GK - Thomas Strakosha:
The 27-year-old goalkeeper was heavily linked with Manchester United as well as Tottenham and Chelsea in the summer. When Brentford swooped in and signed the free agent, the deal was seen as a coup however it has not gone to plan for the former Lazio number one. He was brought in as competition for David Raya, who suffered a long-term injury last season and has been heavily linked with a move out the door. But, Strakosha has failed to play a single minute in the Premier League and it seems he is already intent on departing the Bees after just five months.
RB - Kevin Mbabu:
Fulham signed the Swiss international for £5.5m in the summer, with the intention to upgrade from Kenny Tete and strengthen their defence. However, the former Wolfsburg full-back has struggled to catch the eye of Marco Silva and instead he has been limited to just 141 minutes of Premier League action. Fulham’s fine form has meant it has been very difficult for Mbabu to find an opening and get into the line-up. It appears that the 27 year old could already been deemed surplus at Cravens Cottage with the club signing Arsenal right-back Cedric Soares this January.
CB - Clement Lenglet:
Okay it was always a risk bringing in a player, who was starved of game time at Barcelona and lacked match fitness. Although, even though he suffered exile under Xavi at Barcelona last season there is still the components of a talented centre-back who just needs re-furbishing. However, at Spurs he has been at the centre of their defensive frailties this season and has looked overwhelmed by the intensity and speed of England’s top division. His comical error against reigning champions Manchester City last week, where he mis-controlled a bouncing ball and gifted a fourth goal just emphasised that his time in North London looks numbered.
CB - Kalidou Koulibaly:
Lauded in Serie A; as a fierce leader and physical wall at the back for Napoli he has looked a shadow of that titan for Chelsea. It appeared a good value deal when Chelsea paid £38m for a recent AFCON winner with Champions League pedigree but he has looked shaky and uncomfortable in possession and reckless in his decision making. His World Cup heroic’s for Senegal proved he is a top-class centre-back, but he appears unsettled in the Premier League. There is still hope for Blues fans, but he needs support and consistency from the entire back-line, before he can start to improve.
LB - Marc Cucurella:
Firstly, this is not Marc Cucurella's fault. If Chelsea had paid in the region of £30-£40m for the versatile full-back no one would be watching him with a magnifying glass, commenting on every mistake he is making. £60m on the Spaniard was a huge overpayment by Chelsea and it showed the naivety of their new owner Todd Boehly. So far, he has looked erratic and unreliable at the back, which has prompted Graham Potter to side-line him. It doesn’t look great when Chelsea are linked with signing 19-year-old Malo Gusto and have been relying on 18-year-old Lewis Hall at left-back while Cucurella is on the bench.
CDM - Kalvin Phillips:
We all knew, that Phillips was not going to immediately de-possess the Premier League’s best defensive midfielder – Rodri- and slot into Pep Guardiola’s side. However, since arriving from Leeds for £52m he has struggled with injuries and appears to be a shadow of the ever-present heartbeat for Leeds they deemed the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’. He has been identified as a long-term successor, but we need to see him more.
CM - Arthur:
Who? This last-minute panic buy, in a bid to resolve their ageing midfield has taught Liverpool a stern lesson… You can’t fix a crack with tissue paper. Granted Jurgen Klopp probably anticipated the Brazilian was going to play a game for Liverpool before they signed him from Juventus, but it has been a car crash. He arrived unfit and lacking sharpness and then, after playing 13 minutes in the Champions League has been injured for over four months. 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic has been a revelation this season in midfield and has seized the opportunity in the absence of Arthur.
CM - Lucas Paqueta:
How can a player have the audacity to samba and shimmy, while starring for Brazil at the World Cup but be a ghost on the field for West Ham. The Hammers splurged a club-record £61m fee on Paqueta who had shined at Lyon and attracted the interest of Arsenal, Barcelona and Manchester United. Yet, at the London stadium he has looked void of creativity and panache, struggling to effect games and repeatedly getting subbed off. There is no denying West Ham have lost their identity this season, but that is no excuse and he needs to start inspiring his teammates on the field.
RW - Antony:
Erik Ten Hag’s blockbuster move, which re-united him with former Ajax star Antony hasn’t been a total success this season. The Brazilian has showcased glimpses of his skillset and talent, but too often he has annoyed fans with his pointless showboating and ability to disappear in big games. There is no doubt, if he is guided by his manager and starts to become more penetrative and direct in games, he can become amazing, but at the moment the jury is out. He would be a more popular figure, if he stopped his weekly habit of trying to pull off a skill and losing the ball in a dangerous position. It is this inexperience and arrogance that he needs to re-direct if he wants to be a success.
LW - Jesse Lingard:
Yes it was a free transfer for Nottingham Forest, but Lingard’s £200,000 a week salary makes his poor form no laughing matter. Football fans hoped his escape from the sidelines at Old Trafford, would bring a return to the joyous Jesse Lingard who was a gamechanger on loan at West Ham. However, he seems to look lost at the moment, as if he is fighting to regain his passion and motivation for the game. No goals or assists in 14 league games, shows Forest’s vision of signing the 30 year old, to inspire the team and bring in quality has not worked out. There is no doubt he is a big influence in the dressing room, but he needs to start delivering on the pitch.
ST - Pierre – Emerick Aubameyang:
Are you surprised? Chelsea really thought they could unlock the inner goal machine of Aubameyang from his Arsenal hay days. What they overlooked, is that Mikel Arteta exiled the 33 year old for his poor attitude and negative influence on the team. So the fusion of a temperamental striker nearing his 34th birthday and a team whose number nine position is a bad omen, brings complete chaos as the result. Aubameyang has looked uninterested and slow upfront for Chelsea and he is quickly falling out of favour under Graham Potter.
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