clichy to start either. Kolarov isn’t that much slower and he offers more from set pieces.
I think it’s safe to say City will be one of the most popular choices in FIFA 12.
MAN. UNITED
The Red Devils have had an unusually busy summer, getting most of their business done early, but only two of the new arrivals would make it straight into my FIFA 12 starting line up. David de Gea is easily the best keeper at the club, and I’d choose Ashley Young over Antonio Valencia because of his ability from set pieces.
Centre-back Phil Jones would be a back up for me. If Wesley Sneijder completes his on-off move to the club then he would obviously walk straight into the team too, probably at the expense of Michael Carrick. In FIFA 11 Sneijder can be a little ineffective at times as his lack of strength and pace often sees him getting bullied by the more physical teams, but he’ll have a much greater impact in FIFA 12 as the new Tactical Defending feature will allow him time on the ball.
NEWCASTLE
Unless they do some serious spending, I can’t see many players picking Newcastle in FIFA 12. The replacement for Andy Carroll, Demba Ba, is useful in the game thanks to his physical attributes, but midfielders Yohan Cabaye, Sylvain Marveaux, Medhi Abeid and Gabriel Obertan don’t really add anything in FIFA terms.
NORWICH
The Canaries have signed six players so far and are apparently close to sealing a deal for Liverpool defender Daniel Ayala, who’s 6ft 3in and fairly quick for a centre-back.
Up front you’ll probably want to go for the nippy James Vaughan to partner Grant Holt, with prolific goalscorer Steve Morison as back up.
Wingers Anthony Pilkington and Elliott Bennett have the pace to beat defenders and – on the right side – will be supported by Kyle Naughton. The attacking right-back is on loan from Tottenham. Former Leeds player Bradley Johnson beefs up the midfield in real life, but I tend to find defensive midfielders struggle to make an impact in FIFA unless they’re especially physical. That said, I still think you could get a few surprise wins using Norwich in 12.
QPR
Prem new boys QPR are an even better underdog choice than Norwich in my opinion, because they have plenty of pace in the key areas thanks to their summer signings.
Freebie Jay Bothroyd will surely partner former Blackpool striker DJ Campbell up front, and dribbler Kieron Dyer could also cause teams plenty of problems in FIFA 12, as the game now gives you more opportunities to run with the ball. Brazilian defender Bruno Perone – who also joined on a free – may come straight into your back four, along with ex-West Ham centre-back Danny Gabbidon.
STOKE
The Potters have only signed two centre-backs so far – Jonathan Woodgate and Matthew Upson, both on free transfers – but I’d stick with Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth in the starting line-up on FIFA.
Lots of players have left the Britannia Stadium this summer, like Faye, Gudjohnsen and Sonko, so I’m certain there will be a few more coming in to replace them, maybe as many as five. Keep an eye on what Stoke get up to over the next couple of weeks.
SUNDERLAND
Is there room to write about all of Sunderland’s signings? Let’s give it a go…
The Black Cats have signed eleven players so far. Yep, just the eleven.
A couple of those are really for the future, but nine of that eleven all have good cases for a first team place. For starters, right-winger Ahmed Elmohamady made his loan move permanent and I like him in FIFA; he’s quick, strong and can cross the ball – pretty much all I want from my wingers. Kieran Westwood isn’t too far off Craig Gordon in goal, so you may plump for him as your No.1, and wonderkid striker Connor Wickham will be a good partner for Asamoah Gyan. Personally I’d play those two up front together with Stephane Sessegnon just behind.
I don’t know a great deal about Ji Dong-Won, so he’d start on my bench alongside new boys Craig Gardner, David Vaughan and Sebastian Larsson. I’d stick with Lee Cattermole in the holding midfield role with Kieran Richardson at left-wing. At the back, Wes Brown and John O’Shea can play anywhere but personally I’d shift Bardsley back to right-back, then pick Brown and Bramble in the centre with O’Shea at left-back.
SWANSEA
Leroy Lita brings some much-needed pace to The Swans’ front line and Danny Graham is a good finisher in the game. Wayne Routledge is a cracking little right-winger and should be in your starting eleven, but we’ll have to wait and see what keepers Michel Vorm and Jose Moreira plus centre-back Steven Caulker have to offer, as little is known about them so far.
TOTTENHAM
Spurs have been linked with a ton of top players, but their only significant signing so far remains goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who I would probably pick over Gomes.
Jamie O’Hara and Jonathan Woodgate are the big-name departures, but neither of them would have been in your starting eleven anyway.
Perhaps the most exciting prospect for players who like to use Tottenham on FIFA is Gareth Bale, who should get a real stats bump for 12.
WEST BROM
The Baggies have been fairly busy, they’ve bought five players so far, and the best of their summer signings is definitely Shane Long. The striker is very quick and has good technical abilities, so he should definitely be in your team alongside Odemwingie.
Goalkeeper Ben Foster will also start, with Marton Fulop as back up seeing as Scott Carson has moved on. Defender Gareth McAuley and utility man Billy Jones will bulk up your bench.
WIGAN
The departure of Charles N’Zogbia makes Wigan a less attractive prospect – leaving Hugo Rodallega as their only real dangerman.
Ali Al-Habsi will be your first-choice keeper and you may want to get David Jones in your midfield for his passing and set piece ability. Not much else to say about The Latics really.
WOLVES
Defender Roger Johnson should start in your Wolves team, as will midfielder Jamie O’Hara who has made his move permanent.
Adam Hammill should get a significant stats boost, so you’ll have to choose two from the three of him, Hunt and Jarvis out wide. All three are excellent FIFA players. With Doyle, Fletcher and Ebanks-Blake up front, Wolves have the attacking ability to worry bigger teams.
There’s a lot of into to take in there and of course everything could change before the window shuts, but it all bodes well for exciting times with FIFA 12.
As always, thanks for reading and I’ll hopefully see you back here next week.
Darren
Twitter: @Darren_Cross
