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Footballers who are ‘too good’ for their own clubs or underachieving at another is a hot topic regularly discussed between fans – springing to mind names like Newcastle’s Allan Saint-Maximin, Christian Benteke of Crystal Palace and Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Allan Saint-Maximin – Newcastle United
The tricky French winger joined the Magpies on a six-year contract in the summer of 2019 and has since enjoyed an impressive individual tenure on Tyneside.
In his short Premier League career to date, Saint-Maximin has tallied four goals and seven assists in 39 appearances – which is considered impressive thanks to Newcastle’s extreme lack of attacking output.
During the previous league campaign, the Frenchman led his team in attempted take-ons (155), successful take-ons (101), shots on target (17), goal contributions (7) and was runner-up in chances created (29).
Just recently against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Southampton, Newcastle’s number ten completed seven take-ons, created two chances and bagged two assists. Despite a recent calf injury scare, which kept him out of the side for ten games from November 2020 to January 2021, he’s now back and well amongst the action.
It took him just the first-half to complete the seven said take-ons, which was the most any Newcastle player has managed in an entire league game this season.
He could’ve recorded even more if it wasn’t for the red card shown to Jeff Hendrick, which forced the manager to substitute Saint-Maximin to apply a more defensive-minded approach.
Steve Bruce’s new diamond 4-4-2 system seems to have benefitted the former Nice player to great effect so far, playing in a left-sided striker role alongside Callum Wilson.
The 23-year-old is a constant threat to any Premier League defence and it won’t be long before he’s ready for a new challenge – fighting for silverware and elite status among the league’s best attackers.
Christian Benteke – Crystal Palace
In a stark contrast to Saint-Maximin, Christian Benteke is most definitely having the opposite experience in South London.
The former Aston Villa frontman was the subject of heavy transfer speculation in the January transfer window, attracting interest from struggling West Bromwich Albion.
The striker’s current deal at Selhurst Park expires at the end of the 2020/21 season and it seems unlikely that he’ll put pen to paper with Roy Hodgson’s side again.
Following the Belgian’s permanent move from Liverpool to Palace, he racked up an impressive 15 goals in his first season for the Eagles but has only managed an additional nine in the last three-and-a-half seasons.
Benteke has certainly struggled with injuries, with a ‘medial collateral ligament injury’ keeping him sidelined for seven games in 2017 and a knee injury which kept him out for a further 22 from September 2018 to early 2019.
Adding to the belief that the former Liverpool striker has fallen out of favour at Palace, the 2016 FA Cup finalists brought in Jean-Philippe Mateta from Mainz on loan in January. The forward scored ten goals in 17 games during his 2020/21 campaign with the German outfit.
In the 2017/18 season, the 30-year0old scored just three goals from an xG (expected goals) of 11 in that season. To say he has been struggling is a vast understatement, looking a shadow of the player which earned him a £32.5m move to Liverpool from Aston Villa.
Expected to be a free agent come the summer window, Benteke will presumably have offers on his hands from various Championship and Turkish clubs to revive his career.
Aleksandar Mitrovic – Fulham
The Serbian striker has seemingly fallen out of favour with Scott Parker during the current campaign and has dipped in and out of the starting XI throughout. Just ten league starts this season must not sit comfortably with the 29-year-old.
With his last goal coming in mid-September in a 4-3 loss away at Elland Road to Leeds United, his new role in the squad looks like a backup to Ivan Cavaleiro.
The Cottagers sit in 18th place right now, eight points from safety. A desired transfer on Mitrovic’s part might not have been the most ideal situation for the Londoners given their position – squad depth is key at this point in time.
Just recently, Fulham gaffer Scott Parker said that Mitrovic’s breach of COVID-19 regulations was “not acceptable.” The striker was pictured on New Year’s Eve partying with fellow Serb Luka Milivojević, captain of Crystal Palace.
Despite his golden-boot winning season last year as Fulham gained promotion to the Premier League, he’s failed to make the same impact in the Premier League – reminiscent of his time at Newcastle United.
Mitrovic caught fire from the media after appearing to dive in response to an alleged ‘elbow’ in the face of West Ham’s Tomas Soucek, which resulted in a dismissal for the Czech following a VAR check. The red card was overturned by the FA and Mitrovic was said to have played an active part in the decision.
In each of his full five seasons in English football, the Serb has been either promoted or relegated in each season. Seeing as you cannot be promoted from the Premier League, Fulham fans should be somewhat worried.
Perhaps Mitrovic isn’t good enough of a finisher to cut it in the Premier League, or he could be ready to cut an unexpected corner and lead his team to survival. Place your bets.
