One under-the-radar ‘Team of the Season’ player, who is part of the TOTS Community Gold Squad, is UD Las Palmas’ Jonathan Viera. The Spanish center midfielder has put together a solid season in La Liga, including a penalty goal against Real Madrid back in March.
Real Madrid’s Daniel Carvajal and Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen headlined the TOTS Community Gold Squad (each player currently goes for over 100k on the market), but Viera serves as a great TOTS bargain. He can be bought for around 50k coins and I managed to snag him for considerably less on a bid.
His card comes as a central midfielder, but he’s best suited for the CAM role. Viera has insane ball control (90), dribbling (93), and agility (97) combined with extremely crafty passing vision (94), as well as the ability to shoot from long range (91).
Check out the rest of his in-game stats:
Because I played him in the CAM position, I found that his skills are enhanced best with the hawk chemistry card. This gives him 99 position, 99 long shot, 98 acceleration, and 96 jumping.
He’s only 5’6 so he can get knocked off the ball by bigger defenders, but he’s got a 4* weak foot and a high attacking work rate which makes him extremely dangerous around the box.
I’m a big fan of his free kicks, too. He’s got an 87 free kick rating with 92 curve and I’ve managed to bend in a few goals from outside the 18 with ease.
As I mentioned before, I use Viera as a CAM in a 4-3-1-2 with the hawk chemistry style and I snagged him for 46k on a bid.
Now that we know what we’re working with, let’s review:
Pace: 10/10
As a I previously mentioned, he has 98 acceleration and 85 pace with the hawk chemistry card and Viera just feels springy in the attacking half of the pitch. He’s got the ability to create space while dribbling with his acceleration and agility, putting center backs on ice skates.
Shooting: 9/10
Viera’s shot accuracy is wonderful. You always feel like you’re in control when you’re shooting no matter where you are on the pitch. However, he’s lacking just a little bit of shot power (89 with the hawk card) and you notice it, especially when taking free kicks. His finesse shot is great, so you can confidently finish in the box with him.
Passing: 9/10
The Spaniard has great vision and short passing ability, but because his longer passing is only 79-rated I think he’s better suited at CAM. He’ll never miss a short pass, but he’ll occasionally miss a simple through-ball to your striker which is a bit frustrating. All in all, though, Viera is an excellent possession player and makes very crisp passes, just be wary of sending long through balls to the corner.
Dribbling: 10/10
Dribbling is arguably Viera’s best attribute on his TOTS card. His ball control (90), dribbling (93), and agility (97) make him a master of possession in the attacking half, and he’s able to create great separation from defenders while dribbling to get off shots or open up passing lanes.
Defending: 3/10
You’re not likely to win many tackles with Viera. He’s got a low defensive work rate and just a 35 defensive rating. His heading is only a 58, which is a little disappointing, but it’s explained by his stature. You aren’t buying Viera to be great on the defensive end, but it may surprise you how weak he can be trying to win the ball back from opposing defenders.
Physical: 6/10
Viera’s stamina is solidly rated at an 83, and his jumping, strength, and aggression are aided by the hawk chemistry card. His 80 aggression and 77 strength seem like solid ratings, but he doesn’t feel like a physically imposing card on the pitch.
Skills and WF: 7/10
His 3*/4* combination is pretty solid overall, especially for me because I tend to stay away from a lot of skill moves with my CAM. His weak foot is great and I especially noticed it while finishing volleys. Like a handful of other 3* skill players, Viera’s dribbling rating more than makes up for his 3* skills.
Overall: 8.5/10
On the whole, I think Viera’s TOTS card is an absolute, bargain bin, steal. At ~50k on the transfer market, I don’t know if you can find a better CAM option. His dribbling abilities in the game are second to almost no one, and his long shots and free kicks make him a dangerous player from almost anywhere in the attacking half of the field. He excels in nearly every offensive category, but you certainly can’t count on his to make defensive plays for your team.
Viera is far from a perfect player, but at the price you really can’t complain.
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