Broken Promises: Players who have let us down so far

It needn’t be said that there’s no such thing as a sure thing, especially in FPL. It follows, then, that we will never know for sure when to do things like playing our triple captain chip. But there is nothing quite as disheartening as when a player who has been trailblazing the last three gameweeks, with the papers lauding his every touch and Jamie Redknapp hailing him as a “top-top”, goes conspicuously off the boil.

Like a trainee doctor who skipped the lecture on bedside manner, let’s look back at those picks we wish we hadn’t made.

Gameweek 1 – David de Gea

After a sensational 18 clean sheets last season, who wouldn’t be forgiven for going for this easy option as a permanent fixture the United team? Sure, he had a questionable World Cup, but he’d be back on form once he got home, right? Now with one clean sheet in 12 games, it’s fair to say only dead and ghost teams, Stretford End ultras, and life’s optimists are sticking it out.

GW2 – Ruben Neves

Though not quite this season’s version of the opening day one-hit wonder, the Portuguese has hardly been pulling up trees since that goal and assist at home to Everton. His recent goal against Spurs is the only other aberration in what has otherwise been a season in which he hasn’t exceeded 3pts in 90 minutes.

GW3 – Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Arsenal’s shining star in a disappointing loss to Chelsea the week before, his apparent form, and the upcoming fixtures for the Gunners was simply irresistible for many. Mkhi’s new owners weren’t loving what happened next: dropped by Unai Emery in GW4 and not finding the net again until last week at home to Wolves; maybe Jose has a point after all?

GW4 – Theo Walcott

With 20pts over the previous two Gameweeks, our boy Theo seemed the perfect switch for banned Richarlison, with 737,984 bringing him in. Five in three later, and not much better since his GW7 assist against Fulham, owners have been offloading in droves ever since.

GW5 – Pedro

And where did those stung by Walcott go for their next fix? Pedro Rodríguez Ledesma up on the King’s Road seemed for all the world like a safe bet, having brought in three goals in four appearances and, more promisingly, looking like Maurizio Sarri’s early favourite to partner Eden Hazard’s in the Chelsea attack. Did that nondescript shoulder knock in the Europa League affect his play? Who knows; his minutes have dropped like a stone since, and with Ross Barkley and Willian upping their game there seems little prospect of his fortunes changing.

GW6 – Aleksandar Mitrovic

If you brought in the Serbian this week, you’d have been forgiven for thinking your faith was well on the way to being repaid as he bagged another goal to add to the four he’d already slotted in since the Spurs game in GW2. Leaky Everton and Arsenal defences and strugglers Cardiff and Huddersfield were on the horizon, surely easy pickings for a man on hot form. But this didn’t last, with the low point arguably coming in the GW9 trip to Cardiff where he didn’t register a single attempt on goal.

GW7 – James Maddison

Maddison has had a great debut season for Leicester: joint top FPL scorer with the under-appreciated Ricardo Pereira and with four goal involvements, before 271,802 brought him in for the GW7 clash with Newcastle, where is assisted. Since then, nothing, including against the hopeless Bluebirds. Were you still holding on last week? And now he’s injured.

GW8 – Harry Kane

All the stars seemed to be aligning for Harry – three goals in two prior to the home fixture with Cardiff. This was going to be child’s play for the World Cup golden boot winner. Maybe even a triple captain candidate! Result: no goal, and then no goal… and then no goal. Admittedly, Mr. Kane’s picked up a goal and assist in recent weeks, but this is not the stuff a 12.4 front man.

Who else has been a big disappointment? Are any of these players primed for future success?