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How do you judge whether a player is a flop?

Firstly, they have to be a key man in that side. Maybe the team's best player, maybe the most influential.

They have to be someone with a reputation, preferably built on past success, otherwise what to do judge them against?

What is their job and how effectively have they done it? To not be considered a flop they must consistently deliver the goods.

Strikers and goalkeepers are an obvious target for this sort of study as it is easy to measure their contribution to the side.

There are a number of candidates based on their displays this season compared to last.

Norwich City's Grant Holt has struggled to repeat his heroics of 2011/12 when he scored 15 Premier League goals (17 overall). This time round he has scored five times 26 in appearances in the league.

Other under-performing front men include Pavel Pogrebnyak.

The Russian blitzed his way onto the Premier League scene last January with Fulham by scoring five goals in his first three games.

Reading pushed the boat out financially to sign him but a return of five goals from 22 games is not the sort of impact they had hoped for.

Danny Graham has also failed to live up to the hype.

Last season he banged in 14 as Swansea dazzled the top flight. This time round a big-money move to Sunderland in January as not brought him a goal in 10 matches.

Then there's dear old Fernando Torres.

Although his tribulations in the Premier League still continue, his goal return is not that bad when you factor in his contribution to Chelsea's cause in other competitions.

Besides, everyone's sick of hearing about how he's not the same player he was.

My choice does have a link with Torres.

On the same day that the Spaniard made the £50 million move from Liverpool to Chelsea, the Reds spent £35 million of that on signing Andy Carroll from Newcastle.

And it's Carroll who takes this award. And here's why.