With the new TV deals seeing an influx of cash into the Premier League, even the so-called “bottom-feeders” are able to actively compete with the big guns in the transfer market.
It’s, of course, no surprise then that quite a few have come out and spoken against how Premier League clubs seem to be a graveyard for young talent, with them often having to take a step to a lower level or move abroad for any sort opportunity.
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This is mostly a consequence of how clubs seem to hoard talent and throw cash around to buy players just so that they can get a leg up on their competitors; with so much money on the line, they can hardly be blamed for looking for any sort of competitive advantage.
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This has made the Premier League one of the best, most intense and competitive football leagues on the planet with a predetermined winner impossible to predict; as Leicester’s phenomenal run to the title showed us last season.
This also means that quite often, there are players who would genuinely thrive on any other team, wasting away on the bench because they can’t seem to get a chance in a squad already packed with superstars.
Here, let’s take a look at 5 players who do not deserve to be on the bench and deserve to get a chance elsewhere.
#5 Bojan Krkic
Position: Forward/Winger
Age: 26
Team: Stoke City
Big things were expected of Bojan Krkic when he first made his debut for Barcelona. After all, he had usurped Lionel Messi’s record of being the youngest ever player to appear in a league match and also at the time, the youngest ever to make his Champions League debut for Barcelona.
However, a promising career seemed to have stalled with moves to Roma, AC Milan and Ajax hampering his progress.
He seemed to have gained a new lease of life under Mark Hughes after a move to Stoke City and helped the Potters to consecutive 9th place finishes, the highest ever in their history, becoming a key component of the team.
With consistent niggling injuries always a problem, Stoke started the current season with Wales midfielder and Liverpool cult hero Joe Allen in midfield. Allen has been the Potters’ best midfielder by a stretch, already scoring 4 goals for them and constantly dictating play. Allen’s excellent form has seen Bojan unable to reclaim a spot in the starting 11.
The former Barcelona prodigy’s excellent technical ability and playmaking skills could definitely be put to use in any of the league’s teams rather than wasting away on the Stoke bench.
#4 Morgan Schneiderlin
Position: Midfielder
Age: 27
Team: Manchester United
Where did it all go wrong for Morgan Schneiderlin? Once consistently brought up as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, he hardly got a look in under Louis Van Gaal last season. Any hopes for change after Mourinho’s appointment seem to have gone out the window as well, with the French midfielder having played in only 2 Premier League games this season.
With United’s form this season patchy at best, they could have used Schneiderlin’s box-to-box expertise to construct a formidable partnership with world record signing Paul Pogba. But it seems as though his Old Trafford career has ended before it even began with a move to Everton mooted in the January transfer window.
Even though Schneiderlin has regressed since his move to Old Trafford, it’s easy to forget how good he was during his time at Southampton, regularly making it into the French national team.
Shoehorned into an awkward defensive midfield role at Manchester United, it’s no surprise that we haven’t seen the best of him.
One thing that is sure is that he’s definitely too good to be on any bench and hopefully a reunion with former manager Ronald Koeman at Everton can rekindle the spark.
#3 Olivier Giroud
Position: Striker
Age: 30
Team: Arsenal
Giroud is often criticised for lacking pace and slowing down attacks. However, you get the feeling most of what is written about him is hyperbole. For someone who’s ostracised by Arsenal fans for not being capable enough to effectively fill the striker role, he still has scored at the rate of almost 1 in every 2 games for Arsenal.
Not to mention, he’s always been a model professional when benched, never once complaining or lashing out and fighting it out for a spot in the team. Any such player is always a coach’s dream, because they know the player will always give his all out on the pitch.
Case in point, Giroud scored 2 quick fire goals coming off the bench against Sunderland, eradicating any jitters that were prevalent after Sunderland had equalised and set Arsenal’s way on to a comfortable win.
When fit and firing, he offers a focal point to the attack and a different dimension to any team, with Didier Deschamps often trusting him to lead the line for France.
While he does offer an excellent “Plan B” coming off the bench, he would not look amiss starting for any of the clubs in the league, with plenty sure to be interested if Arsenal do decide to sell.
#2 Cesc Fabregas
Position: Midfielder
Age: 29
Team: Chelsea
A player who has won the FIFA World Cup, 2 European Championships, amassed numerous trophies in a stellar club career across Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea and also has many personal accolades to his name has found himself in the ignominious position of being on the bench.
After a dream move to boyhood club Barcelona after some wonderful seasons with Arsenal, Fabregas found it difficult to break into a team consisting of the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro etc. Even though he did win quite a few trophies with the Blaugranas, he was never a consistent starter.
A move to Chelsea saw him rediscover the form made him one of the best playmakers on the planet, leading the assist charts with 18 as the Blues stormed to the 2014/15 title.
A poor 2015/16 season seemed to have drained him of any confidence and now he can’t seem to get a look in under Antonio Conte; with the Italian preferring the physical pairing of N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic in midfield.
He still boasts of excellent technical ability and passing range, showing his worth by scoring 2 goals coming off the bench and assisting Chelsea to a 4-2 over Leicester in the EFL Cup.
Now linked with moves away to PSG and AC Milan, he definitely still has a lot to offer for any of the top clubs on the continent and is too good to be simply sitting on the bench.
#1 Daniel Sturridge
Position: Striker
Age: 26
Club: Liverpool
Daniel Sturridge has always been a sort of an enigma for club and country. His play oscillates from the sublime to the disinterested at the drop of a hat.
This saw him consistently switch clubs at a young age playing for Manchester City, Chelsea and Bolton Wanderers before finally settling in Liverpool where he got to play in his preferred striking role.
This saw him form a devastating strike partnership with Luis Suarez, aptly dubbed ‘the SAS’ as Liverpool’s swashbuckling style and utter disregard for defence saw them fall agonisingly close to the title.
They were expected to kick on the next season with Sturridge leading the line for the Reds in the Premier League as well as the Champions League with Suarez’s departure to Barcelona; he would finally get an opportunity to prove himself as the club’s main man.
However, it was not to be, with constant relapses in injury seeing him play only 26 league games across the 2014/15 and 2015/16 season.
He seemed to finally put all the injury woes behind him in the second half of last season as the Reds vied for the League Cup and Europa League, but was overlooked, with Divock Origi and Roberto Firmino preferred instead.
It’s been a similar situation this season, with Sturridge starting only one league game and linked with moves to Arsenal. A man with his striking ability could easily fit in at any of the world’s top clubs.
