20 Players in Need of Big Finishes to the 2015/16 Season
Things can't always go right for everyone, but it is never too late to change that.
For whatever reason, certain players haven't quite enjoyed the 2015/16 season as they would have hoped they could have done, but redemption could be around the corner as the closing months of campaign approach and the prizes are given out.
Here are 20 men who need big finishes.
Olivier Giroud
1 of 20
He's been excellent at times this season, but before netting twice against Hull City in the FA Cup, Olivier Giroud hadn't scored for Arsenal since he netted twice in the 3-3 draw at Liverpool in mid-January, a run that stretched to 11 appearances.
Arsene Wenger's patience with the Frenchman appears to have run out given that he left him out of the recent matches at Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, but if the Gunners are to salvage anything from a season that has quickly fallen flat, then they are going to need their French forward on form.
Graziano Pelle
2 of 20
Another powerful forward struggling in front of goal is Southampton's Graziano Pelle, who has now failed to find the net since a strike in a 2-0 win over Bournemouth way back at the beginning of November.
Injuries have played their part in his drought, of course, but the Italian's woes have threatened his status as Italy's first-choice forward for Euro 2016 as well as perhaps given potential suitors some second thoughts when it comes to buying him, something he needs to put right in the coming months.
Eden Hazard
3 of 20
Just what has gone wrong with Eden Hazard this season could be a subject studied by seasoned scholars for generations to come, but the Belgian could still achieve redemption with a strong end to the campaign.
Seeking some momentum heading into Euro 2016, Hazard will want to show that his slump is just temporary lapse in both form and fortunes, with his true quality surely not too far away.
John Stones
4 of 20
It has been an up-and-down campaign for Everton's John Stones, who has only recently returned to the Blues' defence following injury and will be targeting a strong end to the season.
The talented young centre-back has the qualities to play for most sides, and it will be interesting to see if his club turn down a big-money offer for his services for the second year running.
Jermain Defoe
5 of 20
He's spent most of the season doing what he does best—putting the ball in the net and asking questions later—but if Sunderland are going to stay afloat in the Premier League, then Jermain Defoe will have to keep doing that in the campaign's closing months.
The experienced former England striker is the Mackems' best hope of survival, and you can bet that Sam Allardyce will be looking to wrap him in cotton wool for the relegation run-in.
Christian Benteke
6 of 20
He hit the headlines after hitting the floor at Crystal Palace, but even after picking himself up and scoring the winning goal from the penalty spot, Christian Benteke's Liverpool future looks far from certain.
In recent weeks, Jurgen Klopp has elevated Benteke's fellow Belgian Divock Origi above the former Aston Villa forward in the pecking order, and it will take something special for him to turn around a Reds career that has never really got going.
Memphis Depay
7 of 20
There have been signs of improvement in recent weeks, but in truth Memphis Depay's Manchester United career couldn't have become any more underwhelming than it has been so far.
The Dutchman arrived with a great reputation and the belief that he would be the man to liven up the United attack, but he just hasn't really got going, and if Louis van Gaal is to leave the club in the summer, then he'll have to do better to impress whoever his successor will be.
Wilfried Bony
8 of 20
The rise and rise of Kelechi Iheanacho at Manchester City is beginning to reflect badly on Wilfried Bony, who is going to have to pull some excellent performances out of the bag in the season's closing months if he is to impress the incoming Pep Guardiola.
The Ivorian has never been able to hit the heights at the Etihad Stadium as he did at previous club Swansea City, and he looks likely to be seen donning a different kit next season.
Saido Berahino
9 of 20
Back in the West Brom team after a seemingly neverending rift with Tony Pulis was finally healed, Saido Berahino will be hoping to use the campaign's closing months to remind potential suitors of just what he can do when he's fit, firing and fully committed to the cause.
The forward's future surely lies away from the Hawthorns, but just when he'll move remains a mystery.
Emmanuel Adebayor
10 of 20
If he wants to stay at Crystal Palace beyond the summer, then Emmanuel Adebayor will have to have a big few months because otherwise his short-term deal won't be extended.
The Togolese has turned in some decent performances for Palace, but his arrival has also brought about a drastic downturn in form for Alan Pardew's side, who continue to slide towards the relegation zone.
They need Adebayor to start firing to pull them away from it.
Jon Flanagan
11 of 20
Like Adebayor, Liverpool's Jon Flanagan will see his contract run out in the summer, and he'll be desperate to sign a new one.
The Reds full-back has been blighted by injuries and has only recently returned from a long-term problem that had kept him out since the summer of 2014. With Jurgen Klopp seemingly not quite convinced about him just yet, then a good couple of months seems vital.
Edinson Cavani
12 of 20
Is this going to be the summer that Edinson Cavani finally leaves Paris Saint-Germain? The form of Zlatan Ibrahimovic suggests he's going to be staying for at least another year, so perhaps it has to be.
The Uruguayan craves a central role but continues to be denied it, and if he is to convince PSG boss Laurent Blanc that he should pick him there, then he'll need to show it now.
Mario Balotelli
13 of 20
Yes, that's right, it's another "Mario Balotelli needs to prove himself" moment.
The Italian forward is still on the books at Liverpool but has little chance of ever wearing that red shirt again, so where will he end up? Turning his loan move back to Milan into a permanent switch isn't out of the question, but these next two months will be crucial.
Isco
14 of 20
Will Isco ever fly the Real Madrid nest and seek to prove himself as a starter? Perhaps one day, but right now he faces a battle to prove himself under Zinedine Zidane.
With the Frenchman showing a willingness to trust in the younger players at the Santiago Bernabeu, Isco again finds himself cast in the role of a dispensable asset, but can he fight back to prolong his Madrid career?
Alvaro Negredo
15 of 20
Gary Neville's time in charge at Valencia hasn't exactly been a rosy one so far, and in Alvaro Negredo, he has inherited a player who looks to be going through something of a crisis of confidence.
The former Manchester City forward has flattered to deceive during Neville's time in charge and has often been replaced in the team by Paco Alcacer, something that means he'll need to improve if he is to have much of a future at the club.
Fernando Torres
16 of 20
His loan contract at Atletico Madrid runs out at the end of the season, and given his recent upturn in form, it seems as though Fernando Torres has only just realised that he might need to find a new club this summer.
He'll want to stay at his boyhood club, of course, and a big couple of months could ensure that he does.
Alexandre Lacazette
17 of 20
Once the darling of French football, there is now a serious danger that Alexandre Lacazette won't make the France squad for Euro 2016 given his indifferent form and the rise to prominence of others such as Antoine Griezmann and Anthony Martial.
If he doesn't make it, the Lyon forward will perhaps feel as though he will need a move away from his homeland to really kickstart a promising career.
Sofiane Feghouli
18 of 20
Valencia's Algerian midfielder Sofiane Feghouli has had a perfectly fine season and so he shouldn't feel under pressure to produce a good couple of months at the end of it, but as one of the most high-profile players out of contract in the summer, he'll be seeking a big finish to attract the attention of what are likely to be many suitors.
An impressive attacking threat from midfield, he is sure to have plenty of offers.
Marcelo Brozovic
19 of 20
Like Feghouli, Marcelo Brozovic has had a hugely impressive season, but also like Feghouli, he's likely to be eyeing a move in the summer as the big boys circle for his signature.
Inter's Croatian midifelder is at a big club in its own right, of course, but he'll know that an eye-catching couple of months could help make up some minds.
Nicolas N'Koulou
20 of 20
Another player who will be out of contract in the summer, Nicolas N'Koulou would be a good signing for any club looking for a calm, experienced head at the back.
The Marseille central defender is blessed with plenty of attributes that clubs are sure to find attractive, and some good displays in these last two months of the campaign would impress the watching scouts.
