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The 2018-19 edition of the Premier League only has a handful of games remaining and there are a plethora of intriguing story-lines developing.
At the moment, Manchester City and Liverpool aren’t giving the other an inch as the pair battle to be crowned champions. A slightly lower rung of the league ladder sees Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham matching each other step for step in a bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Everton, Watford and Wolves too have a mini-league of their own as the trio look to grab the final Europa League spot on offer.
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At the foot of the table, Fulham and Huddersfield Town have already been relegated whereas Cardiff City and Brighton are trying their utmost to not be a part of the drop zone come the 12th of May.
Unsurprisingly, there have been numerous players who’ve led their sides’ charge towards their respective objectives over the course of the season. The names of Virgil Van Dijk, Raheem Sterling and Eden Hazard quickly spring to mind in such a discussion.
However, there have also been certain players across the league’s ‘Big Six’ clubs who haven’t particularly covered themselves in glory and have proven time and again that they just aren’t good enough to don the shirts of their clubs.
Thus, through the lens of this article, we would chalk out a player from each of the Big Six teams who the clubs need to get rid of.
Without further ado, here is a look at them:
#6. Fabian Delph (Manchester City)
The Englishman moved to the blue half of Manchester in the 2015 off-season after enjoying six years at Aston Villa. At the time, Fabian Delph was looked upon as a long-term midfield option for City, one capable of manning the middle third for years to come.
However, a string of injuries and poor form have consigned him to periphery at the Etihad. Though the Englishman played a major chunk of the Cityzens’ title winning 2017-18 season, his other displays haven’t inspired a lot of confidence.
The current term has seen Delph make 11 league appearances where he has contributed a solitary goal. More worryingly though, he has been sent off once in those games while also receiving end a yellow card on one occasion.
The raw numbers do not portray a fine image for the Englishman but arguably, his performances have been much worse.
Whenever he has taken the pitch, he has looked a fish out of water in Pep Guardiola’s system. Though his technical deficiencies have played a part, his lack of awareness on the pitch has been equally alarming.
Son Heung Min’s goal in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie was a perfect example where Delph completely switched off and allowed the Korean to fire home.
Thus, highlighting that the Englishman simply does not boast of the required attributes to establish himself as a vital cog of the City side.
#5. Alberto Moreno (Liverpool)
The Spanish left-back has been on Liverpool’s books since the start of the 2014-15 season. However, he has never delivered on the initial promise he showcased at Sevilla.
Functioning as an attacking full-back, Alberto Moreno has had the odd good game in a Liverpool jersey. Yet, those performances have been far and few in between.
Defensively, the Spaniard has been a disaster waiting to unravel in the Premier League. Over the years, his decision making has been rather questionable while his weird positioning has also irked several of the Anfield faithful.
Thus, it has come as no surprise that he has spectacularly slipped down the pecking order since the emergence of Joe Gomez and a certain Andrew Robertson.
At 26 years of age, Moreno still has time to restart his career and build a decent reputation for himself. However, with time, it has become evident that his second coming has to be away from Merseyside.
#4. Vincent Janssen (Tottenham Hotspur)
Vincent Janssen burst onto the scene as a bright Dutch talent with AZ Alkmaar. Having set the Dutch footballing circuit alight, the forward moved to the riches of the Premier League in the summer of 2016. However, it is fair to say that his time in England hasn’t quite gone to plan.
Ravaged by injuries and dubious displays, Janssen has made a grand total of 28 appearances in the league over three seasons. In 2017-18, he was shipped out to Fenerbache on loan whereas he is yet to play a minute of competitive football for Spurs this term.
Initially regarded as the ideal target man to suit Mauricio Pochettino’s needs, the Dutchman’s wayward ball-controlling abilities were a constant source of frustration for fans. Moreover, his lack of pace was glaringly exposed in the Premier League with him not able to trouble defences by running in behind.
Though he has returned to the Tottenham bench recently, it seems highly unlikely that the forward would play a part between now and the end of the season, despite them struggling with injuries.
Janssen was once regarded as one of the brightest Dutch talents in the Eredivisie. After all, he won the Johan Cruyff Trophy in 2016.
Unfortunately, though, things have gone terribly pear-shaped and if the Dutchman is to rekindle the form of the mid 2010s, he needs to do it away from North London.
#3. Marcos Alonso (Chelsea)
Marcos Alonso arrived on English shores in 2016 from Fiorentina. The Spaniard was one of Antonio Conte’s first signings at the club and he indeed helped propel Chelsea to the Premier League in the 2016-17 season.
However, since that successful run to the title, the left-back has fallen off a cliff. On countless occasions this season, Alonso has been targeted by opposition forwards with the Spaniard being the weakest link in Chelsea’s rear-guard.
Traditionally a wing-back, the former Fiorentina player has found it difficult to adapt to the newer conventional full-back role. The Spaniard’s lack of mobility has played a part too with him not being able to recover after making mistakes.
Though he has popped up with several goal contributions in his time in West London, Alonso is just too circumspect defensively to help Chelsea challenge for top honours.
In the league this term, the left-back’s propensity to roam further up the pitch has left the Stamford Bridge outfit hopelessly short at the back. Inevitably, Mauricio Sarri’s men have suffered on the road against teams swift on the break.
Moreover, the Spaniard looks a misfit in the Italian’s system with the latter primarily relying on quick full backs who can contribute at both ends of the field.
Thus, Chelsea need to start looking elsewhere if they harbour any serious ambitions of reclaiming the title they won in 2017. A failure to do so could land them in a soup each time they come up against the Premier League’s top teams.
#2. Alexis Sanchez (Manchester United)
The Chilean was brought on board by Manchester United in January 2018 amidst much fanfare. The Old Trafford faithful thought that they had snatched a world beater from under Manchester City’s nose and in the process, signalled their aspirations of displacing their ‘noisy neighbours’ from the top.
However, a year on, United have been made to regret their decision while the Cityzens sit in satisfaction, knowing that they’ve dodged a bullet.
In his stint at Old Trafford, Alexis Sanchez has been dreadful. The Chilean has only made the net bulge thrice in the league whereas his meagre tally of six assists has also been pretty abysmal.
Though the raw statistics have painted a bleak picture, his dire displays have been much grimmer.
Many a time, the forward has been thrown on in search of an equalising goal or a match-winner. Yet, he has ended up under-performing massively on each of those occasions.
The feather-like touch Sanchez once possessed seems to have deserted him whereas his pace has also dropped significantly.
Hence, the Chilean has not been able to get into the United starting eleven, let alone influence games on his own.
Moreover, with the forward earning an eye-watering salary every week, the Red Devils need to get him off their books as early as possible.
When he was signed, he was perceived to be the addition that would take the Old Trafford outfit to greater heights. Yet, as the seasons have transpired, he has only conspired to bring everything down.
#1. Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal)
In the summer of 2016, Arsenal was fervently searching for a centre-back to form a long-standing partnership with Laurent Koscielny. Hence, the Gunners proceeded to sign Shkodran Mustafi from Valencia.
For a while, the acquisition seemed a masterstroke as the German embarked on an incredible unbeaten run with the North London outfit. However, as the games have ticked by, the centre-back has been more of a liability than he ever was an asset.
The current season has seen Mustafi put in one atrocious performance after another with his nadir coming against Crystal Palace at the weekend. Unfortunately for him though, such displays haven’t been an anomaly and have rather become the norm.
Gooners would be forgiven to watch games with bated breath every time the centre-back takes the pitch. After all, his errors and decision making are the stuff of legend.
The incredible downward spiral Mustafi is currently enduring has already seen his stock plummet and a failure to cash in on him would leave Arsenal with an unwanted baggage.
Hence, it would make sense for Arsenal to sell him this summer, when he still might find some suitors.
Though the German had to face stiff competition from the likes of Mohammed Elneny and Carl Jenkinson to make our list, his calamitous performances ensured there was only one winner.
Hence, without a shadow of a doubt, Mustafi takes his place at the perch of our list.
