10 crucial players without whom teams have suffered this season

In an ideal situation, all clubs love it when their players are fit and in form throughout the season, but that is never the case in real life. Almost all football clubs have to face the consequences of their players missing out on the action due to injuries or suspension or international commitments, and when the player in question is a crucial member of the team, the effect that has on the results of the side are often catastrophic.So here are ten crucial players of some top European clubs, without whom, the results of their clubs have taken a hit. DISCLAIMER: The views expressed here are that of the author and not of the website.

#10 Ross Barkley - Everton

Everton’s season got off to a horrible start even before the ball was kicked. One of their standout performers from last season was Ross Barkley and he was ruled out for several months with an injury during pre-season.

The Toffees struggled right from the offset of the season and missed the creativity of Barkley up front. The 21-year-old, returned from injury only by mid-October, but such a long spell took its toll on him and he took some time to find his feet again.

Even though he is yet to replicate the form from last season, the England International has slowly improved over the course of the past few months and that has also reflected on Everton’s recent results and performance.

If Barkley finds his best form, he can get players like Romelu Lukaku also firing and help Everton push for a spot higher up the table by the end of the season.

#9 Morgan Schneiderlin - Southampton

Even though Southampton sold many of their key first team players this season, they kept one of their most important players and that was Morgan Schneiderlin. The Frenchman has been in terrific form this season and Southampton have faltered during his absence.

Schneiderlin had to be taken off because of an injury at halftime when Saints were playing Manchester City at home and the game was level at 0-0 going into the break. They conceded three goals in the second half and lost the game.

He missed nearly two weeks of action because of this injury and his side lost all three league games during this period. He was again injured in January and during his absence, Southampton lost against Swansea, drew against West Ham and got knocked out of the FA Cup at home to Crystal Palace.

#8 Hugo Lloris - Tottenham Hotspur

Hugo Lloris hasn’t missed any game this season due to injury and has played all of Tottenham’s Premier League games so far. So why exactly is he in the list? Lloris averages 2.64 saves every game in the Premier League, which is more than the likes of other Premier League goalkeepers like Thibaut Courtois, David De Gea, Joe Hart and Fraser Forster.

The France captain has been vital to Spurs’ brilliant form in recent games, as well as for keeping them afloat during their initial struggles this season, and without Lloris’ heroics; Spurs may have found themselves in a very bad situation.

Spurs have often rested Lloris for cup games to play Michel Vorm and that has come at a price. Vorm was in goal for Tottenham’s fourth round FA Cup game against Leicester City and the Dutchman made a costly error that led to the Foxes’ winning goal. Following this game, Vorm again conceded two more goals against Sheffield United in the semi-final of the Capital One Cup. Spurs still qualified thanks to a brilliant performance from Christian Eriksen on the night.

Vorm’s performance has further highlighted the importance of Hugo Lloris to the Spurs side and it is very likely that Lloris may be in goal for Tottenham’s Capital One Cup final against Chelsea in March.

#7 Laurent Koscielny - Arsenal

Arsenal’s lack of defensive cover hurt them in the first half of the season as they had to play a makeshift defence when the likes of Laurent Koscielny and Mathieu Debuchy were injured. Koscielny is a very important figure at the back for Arsenal, but the Frenchman has missed several games this season due to injuries.

His first injury was during the first week of October and he didn’t return to action till the end of Novemeber. During this period, Arsenal lost two league games and dropped 8 points out of an available 15 and also threw away a three goal lead against Anderlecht in the UEFA Champions League. His return was short-lived as he missed three more weeks of action in December, during which Arsenal dropped five more points in just four league games.

After the 29-year-old returned in late December, Arsenal have gone on a good run of form. They played eight league games during this period and won six of them while keeping three clean sheets and Koscielny has played in all these games, while also scoring two goals.

#6 Daley Blind - Manchester United

This inclusion may surprise some readers, but Blind has been one of the most important players in the Manchester United lineup this season. After his move to the Premier League, Blind has been a sure starter under Louis van Gaal when he is fit and the Dutchman’s versatility made him a valuable asset to the side.

United were going through a defensive and midfield crisis during the initial part of the season and Blind put in shifts in both parts of the field. The team went on a good run despite their problems and the 24-year-old saved his side from the jaws of defeat against West Brom and West Ham.

Blind was injured in mid-November while he was away on International duty. This ruled him out for around two months and during this period United dropped several points against the likes of mid-table clubs like Aston Villa and Stoke City. His absence was also one of the reasons why Wayne Rooney was shifted into the a deeper role in United’s midfield.

#5 Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund)

It is no secret that Borussia Dortmund are having a nightmare this season and their problems were worsened by injuries to several key first team players. One of the most significant absentees from their first team was probably their captain Mats Hummels.

Dortmund have struggled to find the back of the net consistently this season and when you add a defensive failure to it, regular defeats is the end result. The German International has started just 12 games league games and one game each in the Champions League and German Cup this season due to injuries.

With Hummels in the side, Dortmund have conceded 14 goals in 12 league games and without him in the team, they have conceded as many goals in just nine games. The German has single-handedly salvaged many points for his side and saved them from further embarrassment through his defensive contributions.

One of the most important ones was his brilliant headed goal-line clearance against Hoffenheim which ensured Dortmund finished the game with three precious points.

#4 Nemanja Matic - Chelsea

Nemanja Matic’s performances this season have emphasized the importance of a defensive midfielder in the modern day game, with both full backs pushing high up the pitch. The towering Serbian is one of the first names on Jose Mourinho’s team sheet and he is an indispensable and irreplaceable member of the current Chelsea squad. This was in fact clearly visible over the course of the season.

Chelsea have played various players in different positions across the field with good effect, but no one has been able to take the mantle from Matic. The blues enjoyed a very long unbeaten run in all competitions from the start of the season and it extended till early December. But the run was brought to a halt when Chelsea played Newcastle United at St. James’s Park on December 6 and Matic was suspended for that very game.

Similarly when Mourinho gave Matic a rest for the FA Cup game against Bradford City, Chelsea once again lost despite taking a two goal lead. Mourinho has tried playing midfielders like Ramires and Mikel in his position but neither have been as successful as Matic.

#3 Daniel Sturridge - Liverpool

During the summer transfer window, Liverpool lost Luis Suarez to Barcelona and to compound their problems, they lost Daniel Sturridge to a lengthy injury very early in the season. Without the English striker, Liverpool found it hard to replicate the goal scoring form they had in the previous season and the misfiring trio of Mario Balotelli, Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert made Liverpool’s problems worse.

The Reds created plenty of chances with the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling, but they lacked a striker who could make runs off the shoulders of the opposition defenders when a through ball was played.

Sturridge’s last game for Liverpool before his injury was against Tottenham on 31 August and his return for Liverpool was only on 31 January against West Ham, which he celebrated with a goal. During the period when he was unavailable, Liverpool dropped a lot of points in the league, got knocked out of the Champions league and the Capital One Cup.

#2 Luka Modric - Real Madrid

Luka Modric was one of the chief architects behind Real Madrid’s Champions League win last season. The Croatian is a player who doesn’t hog the limelight like some of his teammates, but silently and effectively pulls the strings for his side. Modric was one of the first names on the teamsheet for Ancelotti when he was fit and available, but an unfortunate injury in November while he was away on international duty forced him spend an an extended period of time on the treatment table.

The Croatian is yet to return to action from the injury and it is estimated that he will be only fit to play by mid-March. Real Madrid have missed the 29-year-old since the turn of the New Year and have lost two league games and failed to defend the Copa del Rey by losing to Atletico Madrid over two legs.

Ancelotti has tried various combinations to find a partner for Toni Kroos in midfield, but none of the have worked as effectively like the pair of Modric and Kroos. Modric will most likely miss the Champions League Round of 16 ties against Schalke before he returns and Los Blancos will be hoping that his return will not be too late in the season.

#1 Yaya Toure - Manchester City

The Ivorian was one of the standout performers for the defending Premier League Champions last season. His presence in midfield helps the team in more ways than one because, for Manchester City, having Yaya Toure in the team seems to give them a psychological boost that no other player in the team can provide.

City had a relatively slow start to their current season when Yaya Toure himself was not hitting his peak, but once the 31-year-old started performing to his high standards, the Citizens were on a roll.

Toure’s importance to the team can easily be outlined by looking at City’s results while he was away on international duty at the African Cup of Nations. He left for Africa after playing in City’s 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup on January 4. After that, City played five Premier League games and managed just one win and five points in those games. In addition to giving Chelsea a seven-point lead at the top of the table, City also crashed out of the FA Cup by losing at home to Middlesbrough.

Toure is suspended for the first leg of City’s Champions League tie with Barcelona. Without their talisman, defeating Barcelona will be a Herculean task for them.