comment by Everywhere you go always take Lamela with you. (U7905)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Irishred (U2539)
posted 36 seconds ago
Me, that leg break at 15 put paid to a glittering career
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Football's loss, is ja606's gain
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Yay appreciation at last. Its only taken 9 years

comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 31 seconds ago
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 4 minutes ago
Hopefully not Harry Kane
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Think we’ve seen the best of him already if I’m brutally honest.
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Perhaps. Whatever happens he'll be seen in less regard if he doesn't win something, in which case he'll probably have to leave Spurs.

Benjamin Mendy. Without injuries his peak could definitely match TAA/Robertson levels of productivity.

I just remember alot of strikers and forwards, might have something to do with being cut down by defenders too often.
-Van Basten: basically retired at 28 due to a bad tackle to his ankle
-Aguero: missed loads and loads of City games with ankle issues, but was already starting to have nagging injuries at Atletico
-Van Persie: couldn't put together a full season of games and had at most 2-3 relatively issue-free years in his prime
-Neymar: Got a cracked spine at the WC and some major injuries at PSG lately that basically have stolen 2 years of his development.
-Harry Kane: become injury prone due to playing too much and trying to carry the whole team. Could have had a different development if playing for a top 2 side earlier in his career.
-Adriano: obviously had mental/drinking issues, but was also injured alot and didn't have the strength to recover his fitness again.

This thread is making me sad as a football fan remembering those exciting talents/players we could have enjoyed much longer.

comment by Kunta Kante (U1641)
posted 1 minute ago
Benjamin Mendy. Without injuries his peak could definitely match TAA/Robertson levels of productivity.
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Not really, even when he is fit he is a Shiite defender. Decent going forward I’ll give you.

comment by Melt (U22362)
posted 12 minutes ago
Moussa Dembele
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Was it injuries or just coming towards end of his career (admittedly earlier than average). I do see him as a player who did not fulfil the potential/career their talent justified but I think that’s more because he just didn’t get a coach to get best out of him till he started playing deeper at Fulham

Bruno Cheyrou

He was hailed by Houllier as the next Zidane

Danny Welbeck. Without the injuries he'd be a slightly less worse version of himself.

comment by Kunta Kante (U1641)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Melt (U22362)
posted 12 minutes ago
Moussa Dembele
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Was it injuries or just coming towards end of his career (admittedly earlier than average). I do see him as a player who did not fulfil the potential/career their talent justified but I think that’s more because he just didn’t get a coach to get best out of him till he started playing deeper at Fulham
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Both, when he finally got the right coach his knees gave way

Where does Gazza rank with regards to this? Lot of injuries but you could attribute it all to the mental side of the game

comment by Neo (U9135)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Kunta Kante (U1641)
posted 1 minute ago
Benjamin Mendy. Without injuries his peak could definitely match TAA/Robertson levels of productivity.
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Not really, even when he is fit he is a Shiite defender. Decent going forward I’ll give you.
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By output I meant attacking output. Why not? Fantastic ability to deliver the ball. 11 assists in 39 appearances in THAT Monaco season. 5 league assists in 9 appearances at start of 18/19 for City before getting long-term injury again. He clearly was a player who could put in great numbers from full back like TAA/Robbo.

Maybe Luke Shaw?

Matt Jansen

Dean Ashton

Ravel Morrison

Brian Clough had to retire before the age of 30 and had a superb goalscoring record, it was round about the time Sunderland got into the first division and 2 years before England won the World Cup, so you can kind of imagine how he could have been included in the squad, if not for injury.

Stan Collymore

Matt Le Tissier (debatable: he could have pushed himself more and been England's finest midfielder since Gazza)

Rodrigo Possebon
Will Keane

comment by Firkin (U19526)
posted 3 minutes ago
Ravel Morrison
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I wouldn’t count Ravel, unless we include ‘being dropped on his head as a baby’ as an injury.

Pato is a good example - could be classed as burn out

Robb Jones - retiring at 27 ftom shin splints is bad. Class defender.

Gazza - not much needs saying there

Essien - absolute monster by his knee was a wuss

comment by rosso is done with this (U17054)
posted 6 seconds ago
Rodrigo Possebon
Will Keane

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The thread the other day made me think again about Possebon. I was under the mistaken impression he broke his leg under the Pogatetz challenge, which derailed his career. However, he was back in action a month later. The fact he never made 100 first team professional appearances across any of his clubs (and a number of these were hardly top clubs) makes me think he appeared better than there was in his first few appearances.

comment by Firkin (U19526)
posted 2 minutes ago
Stan Collymore

Matt Le Tissier (debatable: he could have pushed himself more and been England's finest midfielder since Gazza)
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Not sure what injuries stopped these two?

Sam Hutchinson at Chelsea was going to be WC according to just about everyone who ever saw him. Think he's managed to dig out a career actually.

comment by rosso is done with this (U17054)
posted 58 seconds ago
comment by Firkin (U19526)
posted 3 minutes ago
Ravel Morrison
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I wouldn’t count Ravel, unless we include ‘being dropped on his head as a baby’ as an injury.
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He had potential: Ferguson judged him as being the best young player he had ever seen. Has he fulfilled it? No. He's been loaned out by Sheff Utd and he couldn't get a game in the Championship before the lockdown.

comment by Robbing Hoody - tell me I can't and I... (U6374)
posted 37 seconds ago
Pato is a good example - could be classed as burn out

Robb Jones - retiring at 27 ftom shin splints is bad. Class defender.

Gazza - not much needs saying there

Essien - absolute monster by his knee was a wuss
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How did Essien not reach his potential. Was one of the best midfielders in the world?

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