5 popular current players who spent more time on the bench than on the pitch

Over the years, we have seen young players coming off the bench to make their debuts or to make an impact on the game. From scoring that crucial away goal to scoring the winner. From getting an assist to disappointing the fans by getting dispossessed. Football is played by a large number of players throughout the globe. If you ask any player who is passionate about playing the sport, he/she will always want to be on the pitch and participate in his team’s game.But there have been several instances when the managers have kept players on the bench for most of the time. A players longs to play in front of his home crowd, or to represent his team at an away ground.Managing a team is a tough job. It can be so tough at times that they can end up destroying the careers of their players. With the level of competition around the countries, being on the bench would also be a dream come true for young aspiring players. But if you are an established player, being on the bench is the last thing you want.Considering all the transfer sagas over the years, team formations, manager-player bondings, player and their team’s performances, we look at the five popular players who had to spend more time warming the bench rather than being on the pitch:

#1 Edin Dzeko at Manchester City

When AS Roma finally managed to land Edin Dzeko from Manchester City this summer, our minds all naturally wandered towards the hordes of goals he would collect for the Giallorossi this season. After all, that's how he made his name with Wolfsburg and City, for whom he has scored a collective 157 goals.

Dzeko has cost Roma around £8m after 72 goals in 189 appearances for City and playing a key role in their two Premier League title-winning sides. The Bosnian-Herzegovina international had started his career on the high in the blue half of Manchester.

In his first four seasons at City, Dzeko was mostly used as a substitute, behind Sergio Aguero in the pecking order. But when City won the title in the 13/14 season, Dzeko was their main man as he scored 26 goals in 48 appearances. But Dzeko failed to deliver throughout the 2014/15 campaign.

The former Wolfsburg striker had scored just six goals in 32 games for Manchester City that season. Coming off the bench is not always the best thing. Supporters had always questioned why manager Manuel Pellegrini continued to play him in the attack when the striker’s performances had been lacklustre on a consistent basis and his showings suggested he was past his peak.

Pellegrini could have played him more and played with Aguero and Dzeko upfront on more occasions. Who knows City might have won more titles. Dzeko would have easily fit as the number one striker in any other team, but City’s standards are high. With Aguero always being the main man, Dzeko was always playing in his shadows.

Season	Appearances	Starts	Goals
2010/11	21	12	6
2011/12	43	15	19
2012/13	45	14	15
2013/14	48	21	26
2014/15	32	7	6

#2 Alvaro Morata at Real Madrid

He is hardly the new kid on the block, but Alvaro Morata is making waves at Juventus, the striker’s success is unlikely to go unnoticed at former club Real Madrid. But he was never the favored man at his previous club. The 21-year-old played just 37 matches for Madrid - 29 of which were off the bench in his four years at the Bernabeu. Morata scored only 10 goals in that duration.

After making his Real Madrid debut as an exuberant 18-year-old under Jose Mourinho four years ago, the young forward was handed few chances for the Spanish giants but never truly gained the trust of Mourinho, or Carlo Ancelotti last season, for a prolonged run in the first team.

Opportunities at the Santiago Bernabeu were few and far between for the forward who emerged through the youth system at Madrid and idolised Raul. With the presence of stalwarts such as Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain, Morata was never given any real opportunities in the first team.

After Higuain's exit in the summer of 2013, Morata could have harboured hopes of getting more opportunities, but never once was he considered as the replacement for Benzema, or a future superstar at Real.

Madrid could have developed a homegrown player in the Spaniard, but he was given little opportunity to prove his worth at the club. He could have continued to evolve in a secondary role behind Karim Benzema at the Bernabeu

Speaking of his last few months in Madrid, Morata told Onda Cero: “I do not understand what happened – I went from playing well to being sat on the bench. I wasn't asking to be in every starting line-up, but I wanted better treatment. I barely had any relationship with Ancelotti. Massimiliano Allegri, for better or worse, is very aware of my presence within the squad.”

But perhaps the biggest compliment thrown the striker’s way is that Madrid, who insisted on a €30 million buy-back clause when he left, have been linked with their former man. Morata is finally shining and there is plenty more to come from the young Spaniard.

Season	Appearances	Starts	Goals
2010/11	2	0	0
2011/12	1	0	0
2012/13	15	3	2
2013/14	34	5	9

#3 Mohamed Salah at Chelsea

Mohamed Salah joined Chelsea, after much speculation about the move, in the January transfer window of 2013/14 season. The Egyptian was bought by Mourinho as a replacement to Frank Lampard and as a back-up to Fabregas and company.

Salah was widely disappointing at Stamford Bridge and infuriated manager Jose Mourinho enough to force the 23-year-old to train away from the first team at the end of last season. After spending most of his time on the bench in his first season at Chelsea, Salah was unimpressed with Mourinho’s team choices.

When he joined Chelsea from Basel, there was anxiety among Chelsea’s supporters as to how the winger would turn out to be. Mourinho barely utilized him in the two seasons he spent at Chelsea, keeping him on the bench for most of the time.

But for both the seasons, Salah was at Chelsea for half seasons (January 2014-May2014 and August 2014-December 2014). He was loaned out as Mourinho thought him to be a surplus to requirements.

Playing on loan at Fiorentina, Salah was impressive as he got his chances. He made a total of 15 appearances for the Italian side, in which he scored 6 goals to his credit. But it wasn’t what Mourinho has wanted from his wingers.

Mourinho could have utilized him well and developed him into a great player. But there are certain players who cannot fit into a Mourinho side, Salah is one of them. Mourinho never saw him as a first team player at the club.

Salah departed the London club having made just 19 appearances in two seasons, scoring two goals. Salah’s permanent departure from Chelsea may not be the end of the trouble the Blues face from the flop winger though, with FIFA having already confirmed they will investigate the players move to Rome.

The Egyptian winger who was sold to AS Roma had a buy-out figure of £16million, providing Chelsea with an impressive £5m profit on the player they bought from Basel two seasons ago.

Season	Appearances	Starts	Goals
2013/14	11	2	2
2014/15	8	1	0

#4 Angel di Maria at Manchester United

Not many would have thought the world would see such a sight of Angel di Maria playing at the Bernabeu as a PSG player. But, for the Argentine, it has been a weird two years. Di Maria's expression at the Bernabeu in the game against his former team marked a sharp contrast to the grimace he wore in his last wearing of a United shirt, when he lasted just 14 minutes at Hull City on the final day of the 2014-15 Premier League season.

Wherever he played, Di Maria's direct running style appeared in marked contrast to the deliberate passing game that Van Gaal prescribed and looked ever more unsuitable as the season drew on.

Both Real and Argentina played on the counter, far better suited to his capabilities, while United's approach lay in the domination of possession. Di Maria's skills were similarly ill-suited to the pace of Robin van Persie, Radamel Falcao and Wayne Rooney, who do not possess the speed of those Galactico teammates.

However, Di Maria was soon placed on United's bench behind a player who had responded royally to the Van Gaal's teachings – Ashley Young. The England international had become a reliable flank player where the Argentine had become flaky. But the flak should go to Van Gaal.

Many pundits have charged the Dutchman of giving his player the cold shoulder once a player stops responding to his entreaties. The same happened to Di Maria, who was placed on the bench whereas the likes of Juan Mata, Fellaini were playing on the pitch. Van Gaal could have played the game according to the strengths of Di Maria and allowed him to settle into the team and the Premier League.

Season	Appearances	Starts	Goals	Assists
2014/15	32	16	4	11

#5 Stevan Jovetic at Manchester City

At the beginning of the 2013/14 season, Jovetic was signed by Manchester City in a deal worth £22 million. However, Jovetic was always struggling with injuries in the two seasons he spent at the club.

The most disappointing aspect of his move to Inter Milan is that he had been unavailable for so long, you can not blame Manuel Pellegrini for not trusting him anymore. His first season with the club was close to a disaster. Whatever he tried, he just couldn't get fit and it meant the campaign was nothing more than stop-start for him.

But when he was fit, the manager never gave him enough game-time to get going in England. There were some highlights as City won the title. But for the most part it was frustrating for the Montenegro lad.

It was hoped that his second campaign would be a fresh start. He had got through preseason and it looked as if his niggles and knocks were behind him. He seemed leaner and more dangerous than ever at the start of the campaign. He was, of course, to suffer injury soon after. He was also dropped from the Champions League season squad in favour of new signing Wilfried Bony, in a decision that he felt “had killed him”.

Unable to prove that he could stay injury-free for long spells and with his frequent desire to try tricks, flicks and long shots when he was on the pitch, it became increasingly obvious that he didn't fit in Manchester. Supporters lost their patience, the manager lost faith.

Despite struggling for game time with City just like Dzeko, Jovetic still had a 159 minutes-per-goal record at the Etihad Stadium. The expectations of the City fans were never fulfilled and 39 appearances and 11 goals later, he left the club with everybody wondering what might have been.

Season	Appearances	Starts	Goals
2013/14	16	1	6
2014/15	23	4	5