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Top 10 Underachievers This Season

Which sides aren't punching their weight? Goal.com looks at ten sides not performing to potential.

Oct 23, 2009 10:45:58 AM

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Rafael Benitez - Liverpool (PA)

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10) Urawa Red Diamonds

Japanese giants Urawa Reds are well and truly out of the J-League title race, having undergone a jaw-dropping seven-game losing streak earlier in the season. The Saitama side are mid-table, despite having the highest budget and one of the top support-bases in the league.

9) Fluminense

The tricolor side are no strangers to rises and falls: despite being one of Brazil's most popular clubs, they played in the third level as recently as the last decade. Yet the Rio outfit played in the Libertadores final just two years ago. Now they're dead last in Serie A and, barring a miracle, will go down with Sport Recife and Nautico in a few weeks' time.

8) Sporting Lisbon

Sporting were edged out of Champions League qualification by Fiorentina, having only just squeezed past Twente in the previous round. In the relatively sedate environs of the Europa League the Lions have a 100% record, but have made hard work of it: at home their Champions League dreams seem distant already as they sit five points behind Porto, eight behind Benfica and a whopping ten behind Braga after just seven games. Goalscoring is a definite problem in the Portuguese capital and one that sees them in real danger of having a barren season.

7) Everton

David Moyes' side, despite financial pressures, were predicted to once again knock on the door of England's top four this season, with sixth appearing to be a realistic target. Instead the Liverpool-based side are just eleventh, with three wins from eight games. In Europe their 5-0 defeat to Benfica, coupled with just a scraped win against BATE Borisov, has the Toffees' fans uneasy.

6) Atletico Madrid

Atleti have parted company with coach Abel Resino this week, but not before slipping to a disastrous 15th in La Liga, and having shipped four goals to Chelsea in a Champions League campaign that sees the Spanish side bottom of Group D with one point and no goals scored. For a side heavily in debt, failure to reach Europe, let alone the Champions League, could prove disastrous for next season.

5) Hertha Berlin

Five consecutive top-half finishes - including a fourth place last season - appear too mean little for Hertha. After over a decade back in the top flight the capital outfit are in jeopardy of dropping back down to the second level. One win and eight defeats so far sees them, predictably, last in the Bundesliga, and with the coach already having changed, the club's top brass are running out of ideas.

4) River Plate

Underachievement is nothing new at the Monumental, given that in last year's Apertura the Buenos Aires giants finished last. But with Leonardo Astrada in charge there is little sign of improvement. River are in dreadful shape with just one win in the league so far heading into the Superclasico with Boca Juniors.

3) Napoli

After a big summer of spending that included splashing out on the likes of Fabio Quagliarella, Luca Cigarini, Juan Zuniga & Hugo Campagnaro, Napoli were tipped by many to finish in the top 4 in Serie A. However, they have looked more like a relegation outfit so far this term. Coach Roberto Donadoni (below) has already been replaced by Walter Mazzarri and they are currently in 14th place.

2) Liverpool

The last time Liverpool won the championship was way back in 1990, and there was hope that this would be the season where the Reds would end their 20 years of hurt, especially after spending big on Glen Johnson and Alberto Aquilani. Just nine games into the Premier League season and their league challenge looks over having already lost four times. To make matters worse, two losses from three in their Champions League group means that a first round European elimination is a real possibility. Were this to occur there are fears in some circles that it could lead to financial collapse for Liverpool, and almost certainly no transfer budget for 2010/11.

1) Villarreal

What on Earth has happened to the Yellow Submarine in 2009/10? Having missed out on Champions League qualification last season by just two points and one place, Villarreal were supposed to be a Top 4 challenger again this term. Despite the undoubted quality of Giuseppe Rossi, Marcos Senna and Santiago Cazorla, the Castellon-based outfit have failed to win a single game domestically so far and are rock-bottom of La Liga. With two defeats from three in their Europa League pool, they also have it all to do to qualify for the knockouts. Coach Ernesto Valverde is under real pressure having replaced new Real Madrid boss Manuel Pellegrini in the summer, and little wonder why!