Ten premiership players who have fallen of the radar this season

Mohamed Salah: Could be heading for Chelsea exit ...
Most players head into a new season full of optimism, but things can decline rapidly. Here are 10 PL players that have sunk without trace...

10) Kyle Bartley (Swansea City)


Kyle Bartley had just turned 21 when he left the Emirates in August 2012, Swansea buying a player that had never appeared in Arsenal's first team. "It was the toughest decision of my life, but it is a permanent deal. And I'm now raring to go with Swansea," the defender said on Twitter.

Since then, Bartley has played 327 minutes of Premier League football, loaned to Championship Birmingham last season. Weirdly, despite being largely unwanted at the Liberty Stadium, Garry Monk handed Bartley a three-year contract extension in July.

"It's brilliant for me because it's a show of faith from the club and manager, and this season I really want to repay them for that by playing games and doing myself and the club proud," said Bartley. He'll need to play first.

9) Arouna Kone (Everton)


It must go down as one of the most unsuccessful transfers in recent Premier League history: Kone has played just 81 minutes since joining Everton 18 months ago. The striker joined Roberto Martinez in swapping the DW Stadium for Goodison Park, but has suffered one injury setback after another. Patience must now be wearing thin.

"It's going to mean an awful lot to me to wear that shirt next season because I've not yet written any history," Kone said in July. "I've not made my mark on Everton or created my own chapter of the story that is this club."

It's not going well. The £6million signing might never get the chance to prove his worth, and he's now 31.

8) Wilson Palacios (Stoke City)


Palacios manages to boast one of the most impressive statistics in English football: Since April 2012, he has made just ten starts in all competitions of club football, and yet in that time has 17 starts for his country. Amazingly, that includes two in the 2014 World Cup against France and Switzerland, despite starting just three games for Stoke in the whole of this calendar year.

Still just 30, Palacios has not even been on the bench for Stoke this season. The Daily Telegraph recently claimed that he will be moved on in January, with the club not expecting to raise any fee. A reminder that this is a player who Stoke paid £6m for (and Spurs £12m).

7) Matt Jarvis (West Ham)


You may think that Andy Carroll is the biggest loser in West Ham's new aesthetic groove, but that's probably only because you forgot all about Matt Jarvis. The winger has played five minutes in the Premier League this season.

It's not solely down to a change of East End ethos. Jarvis has been injured for parts of this campaign, but it's now difficult to see where he fits in Sam Allardyce's entertainers. One season after being signed for £12m, Jarvis may have to move to gain regular action. He's an England international, remember.

6) Vlad Chiriches (Tottenham)


"Right now I can't say that I am very happy at the club because I am not in the team. It's hard for me but I think I can improve my game and I can play."

Those were the midweek words of Vlad Chiriches, bemoaning his lack of first-team football at Spurs - he's not started a league game since September.

The problem for Chiriches is that Spurs aren't exactly watertight in defence, which must surely raise questions regarding the Romanian's own standards. The sad conclusion is that if you can't get into this Spurs back line after being bought for £8m, you probably need to have a look in the mirror.

5) Darren Bent (Aston Villa)


Darren Bent is only 20 months older than Wayne Rooney, and yet no Premier League striker can surely have suffered from such a sharp decline in fortunes. Since turning 29 in February 2013, Bent has started one Premier League game for Aston Villa, the final day of the 2012/13 season.

It seems utterly absurd that Villa have still not managed to shift the striker orat least given him a chance to start matches. This is a club with 13 goals in their last 21 league games and eight away goals in the whole of 2014. Bent, meanwhile, sits on £65,000 per week. Villa spent £24m on him, it should be re-noted.

Six Premier League goals in 31 months, and wages of around £8.8m in that time. Sheesh.

4) Matija Nastasic (Manchester City)


It was all going so well, with widespread disbelief after the then 19-year-old Nastasic missed out on a nomination for PFA Young Player of the Year in 2012/13. He made 30 appearances in that season, preferred ahead of Joleon Lescott by Roberto Mancini.

Since then, things have not gone well. The Serbian made just 11 league starts last season, failing to even make the match-day squad in the league this season. Manuel Pellegrini is not a fan, it appears.

City's first-team squad may be on the ageing side, but its youngest member is expected to leave in the next transfer window. Rumours suggest that the fee could be just £5m - talk about a fall from grace.

3) Arsenal Reserve Strikers


Yes I'm technically lumping three players into one, but that's why I make the rules. After all of the summer argument and counter argument about which striker should play alongside (or instead of, after injury) Olivier Giroud, the arrival of Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez rather made any discussion moot.

It really hasn't gone well for Lukas Podolski, Joel Campbell and Yaya Sanogo, Arsenal's sorry band of striker brothers. The trio have shared 54 minutes of Premier League action between them since August, with Sanogo failing to even make the bench on nine occasions.

With Joachim Low recently advising Podolski to move on, the others will also surely look to take the same recommendation. Giroud is back in training, meaning things are hardly likely to get any easier.

2) Mohamed Salah


There was always a feeling that Chelsea had bought Mohamed Salah solely to stop Liverpool from signing the winger from Basel. Roman Abramovich must be wishing he had driven the Egyptian to Anfield himself.

Chelsea paid £11m to sign Salah, but he appears bereft of confidence and any ability to produce consistently. Six Premier League appearances in a year and just 12 minutes of league action this season.

The Evening Standard last week reported that Jose Mourinho is keen to let his winger go to Inter. One wouldn't be surprised if he never starts another match at Stamford Bridge.

1) Anderson (Manchester United)


When Louis van Gaal announced that he was to take his time in assessing his squad before deciding who would be moved on, Anderson probably felt more than a touch uneasy. His was a reputation in tatters, exposed for his consistently poor performances following his £25m (or £23m, £26m, £20m or £18m, depending on what you read) purchase from Porto in 2007.

Somehow however, Anderson stuck around, a lingering and uneasy reminder of Alex Ferguson's less than perfect handover. Since February 2010, the Brazilian has played fewer Premier League minutes than Patrice Evra did last season.

The real lunacy was the four-year contract extension offered in December 2010. "We are delighted he has signed a new contract," said Fergie. "Anderson has developed tremendously since joining us and he has fantastic potential at only 22; he is going to be a really top player." He's started 33 league games since.

 

Countered by this "
http://www.newsnow.co.uk/A/744399831?-1881:1065
Much more positive I'd say

 

Different topic methinks

 

Not really , he's just played in our last game , sorry I forgot you weren't there

 

....

 

No need to feel bad about it

 

Why is Bartley on the list?

 

I was thinking the same thing. He seems part of the furniture now after an unsteady start under ML.

 

I dont know but can only assume how much time he has on the pitch...

 

Apart from Barts for obvious reasons is there anyone in the list who maybe worth a look at in january....?

 

Salah or Campbell for me. I think again put them in a side where they feel at home and they will flourish.

 

Yea trunds they were the two i thought may do a job for us...wages would have to be negotiated though.