6 footballers who are in their team based on reputation more than form

Building a formidable reputation in football takes time. In a field where superstars are the life and soul of the modern day game, standing out from the crowd is a notorious challenge to achieve, but getting to the top is generally the goal for most driven football stars.Maintaining and adding to that hard-fought status is an equally testing endeavour and it is not one to be ignored lightly. When footballers take their foot off the gas on purpose it is not always easy to win the fans over once again. Similarly, even when they slump inexplicably it can be difficult to defend them when the streak goes on and on.Every season, there are top professionals who fail to shine as they should. Can reputation really keep someone in a team?

#1 Robin van Persie - Fenerbahce

Fireworks and chanting, adoring fans greeted his arrival in Istanbul to join up with Turkish giants Fenerbahce. It was to be the start of a new era for the former Arsenal and Manchester United legend, but things haven’t gone according to plan for the 32-year-old striker.

In all, the Dutch star has made 13 club appearances in this season’s Super Lig, but he has only managed to pocket a handful of league goals and is well off the pace at the summit of the top goalscorers’ chart. It is safe to say his best days are behind him, but it has been strange to see such a turbulent period engulf his career.

The striker was booed off the pitch by his own fans back in September during their 3-1 defeat to Molde in the UEFA Europa League and he has made no secret of his unhappiness in recent months.

A thigh injury ruled him out of their 1-1 draw with Celtic in Europe, but it is safe to assume he will be reinstated to the team as soon as he recovers. Whether he deserves his place or not, is another story.

#2 Fernando Torres - Atletico Madrid

Torres is desperate to win a La Liga winners’ medal with his boyhood club Atletico Madrid. But it is not going to be an easy task in one of the best leagues around, despite the fact that they are competing tenaciously close to the summit.

A few seasons ago Fernando Torres was one of the most feared strikers in Europe. Now he is failing to do anything of note for Diego Simeone’s team. In his most recent five appearances for the club, El Nino has failed to rattle the net once, a trend that has seen him go 14 matches without scoring a goal.

The fact of the matter is that he is no longer the type of player who used to terrorise defences with some supreme dribbling skills, phenomenal bursts of pace and terrifyingly accurate shooting. The Liverpool prototype who notched up 65 league goals in 102 appearances has well and truly faded from view.

So, why is he still getting in the team?

#3 Yaya Toure

Yaya Toure Manchester City — Toure scored 30 goals in the last two seasons in the league. He has only scored just twice this season.

To say Manchester City have been inconsistent so far this season would be a tremendous understatement. Of course, the Citizens are not the only club engaging in a stop-start campaign but Yaya Toure has been central to their lack of a motor and he has been a long distance away from the type of performances that once commanded the applause of every fan in the stadium.

It would be unfair to land the criticism solely at the Ivory Coast international’s feet, but he must shoulder some of the blame. With his sights set, far too optimistically, on a questionable quadruple, the 32-year-old has to become the engine of his club once again. Otherwise they don’t stand a chance.

He has not been scoring or assisting with the confident regularity some City fans expect and that has added fuel to the fire of criticism. A heel injury has been offered by some as a reason behind his lack of bite but with the central midfielder pushing on in years, it is easy to imagine why the fact he has shied away from powerhouse displays has been because he is simply edged too far beyond his best days.

It happens to the best of the best. Will he defy the odds and prove his doubters wrong?

#4 James Rodriguez - Real Madrid

Rafael Benitez may have pulled the wool over some spectators’ eyes with their massive 8-0 victory over Malmo FF in the Champions League, but Real Madrid remain far from the well-oiled machine they should be. Their bitter rivals Barcelona continue to pulse along with a sharp tempo and it is not going to be easy to catch them when all the Blancos cogs aren’t chugging along as they should be.

James Rodriguez joined the Spanish capital hoping to translate his spectacular World Cup form from 2014 which saw him almost bag the best player gong. But despite a decent 2014/15 campaign, he has failed to hit the same highs this term and has struggled to make an impact on several key games.

It is always tough to maintain such high form at a club, but the Bernabeu amphitheatre has always been a notoriously tricky place to shine consistently. At present, Rodriguez isn’t cutting the mustard but Benitez is persisting with him, probably because he is confident he will pick up soon.

How else could one possibly explain why Benitez would say he had a “sensational game” during their 4-0 defeat to Barcelona after having played so poorly? It wasn’t his lowest ebb either as he has failed to sparkle consistently since then.

#5 Cesc Fabregas - Chelsea

To be honest, any number of Chelsea players could have made the list, but for parity’s sake, we have only included one. Cesc Fabregas is more than deserving of his spot due to a string of underwhelming performances.

Having plied his trade with Arsenal and Barcelona, most notably winning the FA Cup and La Liga along the way, Fabregas is a highly accomplished player and arguably the most creative midfielder the Premier League has ever seen. His terrific resume speaks for itself so it is all the more surprising to see him flunk out so spectacularly.

Jose Mourinho has spoken out about a few players who have underperformed this season and ”Fab” is one of them, often clearly struggling to cope in a double-pivot system alongside Nemanja Matic that has looked over-worked and unschooled.

Dropping the unusually poor Spaniard, or at least rotating him more regularly, is something the “Special One” should certainly look at doing soon because it is insanity to think that the Pensioners can improve upon their results by continuing to trundle out the same players from week to week.

His reputation counts for little when he is underwhelming on the pitch and the downward spiral is not showing any sign of slowing down.

#6 Wayne Rooney - Manchester United

It is difficult to fathom precisely why Wayne Rooney has been deemed good enough to get into the Manchester United starting XI so often this season. Devoid of the same pizzazz and class that helped make him such a household name for years, the England international looks a poor imitation of the Red Devil legend who once scored goals for fun.

Currently sidelined due to injury, Louis van Gaal has been forced to do without him recently, but it is probable that the 30-year-old will make a direct return to the first team when he is deemed fit enough to do so.

It would be too much of a strain to drop one of United’s most famous sons (largely for commercial reasons) even for Van Gaal who has a reputation for not letting big name players get in the way of his more austere plans.

For now, the former Everton attacker will have to bide his time on the sidelines, but he will need to show some rejuvenation, spirit and goal-scoring threat on his return. Otherwise he might not continue to make the team – or even the squad.