EPL debutants who hit the ground running

EPL debutants who hit the ground running

They caught the eyes of soccer buffs across the globe this 2014/2015 season with some mesmerizing displays in their first season. While the form of most of the players has dipped, they remain the shining lights of the league. Here are 10 players whose sublime skills brought the League to a standstill as captured by soccer analyst, Laolu Olugbenga.

Diego Costa (Chelsea): The Brazilian-born Spain international has been arguably one of the best strikers in the League this season. Costa made his name in La Liga, becoming the third highest scorer with 27 goals, behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as Atletico Madrid bravely won the Liga title ahead of both Real and Barcelona. He was also nominated for the League’s best forward, but lost out to CR7. Jose Mourinho has been looking for a key forward, and he turned to Costa. He completed his medical and on July 1, 2014, signed for Chelsea in a 32 million pound deal on a 150k per week salary.

Costa immediately hit the ground running, scoring on his debut and taking a healthy lead in the goal scoring charts. He currently holds the record for the most goals scored after the first four games, with seven goals in that run. It’s incredible to know that during that time, he was still battling with a hamstring problem. Costa won his first trophy for the Blues on March 1, this year, as they defeated Tottenham 2-0 to win the Capital One Cup. He currently has 19 goals to his name, same with Harry Kane and two more than close rival, Sergio Aguero of Manchester City.

Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea): Here is a man who is no stranger to the English Premier League environment. Fabregas was second in the assists chart for Barcelona with 13, behind only Angel Di Maria. Barcelona had endured a disappointing season, going trophyless and losing the La Liga title on the final day of the season. Cesc was said to be unhappy at how he was treated with the Catalans and opted to leave the club. Arsenal, his boyhood club, were first in line, but Arsene Wenger opted out of signing him. In came Jose Mourinho, who signed him for 33 million euros on a 5-year deal. It took him just 21 minutes to make an impact in his debut for the Blues and he ended the game with two assists. He is comfortably on top of the assists chart this time, around with 16 assists, 7 more than Di Maria, the man who beat him last season in the La Liga.

Angel Di Maria (Man U): It wasn’t too long ago that El Fideo was on top of the world. He had won the Copa Del Rey, scoring in the final against Barcelona, was named man of the match after a stunning performance for Real Madrid in the Champions League final against rivals Atletico Madrid, ended the season with 17 league assists and reached the World Cup Finals with Argentina. But things weren’t going well behind the scenes, as Madrid were accused of treating him unfairly. Manchester United were in need of inspiration, and on August 26, 2014, signed Di Maria for a club/British record fee of 59.7 million pounds. He put in a decent shift on his debut, and in the following game registered a goal and an assist, winning the Man of the Match Award. He continued his fine run of form, but was substituted due to a hamstring injury on November, 29, 2014, making just one substitute appearance in United’s next seven appearances. His form has dipped a little, but he has racked up three goals and nine assists in the League, second to Fabregas. He also ended the year 2014 by being named in FIFA’s Team of the Year.

Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea): Courtois joined Chelsea in 2011, but was immediately sent out on loan to Atletico Madrid for two seasons running. In his time with Atletico, he built a reputation as one of the World’s best goalkeepers, despite being only 22. He won the Ricardo Zamora Trophy in those two seasons, and at the end of the loan, Mourinho confirmed Courtois was returning for the upcoming season. He was assigned the number 13 jersey, and on September 11, last year, signed a contract extension with the Blues. Courtois has put in some brilliant performances this season, making saves that some goalkeepers can only dream of. He is rated the League’s best goalkeeper alongside David De Gea, and while he has kept just eight clean sheets all season. He is still highly rated by analysts and pundits.

Harry Kane (Spurs): Kane is currently in his first full season with the Lilywhites, having originally made his debut in April last year. Kane rose to prominence this season, with his skill, pace and goal scoring making him the classic center forward. Kane is the third highest scorer in the League this season, and recently became the fourth player to win the Premier League player of the month award two months in a row, in January and February. He has also scored 26 goals in all competitions, a remarkable feat for a player who once spent his youth career at Arsenal. He is also tied with Costa for the most League goals this season.

Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal): The Chilean master chipped in with an impressive 19 goals and 11 assists in Barcelona’s disappointing campaign, and the Catalans’ decision to sell him was beyond comprehension. He had a good 2014 World Cup outing with Chile, leading them to the Round of 16. He was signed by the Gunners for around 35 million pounds on July 10, 2014, making him the second highest transfer in the Gunners’ history after Mesut Ozil. This season, he has produced consistent performances, single- handedly leading Arsenal to victory after victory. He has chipped in with 13 goals and seven assists, automatically becoming one of the League’s best wingers. His versatility allows him to play as a striker, and at 26, there’s a lot more to expect from Chile’s golden boy.