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It is easier for a professional footballer to improve his game and perform well when they have the support of their fans and get the plaudits from the pundits, but once they lose it and are struggling to make the team, players lose their confidence and then it becomes extremely difficult for them to get back to their best. It is hard, but not impossible. In the past many players who’ve been written off by fans and pundits alike have picked their careers by the scruff and gone on to become very important players in their side.Here are ten such players who have revived their careers this season.Honourable mentions:Ryan Mason (Tottenham Hotspur), Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid) and Javier Pastore (PSG)
#10 Jeremy Menez (AC Milan)
Menez was once a regular in the PSG side as well as the France National team, but last season he was kept as a benchwarmer for much of the season and he eventually left the club on a free transfer.
The 27 year old joined AC Milan for free and has been one of their standout performers this season amidst some very poor performances from his side.
Menez has managed to score 12 times for his club and has also provided 2 assists. His goals have often saved AC Milan from embarrassment and even then his side are only ninth in the table.
The Frenchman was a former Roma player and it will be interesting to see if they will resign him next season once Milan fail to land a European spot.
#9 Ryan Bertrand (Southampton)
Ryan Bertrand has gone on loan to seven different clubs after coming through Chelsea’s academy. He was part of Chelsea’s Champions League and Europa League winning squads and even started the Champions League final in 2012.
Bertrand was deemed surplus to requirements under Jose Mourinho and was hence loaned out to Southampton for the current season.
At Southampton, Bertrand has become one of the best full backs in the league this season with some impressive performances. This led to the Saints signing him permanently in January.
The 25 year old has been a crucial member of the Southampton side who are currently third in the table and have the best defensive record in the league. He has also chipped in with two goals and two assists for his side.
#8 Nani (Sporting CP)
There was a time when Nani’s statistics was better than Cristiano Ronaldo’s was at the same age, but Nani couldn’t replicate his compatriot’s feats with Manchester United and his career went downhill in the last couple of seasons.
The Portuguese was loaned out to his former club Sporting CP for the current season and that has helped the 28 year old in finding his feet again.
He has been decent for Sporting in the league games with three goals and one more in the domestic cup, but he was very impressive in their Champions League games. Nani scored four goals and provided 2 assists in the Champions League despite the club being knocked out to the Europa League.
It will be interesting to see if Nani has a future at Manchester United once his loan spell expires.
#7 Ashley Young (Manchester United)
When Manchester United slumped to their worst Premier League finish last season, many players were heavily criticized despite David Moyes getting sacked. One of the players in the firing line was Ashley Young.
Young was on the top of his form when he joined Manchester United, but he slowly lost his way and he was labeled a liability when he was played. He received heavy criticism for his performances last season and many people wanted to see his back prior to the start of this season.
Despite a huge clearance in the Manchester United squad, Louis Van Gaal retained Young in his squad after the Englishman impressed in the preseason tour.
Young played on the left hand side of the Manchester United team either as left wing back or even as a left-back when the situation demanded it. He has started 11 Premier League games this season and made two further substitute appearances despite sitting out with an injury for a while. His crosses into the box have become troublesome for the opposition once again and his pace on the counter is also helping his side.
#6 Francis Coquelin (Arsenal)
Coquelin was sent on loan to Charlton Athletic by Arsenal in November, but several injuries to Arsenal midfielders forced Arsene Wenger to recall Coquelin. Even then, the 23 year old who was never expected to break his way into the first team after failing to do the same for so many years.
After being recalled, Coquelin featured as a substitute against Newcastle, Liverpool and QPR before starting against West Ham for the last game of 2014.
Coquelin impressed enough to retain his starting place in the Arsenal midfield in the following games and he grew admirers with his performances. The Frenchman showed that he could be the defensive midfielder Arsenal have been missing for a while by doing his job on the pitch.
The game that brought him into the lime light was probably Arsenal’s 2-0 win over City at the Etihad. Coquelin closed down the dangerous David Silva for most of the game and stifled the City attack brilliantly.
Injuries to some of the Arsenal players proved to be a blessing in disguise, otherwise Coquelin may not have featured for Arsenal again and may even have left the club for free at the end of the season.
#5 Stewart Downing (West Ham United)
Prior to the start of the 2013/14 season, Liverpool offloaded winger Stewart Downing to West Ham after the Englishman failed to live up to his reputation at Anfield.
Downing first season at West Ham was not really outstanding, but the former Aston Villa man has thrived in an attacking midfielder role he was given this season.
The 30 year old is now an automatic starter for West Ham and has rewarded his manager for the faith that was shown in him. Downing currently has five goals and seven assists to his name, and his performance is one of the reasons why West Ham find themselves in the top half of the table this season.
Downing’s good run of form didn’t go unnoticed and he was rewarded with an England national team call up earlier this season.
#4 Lucas Leiva (Liverpool)
Lucas was Liverpool’s player of the season back in 2010/11, but an unfortunate injury in the season before Brendan Rodgers’ arrival put the Brazilian on the back foot as he struggled to find the form that made him an outstanding defensive midfielder.
This season, Rodgers preferred to play Steven Gerrard in a holding midfield role and that turned out to be a disaster for Liverpool. After a defeat against Crystal Palace on November 23, Rodgers gave Lucas his first start in the Champions League and later in the Premier League this season.
In fact, after Lucas was put into the starting 11, Liverpool have played 20 games and have lost just two of them. He was an unused substitute in one of those games and it comes as no surprise that it was a defeat for Liverpool.
It is also not surprising that Liverpool’s vastly improved defensive performance coincides with Lucas starting for the Reds. In fact Liverpool have now kept four clean sheets in their last four matches.
The Brazilian excels at dispossessing the opponents and intercepting passes. He is currently one of the most important players in the squad and his injury may prove costly for Liverpool with some tough fixtures coming their way.
#3 Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United)
Marouane Fellaini was another player who took the heat for Manchester United’s poor performances last season.
The Belgian was labeled a flop after a disastrous first season at Old Trafford. He was out with injuries several times and couldn’t manage to score even once for his club in the whole season.
It was rumoured that Fellaini would be sold before the summer transfer window closed, but the towering Belgian stayed and took his chances with both hands when it came.
He was limited to substitute appearances till late October, until he came on as a late substitute against West Brom and scored a goal to salvage a point for his club. He then started the next ten games for United and was instrumental in their good run of wins before having to sit out with injury again.
#2 Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea City)
Sigurdsson’s first taste of Premier League football was with Swansea City back in the second half of the 2011/12 season. The Icelander impressed during his loan spell and later signed for Spurs by turning down a chance to work with Brendan Rodgers again.
Sigurdsson couldn’t hold down a starting place in the Spurs team for long periods and often found himself on the bench. Hence, after two season with the North London club, the Icelander moved back to Swansea and this time on a permanent deal.
The 25 year old has been key to Swansea’s good form this season and has helped them to a strong position in the top half of the table. He has a total of six goals and eight assists to his name this season from just 24 appearances. A move away from Spurs has surely helped him.
#1 Kevin De Bruyne (Wolfsburg)
De Bruyne is another player who Chelsea labeled as not good enough for them, but has improved leaps and bounds after moving from the London club.
The Belgian is currently one of the best attackers in Europe and was also voted as the best attacking midfielder in the Bundesliga ahead of the likes of Thomas Muller, Mario Gotze and Roberto Firminho.
De Bruyne currently has 11 goals and 13 assists to his name in just 26 games and these numbers are simply amazing for any player.
The 23 year old has been in terrific form after the Bundesliga winter break and has scored in all the three games after the German season restarted. He even scored two goals and assisted another as his side beat league toppers Bayern Munich 4-1.
He has certainly come a long way in the last one year after being shown the door by Chelsea in January, 2014, but his performance this season is quite amazing.
