Top 5 players that can change the fortunes of their clubs in the EPL

Every Premier League season sees new contenders for the title and the top four spots, and it is the players that make all the difference. There are players in each club, who are capable of affecting the game just through their presence.

In this article, my focus is to single out those players, who can change, and are changing their club’s fortunes, and are making their clubs fight for a better future. Here is the list of my Top Five players, who, I think, deserve appreciation for what they have done so far.

5th Spot: Steven Fletcher

Team: Sunderland

Age: 25

Position: Forward

SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 29: Sunderland player Steven Fletcher in action during the Barclays Premier League game between Sunderland and Wigan Athletic at Stadium of Light.

Sunderland’s crisis for a solid first choice striker finally came to an end, after manager Martin O’Neill signed Steven Fletcher from relegated Wolverhampton for an approximate £12 million fee. Fletcher had done a great deal of work for Wolves, but now was his time to prove himself at Sunderland.

Steven Fletcher is a clinical finisher and a great header of the ball: a rare combination every striker dreams of. Although he does not possess great speed or stamina, he is not afraid to go for goal from distance. He is totally worth the money spent, and his his stats say it all, as in just five appearances, he has scored as many goals. Fletcher has a hunger for goal and is a technically gifted player who doesn’t try doing anything fancy and just loves scoring.

Manager Martin O’Neil doesn’t regret signing him. Although Fletcher is new to the team, he has settled in very quickly. We can still see more of him, as the League still has a long way to go.

4th Spot: Nuri Sahin

Team: Liverpool

Age: 24

Position: Midfielder

NORWICH, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 29: Nuri Sahin of Liverpool celebrates his goal with team mate Luis Suarez during the Barclays Premier League match between Norwich City and Liverpool, at Carrow Road.

Everyone knows the present condition of Liverpool in the League. New manager Brendan Rogers is trying his best to bring in new talents to compete in the fight for one of the top four spots in the League. Nuri Sahin is one of those talents, having signed on loan from Real Madrid in the last stages of the transfer window.

Nuri Sahin has been impressive at Real Madrid, he is known for his terrific ball control, great shooting accuracy and power. His only drawback is his speed. He is a left footer and a natural play maker, which made him the right choice for Liverpool, as they didn’t have enough depth in midfield. Sahin is a regular starter for Liverpool, and has given superb performances since arriving at Merseyside, scoring three goals and providing four assists in just five starts in all competitions.

Sahin is a classical player that believes in simple but effective game play. I think he is the type of player that can improve Liverpool’s present situation. Brendan Rogers should move for a permanent deal.

3rd Spot: Santiago Cazorla Gonzalez

Team: Arsenal

Age: 27

Position: Attacking Midfielder

LONDON, ENGLAND – Mark Noble of West Ham during the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Arsenal at the Boleyn Ground.

Cazorla arrived at Arsenal from Malaga this summer. After the departure of Robin van Persie, the Gunners needed some key players, and Cazorla perfectly fills that void.

Cazorla is known to be one of the most consistent players in the world, something that will greatly benefit Arsenal. He is also a complete footballer, with great dribbling abilities. He passes with ease and is a specialist at free kicks. His control and movement with the ball is an eye catcher, his ability to change pace is a nightmare to any defender, and he has the insight to unlock any defence.

His versatility allows him to play any position in midfield, so there’s always a place for him in the team.

Cazorla has been phenomenal since he put on an Arsenal shirt. Not only has he scored two goals and provided two assists in seven games, he is capable of controlling his side’s play. Cazorla clicks very will with his new partner Lukas Podolski, another great player, and together, they are helping Arsenal move towards its objectives.

We’re going to enjoy seeing Cazorla throughout this season.

2nd Spot: Robin Van Persie

Team: Manchester United

Age: 29

Position: Striker

CLUJ-NAPOCA, ROMANIA – OCTOBER 02: Robin van Persie of Manchester United thanks the support after the UEFA Champions League Group H match between CFR 1907 Cluj and Manchester United at the Constantin Radulescu Stadium.

Robin Van Persie had an exceptional last season with Arsenal. He was the leading goal scorer in the English Premier League, with 37 goals, followed by Wayne Rooney. This season, RVP has joined forces with Rooney in the Manchester United squad. Sir Alex Ferguson signed van Persie to improve the strength of his strike forces, as he aims to excel in all competitions, including the Champions League.

Robin van Persie is an excellent striker. His shot conversion ratio is phenomenal, he is intelligent and technically very strong. In just 7 starts, he has found the net seven times and assisted two more in all competitions.

Although he is a fine finisher, he lacks heading accuracy.

1st Spot: Eden Hazard

Team: Chelsea

Age: 21

Position: Midfielder

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 06: Eden Hazard of Chelsea in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Norwich City at Stamford Bridge .

Chelsea, after winning the Champions League last season, are aiming for a second, and it doesn’t look that hard to achieve, with all the new talent they have signed this year. Eden Hazard is one of them, and he has been extremely effective for the Blues. His style of play is vibrant, he is a team player, and adapts to the situation of the team. His vision is brilliant, and with all his through balls and powerful shots, he is a nightmare for defenders.

When I watch Eden play, I find him classy. He is always good to watch, and has a habit of always coming up with something new always, this makes him unpredictable to defenders, his speed is matchless, and his electrifying moves and decent ball control make him a complete players. He is one of the best players in Chelsea’s squad.

Considering his young age, if the manager is able to retain him, Chelsea will have a great legend playing for them.

Notable Mentions:

Choosing five of the best among such fabulous players is like questioning their abilities. There are always some good players, who are not good enough in some way or the other, so here they are.

1) Name: Nathan Dyer

Team: Swansea City

Age: 24

Position: Winger

SWANSEA, WALES – AUGUST 25: Nathan Dyer of Swansea in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Swansea City and West Ham United at the Liberty Stadium.

Nathan Dyer, to me, is the fastest player in the English Premier League. I’m a big fan of his speed. Not only does he possess flair, he can run defenders ragged with his dribbling. Adding to his speed and dribblingis is his stamina and superb work rate. One moment you see him attacking, and the next moment, he is helping out his defenders. This season, he has scored two goals and assisted two more.

Nathan, though, is one of the shortest players in the EPL, lacks strength, and is sometimes sloppy with his passes.

2) Name: Julio Cesar

Team: QPR

Age: 33

Position: Goalkeeper

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 23: GoalkeeperJulio Cesar of QPR looks on during the Barclays Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers at White Hart Lane.

Who doesn’t know Julio Cesar, one of the best goalkeepers in the world? QPR were very lucky to sign him from Internazionale, as he is a legendary goalkeeper with dynamic reflexes and jaw dropping dives. He hasn’t had a great run with QPR, because of absence of support from his team mates, but he has still managed to keep one clean sheet. His team’s overall performances means he does not make it into the top five.

3) Name: Mario Balotelli

Team: Manchester City

Age: 22

Position: Striker

FLORENCE, ITALY – OCTOBER 10: Head coach Cesare Prandelli and Mario Balotelli (R) of Italy during a training session ahead of their FIFA World Cup qualifier against Armenia at Coverciano.

Many of you know his style of playing and for those of you who don’t, he is a confident footballer, and is known for his powerful shots, aggression, strength, and his quality finishing, as was seen at Euro 2012. The only drawback is his short temperament, which hits him hard, taking away his full potential.