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Ian Darke
The Premier League can so easily turn into a boulevard of broken dreams for even major names. For every success story, there is a tale of frustration and disappointment somewhere else.
Here is my team of talented players who have so far underwhelmed and failed to deliver.
It’s perhaps harsh to include a player recovering from a broken leg that he suffered vs. Tottenham Hotspur on Dec. 20. But it’s fair to say that Isak, admittedly short of rhythm and sharpness after going on strike at Newcastle before his late £125 million move to Anfield, had been mostly a shadow of his self even before the injury.
Ironically, his splendid goal at Spurs came a split second before the tackle from Micky van de Ven that has left him on the sidelines until at least March. But given his quality, all this could yet be just a rocky start to an ultimately distinguished Anfield career.
Seen as an elite European striker when he arrived at Old Trafford, the Slovenian has yet to look the part. Two goals in 14 appearances before Christmas represents a meager return, and he might struggle for game time with Ruben Amorim preferring a back-to-form Mason Mount as a floating No. 9.
Signed from Nottingham Forest for £55m as an upgrade on the right wing, Elanga has been slow to settle on Tyneside and needs to up his game. Lacking the end product to go with an Olympian speed, he quickly lost his place in the starting lineup. It is clear Eddie Howe trusts Jacob Murphy more in wide positions.
He has had his moments, but looks like he is a fair way down the pecking order of wingers at Stamford Bridge despite his £52 million transfer fee. The ex-Dortmund youngster has started only four times in the Premier League. Pedro Neto, Alejandro Garnacho and Estêvão are all ahead of him. Gittens probably needs an explosive substitute appearance or two if he’s to change manager Enzo Maresca’s mind.
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Fans of the Toffees love how hard he works and how much he craves to do well, but the evidence of just one goal so far suggests he is not the free-scoring No. 9 that Everton have needed for some time, despite an 11-goal return in LaLiga for Villarreal last season. Barry deserves to flourish, but he has to be more clinical.
James McAtee, midfielder, Nottingham Forest
He’s a player who is pleasing to watch, but has yet to make too many waves at Forest after a £30 million move from Manchester City. With the club’s chief creator Morgan Gibbs-White still in form, it would seem there isn’t room for both playmakers in the starting XI. However, McAtee is gifted, and his time will come.
Signed for £40 million as a long-term replacement for left back Andy Robertson, he has struggled to find the form that made him such a hit at Bournemouth. He found himself cast as a villain in Liverpool’s troubled season, losing his place to Robertson for a while. He has since regained it as Liverpool have picked up some points, and will be keen to prove his bad start was just teething trouble.
His awful form in Wolves’ wretched season has been a major disappointment to the Molineux fans. Having delivered a tidy 14 Premier League goals last season, he has scored just one in 15 appearances this term. A missed penalty against Brentford hardly helped, and there are accusations that he wants out as the club’s situation has become increasingly hopeless, with just two points from their first 18 games.
His talent stood out in a relegated Southampton team last season, prompting the move to Merseyside. But the 19-year-old winger has had a bit-part role at Everton so far, with Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish in such good form in wide positions and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall starring at the No. 10. Dibling has started only one league game and needs to step up with Ndiaye away at the Africa Cup of Nations. Time is on his side.
He appears to have fallen out of favor with manager Pep Guardiola in his debut season at City following a big money move from Wolves. An ankle injury has not helped, but Nico O’Reilly‘s superb form at left back is ultimately blocking his way. Ait-Nouri has to hope he does not become a forgotten figure at City in the way former midfielder Kalvin Phillips did.
Chelsea love to sign youngsters that can have value in future transfers, and Hato fits that bill. He was in the Ajax team playing in the UEFA Europa Conference League when he was only 16 and seen as a big talent who could play both center back or left back. But he hardly gets any playing time at Stamford Bridge and a January loan might be best, though coach Maresca might want him around as defensive cover.
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Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens discuss Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Newcastle, and whether that was because of a formation change by manager Ruben Amorim.
James Trafford, goalkeeper, Manchester City
He thought he was signing for City to be their No. 1 goalkeeper and started the first three games. Unfortunately for him, the world-class Gianluigi Donnarumma became available and he was snapped up from Paris Saint-Germain, leaving Trafford to kick his heels most weeks on the bench in a year when he’d hoped to further his England credentials for next summer’s World Cup squad.
Xavi Simons, midfielder, Tottenham Hotspur
He arrived from RB Leipzig with a big reputation and could have been the ideal Tottenham catalyst in the absence of injured midfielder James Maddison. However, apart from brief cameos like his solo goal against Brentford, he has too often failed to fire or looked too lightweight in the more physical Premier League.
