FIFA 17 player ratings released: Do they even watch Villa?

If you’re at least a little like me, you’re anxiously awaiting next week’s FIFA launch and the opportunity to take Aston Villa back to Premier League (and eventual European) glory. So when the FIFA player ratings were released today, you might have also gone and checked what the Villa players were rated in the new edition of the game, FIFA 17.

If you haven’t? Prepare to be disappointed.

Villa’s highest-rated players? Micah Richards and Jordan Ayew, both of whom weigh in at 77 overall.

Micah Richards? A 77-rated centre back?

Oh, dear.

So, I get that Aston Villa are now a Championship side and, thus, less deserving of attention from the people doing the ratings. But what we’ve generally seen is a re-tread of the FIFA 16 ratings. That isn’t fun for any of us.

Gabby Agbonlahor remains a 73-rated striker. That means he’s on par with Jonathan Kodjia, James Chester and Ritchie de Laet, and is still somehow rated higher than Jack Grealish, who slots in at a 72.

I wish someone would give us eight figures for Agbonlahor. I mean, he’s as good of a striker as Kodjia, right?

Ashley Westwood carries a rating of 75, greater than Rudy Gestede’s 74 and much, much higher than Aaron Tshibola, who comes in at a 66. Which is lazy, given that’s what he was rated last season.

Aside from what’s been mentioned, the rest of Villa’s top-end players seems to actually be fairly accurate. Ross McCormack, Mile Jedinak and Jordan Amavi are 76-rated players, while Albert Adomah comes in at a 75.

But for as long as Agbonlahor carries as much weight as Kodjia and Westwood is significantly higher-rated than Grealish, playing as the Claret and Blues in FIFA 17 will be at least a mildly-frustrating experience.

At least you can get loaned to Villa as Alex Hunter…