Top 5: Underachieving players in the Premier League

Top 5: Underachieving players in the Premier League

Looking over his shoulder...Nani knows his place is no longer guaranteed.

Nani- Nani, a player with incredible footballing talent can indeed have flashes of pure brilliance, but most of the time he leaves me bitterly disappointed. It is easy to understand why he has become a love him or hate him kind of figure. You would think having been in the company of Ryan Giggs for a number of years now would have taught him a thing or two about teamwork and unselfishness. It hasn't. Unsurprisingly on the bench for the game against Southampton on Sunday, after a sluggish start to the season, he came on mid way through the second half and was highly ineffective. And yet he provided the assist for the crucial match winning goal, a well taken corner at the perfect high for Van Persie. So he can do it, but we all know he can. Nani just does not do it nearly enough. Valencia is far more consistent hence his selection on Sunday and Kawaga seems to have gone above Nani in the pecking order too. I still believe he can develop his game and become a regular for United but he must address his lack of desire when the chips are down and improve his decision making drastically. As of yet he has underachieved in his United career, which is all the more frustrating considering the players he has benefited from having around him.

Suarez- A controversial choice perhaps but only 16 goals in 47 games for a player of his quality is poor, especially as three of the 16 came in a hat trick against Norwich. His dogged determination cannot be faulted, though it is turning out to be a setback too. Suarez is too often caught up in futile arguments with referees or opponents when he feels aggrieved by decisions against his team. He is constantly booked, a bad trait in any striker, which takes the focus away from the positives of his game. Brendan Rodgers must work hard to tame him and find a way of getting more goals out of Suarez, as Liverpool are limited upfront. Liverpool need him to lead the line but for one so talented he is wasteful. I sat and watched chance after chance go by against West Bromwich Albion and struggled to believe this was the lethal striker who turns up for Uruguay nine times out of ten. It really is just a case of adding more goals to his game, if he can do this the rest will follow. A more relaxed and satisfied Suarez is, naturally, a happier Suarez and it is no surprise that when things are going his way he keeps himself calm, whilst infuriating the opposition. Often to the point where a defender makes a rash decision. His freekick against Man City was top drawer and it gets better the more you watch it.     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhg499zG1iM

Gervinho- His former Lille compatriots have florished since arriving in the Premier League but Gervinho never really got started last season. He will know that this season there must be an improvement otherwise Wenger may well get shot of him. What was apparent in his encounters last term was a clear lack of strength and aggression, he seemed incapable of adapting to the physicality of the division. He's not the first player to have such a problem and wont be the last and presumably Wenger will have addressed the issue pre season. He's shown he can already, take Henry, Nasri and Overmars, lightweight players transformed into men within a few seasons. And though many Arsenal fans fear a lack of impetus this season, if Gervinho can find his feet they will soon forget his slow start. 7 assists last season is not bad at all and it must be noted that his season was interrupted by the African Cup of Nations. Given the chance Gervinho can shine this season, his pace and dribbling skills are among the best in the League if you watch him on a frequent basis, all he needs to do is convert more chances and continue to provide. Cutting in from wide he is very dangerous in the box and will win penalties for Arsenal this season no doubt about it. The only worry is that the arrival of Cazorla and presence of Chamberlain and Walcott could see him resigned to a bench role.

James Milner- Somewhere along the line the exciting prospect that is James Milner was dosed with a little too much of Roberto Mancini's Italian negativity. Whilst others blossomed in the fluent football that saw City surge to the title, Milner has appeared to go backwards. He has not progressed into the player he promised at Aston Villa, epitomised by the frustrated reaction of many England fans upon his selection at Euro 2012. A reliable work horse, Mancini relies on Milner as Ferguson did Park Ji Sung for the big games. He will put a shift in wherever he is told to play. However he is wasted as a holding midfielder or defence minded wide man and one has to question if City was the right move for him. Goals are few and far between and compared to his days at Villa his body language suggests he is not entirely happy at City. Adam Johnson realised that City was not the ideal place to further his career or help his England chances. Milner may soon feel the same way. If so he should seek a move away and find a manager who encourages the style of play he distinguished for himself at Villa and one which will give him regular game time. The clip below displays the sort of goal he is capable of, but maybe doesn't have the confidence to take on in a City shirt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tn_IiT37V4


Wright Phillips- Shaun Wright Phillips is very much a forgotten man. Consigned to the bench at Chelsea and Man City a move to QPR should have promised a return to form. It hasn't quite turned out that way. Though he does have respectable competition from the likes of Hoilett, Taraabt and Park a player with his pace should be able to hold down a spot on the wing. One can sense that Wright Phillips has never quite recovered from the battering his reputation took at Chelsea and City. An alarming stat also shows that from joining Chelsea in 2005 up to the present he has scored just 13 goals. But there have been a number of performances over the years where he has been near unplayable. A well liked face within football hopefully he can rediscover his touch, it would be a major plus for QPR who need their wingers to step up and provide for Zamora. Otherwise it's not out of the question that Shaun Wright Phllips could end up playing Championship football against his brother Bradley.

There were some prime candidates for inclusion in my list who have upped their game at the beginning of this new season. Abou Diaby's fitness and form could not have returned at a better time, already looking to have plugged the gap left by Alex Song. He has looked extremely confident and classy so far this season but his consistency has always been questioned, this is a defining season for him. Another dominant midfielder is Marouane Felliani. A class act, the big man has moved up a gear this season, a potential match winner within Everton's ranks. Samir Nasri has also established the form which made his sought after at Arsenal. With Silva somewhat subdued Nasri has taken the mantle of play maker and made it his own this season.

Do you agree with the list? Who else do you think should be included?