Top-10 Bench Warmers in Football
Who are the best players to regularly be on the bench?
Sometimes it’s tough to get regular first-team football, and other times, it’s nearly impossible and for these 10 guys, they have struggled over the past 12-months and maybe even longer to get regular action for their respective clubs.
Whether it’s a recent move which hasn’t worked out, or if it’s just a player failing to make an impression, every club has a bench warmer.
However, when you are playing for a top, top team, the benches seem rather incredible, and this is what we are focusing on today.
SillySeason are going to look into the best bench warmers from the past few seasons.
Lets get the ball rolling then.
10. Frank Lampard
First up at number-10 is former-Chelsea and Manchester City midfielder Frank Lampard.
Now over his entire career, he would never be classed as a bench warmer, but after last season, he is certainly one of the best players to have spent time on a bench.
He agreed to leave Chelsea after his contract expired, and decided to join new MLS side New York City. However, he ended up on a season-long loan at Manchester City for the 2014/2015 campaign.
Due to City’s wealth of options in the midfield, the veteran was resigned to starting most games on the bench.
Forever a Premier League legend however for his incredible career.
9. Isco
I’m sure most clubs would love to have a player like Isco sitting on their bench.
The Spaniard has struggled to make an impact at Real Madrid since moving from Malaga and most of his appearances for the La Liga giants have come from the bench.
Who can blame him however?! He’s competing with the likes of; Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Toni Kroos, James Rodriguez and Luka Modric.
Widely expected to leave the Bernabeu this summer, Isco could be a top signing for any club.
8. Alvaro Morata
Eighth in our list is someone who had a great campaign this year in the Champions League.
Alvaro Morata was forced out of Real Madrid after he was deemed not good enough by Florentino Perez. However, the Spaniard had the last laugh after he scored the goals to eliminate his former-club from the Champions League in the Semi-Final.
Although he was the hero in Europe, Morata spent most of his time on the bench for The Old Lady, behind Carlos Tevez.
Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic arriving this summer won’t help matters either.
7. Andre Schurrle
Andre Schurrle simply had to leave Chelsea in order to get game-time.
He was known for his impacts off the bench, but he would rarely be rewarded with a full 90-minutes by Jose Mourinho.
Eventually, Schurrle did leave Chelsea and joined Wolfsburg and has been getting regular football ever since. The World Cup winner simply couldn’t get a place ahead of Eden Hazard, Oscar or Willian and when Juan Cuadrado arrived from Fiorentina, he was pushed further down the pecking order.
6. Joel Campbell
Big things were expected from this guy this season after his stunning World Cup campaign with Costa Rica.
However, a brief display in pre-season and an awful performance in a Capital One Cup game is all Joel Campbell got at Arsenal before being sent out on loan to Villarreal for the second-half of the season.
The Costa Rican international is expected to leave the club permanently in the near future after failing to impress Arsene Wenger.
5. Mohamed Salah
Another winger who just couldn’t cut it at Stamford Bridge.
Mohamed Salah was incredible for FC Basel and regularly tormented Chelsea when they met in Europe, but after completing his move to The Blues, his career stalled and declined.
Similar to Schurrle, the Egyptian simply couldn’t break into Mourinho’s first-team and couldn’t cement a regular starting spot, meaning most of his time was spent on the bench.
Salah was sent out on loan to Fiorentina for the second-half of last season.
4. Raphael Varane
This guy would probably make most teams starting XIs.
Raphael Varane is an incredible, young centre-back, but he simply cannot break into Real Madrid‘s first-team due to Pepe and Sergio Ramos.
It’s expected to be a busy summer in the Bernabeu with transfer rumours building up, but it could be a big one for the Frenchman and his future.
Some reports claim Varane is ready to leave, whilst others claim Ramos could be on his way to Manchester United.
However, latest reports suggest Madrid want to sign Arsenal‘s Laurent Koscielny, which could damage Varane even more.
3. Xherdan Shaqiri
Wanted in the Premier League, Shaqiri was struggling at Bayern Munich and had to get away from the Bundesliga giants.
Eventually the Swiss international did secure a move away, albeit a temporary one, as he joined Inter Milan on a six-month loan back in January.
Shaqiri was wanted by both Manchester United and Liverpool, but he eventually chose a loan switch to the San Siro club.
It’s not yet clear where his future lies with Munich not interested in keeping him.
2. Petr Cech
Imagine having Petr Cech as your back-up goalkeeper.
Most clubs would love having him as their number-one, but Chelsea are in a position to have him as a backup option. However, that is about to change.
After spending the season on the bench behind Thibaut Courtois, Cech is set to leave the club and join London rivals Arsenal after a fee of £10.9million was agreed between the two clubs.
A medical is expected to take place next week.
1. Javier Hernandez
Super-sub.
Hernandez has spent most of his career on the bench and making impacts from it.
Failed to break into the Manchester United first-team and was kept out by several different strikers, but then made the bizarre choice to go to Real Madrid on a season-long loan.
Unsurprisingly, the Mexican failed to replace Karim Benzema in the first-team and was once again stuck on the bench.