Every year when a Premier League Season kicks off, fans of every club hope to enter into the new Season on a high. There are certain expectations that they hope will be fulfilled in the coming months. The first and foremost expectation that they carry is to see their favorite player blossom yet again. Most of the times they get their wish as their favorite player continues.
However, there also have been occasions when players were unable to meet the expectations of their faithful.
Here are top 5 Players whose form has crashed mysteriously this Season.
1. Cesc Fabregas
If you take a look at the career of Fabregas, teams like Arsenal, Barcelona, and Chelsea have always enabled the Spaniard to play at the highest level. While he has played with much better teams before like the Arsenal of the early 2000’s or the Barcelona under Pep Guardiola, last Season was the best one for Fabregas on an individual basis.
With 16 assists to his name, Cesc Fabregas was the uncrowned King of the Chelsea side that won the title last Season. Everything he did– be it a 30-yard long pass or a little dummy over the defense that landed right on the spot, was a treat to watch for the Chelsea faithful.
With just 1 assist so far, Cesc Fabregas is one of the main reason for the recent slump in form of Chelsea. His Stamford Bridge career hit a new low when he wasn’t given a starting XI spot against Liverpool. However, looking at his performance in the little cameo, Fabregas still has lot to do if he wants to earn the same heights that were normal for him last Season.
2. Wayne Rooney
Over the years at Manchester United, there were a large number of strikers that were doing the job for the Red Devils. Be it the likes of Dimitar Berbatov or Van Persie, serial goal-scorers were always at the helm at the Old Trafford. However, while these strikers changed after every 2-3 years, Manchester United always had a binding force in their squad: Wayne Rooney.
Though his position in the starting XI was constant, every other thing regarding the Englishman was variable. With his silky touches, overhead kicks and serial goal scoring attitude, Wayne Rooney was that sort of a player who always had something new in his locker for the opposition.
Thus, when they say that every pride hath a fall, Wayne Rooney is currently experiencing the veracity of this statement. With a fading pace, lack of ball control and the deficiency of the killer instinct, Wayne Rooney has already been written off by many pundits.
3. Eden Hazard
From the Eden Hazard of last Season, who always dealt with goals, to the current 24-year old Belgian who looks like a man shot in confidence, it is safe to say that Jose Mourinho was wrong when he compared the Belgian with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Courtesy of his silent attitude that gives nothing away, the jury is still out inspecting the causes of his sudden decline. Eden Hazard was never the Ronaldo or Messi of Premier League with his skills and multi-million brand deals. However, whatever thing that he did on the pitch was enough to earn his face a place on the front page of newspapers.
However, as you might see from his stats now – with just 1 goal in the Premier League, the decline in form of Eden Hazard is turning out as one of the most cryptic mysteries of 2015.
4. Xherdan Shaqiri
Even though there are many players in the history of football whose career went on to a decline, none of them went so early from a European Champion to a mid-table side like Xherdan Shaqiri. Three years from now, he was on the bench of Bayern Munich with a promise of better days and a first team action in the future.
As we’re talking about this Season and the failure of Shaqiri in the Premier League is turning out to be a mystery. Liverpool chased him last Season before he went to Inter Milan, however, unlike many of the players who have rejected the Reds in the last five years, Liverpool should be happy about not having the Swiss at the helm.
His pace was always his plus point, not the physicality that is a part and parcel of the team where he plays currently. Stoke have never boasted of the World’s fastest player, as a reason the decision of one of the fastest player in the business to join them was enough to raise eyebrows.
5. Memphis Depay
Looking at the history of Manchester United and the expensive wingers that they brought on over the years, probably none of them disappointed their crowd as much as the Dutch midfielder.
When Manchester United announced his signing in June, there was a celebration around Old Trafford like they had won a trophy. To be honest with United fans, the resume of Memphis Depay with PSV was enough to arouse such celebration. However, as Depay might have learned the hard way, he needs to perform to keep a demanding Old Trafford crowd on his side.
