Where there is ability there is inability. Where there is hype there is over hype. The English Premier League is the home to many world class footballers from all corners of the globe.
It is also littered with more garbage than a Mcdonalds’ car park. Here are toggablogga’s 5 most over rated and over paid footballers this season;
4) Samir Nasri – Manchester City
France International Nasri first appeared in the Premier League in 2008 joining Arsenal from boyhood club Marseille. While at Arsenal he produced some scintillating football and scored 18 goals in 86 games for the Gunners. He signed for Manchester City in 2011 for £24m and started off brightly notching up 4 assists on his debut against Tottenham in City’s 5-1 win in 2011. He was a member of the Premier League winning side in 2012 and chipped in with 6 goals in 48 appearances. However the season after the real Samir Nasri started to show itself. Languid and lazy performances topped off by jumping out of the way to allow Robin Van Persie to score a last minute free kick in the derby signalled the start of a poor period for Nasri. Roberto Mancini publicly slating him for his effort in training and influence in the dressing room also contributed to his problems. For all Nasri’s ability his bad attitude seems to be the attribute on which he conducts himself which in all honesty appears to be part and parcel of French footballers. For this reason Nasri makes it onto the list. Must do better Samir!
3) Chris Smalling- Manchester United
23 year old Smalling started his career at Millwall. After 5 years in the Lions academy he was deemed surplus to requirements and released . He was picked up by Maidstone United where he went on to play twelve games scoring one goal. He signed for Middlesbrough from Maidestone originally but went on to cancel his contract as he was concerned about homesickness. In 2008 he went on to sign for Fulham and spent four years there before joining Manchester United in a £12m deal. It appears that his homesickness problems disappear when his salary hits five figures a week. I don’t have anything particularly bad to say about Smalling, i simply don’t see anything in his play. The fact that he is deemed the future of the England set up concerns me and confirms how much the quality of the national team has dropped.
Smalling has no pace, he doesn’t seem to be able to pass further than fifteen yards and he looks terrified on the ball. He possesses good height but stats show he fails to win the ball in 62% of his aerial encounters. I hope for his sake he can address his shortcomings or Middlesbrough may be signing him once more.
2) Jack Wilshere – Arsenal
I apologise to my Arsenal fan followers, but I simply don’t see it? Don’t get me wrong Wilshere Is OK, to make your Premier League debut at sixteen you must have something about you but the whole “New Gazza” hype is nonsense.
The first statistic I’ll throw at you is that in 79 games for Arsenal and Bolton he has managed just two goals. A poor return for an attacking midfielder in a team as attacking as Arsenal. In twenty seven international games from Under-16 to the senior team he has managed just one goal. His assist record is better however somebody dubbed “The new Gazza” needs to have an all round game.
Another reason for my scepticism is his ability to constantly be injured, which is probably the only attribute he shares with Gazza. Calf injuries, groin strains and bruised toes are synonymous with Wilshere and hinder is ability to gain any momentum.
In short, I’m far from impressed and the reliance on players of this calibre for England and for an institution like Arsenal concerns me. “Hit the road jack!”
1) Tom Cleverley – Manchester United
London boy Tom Cleverley has to top the list of most over rated players. How on earth does this boy make it into the Manchester United team let alone the England team? What does he contribute? What does he do? I’ve never known a more pointless footballer be so revered by an England set up. He cannot run, he cannot pass and it appears the only attribute he shares with Paul Scholes, who he is being touted to replace is that he can’t tackle for toffee. His England affiliation can quite clearly can only be explained by the fact he wears a red shirt and plays for United.
After relatively successful loan spells at Watford, Leicester and Wigan, Cleverley has established himself as a regular at Manchester United which based on United’s midfield troubles isn’t too difficult. Opinions from the terraces are divided on Cleverley with most United fans I know not convinced with him. His statistics in the Championship within his loan spells are impressive (big fish in a small pond), but the step up to the Premier league seems to be a step to far. The fact he appears to be the first name on the England team sheet is more than a little worrying and again reflects how the quality of the England set up has dropped in recent years. In Fifty one appearances for United he has bagged four goals and chipped in with eight assists.
All in all, Tom Cleverley makes a better Championship footballer than a Premiership one and is living an extremely charmed life with the champions.
Related articles
- ‘It’s time for Jack Wilshere to deliver’ – an Arsenal fan’s Premier League season preview (standard.co.uk)
- Samir Nasri: ‘I’m more mature now’ (sportsmole.co.uk)
- Nasri: Critics hurt me last season (soccerway.com)
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