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Not everyone is going to make it in the Premier League, even if they’ve got the talent. Diego Forlan is the perfect example of someone who flopped in England and then followed that up by winning the European Golden Boot a few years later and recently won the Golden Ball at the 2010 World Cup. To say that some players ‘just can’t play in England’ is overly simplistic. Success for any player, wherever they play, is determined by a number of factors. The pace and physical demands of the league definitely plays a part but to deny the other issues involved would be ignorance. With that mind let’s take a look at three players who promised so much and have failed to deliver.
John Obi Mikel
Mikel was at the centre of the well-publicised struggle between Manchester United and Chelsea in 2005. With both clubs claiming to have signed the Nigerian Mikel eventually signed for Chelsea but not before appearing at a United press conference with a Manchester United shirt with his name and number on it. He was touted as a new Patrick Vieira, essentially a powerful defensive midfielder with excellent passing ability and capable of going forward. The reality has been rather different. Now Mikel is by no means a bad player. His passing is good and he has been useful to Chelsea. However considering his obvious initial talent he is disappointing to say the least. At first his performances were put down to being young and to adapting to the Premier League. That was over five years ago and he barely seems to have improved.
The defensive side to his game is average at best and he has been limited to just two goals in his entire Chelsea career. His performance against Liverpool in the League recently summed up his time at Chelsea so far: some decent passing and little else to his game. So what’s the problem? You cannot blame the physical element of our league because frankly they don’t come much more physically able than the towering midfielder. He might not have exceptional pace but his strength and stature should more than make up for that. Has he had enough game time? Yes, with Essien’s injury problems making Owen Hargreaves seem relatively healthy Mikel has had plenty of time to stake his claim in the team. He has quality players around him to make his job easier and a decent defence behind him. The problem with Mikel could be that the role he’s being asked to play is too defensive but frankly when has he ever shown that he could be any better in an attacking role.
For me Mikel’s development is starkly reminiscent of Denilson’s at Arsenal. Whilst Mikel might be better than the Brazilian both of their best qualities amount to being able to play the ball ten yards to the side of them to a team mate and little else. Neither can tackle effectively, neither are a genuine attacking threat and neither have a particularly impressive work ethic.
Carlos Vela
People blame Vela’s inconsistency on the physicality of the Premier League but if this was the case then why does Hernandez not struggle? And why is Vela still failing to produce the goods whilst on loan in Spain? People blamed his faults on a lack of playing time; however whilst at West Brom he received a reasonably regular run of games and the same is true of his time at Real Sociedad. Vela is a bit of mystery to Arsenal fans. If Arsenal are 3-0 in the Carling cup and he gets a one-on-one you can be sure that he’ll produce an exquisite finish, any other circumstance however and he seems to struggle.
One definite problem for Vela is the formation he is played in. He is too small to be the central figure in a 4-3-3 and he is ineffective on the wing. Therefore if he’s not playing just off the main striker in a 4-4-2 then he appears lost. The genuine talent of the Mexican is not in doubt. He has exceptional technique and pace and some of his finishing is genuinely superb. However he seems destined never to make it at Arsenal, which is a shame for the fans who for so long have expected great things from him. When he came to Arsenal he had just won the U17 World Cup Golden boot as he helped Mexico to the title, he seemed destined for greatness, but like so many other young starlets in the Premier League he has failed to build on his potential.
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Giovani Dos Santos
Dos Santos’ situation is similar to Vela’s. In Dos Santos’ final game for Barcelona he scored a brilliant hat trick and Spurs fans were rubbing their hands together with glee when Juande Ramos brought him over. However he too has failed to make an impact. Redknapp clearly doesn’t intend to use him and because of the clause in his contract stating that any sale previous to this year would have had to be split with Barcelona Spurs have, as of yet, refused to sell him. Moments like last year’s goal for Mexico against the U.S showed that Dos Santos has what it takes to perform when it really matters. The goal was one of the best of the year and was a vindication of the hype that surrounded him. He, like Vela, perhaps suffers from the tactics employed at his club. He is neither an out-and-out striker nor a wide midfielder like Lennon or Bale. He needs to be playing in a formation like that at Arsenal or Barcelona where less is expected of him defensively.
You still get the feeling that Dos Santos could make it England but perhaps Redknapp simply isn’t the right manager to get the best out of him. His raw talent is obvious enough but the mere fact that Barcelona were willing to let him go perhaps suggests that he doesn’t quite have what it takes to make it at the top level.
The problem with all of these players is that whilst they display considerable talent in certain areas of their game they have too many flaws. Vela and Dos Santos offer very little defensively and that is simply not an option in our league. Everyone must be capable of performing all duties if they are to make it at this level and unfortunately not all will get the chance to show they can do this. What you will say for all of these players is that whilst not all of them have been given enough playing time all have had enough time at the club to prove themselves. So many people say that it is the physical side to our league that players can’t cope with. I disagree, if this were true then how can players such as David Silva, Ashley Young and Samir Nasri be so successful. No it is not the physicality that defines a player’s success but how accomplished there entire style of play is. You get the feeling that the best players in this league such as Rooney or van Persie could play anywhere in midfield or attack (you could probably even play Rooney at full back and he would be decent) yet players like Vela, Dos Santos and Mikel can barely play more than one role. They simply lack the adaptability that such a fast paced league requires.
For more news and stories follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay
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