FIFA 22's cycle is winding down, especially on the Ultimate Team side of things. FUTTIES is in full swing and that promotion traditionally marks the end of the current game and accelerates interest in the new release.
Additionally, FUTTIES is the celebration of all the past promotions and features re-releases of prominent cards alongside new special items. One key part of Ultimate Team is allowing players to create the best possible team for their favorite clubs. These teams fluctuate each title depending on the promotional items released throughout the year.
North London giant Arsenal received its fair share of promotional items, albeit in the second half of the game cycle.
FIFA 22 Arsenal Theme Team: Best Possible Starting XI and Substitutes
Before we get started, let's outline some guidelines we'll be following for this story and subsequent Theme Teams:
- At least five current players in Starting XI
- Icons limited to five in Starting XI
- At least two active players who previously played for the club
- 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 formations
- Prioritize highest rating possible
- Prioritize 100 Team Chemistry
- Only one player out of position
Here's our FIFA 22 Arsenal Theme Team as of FUTTIES, pending any future Arsenal items getting released at the tail end of the game.
Starting XI
- Alexandre Lacazette - 95 / ST - End of an Era
- Thierry Henry - 94 / ST - Prime Icon Moments (position swapped to CM)
- Gabriel Martinelli - 93 / LW - Fantasy FUT Upgrade
- Bukayo Saka - 91 / RW - Team of the Season
- Patrick Vieira - 92 / CM - Prime Icon Moments
- Emmanuel Petit - 91 / CM - Prime Icon Moments
- Hector Bellerin - 92 / LB - Shapeshifters
- Sol Campbell - 90 / CB - Prime Icon Moments
- Kieran Tierney - 94 / CB - Shapeshifters
- Takehiro Tomiyasu - 86 / RB - Future Stars
The squad is lined up in a 4-3-3 to get Hector Bellerin's Shapeshifters card on full chemistry since he was on loan at Real Betis.
Substitutes
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 95 / LW - Shapeshifters
- Freddie Ljungberg - 94 / CAM - FUT Hero Shapeshifters
- Dennis Bergkamp - 93 / CF - Prime Icon Moments
- Nicolas Pepe - 93 / ST - Shapeshifters
- Serge Gnabry - 92 / RM - Team of the Season
- Emile Smith Rowe - 91 / CAM - Future Stars
- Ashley Cole - 90 / LB - Prime Icon Moments
There are other cards to choose from in this squad, but this is the squad we've chosen. Here's a list of honorable mentions for the team:
- Team of the Season Carlos Vela
- End of an Era Cesc Fabregas
- Prime Icon Moments Robert Pires
- Prime Icon Moments Robin Van Persie
As with any theme team, players might feel some inclusions are contentious especially if a player left a club on bad terms either with the team itself or the fan base. There are certainly some of those names in the Arsenal fan base, but there are plenty of options if you choose to exclude some names over others.
Also, keep in mind some cards aren't obtainable anymore if they were previously an SBC or objective that's expired.
This article was originally published on dbltap as FIFA 22 Arsenal Theme Team: Best Possible Starting XI and Substitutes.
