FC 25 97 Shapeshifter Gavi Player Review!

Sorry for the small hiatus on the reviews once again, but we are back with another Shapeshifter squad to unpack and a newly re-positioned player to review. I mentioned during my Olise review that the Shapeshifter concept is not one that overly bothers me. The fact that Konate is one of the best keepers in the game is a meh issue in my mind, but I must say, there just feels something wrong seeing Dybala as a CDM. Don’t ask me why that one sticks out more than most, but I can’t handle it.

Now that we have my pointless Dybala issue out of the way, we can look a little closer at this week's review in the form of Pablo Martín Páez Gavira… Gavi was moved further up the pitch by this weekend's Shapeshifting and one thing that stood out immediately was how high the defending on this card was at 93 rated. The ability to defend better from the front seemed interesting and upon a quick search only 8 other players have that level of defending with Obj Gakpo the only match in terms of Pace with a 5★/5★ combination.

Of course, it was the 4-2-1-3 formation this weekend and Gavi would have free range of the CAM position for all 5 matches. The HAWK Chemistry Style seemed the best option with the added Pace and Strength at the top of my agenda. Unfortunately my hiatus also meant I needed to play a couple of Division Rivals matches, but it was worth seeing how the Barcelona man would fare in the league grind before jumping into Champs. Gavi was the creative “maestro in the middle” all weekend long in the following squad:

Rating: 9/10

In the end, the Rivals matches certainly inflated the returns for Gavi this weekend, but to break it down he still managed 6 goals and 6 assists in the final 3 Champs matches that he played… And while the 4.0 goal contributions per match is nowhere near as crazy as the 5.0 he finished with, it definitely highlights an offensive threat. One theme throughout this review was Gavi’s defending, and while I was 100% more inclined to notice his defensive efforts after seeing the card, it was undeniably a huge threat stealing the ball and transitioning further up the pitch.

Main Statistic - Passing

Passing Rating: 10/10

Pace Rating: 10/10

Dribbling Rating: 10/10

Weak Foot: ★★★★★

PlayStyles: Incisive Pass Plus, Tiki Taka Plus, Long Ball, Whipped Pass, Relentless Plus, Rapid, Press Proven, Technical

Not leaving much for the Good vs Bad comments here but this card is truly a wizard at CAM and it is generally a combination of these three attributes that produces the magic. I would compare the final ball that Gavi delivers to that of a Passing boost in Mystery Ball. It seems to split the opponents backline, even when they seem poised to cut it out. The 99 VISION, 99 SHORT PASSING, & 99 LONG PASSING are exactly that, perfect… And even better allow for other Chemistry Styles to be applied. The INCISIVE & TIKI TAKA Plus are also key here as more cards in the game than you would think have 97+ PASSING, but only 5 CAMS have this lethal combination of Playstyles.

While the Passing with Gavi was incredible, it was the ability to make the space to play the passes that really stood out. 98 ACCELERATION & 98 SPRINT SPEED hardly seem impressive with all of the speedsters currently available in the game. I was most concerned about a complete lack of QUICK STEP most of all, and yet this card surprised me a lot in terms of how quick Gavi gets out of the gates. The CONTROLLED EXPLOSIVE AcceleRATE & smaller build seemed more than enough, while the RAPID certainly keeps the gap between would-be trackers and provides the time to pick out the right pass in the end.

The higher you get in Weekend League, the more your space and time is taken away and the need for game breakers becomes necessary. Gavi’s Dribbling was certainly a key part of that game breaking and was a treat to use throughout this review. The 5 STAR SKILLS would be better served in other hands but the left-stick and L1 dribbling were fantastic nonetheless. The 97 BASE DRIBBLING with the aforementioned Pace benefits was a nightmare for opponents to get control over and caused a lot of damage throughout the review.

Value/Coins

Value/Coins: 5/5

Even in a time when cards are dropping to insanely low prices and everyone and their dog has 5★/5★ with ridiculous statistics… Gavi just stands out as a crazy value option. Every time I searched for comparisons to this card I was constantly staring at only a few options and in almost every scenario could make an argument that Gavi was either superior, or way cheaper. One slight knock might be that I don’t think I see Gavi as either a RW or ST option, but who needs versatility when you perform so highly in your main position?

Good vs. Bad

Good vs Bad Rating: 5/5

Still more to say about a fantastic weekend review…

• Similar to last weekend the Shooting would have been solid before the HAWK pulled everything up into neat 99 rated categories… And this time we even had the 5 STAR WEAK FOOT banging in the goals this weekend. While I still managed to score a variety of goals I felt a few from outside of the box that I would normally expect to find the back of the net… Did not. It was almost as if the 95 SHOT POWER might be more like 90 and at times just didn’t have the zip behind it that you see from other cards. Honestly this was key to the 9/10 rating and yet seems harsh considering the 14 goal contributions from CAM, but those are the standards at this point in the game.
• I mentioned the Defending and more than anything the 96 STANDING TACKLE was key and almost felt like ANTICIPATE was added in as well. The 90 STRENGTH & 99 AGGRESSION were also factors and led to both tackles and jammy moments around the box that eventually led to goal contributions.

Closing Words

One of the most well-rounded cards that I have used and yet I would only suggest playing him as a CAM. Especially in situations like the 4-2-1-3 where you are outletting to your CAM throughout the match, Gavi showed an incredible ability to hold up the ball. Whether it was the STRENGTH & PRESS PROVEN holding off tackles, or the CONTROLLED EXPLOSIVE, AGILITY, & TECHNICAL turning away from pressure… This card keeps the ball more often than not. From there it is just a brilliant pass away from a goal-scoring opportunity and you rinse and repeat throughout the match. When and if you do eventually lose the ball, Gavi embodied the RELENTLESS Plus and was often involved in winning it back to create further chances. Definitely an intriguing card and a must try for those using a CAM. Hoping you are well. Cheers for reading.

SOURCE: FUTBIN