It's a surprise not to see Willian given a boost following a very strong season for Chelsea, although viewed in isolation, 83 does seem a fair reflection of the Brazilian's many strengths and couple of weaknesses. After mostly playing from the bench in the early stages of the season, Willian earnt the confidence of Jose Mourinho by showing outstanding determination in getting back and covering his full-back, winning the ball back from deep before using his impressive acceleration to surge forward and catch opponents on the counter. There's a strong argument to be made that he's the most notable defensive winger in football, and while that's a fairly niche role, it's one he has put to good use in keeping up the pace of Chelsea's game, which can sometimes slip in ponderousness when he's not on the field. He's as capable in the centre as on the wing, even if he's not employed there quite so often. If FIFA accurately reflects Willian's defensive strengths, players are likely to find themselves with an extremely useful weapon in matches where defensive strength is paramount. The downside to Willian in real life is that he scores precious few goals and his final ball, whether passed or crossed, can be highly inconsistent. With that in mind, a rating any higher than 83 would probably be overkill, so EA have probably hit a good balance if Willian's FIFA 15 rating has indeed been kept static from the previous version.
28-year old English writer with a borderline obsessive passion for films, videogames, Chelsea FC, incomprehensible words and indefensible puns. Follow me on Twitter if you like infrequent outbursts of absolute drivel.
