Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Stoke City and Bolton Wanderers all signed players in the summer who have yet to feature regularly. Who are they and can they turn it around?
For some joining a new club becomes their dream move straight away. For others, they are left kicking their heels only to wonder why they joined in the first place. Here are seven players who need to show patience and hard work in training to get their chances…
Sebastian Coates
The Uruguayan defender has barely had a look in since joining Liverpool. Not that it is necessarily his fault, he is behind Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel and Jamie Carragher in the queue for the centre-back positions. When he has got his chances he has looked far from at ease with the pace of the Premier League, see his early showing in the 4-0 defeat to Tottenham for instance. Coates will probably struggle to get any regular first-team action between now and the end of the season, but once he has a full pre-season behind him next season fans should see the best of him.
Yossi Benayoun
Benayoun was one of Arsene Wenger’s August deadline day signings. Benayoun left a Chelsea squad where he was sitting on the bench, to do the same at the Emirates. He has looked bright at times when given opportunities, but Wenger seems reluctant to start him in the big games. Whether this loan deal leads to a permanent one is probably still up for debate, he has not got a future at Chelsea, but equally hasn’t done enough or had the chances to show Arsenal why they should pay a transfer fee to make him permanent. There is still time for him yet, but we think he should look to go somewhere else next season where he can get back to playing regularly.
Park Chu-Young
The Korean has had an even more frustrating time since signing for Arsenal. He knew he wouldn’t be first choice and would have to wait for his chances but he didn’t think his opportunities would be as limited as this. At present he is viewed by fans as a cheap waste of money by Wenger, so he needs to prove them wrong. He may get chances in the coming weeks if Wenger decides to rest van Persie for the Champions League, and if he wants an Arsenal future he will have to take them.
Tuncay Sanli
Most followers of the Premier League will have forgotten that Tuncay is even at Bolton. Once a Champions League star at Fenerbahce, he looked to have escaped his Middlesborough and Stoke nightmares when he signed for Wolfsburg. It didn’t take long for him to miss England, but since being at Bolton he has hardly got a look in, despite the team’s dire form, and will likely be regretting the move.
Lukaku’s signing was a perfectly logical one by Chelsea, snap up one of Europe’s most prolific young strikers, so it seems perplexing that they are so unwilling to play him. Did Abramovich sanction the signing and force him on Villas-Boas? Possibly? The manager is reluctant to use the teenager even despite Fernando Torres’ poor form.
Matthew Upson
The Stoke defender was delighted with his deadline day move from West Ham to the Britannia. Since then it hasn’t really worked out. He has not played a single minute in the Premier League since December 21, with Jonathan Woodgate, Robert Huth and Robert Shawcross all in front of him. A starter and goalscorer at the last World Cup, his chances of an England spot at Euro 2012 seems to be zero.
Iago Falque
The young midfielder was signed on loan by Tottenham in the summer, and they made his move permanent in January. He has featured in their Europa League games, but has not been given any chances in the Premier League. He was signed as a prospect for the future, so his limited chances are not unexpected, but he will hope for more playing time next season.
Do any of these stars deserve a chance now?
image: © wonker
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