We’re ten games into the 2021/22 Premier League season, so we decided to take a quick look at one player at each of the big six clubs who’s proven a big disappointment so far this term.
Chelsea sit top of the table, fulfilling their pre-season billing as title favourites, but Liverpool and Manchester City are close behind.
Manchester United and Tottenham, meanwhile, are struggling and could both change managers soon, while Arsenal continue to look like something of a work-in-progress, having recently put together a decent run after initially getting off to a dreadful start.
Every club has its flops, however, so here’s our pick for one particularly disappointing player from each of the big six, including two summer signings who already look like big mistakes…
Manchester United – Jadon Sancho
0 goals and 0 assists so far, it’s been a dire start for Jadon Sancho at Manchester United.
The England international looked like a world class talent in his time at Borussia Dortmund, but he’s looked unconfident and out of place at Old Trafford so far, with some doubts emerging over his mentality.
United could really have done with a top wide player coming in and giving them a bit more spark in attack, but it’s looking increasingly like it wasn’t worth the long wait to sign Sancho.
Tottenham – Harry Kane
Just one Premier League goal so far, Harry Kane has looked a shadow of his former self for Tottenham so far this season.
Granted, some of that will be because he has been struggling like many others have been under Nuno Espirito Santo, who has now been sacked.
At the same time, however, some Spurs fans will be worried that they missed their best chance to cash in on Kane this summer, with the England international seemingly losing all motivation to play for the club after that summer saga.
Chelsea – Saul Niguez
Chelsea fans must be baffled by Saul Niguez, who looked a world class talent at Atletico Madrid, but who has made an awful start to life on loan with the Blues.
The Spain international has not featured much yet, but when he has played he’s looked totally off the boil for one so experienced and proven at the highest level.
Thankfully for Chelsea, this was just a loan deal, but it’s certainly disappointing that what could’ve been a smart piece of business has somehow turned into a total waste of everyone’s time.
Manchester City – Raheem Sterling
Once one of the most important players at Man City, Raheem Sterling is now out of favour and not doing much to convince anyone that that’s the wrong decision whenever he does get on the pitch.
The 26-year-old is a top talent and is perhaps just feeling a little harshly overlooked by Pep Guardiola, but there’s also no doubt he could be doing much more to win his manager over.
City fans could really have done with Sterling stepping up following the summer departure of Sergio Aguero, but a January exit perhaps seems the more likely option now.
Arsenal – Nicolas Pepe
What on earth went wrong here? Nicolas Pepe looked a world beater in his time in Ligue 1 with Lille, but he’s had barely any impact at Arsenal.
It’s clear the Ivory Coast international has some quality, but he never seems to be able to produce anything more than little flashes of skill here and there, and fans must be losing patience with him by now.
After 7 Premier League games this season, Pepe has no goals and just one assist for Arsenal. Surely his days at the Emirates Stadium are numbered.
Liverpool – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
There’s not really anyone who’s been *that* bad at Liverpool this season, but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain might be a contender.
The former Arsenal midfielder really needed to kick on this season after an underwhelming few years, and there looked to be more opportunities for him after the departure of Xherdan Shaqiri, who had been Jurgen Klopp’s go-to squad player in that area of the pitch.
Still, the Ox hasn’t really done anything of note when he’s got on the pitch, with a promising career really just wasting away now.