Stepping up from midtable

[Alioune DVToure]

I was thinking this morning about players who leave mid-table/bottom half clubs to play for teams in the top five or six. This interests me because, of all those to have made this type of move in recent years, I can't think of a single example of a player having gone on to become a key player at his new club.

Can anyone think of one? Even going as far back as Shauny to Chelsea, I can't think of any.

I suppose Demba Ba is doing OK but I wouldn't say he's indispensable at Chelsea. The same with Victor Moses. Gary Cahill is in-and-out of the side there when fit.

Downing and Adam both fell short at Liverpool and Adam even looks shite at Stoke.

Sigurdsson and Dempsey have had slightly above average seasons at Spurs.

Perhaps Dembele is the exception to the rule. He continues to impress.

Tough question though, innit?

[LookMumImOnMCF.net]

Bazza?

[LookMumImOnMCF.net]

More recently Parker, Friedel, Arteta. Depending on your outlook I guess.

[Alioune DVToure]

Bazza?

Possibly, but I seem to remember Villa still being quite decent when we signed him. Same with Milner. I think we signed them both on the back of 5th/6th-placed finishes at Villa.

God they're shit now.

[kinkylola]

do you count barry and milner, coming from villa to us?
lescott to us?
given to us?
bellamy to us?

How about tevez from west ham to scum?
Phil Jones (who i don't rate, but has had major playing time) from Blackburn to scum?
Van der Sar from fulham to scum?
carrick from tott to scum?
rooney to scum?



muntari left pompey and went to inter, i would say a pompey would be a good source for quite a few, with how things went for them.

I think it happens quite often, but those players were all considered talented players at the time and definitely we well scouted by all the top clubs. I also think there's a lot of things people wouldn't agree on. Does it count if they are a youth that came up through a lower teams system and get poached by big teams, ala rooney? I dunno, hard to say.

[Alioune DVToure]

More recently Parker, Friedel, Arteta. Depending on your outlook I guess.

Parker and Friedel had played for top-end teams before and Arteta is borderline as Everton might've been top-six at the time.

I suppose Parker had come to be considered a quintessentially midtable workhorse to be fair, though.

[Alioune DVToure]

do you count barry and milner, coming from villa to us?
lescott to us?
given to us?
bellamy to us?

How about tevez from west ham to scum?
Phil Jones (who i don't rate, but has had major playing time) from Blackburn to scum?
Van der Sar from fulham to scum?
carrick from tott to scum?
rooney to scum?

muntari left pompey and went to inter, i would say a pompey would be a good source for quite a few, with how things went for them.

I think it happens quite often, but those players were all considered talented players at the time and definitely we well scouted by all the top clubs. I also think there's a lot of things people wouldn't agree on. Does it count if they are a youth that came up through a lower teams system and get poached by big teams, ala rooney? I dunno, hard to say.

Some of those had a lot of experience at the top (VDS) and others made the switch from very decent sides (Carrick, Lescott). Muntari is a decent shout I suppose, as is KPB along those same lines. In fact, KPB has been a more important player for Milan than Muntari for Inter. But I was thinking more about intra-PL switches.

[mr_nool]

More recently Parker, Friedel, Arteta. Depending on your outlook I guess.

Parker and Friedel had played for top-end teams before and Arteta is borderline as Everton might've been top-six at the time.

I suppose Parker had come to be considered a quintessentially midtable workhorse to be fair, though.

Regarding Bazza and Milner - weren't Villa top sixish as well before they signed for us?

[Burt]

Gaz Baz and Square Jaw from Villa have made the grade in no uncertain terms.

I think that you have to probably put Shrek as a major impact as much as I hate the cunt.

Carrick, Valencia and Young have all won a few medals at the filth. Dare we mention Phil Jones doh!!!

What about Fat Frank and Joe Cole!

Oh and has anybody mentioned Joleon Lescott yet?!!!

[I Just Blue Myself]

Robin van Persie

[sweenyuk]

Joey Barton - Didn't he leave us to go to a bigger team and set the football world alight...???

[Slim]

How about Diarra?

Went from Pompey to Real Madrid.

[Alioune DVToure]

How about Diarra?

Went from Pompey to Real Madrid.

True. Was at Chelsea and Arsenal first though and never quite made his mark here in Madrid. He was a regular for a few months under Schuster.

[Sideshow Bob]

moses counts. done well imo.

[Rag_hater]

Would say our Danny at the time,
David Silva,
would Anelka be in the category.

[Ezz]

Bale?

[Slim]

Ashley Young.

[MilnersJaw]

Ashley Young.

him along with shrek are shit.

[Clowncrete]

Would say our Danny at the time,
David Silva,
would Anelka be in the category.

Valencia is a pretty big club mate. Defo not mid-table.

[Hazy2]

Didi Haman, Bellers, Brad Fridel,