FIFA 16 | Good teams for career mode – Empoli

Introduction: How do these articles work?

Each Sunday I examine a different team in detail and look at why they’re a good team for FIFA 16’s career mode. The teams are broken down into the following categories:

  • Tier 1: Teams in tough divisions that can push on to challenge for silverware
  • Tier 2: Teams that will have to fight for survival in a challenging division
  • Tier 3: Teams that start in a lower division but can hope to get promoted and work their way up higher leagues
  • Tier 4: Teams that start right at the bottom of the pile, with few funds or high potential players

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: Empoli

Empoli (Tier 2)

Tier 2 teams face an uphill battle for survival in challenging divisions. Can you help them beat relegation?

Contents

  1. Why choose Empoli?
  2. Lineups
    1. Strongest starting lineup
    2. Highest potential lineup
  3. Recommended purchases
  4. Suggested sales
  5. Future considerations
    1. Get another new left back

Starting transfer budget: £2,400,000
Starting wage budget: £45,000
Default formation: 4-1-2-1-2
Board expectations: Finish mid table, round of 32
Key player: Lorenzo Tonelli
Best young prospect: Riccardo Saponara

Why choose Empoli?

Empoli are in a bit of a bind. They have one of the puniest budgets and lowest number of high potential players (potential 75 or higher) in the whole of Serie A. Not only that, but many of their highest potential players are only in on loan. In a division as competitive as Serie A – where almost any team can potentially destroy you – staying up is a tough ask. Oh, and the board want you to not only survive the drop but finish mid table.

On the plus side, there are still plenty of very high potential players permanently in the team. Their budget of £2.4m is indeed restrictive, but you can still get some decent players for that – you just have to work a bit harder. And where’s the fun in having everything your own way anyway? Beating the drop isn’t going to be easy, but you know it’ll be a fun challenge.

The team’s key player is Lorenzo Tonelli. He’s rated 77 with 79 potential, but his stats mean it should feel like he’s better than that. With 81 marking, 81 stand tackle and 79 slide tackle it’ll be tough for anyone to beat him, and his 81 interceptions will help him read the game and cut out opposition passes. He’s not the strongest centre back, but 76 strength is still very respectable, and it’s balanced out by his good pace – 75 acceleration is something most centre backs don’t have. Add in his aerial presence and you have a very accomplished centre back.

Empoli’s most promising young player is Riccardo Saponara. Rated 77 like Tonelli, Saponara has 82 potential so will become even better. He’s a great passer and dribbler – with 82 vision, 81 short passing, 80 dribbling and 85 ball control – so is ideal as an attacking midfielder behind the strikers, but can also play excellently on the wing, where his skills help him easily beat defenders. Wherever you play him, give him plenty of game time so he grows to his potential – and even beyond.

Strongest starting lineup

Changing the formation slightly to 4-3-3, here is Empoli’s strongest starting lineup, with OVRs in brackets:

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: Empoli

Highest potential lineup

Keeping the formation the same, here is Empoli’s highest potential lineup, with potentials in brackets:

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: Empoli

Recommended purchases

Key signings required: GK, RB, CDM, ST.

The problem with Empoli is they have too many areas that need fixing for you to really be able to sort them all out in one go. You’ll need future cover at central midfield, seeing as Zieli?ski and Paredes are on loan, and same with your goalkeeper. Right back needs urgent improvement, and your two best-potential strikers are in on loan and better on the wing respectively. There are more issues, but these are the most pressing, so I’ll focus on those below.

Before you buy anyone, adjust your budget ratio to 60:40; that’ll give you £2,844,000 in transfer funds and £36,461 in wages. Now let’s buy some players.

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: Empoli

Benjamin van Leer is free and can be trained into a great player

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: Empoli

Benjamin van Leer
Club: Roda JC
Position: GK
OVR: 69
Potential: 76
Age: 23
Cost: £0 (contract expiry)
Wages: £10,000

While ?ukasz Skorupski is a great goalkeeper, he’s only loaned in and the other GKs at Empoli are pretty awful (potentials 66 and 62 between them). Once Skorupski leaves you’ll really need a new keeper, but there’s no need to have one in the squad while he’s here. With that in mind, we’re going to get a free goalkeeper (whose contract is expiring) who will join at the start of the second season.

Unlike last week’s guide to Everton, we can’t afford a free goalkeeper like Alisson (with his £80,000 weekly wage), but we can still get a great keeper in Benjamin van Leer. What I like about him is he’s really well balanced, and doesn’t have any weak spots in goal. He’s got 76 potential which can be boosted through training, so with a bit of work he can reach into the 80s. That’ll make him a superb bargain considering there’s no transfer fee.

Approach to sign him in the first January transfer window and he’ll want wages of £10,000. He also wants the ‘important 1st team player’ squad role.


FIFA 16 Lower League Gems: right backs

Callum Paterson is an absolute beast who will dominate attackers

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: Empoli

Callum Paterson
Club: Hearts
Position: RB
OVR: 67
Potential: 77
Age: 20
Cost: £900,000
Wages: £9,000

Looking at the highest potential lineup image above, the most obvious weak spot is at right back. Empoli’s best RB has 73 potential, and after that the next best has 68 potential. It’s not really enough long term, so we need to start looking for a replacement.

My suggestion is Callum Paterson. I recommended him in my guide to the best high potential right backs who cost less than £1m because he is an absolute beast – 80 acceleration, 84 sprint speed and 90 strength mean he’s going to be able to dominate pretty much any attacker who faces him. He’s amazing in the air, too, and with 77 potential he’ll grow into a superb player.

Hearts want £1.2m for him but you can negotiate that down to around £900,000. His wages are £9,000.


FIFA 16 Lower League Gems: defensive midfielders

Max Christiansen is a rock solid defensive midfielder

FIFA 16 Lower League Gems: defensive midfielders

Max Christiansen
Club: FC Ingolstadt
Position: CDM
OVR: 67
Potential: 77
Age: 18
Cost: £700,000
Wages: £3,200

While Paredes and Zieli?ski have fantastic potentials, they’re both only at Empoli for the season. Moreover, they’re much more attacking than they are defensive, so you really need someone to balance them out a bit.

My recommendation is Max Christiansen – he’s another player I’ve recommended before, and it’s easy to see why. He’s very strong for his age and OVR, which will give him a boost even when he faces high OVR players. He’s already got high potential, but I reckon he can grow much higher than 77, as that’s only 10 points away from his starting OVR. He’s a great partner for Assane Dioussé, who is a great playmaker but not very physical. Get those two in your midfield and you’ll be sorted.

FC Ingolstadt want £1.1m for Christiansen, but you can get him for just £700,000. His wages are also very cheap at £3,200.


FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: Empoli

Thalles is very cheap for his potential and current ability

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: Empoli

Thalles
Club: Vasco da Gama
Position: ST
OVR: 67
Potential: 79
Age: 20
Cost: £1.2m
Wages: £9,000

As I mentioned earlier, Empoli have a few problems up front. Manuel Pucciarelli is the team’s best striker, but he’s much better as a winger. Marko Livaja has good potential but is only in on loan; Massimo Maccarone is 35 and will start declining soon, while Levan Mchedlidze only has 72 potential. That warrants a new striker who will be your first choice for years to come.

My solution is Thalles of Vasco da Gama. I picked him because he can do a bit of everything – he’s fast, but also strong; he’s good in the air, but also excels with the ball at his feet; he’s got great positioning, but can also create chances for his teammates. His 79 potential will see him develop into a real threat, and his 67 OVR means he can have a season of development before he takes over the number one spot.

Vasco da Gama want you to pay £2.1m for him, but I was able to massively reduce that down to just £1.2m. His wages are £9,000.


Those transfers will leave you with £44,000 in transfer funds and £5,261. That’s not exactly much left to spend on scouts or more players, so let’s see who we can sell to raise some extra cash.

Suggested sales

Marco Zambelli can be sold for around £400,000 – he’s the RB with 68 potential. Michele Camporese can also be moved on for around £600,000.

Sell Alessandro Piu for £200,000. Finally, Levan Mchedlidze can also be sold, this time for around £1m.

If you sell all of those players, you should bring in around £2.2m – almost as much as Empoli start with in the first place.

Future considerations: get a new left back

FIFA 16 Lower League Gems: left backs

Pierre-Yves Polomat has some excellent defensive stats

There’s still one glaring issue in Empoli’s defence – they’ve only got one left back. Mário Rui is a great player but he’s going to need some backup in case he gets tired or injured (and make sure you offer him a new contract, as he’s only got one year left).

If you want a cheap, high potential replacement, I suggest you get Pierre-Yves Polomat of AS Saint-Étienne. He’s rated 69 and has 77 potential, but amazingly his team only want £1m for him (most players with that OVR and potential have an asking price twice that of Polomat). You get tons of bang for your buck, with a pacey, strong player with excellent stamina and defensive stats. He makes a great defensive-minded alternative to the attacking Mário Rui.


That’s it for this week’s article on good teams for career mode. Empoli have a tough task ahead of them if you want to keep them in Serie A, but a restrictive budget doesn’t mean you can’t buy great players. Survive the first season and you’ll have the makings of an excellent team with which to move up the league.

I’d like to hear if you have any thoughts about the format of the article itself. Did you find it useful? Conversely, do you think it was missing something that you’d have liked me to include?

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