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#3 James Rodriguez | Everton
James Rodriguez, for me, is a puzzle. Do I like what he does and the way he can play? Of course. He's got a majestic left foot and is capable of producing sumptuous passes, while he has also shown that he can get his name on the scoresheet.
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His attitude, on the other hand, tends to irk Everton fans at times. James has pretty much declared himself untouchable and wants a free kick every time someone gets close to him - that's not something that will help him, least of all with fans back at stadiums. When I go to Goodison Park, I sit at the lower gantry and I can hear everything that's said by the home faithful. I've spoken to a few season ticket holders at the club and they all think James needs to roll up his sleeves and stay on his feet!
If he wants to make an impression in the Premier League, it's down to him more than Rafa Benitez. That said, it'll be interesting to see if Rafa fancies him, as he likes grafters who don't shy away from the physical side of the game. Carlo Ancelotti signed James at Everton - having also worked with him at Real Madrid - but he's gone now. I don't mean to be overly critical, but having watched James over the years, I just get the feeling that he frustrates more than he thrills.
He needs to toughen up and brace himself for the rigors of a league that offers less sympathy now when contact is made, as the laws have changed again! James has the talent to be a success in the Premier League, but I just hope he can change his mentality and show the graft the Evertonians want to see.
#2 Jesse Lingard | Manchester United
I was at Old Trafford for Manchester United vs Leeds United on the opening weekend of the Premier League and I had a conversation with Jim Proudfoot about Jesse Lingard. He would've seen the squad on the night and thought to himself, "How am I going to get regular game time here?"
With the arrival of Jadon Sancho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could see Lingard as surplus to requirements and allow him to leave before the transfer deadline. In terms of reviving his career, he's partially done it already after his sensational loan spell with West Ham United in the second half of the 2020-21 Premier League season.
David Moyes would be crazy not to sign him because he has the extra burden of the UEFA Europa League this season, so West Ham need quality as well as quantity in the team. It's going to be a much tougher campaign than what was the case last season and it goes without saying that there is a place for Lingard in the team. He made a massive impact with nine goals in 16 appearances last season and has a freestyle sort of an attacking game that is really instinctive.
He's had mental health issues in the past, but he looked like a happy character at West Ham. It may not be Roy Keane's cup of tea, but he loves his goal celebrations and dance moves - in Jesse Lingard's world, it all works! He has already relaunched his career, but the job is only half done. He had a sensational loan spell at West Ham, but that doesn't mean he'll necessarily hit those heights again he were to go there again.
Ahead of Euro 2020, he was not even in the picture for England, but credit to him for climbing up the ladder once again. Lingard's desire and inner determination has been commendable to say the least and I hope he can regrow his career and be a happy chap once again.
#1 Dele Alli | Tottenham Hotspur
When Dele Alli initially burst onto the Premier League scene, he won successive PFA Young Player of the Year awards and was also named in the Team of the Season twice - which is really as good as it gets. Steven Gerrard was his hero and he almost joined Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers, but Tottenham Hotspur snapped him up from MK Dons and he looked like he could do nothing wrong in his first two seasons at the club.
I was asked a few years ago what midfield role he was best at - a deeper or a more attacking role - and my answer was that he could do both really well. You don't have to fill an exact slot in the team - some players can rise above that and do both those things to become valuable assets. Alli's profile was really interesting when he moved to the Premier League and what I liked was his consistency, but all that began to change with time.
In my early days at Liverpool, I felt like I could do nothing wrong as a young player coming onto the scene. However, bit by bit, it began to go slightly backward after I was given more responsibility, which was an occupational hazard. Usually, players who experience this tend to strike back and Alli certainly has it in him to re-establish himself as a key player in the Premier League.
He signed a long-term contract under Mauricio Pochettino, but the real problem began when the Argentine was replaced by Jose Mourinho at the helm. Alli has always been an accomplished finisher for a midfielder and was very good at getting into the box. Despite his versatility, Mourinho saw him as an attacking player - a second striker, more specifically - but it never quite worked out.
I watched the All or Nothing documentary and there was friction between the pair. Since then, Alli has lost his place in the England squad and has fallen off the map in terms of profile - it's all gone very quiet for him. Under Nuno Espirito Santo, though, I can see him getting his game back to make his presence felt in the Premier League once again.
Also Read: David James column - Ranking the 5 favorites for the European Golden Boot this season (2021-22)
