The Streets Will Never Forget
- Daniel Austin-Chukwu
- May 6, 2023
- 4 min read
I was having some trouble thinking of what topic to discuss this week. But then I started reminiscing about former Premier League players who showed flashes of individual brilliance that made us football fans take a step back, but at the same time, couldn’t deliver on a consistent basis. We’ve seen some quality players grace the league in recent times and so with that in mind, I thought I’d look at certain players that typified the phrase “the streets will never forget”.
Adel Taarabt
The first name that springs to mind is Adel Taarabt. The guy was pure filth. Whilst his stats were never all that whist in the Premier League, his level of technique, flair and dribbling ability was unmatched at the time. He had a brief stint at Spurs, but it was at QPR where he’s most known for. He was pivotal in helping them achieve promotion to the English top-flight (bagging 19 goals and 21 assists in 44 games in the Championship the season prior). Once he made that step up, everyone saw his true ability. There was a goal I remember him scoring against Fulham where he picked the ball up just inside the opposition’s half, bounced his way past a couple of midfielders, drove towards the Fulham penalty box and did a quick ball roll before nonchalantly stroking the ball with the outside of his foot into the bottom corner. It’s a shame that his talent didn’t match his consistency as he had the potential to be a world beater if he applied himself.
Yannick Bolasie
Another player that fits the profile perfectly is Yannick Bolasie. In many ways, he was like Taarabt but also had that extra bit of athleticism and power that Taarabt lacked. The former Crystal Palace winger was so skilful and so good on the ball that he’d regularly send defenders flying. He even has a skill named after him, the Bolasie Flick, which to this day is one of the coldest pieces of skill I’ve seen. However, an issue with him (and a lot of players that I’ll mention) is that he lacked end-product and consistency to really become a top player. In his three full seasons at Palace, he never scored more than 5 goals. For all the flicks and tricks that he had, it never really translated on the pitch. I understand that he wasn’t playing for an elite team, but still, there’s no reason where he shouldn’t have found the back of the net more frequently. He will always be remembered fondly for his time in South-East London, but he certainly could have done more with his career.
Michu
If a player ever fit the description of a one season wonder, it would be Michu. I like to think that my ball knowledge is pretty good, but I had never heard of him until he signed for Swansea City in 2012 from Rayo Vallecano. He had a dream debut, scoring twice in a 5-0 win against QPR, his second being a worldie with his left foot. He would finish the 2012/2013 season with 18 goals as Swansea secured a top-half finish. The drop off the following season though was mad. I don’t know if it was just a loss of form, injuries, or a lack of confidence, but he was never able to reach the heights of his first season. What’s interesting with Michu is, I can’t recall what made him so good for that one season, he was just quality. He was flying and it felt inevitable that he would have pushed on, but that never happened.
Hatem Ben Arfa
The latest attacker to join the club is Hatem Ben Arfa. I feel like I could just copy and paste verbatim what I said about Taarabt. With that said, out of all the players that I’ll mention, I I believe Ben Arfa was the silkiest. It felt like when I was watching him, he would be gliding across the pitch, barely leaving any footprints. He had a wand of a left foot and just played with this unapologetic level of bravado and confidence that almost bordered on arrogance. That solo goal he scored for Newcastle against Bolton was truly a work of art. The flick to get past the first man, the balance to shrug off a tackle, the touch to push the ball in between two defenders and the cool finish at the end was beautiful. Unlike others, his decline wasn’t so quick, still being a valuable member of that Newcastle team. However, injuries ultimately curtailed his time in the Premier League. Those three to four years though, he was a joy to watch.
Dimitri Payet
I think I’ve saved the best till last. Dimitri Payet could have become one of the best players in the league if he stayed at West Ham for longer. He joined the Hammers at the start of the 2015/2016 season and he made an instant impression not only in East London, but across the Premier League. What made him such a unique talent was his ball striking ability. Since his departure, the only player currently in the league that could strike a ball like him is Kevin De Bruyne. There’s that free-kick he scored against Palace that’s he’s most remembered for. Normally, if a free kick goes in on the keeper’s side, you’re questioning him. But the way the ball moved in the air, the keeper had absolutely no chance. It’s unfortunate that he fell out with the club and requested a move back to France because based on his short stint at West Ham, the league definitely was not ready for him.
This Week’s Hot Take
I haven’t mentioned this player, but Wayne Rooney is the greatest “the streets will never forget” player in Premier League history. Sure, he was never a one season wonder or someone that only showed glimpses of quality, but as a United fan, I always think what could have been. He peaked so early that people forget how good he was. The latter stages of his career sometimes paint a different picture of who he was as a player. Had he not peaked so early and had he not sacrificed so much for United, he would be regarded even higher than he already is.
Wayne & Waynetta.
Class Act .