The 2018/19 Premier League season is around a third of the way complete, which is plenty of time for teams to establish a rhythm and new arrivals to bed in to their new surroundings.
Champions Manchester City lead the way and will be the team to beat it seems, but Chelsea and Liverpool are snapping at their heels.
As ever, a raft of signing were made in the summer, but which ones are failing to get to grips with their new surroundings in the early part of the season?
Here, we pick our five worst signings of the summer so far.
FRED (Manchester United, £52m)
United fans thought they’d poked rivals City in the eye by winning the race for Fred’s signature in the summer – but the all-action midfielder has failed to convince thus far.
Some will say he’s a lock for this list, while others will sympathise with his limited outings for United. But there’s no question that the 25-year-old Brazilian is yet to find his feet in the Premier League.
With 1.9 fouls committed on average during his 485 minutes, he is United’s joint-worst offender alongside Paul Pogba, while his total of 13 overall is joint-third – yet he has played significantly less minutes than most of his team-mates.
He has either been dispossessed or recorded an unsuccessful touch every 22 minutes.
Fred’s energy and industry is actually one thing United’s static and ponderous midfield is crying out for, and he has impressed on occasion. However, he is yet to convince his manager of his true worth so far.
JACK WILSHERE
Is anyone really surprised by this? England’s next great hope has been on the wane for a number of years, with constant injuries meaning we are unlikely to ever really see the best version of an admittedly sublime talent – who is still just 26.
He sort of revived his career when loaned out to Bournemouth during 2016/2017 although it’s easy to shine away from the limelight. But the much-vaunted return of Jack the lad to his boyhood club in the summer seemed over-hyped. And so it has proved.
OK, so with an 88.8 per cent pass accuracy, Wilshere is West Ham’s second best passer – behind Angelo Ogbonna. The issue is he’s featured in just four Premier League games, making only two key passes (14th at the Hammers) yet making on average more fouls (1.5) than anyone.
Also, no-one at West Ham has been dispossessed more times per game (1.8).
JEAN MICHAEL SERI (Fulham, £25m)
Returning to the top-flight for the first time in five years was enough of a thrill for Fulham fans – but after a summer spending spree which included bringing in Ivory Coast sensation Seri, expectations skyrocketed.
A number of eye-catching signings were made – Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning forward Andre Schurrle, Atletico Madrid striker Luciano Vietto and rising defensive talent Alfie Mawson.
None though were bolder than marauding midfielder Seri – coveted by Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea and described by the legendary Xavi as having “Barcelona DNA”.
Yet, in a Fulham team currently propping up the table, Seri is being largely outshone by midfield colleague Tom Cairney – who has won just the two caps for Scotland.
He is one of only four Fulham players to score a league goal this term, is second in assists (two) and possesses a third-highest pass accuracy of 87.1 per cent – yet he is hardly piling up numbers which suggest he should be playing for an elite team.
Only Aleksandar Mitrovic (80) has made more inaccurate short passes than Seri (76).
ERIK DURM
OK, so he signed for Huddersfield, so what could we realistically be expecting – especially after a torrid time with injury in recent years. But it’s safe to say former Borussia Dortmund left-back Durm is on the verge of being a Premier League dud.
Terriers’ head coach David Wagner said of Durm’s capture: “It is not every day that you can bring a player of the quality of Erik to your club.”
Yet that quality – he was part of Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning squad – has rarely been on show so far in seven appearances.
In a Terriers side already battling in the relegation zone, Durm’s woeful 63.4 per cent pass accuracy is unbecoming of a former striker who has been comfortable playing on either side of the defence so far in his career.
That stat is the worst of all regular Huddersfield outfield players who have made more than two appearances.
FABINHO (Liverpool, £43.7m)
We’ll be happy to eat our words should the Brazilian turn things around before season’s end, but suffice to say a player who dominated Ligue 1 is finding the Premier League a bit of a step up.
Against Fulham last weekend, he recorded fine figures of 90 per cent pass accuracy, one key pass and two interceptions, two tackles and two clearances. That was at home to the league’s bottom side though.
During his previous outing against Arsenal, he endured a torrid time – dispossessed twice, two unskilled touches and giving away a team-high three fouls. He has been dispossessed three times and made three unsuccessful touches in his four games so far.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp said at the time of his signing that Fabinho could take up to six months to get up to speed at Anfield while the player readily admits he is not totally comfortable in his new surroundings.
But the fact is that with Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, James Milner and Georginio Wijnaldum all vying for a slot in Liverpool’s midfield trio – you need to take chances when they’re offered.
