English Premier League: Every Side's Most Disappointing Player so Far

We're three months into the Premier League season. That means it's time to start talking about who's been good, who's been great and who's been utter garbage.

Let the others talk about those first two categories. We're after the rubbish today.

Each team in the Premiership, whether mired in a relegation fight or pushing for the title, has at least one player who has disappointed this season. The reasons for disappointment are numerous.

Sometimes a disappointing player is one who transfers to a new team—often for lots of cash—and plays poorly. Sometimes it can be an experienced squad member who's expected to take his team to new heights—and fails miserably.

We'll see all of that here, and more.

1. Manchester City: Carlos Tevez

Don't out-think yourself here. Carlos Tevez has been a major disappointment.

Just imagine how high City could be flying if Tevez—without doubt a world-class player—weren't putting his club through all this B.S.

If that's not disappointing we don't know what is.

2. Manchester United: Rio Ferdinand

Call it what you will: Age, injuries, bad luck.

Facts are facts, though, and this is a fact: Rio Ferdinand has lost a step.

When rumors of a move to the MLS started flying a few months back, it made perfect sense. Rio, once a great player, is now hovering in that murky area between average and crap.

3. Tottenham Hotspur: William Gallas

Did you know:

• William Gallas is still a paid member of Tottenham Hotspur's team?

• William Gallas was issued a first-team number (13) this season?

• William Gallas once said Spurs can win the league?

Yep, all three are true. Gallas might even be right about the last one, if only he continues to stay away from the pitch.

He’s made one appearance all season, in the Europa League against Rubin Kazan. In the league, he’s gone unused as a substitute three times.

Yipee!

4. Newcastle United: Gabriel Obertan

It's hard to pick on anyone from Newcastle since the Magpies are flying so high.

But we'll still go after Gabriel Obertan anyway.

Obertan signed for Newcastle from Manchester United on Aug. 9.

No, you're not alone: No one has been able to figure out how he was a member of Manchester United.

Usually anonymous on the pitch, Obertan distinguishes himself only on the occasions when he gets the ball and displays his wretchedly slow pace.

The grand totals so far: zero goals, one assist and 10 shots.

5. Chelsea: Fernando Torres

For a little bit there, Torres had apparently turned it around. The goals might not have been plentiful, but his performances early this season for Chelsea reminded us of his class.

And Torres is a world-class player, too. But Chelsea is clearly not the right place for him.

Torres, a £50 million signing from Liverpool less than a year ago, has failed to score since bagging goals in back-to-back league games in September. For the season, he has just those two goals—with no assists—in 10 league appearances.

Torres hasn't started a league match since the home loss to Arsenal at the end of October. Since then, he's come on as a second-half substitute against Blackburn, Liverpool and Wolves.

That's quite a return for Chelsea's investment.

Sarcasm aside, Torres is now back to disappointing Chelsea fans every week.

And it's hard to imagine when, or if, that will end.

6. Liverpool: Andrew Carroll

Last winter, Liverpool drowned their Fernando Torres-induced sorrows by paying too much (£35 million) for Andy Carroll.

The former Newcastle man hasn't come close to repaying it. This season, he's scored twice in 12 league appearances and as of late has found himself coming off the bench more often than starting.

There's still time to turn it around, and Carroll is actually a decent player. But considering all that money, he's looking more and more like a panic-buy gone predictably sour.

7. Arsenal: Andrei Arshavin

Remember when Arshavin scored four goals in a game?

Remember when he cared?

Yeah, that's not the case these days.

8. Aston Villa: Charles N'Zogbia

Charles Insomnia is more like it.

It only took until September for Insomnia's manager to start with the excuses after a £9.5 million summer move from Wigan.

Like the Carroll transfer, the N'Zogbia deal looked like an obvious bust at the time. Three months into a goalless season, nothing seems to have changed.

9. Everton: Victor Anichebe

Anichebe, a Nigerian international forward, has played once this season.

He looked awful and somehow managed to make Blackburn's defense look impenetrable.

Anichebe hasn’t seen the pitch since then.

It's hard to call him disappointing, though, since expectations couldn’t have been high. He appeared eight times in the league last term for Everton, taking 15 shots and scoring no goals.

Still, for a full international footballer, Anichebe is a disappointment.

10. Norwich City: Daniel Ayala

We don't feel right picking anyone from Norwich, considering how well the Canaries are doing for themselves this season.

In half-protest, we'll select Daniel Ayala, a 21-year-old defender who signed from Liverpool in the summer and has made only one appearance this season.

Sorry, Dan.

11. Queens Park Rangers: Adel Taarabt

Wasn't Adel Taarabt supposed to be too good to be stuck at a little club like QPR?

What's that? Oh, he only acts that way! We see.

12. Stoke City: Cameron Jerome

Cameron Jerome's tenure with Stoke City so far is easy to sum up.

He signed from Birmingham in the summer. He's played five league games. He got suspended. He's scored zero goals and taken only seven shots.

On the positive side, he's scored twice in the Europa League.

13. Swansea City: Danny Graham

Yes, he scored in four straight games.

But that's it.

The rest of the time, Swansea's record signing has disappointed.

As a target man, Graham hasn't received enough service to be effective. But when he has received service, he hasn't been consistently dangerous.

In fairness, Graham works hard. He struggles against bigger teams, though, kinda like Swansea as a whole.

14. West Bromwich Albion: Youssuf Mulumbu

At the end of last season, West Brom boss Roy Hodgson stressed the importance of holding onto his team's best players.

That list included Mulumbu.

Too bad Mulumbu (one goal in 13 games) hasn't justified his inclusion in it.

15. Fulham: Bryan Ruiz

Ruiz hasn't had enough time to prove himself at Fulham.

But through six starts and eight substitutes' appearances, the £10.6 million signing has scored once.

That's disappointing no matter how you think Ruiz will turn out.

16. Sunderland: John O'Shea

This is admittedly harsh.

O'Shea hasn't played badly. But he hasn't replicated the form he showed for years with Manchester United.

And Sunderland have struggled mightily.

We don't think that's a coincidence.

17. Wolverhampton Wanderers: Roger Johnson

Johnson, a central defender, was named captain immediately after his £7 million summer transfer.

Wolves' defense has been rotten, allowing 23 goals already.

18. Bolton Wanderers: David N'Gog

Ngog signed from Liverpool in the summer.

Through eight league appearances, he's managed 10 shots with one goal.

19. Wigan Athletic: Hugo Rodallega

Wigan's No. 9, Colombian striker Hugo Rodallega, is out of contract in the summer.

Contract talks are going on now, but Wigan might want to consider letting him go.

After a few successful years in England, the goals have dried up for Rodallega. So far this season, he's managed zero goals and two assists.

All these teammates have scored more than Rodallega: Franco Di Santo, Mohamed Diame, Ben Watson, Jordi Gomez, Gary Caldwell and Albert Crusat.

20. Blackburn Rovers: David Hoilett

Hoilett, a midfielder, is a decent attacking option. Through 13 appearances, he's scored three times and has created chaos for several opposing defenses.

As a midfielder, though, he needs to help with his own team's defense. And Hoilett is garbage in that department.

He can’t track a man to save his life. He loses his marks. He loses ball too much. He leaves fullbacks exposed.

Considering he plays for Blackburn, whose defenders couldn't guard an ice cream cone from a pack of 8- year-olds, those qualities are very bad.