FIFA 16 | Good teams for career mode – SC Bastia

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: SC Bastia

SC Bastia (Tier 2)

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

Contents

  1. Why choose SC Bastia?
  2. Lineups
    1. Strongest starting lineup
    2. Highest potential lineup
  3. Recommended purchases
  4. Suggested sales
  5. Future considerations
    1. Get a new centre back
    2. Get a new striker

Starting transfer budget: £2,000,000
Starting wage budget: £30,000
Default formation: 4-4-1-1
Board expectations: Finish mid table, cup round of 32
Key player: Floyd Ayité
Best young prospect: François Kamano

Why choose SC Bastia?

I haven’t covered any French tier 2 sides yet; that is, teams that will struggle to stay in a division containing the might of PSG, Marseille, Lyon, Monaco and more. This week’s choice – SC Bastia – is a good one. Despite having the third lowest number of high potential players in the league (just five with potential 75 or higher), the board still expects you to finish mid table. That’s a big ask for a side that also has one of the lowest budgets in Ligue 1. You don’t just have to survive – you’ve got to positively thrive.

That is possible, though. In François Kamano they have one of the most promising players in the division (I’ll get to him in a minute). SC Bastia has a pacey attack and solid centre backs, so stand a chance at both ends of the pitch. And while the budget is restrictive, it’s not impossible to get good players for a decent price, after all.

SC Bastia’s key player is Floyd Ayité. He’s the linchpin of that attack I was talking about – 84 acceleration, 85 sprint speed and 82 dribbling will make light work of many a defence. He’s got four star skills and a four star weak foot so can play on either flank, and his 75 finishing will help him score plenty of goals too. He starts at 75 OVR and has 76 potential, but could make it up to 77 or 78 if he plays well enough.

The team’s most promising young player is François Kamano. Play him on the right wing (opposite Ayité on the left) and he’ll be devastating. He’s even faster than Ayité (90 acceleration and 90 sprint speed), which could increase as he develops. Speaking of development, he’s got 85 potential, so he’ll quickly become one of the most dangerous players on the team (if not in the league). His 80 dribbling is also very strong for his age, and that’ll only get better over time.

Strongest starting lineup

Changing the formation to 4-2-3-1, here is SC Bastia’s strongest starting lineup, with OVRs in brackets:

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: SC Bastia

Highest potential lineup

Keeping the formation the same at 4-2-3-1, here is SC Bastia’s highest potential lineup, with potentials in brackets:

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: SC Bastia

Recommended purchases

Key signings required: GK, RB, CDM.

Before buying anyone, change your budget ratio to 69:31. This will give you £2,456,400 in transfer funds and £21,223 in wages. Now let’s go buy some players.

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: SC Bastia

Lukas Raeder is an affordable option in goal

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: SC Bastia

Lukas Raeder
Club: V. Setúbal
Position: GK
OVR: 67
Potential: 77
Age: 21
Cost: £850,000
Wages: £10,000

SC Bastia are really lacking high potential goalkeepers. They’ve got Jean-Louis Leca and Jesper Hansen, but both have already reached their respective potentials of 71 and 70. The only young keeper on the side, Thomas Vincensini, only has a potential of 69. SC Bastia need a new, high potential goalkeeper if they have any long-term hopes of staying in Ligue 1.

My suggestion is Lukas Raeder of V. Setúbal in Portugal. He starts at 67 OVR and has 77 potential, so will soon grow to become the number one keeper in the side (and make sure to train him as much as you can to speed that up). His main strengths are his diving and reflexes, and they’re actually as good as Leca’s, so once his handling and positioning improve he’ll be a formidable force in goal. Get him and you should be much more secure at the back.

V. Setúbal want £1.2m for him but you can negotiate that down to about £850,000. His wages are £10,000.


FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: SC Bastia

João Pedro’s pace will make him a threat going forward

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: SC Bastia

João Pedro
Club: Palmeiras
Position: RB
OVR: 69
Potential: 77
Age: 18
Cost: £750,000
Wages: £3,000

SC Bastia certainly is not a team that is lacking right backs. With three in the squad, the problem has more to do with their quality. The highest rated – Gilles Cioni – only has potential 69, and the other two have potential 68 and 67 respectively. It’s the glaring weak spot on the team and needs to be addressed quickly.

I recommend you buy João Pedro of Palmeiras. He’s everything the other right backs are not – fast, versatile and brimming with potential. He’s got potential 77, but seeing as he starts at 69 OVR at age 18, I reckon he can easily outstrip that potential – his OVR is very good for his age, giving him a great head start. He can play further up the pitch if you need him to, but I’d save him for right back where his combination of attacking instincts and solid defensive work will be put to best use.

Palmeiras want you to pay £1.3m for him but you can buy him for almost half that at just £750,000. His wages are also very cheap at £3,000.


FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: SC Bastia

Gabriel is physically strong but good on the ball too

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: SC Bastia

Gabriel
Club: CD Leganés
Position: CDM
OVR: 68
Potential: 77
Age: 21
Cost: £850,000
Wages: £8,000

While SC Bastia have plenty of good attacking midfielders, they’re lacking permanent quality at defensive midfield. Seko Fofana is good but only loaned in for a season, while Mehdi Mostefa is the next best option but has already reached his 72 potential. You’re going to need a new high potential signing here who will be around for more than just one season.

My suggestion is another Brazilian – Gabriel of CD Leganés in Spain. FIFA veterans will remember him from FIFA 12 when he had 88 potential; while he’s not quite reaching those heights today, he’s still a fantastic player to have on your team. He’s strong and good at tackling so can halt opposition attacks, but his passing (both long and short) is also strong, meaning he can assist in attacks as well. He’s also good in the air, and with 77 potential he’s the kind of long term investment SC Bastia needs in the middle of the pitch.

CD Leganés want £1.1m for him, but you can knock that down to around £850,000. His wages are £8,000.


Those transfers will leave you with a puny £6,400 in transfer funds and £223 in wages. To raise some more funds for scouts and further transfers, you’ll need to sell some players. Let’s see who we can offload.

Suggested sales

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: SC Bastia

Jesper Hansen can bring in £700,000

Now that we’ve brought in a good quality goalkeeper in Lukas Raeder, we can sell some of the other keepers in the squad. Keep Leca, but Hansen can get you about £700,000 and Vincensini will bring in around £150,000.

You may as well sell Cioni (he’s 31 and his value will only drop going forward) – you can get about £400,000 for him. João Pedro will be the main right back, so you can also sell Alexander Djiku for about £150,000. Sell on Ismaël Chester Diallo for around £75,000.

In midfield, sell Rashade Sido for £100,000 and Abdoulaye Keita for £180,000. Gaël Danic and Alexandre Edgar can also be sold for £350,000 and 80,000 respectively.

All those sales should bring in around £2.185m – roughly want SC Bastia started with.

Future considerations: get a new centre back

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: SC Bastia

Duje Ćaleta-Car is very cheap for his potential

While SC Bastia’s starting centre backs are pretty good, there are only three of them in the whole squad. You’re going to want at least one more in case anyone gets injured or tired.

I recommend you buy Duje Ćaleta-Car of RB Salzburg in Austria. He’s only 18 but already has 82 strength, so will be able to deal with most strikers physically straight away. He’s not slow for a centre back, and his tackling stats and aerial ability round him off as an excellent talent. Add in 78 potential and he’s a very promising young player.

RB Salzburg want just £975,000 for him, and that can be dropped to around £800,000. His wages are £2,700.

Future considerations: get a new striker

FIFA 16 good teams for career mode: SC Bastia

Nano is a pacey striker with good finishing

Like centre back, SC Bastia are running short of strikers. In fact, there are only two in the squad: Christopher Maboulou and Brandão. While Maboulou is a good player, he’s only got 72 potential, while Brandão is 35 and will decline almost instantly.

My suggestion is Nano from CD Tenerife. He’s very pacey and has good stamina, so can last all game, while his 74 finishing is very good for his OVR. Combine that with his 73 positioning and he becomes a deadly poacher in the box. He’s got 77 potential too, so will develop into a lethal striker in a few years’ time.

CD Tenerife want £1.8m for him but I got that down to £1.2m, making him much more affordable. His wages are £9,000.


That’s it for this week’s article on good teams for career mode. SC Bastia have to deal with a tight budget, few high potential players and an over-expectant board. Staying in Ligue 1 will be tough, but with this guide at your side you’ll have the tools you need to keep them up.

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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