Sport
6 most disappointing Premier League players of 2020/21
With not much of a summer break to go by, it’s amazing that so many players had such strong performances in the Premier League this season. However, some high profile names have struggled throughout the 2020/21 season and subsequently produced career-low performances. Whether due to injuries, a lack of opportunities or just poor form, it has been notable right from the get-go just who wasn’t pulling their weight. So, just who were the most disappointing players of the 2020/21 Premier League season?
6 most disappointing Premier League players
Anthony Martial (Manchester United)
The arrival of the likes of Edison Cavani as well as the continued rise of young stars such as Mason Greenwood meant that someone had to lose out at Old Trafford and that turned out to be Anthony Martial. The Frenchman looked out of sorts for most of the season and failed to score in the league until December in their 3-2 win over Sheffield United.
With Cavani, Greenwood and Marcus Rashford forming good chemistry upfront, Martial found it hard to get any sort of game time in over the latter months ending his season with just 4 goals and 7 assists. A disaster for someone keen to make France’s EURO 2020 squad and questioning what it may take to get more game time next season and is unquestionably one of the most disappointing players of 2020/21 Premier League season.
Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang (Arsenal)
Having featured heavily in the Golden Boot race for the past two seasons, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang has seen like a shadow of his former self this season and is second on our list of the most disappointing Premier League players.
The Arsenal captain’s great form last season was rewarded with a hefty new contract and the pressure to deliver seemed to tell on his shoulders for weeks at a time. Regularly starved of service and increasingly uncomfortable on the left wing, Aubameyang labored to just 10 goals all seasons – his lowest domestic goal tally in a decade. His season got even worse following a battle against malaria during international duty with Gabon further compounding a miserable season for Arsenal’s captain.
Dele Alli (Spurs)
It has been a miserable 18 months for Dele Alli and Tottenham. Alli never looked comfortable working with Jose Mourinho and their relationship soured to the point when Alli was set to depart North London for good. Whether it was poor performances on the pitch, heated battles off it and constant loggerheads with Mourinho, it seemed like Alli’s career was on the downturn.
The end result was just 15 appearances in the league with 0 goals – a first in his career. The departure of Mourinho has seen a spark in Alli’s performances towards the end of the season giving the England international a glimmer of hope heading into the 2021/22 season.
Mat Ryan (Brighton)
Having been an ever-present part of Brighton’s squad for their Premier League tenure, Mat Ryan didn’t think he would be playing football elsewhere at the start of the season. Yet, the Australian shot-stopper found himself cast aside when The Seagulls were struggling for form over the first half of the season.
With Graham Potter opting to back Roberto Sanchez in net from the start of 2021, Ryan left the club on loan to go to Arsenal deputizing for Bernd Leno when the situation called from it. Despite no real errors, it seems that Ryan’s time with Brighton is almost certainly over with the Aussie set to move away from The AMEX Stadium in the not too distant future. From one of their key players to one of the most disappointing players of the Premier League season in a matter of months,
Rhian Brewster (Sheffield United)
For several seasons, Rhian Brewster was touted as a top prospect at Liverpool so a £20million move to Sheffield United seemed to be the opportunity he needed to shine. Instead, Brewster proved to be one of the biggest flops of the season failing to score a single goal during the entire campaign.
The England U-21 international never looked comfortable leading the line for The Blades and ultimately fell behind the likes of Oli McBurnie and David McGoldrick in the pecking order upfront. With Sheffield United getting relegated and registering one of the lowest goals for totals in Premier League history, Brewster will hope that a season in the Championship can help him find some form over the next 12 months.
Willian (Arsenal)
Arsenal fans rejoiced when The Gunners signed Willian from Chelsea on a free transfer hoping his flair and technical mastery would boost their attacking lineup. How wrong they were as the Brazilian veteran endured a miserable season on all fronts. He never looked settled at The Emirates and often ended up wasting opportunities rather than creating them. In fact, Willian went almost 3 months in the league without registering a goal or assist for The Gunners from November 2020 to February 2021.
It would take the winger until May 2021 to score his first goal for Arsenal – a surprising fact considering he recorded a career-best 9 goals in the campaign before. With Willian showcasing some of the worst form of his career lately, it will be hard to judge just what the future holds for the Brazilian veteran over the next year or so and he is the final entry on our most disappointing Premier League players list.
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