Over the course of 12 months, a player can see his form rise significantly, making himself one of Europe’s most courted footballers, or drop markedly, seeing potential interest from big name teams cool as a result. Be it fewer goals scored, an increase in goals conceded or fewer passes completed, a number of mitigating factors can determine the fall in performance, with some of the players across Europe’s top five leagues seeing their average rating drop over the previous 12 months, as such seeing their value decrease as a result.
Using WhoScored.com’s unique rating system, we can see whose average rating dropped the most from performances in 2011/12 to those of 2012/13, with one player to have made at least 15 starts this term standing out from each respective league.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (FC Schalke 04)
The Dutchman saw his average rating drop from 7.64 to 6.85 over the last 12 months, a fall of 0.79; the largest across Europe’s top five leagues. FC Schalke 04 may have qualified for the Champions League once again, securing a fourth placed finish on the final day of the season, but Klaas-Jan Huntelaar underperformed in a year where the Bundesliga side scored just 58 times, a drop from 74 the previous campaign.
The 29-year-old might have started fewer games this season - 32 compared to 26 - but in scoring 19 fewer goals his team won only 55 points, a drop from 64 the previous campaign, while also falling a position in the Bundesliga. Huntelaar netted only seven clear cut goalscoring opportunities this season, a significant drop from 25 in the 2011/12 campaign, while his on target conversion rate also dropped significantly (54.7% in the 2011/12 season to 32.2% this year).
The loss of Raúl evidently proved to be more significant than originally anticipated, the Al Sadd striker scoring 15 times last season for Schalke, although fortunately for the Bundesliga side, Julian Draxler (10) and Jefferson Farfán (6) helped shoulder the goalscoring burden, not to mention Lewis Holtby netting four prior to his move to the Premier League.
However, as Schalke scraped into the Champions League following their 2-1 win over Freiburg on the final day of the campaign, the monumental drop in form of Huntelaar will be a cause for concern to Schalke and the player himself as they aim to press on next season, both domestically and on the continent.
Xavi (Barcelona)
The lynchpin in the Barcelona midfield may have maintained the highest pass success rate in Europe this season (94.8%), an improvement on his 92.4% of the 2011/12 campaign, but Xavi saw his average rating drop from 7.76 to 7.16; a fall of 0.6, the highest in the Primera Division.
However, while his passing accuracy improved, Xavi created fewer goalscoring opportunities (44) for his teammates in La Liga than the previous year (65), while seeing his defensive contribution drop having made just 22 interceptions this season compared to 33 in the 2011/12 Primera Division campaign.
The 33-year-old won possession fewer times in the midfield third of the pitch (93) this year, whilst also scoring five goals compared to 10 in the 2011/12 season. Granted, Barcelona matched Real Madrid’s La Liga points total record (100) this year, and a change in head coach from Pep Guardiola to Tito Vilanova could well have seen the Blaugrana alter their approach to games, but Xavi’s influence in the middle of the park has diminished somewhat, as evident in his average rating drop.
Emmanuel Adebayor (Tottenham Hotspur)
After a blistering debut campaign at White Hart Lane, Tottenham Hotspur fans were excited about the permanent arrival of Emmanuel Adebayor, only to see supporters quickly jump on his back after a number of lackadaisical performances in the opening games of the season. His displays may have been crucial in the final games of the campaign, but the Togolese frontman saw his average rating for the whole season drop from 7.2 to 6.65.
After a season in which Adebayor scored 17 goals and assisted 11 more in the Premier League, a return of five goals and one assist undoubtedly would’ve been a contributing factor as to why his rating drop so considerably. Furthermore, with the striker also attempting just 42 shots this season, a fall from 100 the previous campaign, the hesitancy to shoot would have limited his opportunities to add to his final tally.
As a target man, the onus was also on Adebayor to bring his teammates into the game, but in completing fewer accurate layoffs (72) and accurate passes (497), the Spurs man underperformed in the role, also winning just 38 aerial duels, a drop from the 64 he won the previous season.
Understandably, the change in system under Andre Villas-Boas from Harry Redknapp might have played its part in his drop in form, and Adebayor might have struggled to adapt, starting thr season particularly poorly. Had he not done so, Spurs' season might not have ended in failure to secure a top four finish.
Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Paris Saint Germain secured their first Ligue 1 title since 1994, but the transition from Italian to French football evidently had an adverse effect on Ezequiel Lavezzi, who saw his average WhoScored.com rating fall by 0.47 from 7.31 to 6.84 following his summer move from Napoli to the Parisian side. Netting three and assisting a further four - a drop from nine goals and six assists during his final year in Serie A - was not up to the standards that saw him win the big money move in the first place.
Famed for his dribbling capabilities, the Argentine completed just 36 of his attempts to run past the opposition with the ball for PSG, with the figure dropping from 76 in the 2011/12 season with Napoli; his success rate dropping from 57.1% to 44% over the last 12 months. Moreover, with one of Lavezzi’s key WhoScored strengths being his ability to 'hold on to the ball', the Argentina international also found a teammate with fewer layoffs (44) with PSG compared to a massive 89 in his final year with Napoli.
Interestingly, the Partenopei netted more goals this season (73) compared to last season (66) while amassing 78 points, 17 more than in Lavezzi’s last year at the club. Similarly, PSG scored more goals during the 2011/12 season (75) than in Lavezzi's debut year in Paris, in which the club netted 69 times, with the player perhaps not as much of a necessity to the team as many may suspect.
Fabrizio Miccoli (Palermo)
Palermo’s relegation from Serie A means key duo Josip Ilicic and Paulo Dybala will likely be the subject of intense speculation throughout the transfer window, while teams will undoubtedly show an interest in Fabrizio Miccoli, regardless of his average rating falling from 7.41 to 6.9; a drop of 0.51. A primary reason for this came as the Italian netted only eight goals this season, compared to the 16 in his 2011/12 campaign.
The lack of goals played a significant part in their drop down to Serie B, with Palermo securing 43 points last season compared to the 32 this year, comfortably staving off the threat of relegation a year ago. Turning over possession due to a poor first touch 32 times this term compared to 27 the previous year wouldn’t have aided in their quest for survival, while in picking out a teammate with just 9 crosses (excluding corners) this season, compared to 29 last term significantly reduced his side's goal threat.
Furthermore, in completing fewer accurate passes (324 compared to 429), Miccoli’s link up play saw Palermo’s frontline suffer as a result, with the Italian completing just 32 layoffs - a drop from 45. As a result, the Rosanero scored just 34 times in 2012/13, a fall from 52 in the 2011/12 season, culminating in their drop from Serie A.
