One of the most important qualities a football player can possess is consistency. That makes them a dependable and solid part of teams, one whom their manager can count on. Without that attribute, they can become a liability, with no assurance of regular first-team football. As a result, consistency is an attribute managers value greatly.In football, consistency separates good players from the legendary ones. Many players, such as Ronaldo, Messi, Henry, Ronaldinho, and others, have consistently performed admirably season after season. However, there have been others who have performed exceedingly well at times, but have struggled to replicate those performances consistently.Most players' performance levels fluctuate over a season and their careers. However, the performances of players on this list swing like a pendulum from game to game. On that note, here's a look at top five most inconsistent players in world football right now:#5 James Maddison (Leicester City)Liverpool vs Leicester City - Carabao Cup Quarter FinalThis one might seem contentious, but James Maddison has been inconsistent throughout his career. He was signed by Leicester City for around £20 million in 2018 as a replacement for Riyad Mahrez.He made a blistering start to life in the Premier League, making five goal contributions in his first seven top-flight outings. It quickly made Maddison a favourite among the Foxes' faithful.Fantasy Premier League@OfficialFPLSCOUT: James Maddison (£7.0m) has produced four double-figure hauls in his last seven appearances, blanking just twice. Over that period he’s scored five goals, provided five assists and earned 10 bonus points #FPL #LEIBHA7:20 AM · Jan 23, 2022103950SCOUT: James Maddison (£7.0m) has produced four double-figure hauls in his last seven appearances, blanking just twice. Over that period he’s scored five goals, provided five assists and earned 10 bonus points 📈#FPL #LEIBHA https://t.co/1sgy2TngiaHowever, that excitement quickly dampened. That's because his only contribution in the next five fixtures was a red card against Brighton and Hove Albion. In many respects, Maddison's inconsistency has been a consistent feature of his been stint at Leicester, with his performances fluctuating from brilliant to mediocre.Few players in the Premier League go through such frequent spells of scoring and creating goals followed by extended periods of providing very little. When he is at his best, the Englishman is absolutely brilliant. But those spells are few and far between.The 25-year old went 11 games straight without a goal or an assist at the start of this season. After that, he was in rollicking form, scoring, assisting and winning the man of the match award four times in the space of just seven games.#4 Eric Bailly (Manchester United)Manchester United vs BSC Young Boys: Group F - UEFA Champions LeagueAn inconsistent centre-back is a huge worry for any club, and that is exactly what Eric Bailly is. However, it must be said that he has every attribute required to be a top-class centre-back.After joining the Red Devils in 2016 for a hefty £30 million from Villarreal, Bailly started well. He won the Man of the Match award at the Wembley Stadium on his debut. He even won the club's player of the month award in August 2016.However, in October, Bailly suffered a serious ligament injury. He was just 22 at that time. Now 27, he has been plagued by injury setbacks and inconsistency since then.At his best, the former Espanyol player is easily a top-ten centre-back in the Premier League. He is quick, strong, brave and capable of marking top-class centre-forwards out of a game for the full 90 minutes.He has performed wonderfully on a number of occasions, but the 6' 2" defender has also seemed a liability at times. This season, despite having played a handful of games, Bailly impressed against Young Boys, Atalanta and West Ham United. However, he dropped a stinker against Manchester City earlier this season.