So, it seems sometimes it really does all work out alright on the night.

Robinho might have perfectly performed the role of 'trouble-maker' for much of his two year stay at Manchester City (and towards the end of his prior stay at Real Madrid) but the one-time £32.5 million man still managed to spend the majority of 2010 where he wanted to be - on loan at home club Santos, and on full pay - and then subsequently engineer a move to his preferred destination, Milan.

Some people get all the luck.

The 26-year-old now joins a strikeforce at San Siro that threatens to share many of his interests — with both Ronaldinho and fellow new-boy Zlatan Ibrahimovic not averse to a little social unrest. But Robinho also becomes a member of a more exclusive (but even less prestigious) club; that of the world-class players who
have failed to live up to their reputations during a stay in the Premier League.

England's top flight prides itself (to the mockery of some onlookers) on its unique, all-action nature, but clearly it is not everyone's cup of tea.


Robinho
Manchester City (2008-10)
£32.5m

The Brazilian international hardly hit the right note from the start, admitting his pleasure at signing for Chelsea — despite the Blues (who also announced the transfer a little presumptuously) being beaten out by the newly cash-rich Eastlands club.

His goalscoring record (14 goals in the 30 league games of his one full season at the club) stands up to comparison, but his attitude off the pitch and generally unsettling nature caused ructions throughout the club
Starring for the national team, and Santos during his loan spell, only angered City fans used to watching his less-than-robust work ethic week in, week out. Now moving to a third big European league with Milan, it would surprise many to see him get back to his best form.







Andriy Shevchenko
Chelsea (2006-09)
£31m

One of Milan's greatest ever players — indeed, the second highest scorer in the club's history — Roman Abramovich's love for the Ukrainian forward led to Chelsea paying more millions than his age (then 29) to grab his signature back in 2006.

It proved a wasted pursuit. Shevchenko had his moments in the capital, and did score a number of goals, but never at the level both fans and the club expected. Loaned back to Milan after two injury-ravaged and uninspiring seasons, he even struggled at his former stomping ground.

Finally leaving the Blues and rejoining first love Dynamo Kiev in the summer of 2009, it seems his unfortunate period in the Premier League was a much a result of being past his best as a failure to adapt to the league's special rigours.


Diego Forlan
Manchester United (2002-04)
£6.9m

Certain, shall we say, more ignorant sections of the English media might never let the Uruguayan forget what an unmitigated disaster his stay at Old Trafford was.

And, to be fair, it wasn't the best, as Forlan started off with a goalscoring drought for ages (which led to the now-classic nickname, "Diego Forlorn". But he had his moments — a double in a victory against Liverpool, and a long-range volley at Chelsea that hinted at his future success as an all-round marksman — despite an eventual record of 17 goals in 95 games.

A move to Villarreal followed, and soon so did successive European golden boot awards, as Forlan took to La Liga like a duck to water and scored goals wth reckless abandon. English football continued to ridicule him, however, until a Europa League trophy and Golden Ball award at this summer's World Cup finally put to rest any lingering questions about his quality.

Seems the Premier League — and remember he was only 23 at the time — just wasn't for him. Sometimes it's really that simple.

Juan Sebastian Veron
Manchester United (2001-03), Chelsea (2003-04)
£28.1m, £15m

The daddy of all Premier League flops? Veron became a renowned star in a title-winning campaign in Serie A with Lazio, and then cemented his reputation late in his career with a trophy-winning turn at home club Estudiantes — but in between those twin high points he was a colossal waste of money at both Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge.

'The Little Witch' failed to adapt to the pace of the game in England, with his usual faultless range of passing seeming to disappear in two difficult seasons on these shores. Chelsea then helped United recoup some of their loses (very kind of them) in the hope they could bring out the best of him — in the process making him the most expensive footballer in history (cumulative transfers) — but again, Veron failed to sparkle (despite a promising start).

After a while even they cut their losses, and he was loaned out to Inter as the club tried to sweep his period at the club under the rug. Forgettable.

Fernando Morientes
Liverpool (2005-06)
£9.3m
Morientes seemed to have left his talent at Real Madrid when he left the club, looking a shadow of the player that was such an effective foil for Raul upon touching down in Liverpool.

Just five goals in his one full season at Anfield (having joined the club in January 2005) was a poor return, and he was quickly sent back home with Valencia for a mere £3m as Rafa Benitez looked to cut his losses.

What is worse, Morientes was cup-tied for the Reds' successful 2005 Champions League run, so the only trophy he won while on Merseyside was the 2006 FA Cup — in which his appearance in the final was only as a second half substitute.

Jose Antonio Reyes
Arsenal (2004-07)
£10m (potentially rising to £17m)
Another who got off to a bright start in England, but quickly and disappointingly failed to keep up that standard as time went on.

Reyes, a shy boy from humble Romani beginnings in Seville, looked a likely star while playing as a teenager for his hometown club, but couldn't adapt to the new surroundings and attentions of England and its football when the Gunners decided it was his time to be groomed.

Arsene Wenger persevered with the expensive acquisition for a number of years, before finally admitting defeat as he posted him off to Real Madrid on loan. He similarly failed to impressive at the Bernabeu, but city rivals Atletico took a chance on him nonetheless at the end of the 2006-07 season.

Only now — three years and a loan spell at Benfica later — are los Colchoneros finally seeing some sort of return on their investment. Arsenal, however, never will.

Marco Materazzi
Everton (1998-99)
£2.8m

Show me an Everton fan that tipped Materazzi to eventually become a World Cup winner after his one year at Goodison Park, and I'll show you a bare-faced liar.

The centre-back may have remembered as uncompromising throughout his subsequently successful career (where he also won numerous Serie A titles and a Champions League with Inter), but he struggled horribly with discipline during his time in the Premier League which quickly annoyed Toffees' fans, who also had questions about his pace and timing.

His quality on the ball and efficiency in the tackle was already in evidence, however, which helped the club realise a small profit on the player when they sold him back to former club Perugia. Rumours abounded that the Italian hated Liverpool — his wife even suggesting she was scared to go outside — and he would go on to carve a fine career for himself back in his homeland.


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I'd remove Diego Forlan from that list.
Like the write-up says,the EPL wasn't for him.Besides,it's a fact that many players from South America struggle with life in England on and off the pitch.
His exploits at the world cup tell me he is a quality player.
Robinho has ALWAYS been over-rated.Ask Fabio Capello.
Shevchenko's case was shocking.He was one player whose addition to Chelsea was supposed to guarantee them the title.
I guess Morientes was past his prime wen he joined Liverpool. . .

What is being discussed exactly? These players failed because they either could not adapt to the premier league or to the cluture in England.


Same can be said about about other "World Class" players who fail at other leagues.Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a case in point. Or Ronaldinho at Milan and countless others?

Mr_TA:

What is being discussed exactly? These players failed because they either could not adapt to the premier league or to the cluture in England.


Same can be said about about other "World Class" players who fail at other leagues.Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a case in point. Or Ronaldinho at Milan and countless others?

Actually Dinho did not fail in milan. Granted he had a mediocre first season by his standard however he was one of the best players in Serie A last season. And seems to have carried that form into this season.

@ POSTER
Sheva was already on the wane by the time he joined chelsea so I wasn't that suprised he flopped. The only suprise was the amount chelsea paid for him.
Forlan's is a case of a player failing to adapt to the premier league like many other south americans.

chic2pimp:

Forlan's is a case of a player failing to adapt to the premier league like many other south americans.

On the other hand, I think Forlan joined Manure at the wrong time.
RVN and Rooney were in front of him and would not be benched for him.
He barely featured much and left frustrated.
Imagine if he was just being signed right now

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Still dont get what the fuss is with this Robinho guy, he's overrated full stop! he can play with other players and he losses the ball too much, waste of space tbh
he just has a fancy name


Some semi-talented players in the premiership will be banging in goals weekly if they played in spain, the defenders give them too much space
and the referees blow the whistle for everything!!

Sure they would be banging in goals weekly. I guess that's why premier league players never show their worth during international competition.

La liga is different from international competition, their defence is weak!!

Cos the EPL is for brainless players Thats why when International competitions come, EPL players are always the worst