One rating that makes the decision to keep Walcott on 81 all the more perplexing is the 83 afforded to Manchester United's Antonio Valencia. The Ecuadorian has gone backwards in recent seasons and had a troubling campaign last season after scoring just once in 40 appearances. Yet he is amazingly considered a better player than Walcott in FIFA 14, something we're having a really hard time trying to comprehend considering the latter enjoyed a far more successful season. Valencia was one of United's poorest players last season and, along with midfield colleagues Nani and Ashley Young, hasn't been on the top of his game for ages. Injuries have blighted his development at Old Trafford but the winger has also been guilty of wastefulness and indecision in front of goal in recent times. Valencia started to show flashes of his former self against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday night, scoring in the 4-2 win, but that still does not justify EA's decision to hand him an 83. 80 is perhaps a more accurate valuation.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
