With a fresh season come fresh faces looking to prove their worth in the so-called best domestic league in the world.
Some, ultimately, fare better than others. We’ve already sifted the sand from the Premier League gold and picked out five top debutants from the opening weekend’s action – now it’s time to focus on the unfortunate dregs.
JACK WILSHERE
Failed to make an impression: Jack Wilshere.
The dynamic and bustling Jack Wilshere that entered the Premier League as a 17-year-old has likely been lost to history. However, players that possess his vision and technique are of a rarity and, in the right set-up, there is no reason he could not flourish.
As it stands, however, at West Ham he is merely all but set to fail. The Irons earned rave reviews from their own fans for a transfer window that brought excitement up top in Andriy Yarmolenko and Felipe Anderson, as well as a tremendous athlete in Issa Diop at the back.
They forgot the meat to the sandwich, though. Wilshere was swamped by an admittedly superb Liverpool midfield with just 19-year-old Declan Rice and Mark Noble – who is surely clinging onto his place and captaincy for sentimental value – behind him.
It was not Wilshere’s fault entirely but one thing is clear: he won’t rise like the proverbial phoenix without help in January. And no, a past it Carlos Sanchez does not qualify.
BERNARDO
A tough bow: New Seagull Bernardo.
No, silly, not that Bernardo. This Bernardo looked lost on his first competitive outing for Brighton since arriving from RB Leipzig for £9 million, which isn’t a drop in the English channel for the Seagulls.
The full-back first started on the left, where he was turned inside out by Andre Gray. And when Bruno’s injury forced him to fill in on the right he was promptly tormented by Watford match-winner Roberto Pereyra.
The Brazilian was the only new face to feature for Brighton and given their old guard failed to impress, it was an early worrying sign for Chris Hughton.
ANDRE SCHURRLE
Experienced German didn’t really get going.
Andre Schurrle is back but perhaps not as we know him. The potential that he flashed at Chelsea and fulfilled at Wolfsburg burned out in a tricky spell against Borussia Dortmund, and the troubled second part of his career may well extend to Fulham.
He has maintained his old pace but there was not much guile as the Cottagers struggled against Crystal Palace. He clearly can still be a devastating asset on the counter but does his reputation precede him? There’s a reason the 2014 World Cup winner was only picked up by a newly-promoted club.
SOKRATIS
Baptism of fire: Sokratis.
Let’s be clear – no one in this piece is being written off after a maximum of 90 minutes. And especially not Sokratis, whose ill fortune saw him pitted against an all-conquering Manchester City in his first Premier League game.
But is the Greek the answer to all of Arsenal’s problems? Doubtful. He looked uneasy against the ankle-breaking agility of City’s attack, including the foul on Sergio Aguero that earned him a yellow card.
While he is not alone in that, an aspiring top-four contender would want to see a little bit more out of their experienced new signing.
FABIAN BALBUENA
Like many of his team-mates, Fabian Balbuena struggled.
Sadly, West Ham players are the hapless bookends to this piece. Fabian Balbuena, a Paraguay international, looked a real snip at £3.5m from Corinthians yet Liverpool’s attack simply snipped him out of the picture.
Again, a fixture at Anfield is not usually a route to glory for defenders and especially not one who has scarcely had time to adjust to England. But there was an air of clumsiness around the rather gangly centre-back and the Hammers must hope he settles down quickly – otherwise it could get ugly.
