FIFA 17: Team of the Week 11 predictions

In this week’s TOTW, we predict a three-at-the-back formation, with four midfielders and three forwards.

Starting XI:

GK – Fernando Pacheco

The 24-year-old Spanish goalkeeper, and former Real Madrid youth product, earns this week’s starting position after collecting 10 saves in Alaves’ 2-0 win against Villarreal. Pacheco’s performance over the weekend ensured an important clean sheet that supplied the La Liga side with a much-needed win.

CB – Angelo Ogbonna

Often-maligned West Ham center-back Angelo Ogbonna pulled off one of the craziest clearances from the weekend as he denied Zlatan Ibrahimovic from getting to Antonio Valencia’s cross. He also managed to somehow protect the 1-1 scoreline and help West Ham to a crucial draw at Old Trafford. As our friends over at Brace the Hammer said, “[he] taught us the meaning of ferocity.” A class performance overall.

CB – Marcelo

The Brazilian center-back leveled the scoreline at 1-1 and ensured a draw for Besiktas in their match against Istanbul Buyuksehir BSK.

CB – Andrea Masiello

Italian defender Andrea Masiello already has three goals this season. He added to his tally this weekend, giving Atalanta a 1-0 lead against Bologna in the 15th minute. He met Alejandro Gomez's cross at the back post and showed great technique to rifle a cracking volley.

CM – Naby Keïta

The players over at RB Leipzig seems really keen on repeating Leicester City’s shock success from last season. Guinean midfielder Keïta got off the mark in just the second minute in Leipzig’s 4-0 win over Freiburg.

CM – Leroy Fer

The Swansea City midfielder put in a valiant effort to give American manager Bob Bradley his first win in the Premier League. The Dutchman scored two goals, both off Gylfi Sigurdsson set-pieces, in the Welsh side’s 5-4 win over Crystal Palace.

LM – Diego Perotti

Perotti continues to impress us this season. The Argentinian scored one and provided two, as A.S. Roma survived a scare in the nation’s capital against newly-promoted Pescara.

RM – Iago Falque

On loan from Roma, the Spanish winger is currently playing at Torino, and has already scored seven goals away from his parent club. He scored a brace against Chievo in their 2-1 home win this past weekend.

CF – Alexis Sanchez

The Chilean forward slotted two goals for Arsenal this weekend and played a crucial role in their victory against Bournemouth. Alexis put Arsenal up 1-0 off a defensive error in the 11th minute, and then killed off the game with a decisive finish off Olivier Giroud’s pullback cross at the end of regulation. His dogs must be so happy for him.

Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images

ST – Sergio Agüero

Manchester City came from behind to beat Burnley at Turf Moor, thanks to two from Agüero. The chaotic goals may not have been the most technically spectacular, but the scrappy Argentine was perennially there to pull City out of the hole. For that, he gets the nod.

ST - Edinson Cavani

Amidst all the drama in the Premier League, we seem to forget how tight it is at the top of the Ligue 1 table. The top three are separated by just one point, and Paris Saint-Germain have won four straight partly due to Cavani’s heroics. The Uruguayan netted both goals for his club, including one from the spot, in PSG’s 2-1 win over Lyon.

Bench:

Marwin Hitz - GK

Hitz, the Swiss goalie famous for sabotaging the ground near the penalty spot last year, posted six saves in FC Augsburg’s rematch against 1. FC Köln. The match ended in a nil-nil draw and without any controversy this time.

Giovanni Simeone - CF

The 21-year-old Argentine scored his third and fourth goals of the season in Genoa’s 3-1 upset win over Italian leaders Juventus.

Hicham Faik - CM

Dutch midfielder Hicham Faik bagged a brace for Eredivisie side Excelsior (what a fantastic name for a club) in their 2-2 draw against Vitesse.

Dario Dumić – CB

The Bosnian center-back scored the match-winning goal for the Dutch side Nijmegen Eendracht Combinatie, or N.E.C. for short. His goal gave N.E.C. a necessary 3-1 cushion in the 59th minute and prevented a late comeback from Twente.

Emil Forsberg - LW

Forsberg, RB Leipzig’s ‘lynchpin’ this season, put in another great shift for the Bundesliga table-toppers, providing two assists in their 4-1 win.

Pablo Piatti - LW

Another Argentinian player in this list, what a shocker! In Espanyol’s 3-0 win over Leganes the winger played a role in every goal, scoring twice and assisting once, and deserves a shout.

Valere Germain - ST

Germain pocketed two goals for A.S. Monaco en route to their 4-0 drubbing of Marseille.

ST - Fernando Llorente

Very few people can explain what exactly happened at the end of the Swansea-Palace match. Summer signing Fernando Llorente showed up at the end with two goals to give the Swans the lead, and the win, in stoppage time.

---

We miss anyone? As always, let us know!