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One of the most important qualities a football player can possess is consistency. That makes them a dependable and solid part of teams, one whom their manager can count on. Without that attribute, they can become a liability, with no assurance of regular first-team football. As a result, consistency is an attribute managers value greatly.
In football, consistency separates good players from the legendary ones. Many players, such as Ronaldo, Messi, Henry, Ronaldinho, and others, have consistently performed admirably season after season. However, there have been others who have performed exceedingly well at times, but have struggled to replicate those performances consistently.
Most players' performance levels fluctuate over a season and their careers. However, the performances of players on this list swing like a pendulum from game to game. On that note, here's a look at top five most inconsistent players in world football right now:
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#5 James Maddison (Leicester City)
This one might seem contentious, but James Maddison has been inconsistent throughout his career. He was signed by Leicester City for around £20 million in 2018 as a replacement for Riyad Mahrez.
He made a blistering start to life in the Premier League, making five goal contributions in his first seven top-flight outings. It quickly made Maddison a favourite among the Foxes' faithful.
However, that excitement quickly dampened. That's because his only contribution in the next five fixtures was a red card against Brighton and Hove Albion. In many respects, Maddison's inconsistency has been a consistent feature of his been stint at Leicester, with his performances fluctuating from brilliant to mediocre.
Few players in the Premier League go through such frequent spells of scoring and creating goals followed by extended periods of providing very little. When he is at his best, the Englishman is absolutely brilliant. But those spells are few and far between.
The 25-year old went 11 games straight without a goal or an assist at the start of this season. After that, he was in rollicking form, scoring, assisting and winning the man of the match award four times in the space of just seven games.
#4 Eric Bailly (Manchester United)
An inconsistent centre-back is a huge worry for any club, and that is exactly what Eric Bailly is. However, it must be said that he has every attribute required to be a top-class centre-back.
After joining the Red Devils in 2016 for a hefty £30 million from Villarreal, Bailly started well. He won the Man of the Match award at the Wembley Stadium on his debut. He even won the club's player of the month award in August 2016.
However, in October, Bailly suffered a serious ligament injury. He was just 22 at that time. Now 27, he has been plagued by injury setbacks and inconsistency since then.
At his best, the former Espanyol player is easily a top-ten centre-back in the Premier League. He is quick, strong, brave and capable of marking top-class centre-forwards out of a game for the full 90 minutes.
He has performed wonderfully on a number of occasions, but the 6' 2" defender has also seemed a liability at times. This season, despite having played a handful of games, Bailly impressed against Young Boys, Atalanta and West Ham United. However, he dropped a stinker against Manchester City earlier this season.
#3 Marco Asensio (Real Madrid)
There was a lot of excitement surrounding Marco Asensio when he joined Real Madrid from Mallorca in 2015. Still in his teens at the time, Asensio was among the best players in the Segunda division.
Versatile and inventive, Asensio has excellent technique and a wonderful left foot. A Marco Asensio highlight clip is often a joy to watch.
The Spaniard hit double-digit goal tallies in each of his first two seasons in Madrid. However, since then, Asensio has not only failed to push on and become a star man in Madrid, but his performance has also regressed.
Occasionally, he still exhibits his natural ability and dead-eye left foot, which was evident in his hat-trick against Mallorca earlier this season. However, every performance like that tends to be followed by a few insipid ones.
Vinícius Júnior, who not so long ago was being talked about in the same breath as Asensio, is now several notches ahead of the Spaniard, despite being four years his junior. Considering Asensio's inconsistency, it is high time the likes of Brahim Diaz, who is currently on loan at AC Milan, should be given a chance at Madrid.
#2 Nicolas Pepe (Arsenal)
Signed by Arsenal from Lille for £72 million, Pepe was an exceedingly good performer in Ligue 1. The quick attacker, who possesses a wicked left foot, made 33 goal contributions in 37 league games during his final season in France.
He has barely made that many goal contributions across his entire two-and-a-half seasons with the Gunners. Perhaps a one-dimensional player, Pepe is very good on the ball and finding the back of the net while cutting inside on his left foot. Outside of that, there really isn't much more to his game.
His vision and awareness can often be found wanting, and his defensive contributions leave an awful lot to be desired.
Currently, the Ivorian is far too inconsistent and incomplete to even come close to justifying his enormous transfer fee. Although Pepe has made three goal contributions in as many games for his country in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, he is yet to open his account in the Premier League this season.
#1 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
When you watch Paul Pogba at his best, you are left with little doubt that you are witnessing a generational talent and one of the most gifted players in the game. The 6' 3" midfielder can outrun and outmuscle opposition players at will.
Pogba is one of only the very few players capable of turning any game on its head in an instant. While making defence-splitting passes look simple, the 28-year old can glide past many defenders at the same time.
However, inconsistency has been an issue with the Manchester United midfielder during his stint at Old Trafford. He can score two goals or make three assists in 30 minutes. Quite frustratingly, he can make that many goal contributions across an entire season.
The French international began his 2021-22 campaign in emphatic fashion, bagging seven assists in his first four starts. However, since then, he failed to make a single goal contribution for the next two months before getting sidelined due to a calf injury.
The former Juventus playmaker is expected to return to action after the winter break.
