Premier League: Players with the worst debuts

• Moises Caicedo had a dismal start, making a bizarre appearance in the team’s 3-1 loss to West Ham.
• Following Caicedo’s disastrous start, we take a look at the worst Premier League debuts ever.

Chelsea’s record-breaking acquisition Moises Caicedo had a dismal start, making a bizarre appearance in the team’s 3-1 loss to West Ham.

Following Caicedo’s disastrous start, we take a look at the worst Premier League debuts ever.

Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand joined Leeds from West Ham for a British transfer record of £18 million. Photo/BBC

Expectation and eagerness are usually there before debuts, but with Rio Ferdinand’s historic transfer to Leeds in 2000, those emotions were amplified.

The center-back’s £18 million signing from West Ham to Elland Road broke a British transfer record and made him the most expensive defender in the history of football. However, on his debut, the defender was a member of a defense that was mercilessly dismantled by Leicester.

In an effort to make the most of the star signing, David O’Leary changed his team’s approach, but his strategies spectacularly failed as Leicester surged into a three-goal advantage inside of 28 minutes.

Ferdinand was one of several Leeds players who struggled as Leicester took a dominating lead in the first half thanks to strikes from Robbie Savage, Ade Akinbiyi, and Gerry Taggart. As a result, Ferdinand’s debut ended in a loss for the Foxes.

Patrice Evra

Patrice Evra. Photo/ Stretty News.

When Patrice Evra made his Premier League debut, he was subjected to the acrimony of a Manchester derby rivalry at Maine Road.

The left-back was acquired by Manchester United from Monaco in the January 2006 transfer window, but his debut for the club proved to be a harsh lesson to learn as he was sent off at halftime.

Trevor Sinclair and Darius Vassell’s strikes put Sir Alex Ferguson’s team two goals behind at the break, prompting Ferguson to pull a struggling Patrice Evra who was having trouble keeping up with the fast pace of the English game.

It was later disclosed by the former France international that he had been unwell the morning of the match, which served as a harsh awakening to the rigorous demands of the Premier League.

Nevertheless, he bounced back to become one of the league’s top left-backs during a wildly successful spell at Old Trafford, winning five league championships and the Champions League among other awards.

Joe Cole

In the summer of 2010, Joe Cole decided to leave Chelsea on a free transfer after his time with the club had come to an end.

Given the terms of the agreement and Cole’s caliber, Liverpool considered his signing a coup. However, his hopes for a spectacular debut at Anfield were dashed.

Cole launched himself into an excessive attack on Laurent Koscielny in the first half of Liverpool’s match against Arsenal, hoping to win over his new fan base. Cole was handed a straight red card and removed from the game.

The England international’s dismissal marked the beginning of a very wretched period on Merseyside for Cole, who struggled to regain his form during an injury-plagued stint with the Reds.

Thiago Silva

Thiago Silva had a disastrous debut performance at The Hawthorns in 2020. Photo/Goal

Although Thiago Silva is a beloved figure at Chelsea, the seasoned defender had to bounce back after a disastrous start against West Brom.

The question of whether the seasoned center-back could manage the demands of the league in the latter stages of his career was raised when Silva, one of the finest defenders in the world during the previous ten years, entered the Premier League.

After a disastrous performance at The Hawthorns in 2020, when Chelsea found themselves trailing the freshly promoted Baggies by three goals at halftime, those concerns got louder.

The second goal was solely the fault of the Brazilian, who gave up the ball in a risky place and allowed Callum Robinson to take advantage of it to waltz in and score.

It was a terrible performance from the newcomer, but Chelsea came back to secure an improbable draw in the second half.

To his credit, Thiago Silva recovered well and showed his class during his first season, playing a key role in Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea team that won the Champions League.