Players with Torres-like collapses who managed to return to their best

[Hound Dog]

I have been reading the Cavani thread today and what got me thinking was a poster stating that he expects Cavani to return to his best level after three years of mediocrity.

Obviously, there were plenty of Torres/Shevchenko/Falcao comparisons in the thread and that got me thinking about something - has a player ever managed to return to a level close to his best after having a sudden collapse in form/ability midway through his professional career?

I cannot seem to recall such an example.

 

[Wumminator]

I have been reading the Cavani thread today and what got me thinking was a poster stating that he expects Cavani to return to his best level after three years of mediocrity.

Obviously, there were plenty of Torres/Shevchenko/Falcao comparisons in the thread and that got me thinking about something - has a player ever managed to return to a level close to his best after having a sudden collapse in form/ability midway through his professional career?

I cannot seem to recall such an example.

Hmmm, Ryan Giggs went through a poor run of form. Nowhere near as pronounced.


Teddy Sheringham?

 

[yumtum]

Our own Diego Forlan!

Could probably say Zlatan at Barca too, but he didn't fall quite as spectacular as Torres, and was different circumstances effecting his performances.

 

[Frasbul]

Mario Gomez to an extent. but scoring in Turkey doesn't seem to be too difficult.

if u know what I mean

 

[UweBein]

Lance Armstrong

 

[Donut]

Nani seems to be on a bit of a resurgence, but he was never as bad as some wanted to portray.

 

[Snow]

Klose? Started to whittle away at Bayern but found his old form with Lazio.

Allardyce probably had a few in his Bolton days.

 

[harms]

Raul was pretty poor for years after being hailed as one of the best players of his time - before rejuvenating in 2007/08. He wasn't as bad as Torres though, obviously.

Terry was a walking joke, with Carroll nutmegging him several times during one game and then came back to live to win yet another championship - but it was more to do with manager's tactical approach.

Hard to think of one, really

 

[2cents]

An obvious candidate would be Ronaldo. Faded badly after the 1998 World Cup final fiasco, was a non-entity in our Champion's League clashes with Inter in 1999. Returned to glory at the 2002 World Cup and played another couple of good seasons for Real after that.

 

[horsechoker]

Our own Diego Forlan!

Could probably say Zlatan at Barca too, but he didn't fall quite as spectacular as Torres, and was different circumstances effecting his performances.

ZLATAN WAS A GREAT PLAYER BUT A DIFFICULT PERSONALITY
HE CLASHED WITH PEP BECAUSE HE WAS SHIFTED TO THE WING EVENTHOUGH HE WON PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN THAT POSITION
TOUGH PERSONALITY ? HE STILL WON PLENTY CLUB AND NATIONLEVEL
NATION
NATION
NATION LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

ZLATAN WAS A GREAT PLAYER BUT A DIFFICULT PERSONALITY
HE CLASHED WITH PEP BECAUSE HE WAS SHIFTED TO THE WING EVENTHOUGH HE WON PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN THAT POSITION
TOUGH PERSONALITY ? HE STILL WON PLENTY CLUB AND NATIONLEVEL
NATION
NATION
NATION LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL

wtf dude?

 

[Ibi Dreams]

I don't know what his form was like, but Pirlo was let go for free by Milan before joining Juventus and being pivotal to their domestic dominance for like 4 years. My guess is that he never really regressed, they just thought he was too old

 

[yumtum]

ZLATAN WAS A GREAT PLAYER BUT A DIFFICULT PERSONALITY
HE CLASHED WITH PEP BECAUSE HE WAS SHIFTED TO THE WING EVENTHOUGH HE WON PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN THAT POSITION
TOUGH PERSONALITY ? HE STILL WON PLENTY CLUB AND NATIONLEVEL
NATION
NATION
NATION LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL

You wanna talk about it? It's okay to let it out...

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

I don't know what his form was like, but Pirlo was let go for free by Milan before joining Juventus and being pivotal to their domestic dominance for like 2-3 years. My guess is that he never really regressed, they just thought he was too old

No one is too old for Milan.

 

[Pink Moon]

ZLATAN WAS A GREAT PLAYER BUT A DIFFICULT PERSONALITY
HE CLASHED WITH PEP BECAUSE HE WAS SHIFTED TO THE WING EVENTHOUGH HE WON PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN THAT POSITION
TOUGH PERSONALITY ? HE STILL WON PLENTY CLUB AND NATIONLEVEL
NATION
NATION
NATION LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL

Gold

 

[horsechoker]

You wanna talk about it? It's okay to let it out...

wtf dude?

SORRY ITS THE PHONE

 

[do.ob]

Ben Arfa maybe? Was out of a job not too long ago, now hes playing for PSG.

 

[204Red]

I don't know what his form was like, but Pirlo was let go for free by Milan before joining Juventus and being pivotal to their domestic dominance for like 4 years. My guess is that he never really regressed, they just thought he was too old

This is as close as I think you are going to find... he really did seem washed up at Milan

 

[Olly Gunnar Solskjær]

ZLATAN WAS A GREAT PLAYER BUT A DIFFICULT PERSONALITY
HE CLASHED WITH PEP BECAUSE HE WAS SHIFTED TO THE WING EVENTHOUGH HE WON PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN THAT POSITION
TOUGH PERSONALITY ? HE STILL WON PLENTY CLUB AND NATIONLEVEL
NATION
NATION
NATION LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL

 

[JmRssll555]

ZLATAN WAS A GREAT PLAYER BUT A DIFFICULT PERSONALITY
HE CLASHED WITH PEP BECAUSE HE WAS SHIFTED TO THE WING EVENTHOUGH HE WON PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN THAT POSITION
TOUGH PERSONALITY ? HE STILL WON PLENTY CLUB AND NATIONLEVEL
NATION
NATION
NATION LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL

Yes

Where's the video that someone made?

 

[Gio]

We'll struggle to think of a credible example. Once you've lost it, you need to reinvent or adapt your game. If not you're done in. But regardless you aren't the same player.

Sick Boy: It's certainly a phenomenon in all walks of life.
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: What do you mean?
Sick Boy: Well, at one time, you've got it, and then you lose it, and it's gone forever. All walks of life: George Best, for example. Had it, lost it. Or David Bowie, or Lou Reed...
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: Some of his solo stuff's not bad.
Sick Boy: No, it's not bad, but it's not great either. And in your heart you kind of know that although it sounds all right, it's actually just shite.
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: So who else?
Sick Boy: Charlie Nicholas, David Niven, Malcolm McLaren, Elvis Presley...
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: OK, OK, so what's the point you're trying to make?
Sick Boy: All I'm trying to do is help you understand that The Name of The Rose is merely a blip on an otherwise uninterrupted downward trajectory.
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: What about The Untouchables?
Sick Boy: I don't rate that at all.
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: Despite the Academy Award?
Sick Boy: That means feck all. Its a sympathy vote.
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: Right. So we all get old and then we can't hack it anymore. Is that it?
Sick Boy: Yeah.

 

[Skills]

Pirlo was beginning to fall off the map at Milan, before re-establishing himself one of the top midfielders in the world for Juventus.

Gerrard had a pretty decent renaissance in the slip season, after a few years of mediocrity.

 

[We need an rvn]

ZLATAN WAS A GREAT PLAYER BUT A DIFFICULT PERSONALITY
HE CLASHED WITH PEP BECAUSE HE WAS SHIFTED TO THE WING EVENTHOUGH HE WON PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN THAT POSITION
TOUGH PERSONALITY ? HE STILL WON PLENTY CLUB AND NATIONLEVEL
NATION
NATION
NATION LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL

It's Tuesday night...what are you on???

 

[Spark]

ZLATAN WAS A GREAT PLAYER BUT A DIFFICULT PERSONALITY
HE CLASHED WITH PEP BECAUSE HE WAS SHIFTED TO THE WING EVENTHOUGH HE WON PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN THAT POSITION
TOUGH PERSONALITY ? HE STILL WON PLENTY CLUB AND NATIONLEVEL
NATION
NATION
NATION LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL

That is genius

 

[JmRssll555]

I cannot find that video. Any ideas, @Olly?

 

[harms]

Our own Diego Forlan!

Forlan is a great shout, actually!

 

[Olly Gunnar Solskjær]

I cannot find that video. Any ideas, @Olly?

What video?

 

[horsechoker]

I cannot find that video. Any ideas, @Olly?

 

[Bastian]

ZLATAN WAS A GREAT PLAYER BUT A DIFFICULT PERSONALITY
HE CLASHED WITH PEP BECAUSE HE WAS SHIFTED TO THE WING EVENTHOUGH HE WON PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN THAT POSITION
TOUGH PERSONALITY ? HE STILL WON PLENTY CLUB AND NATIONLEVEL
NATION
NATION
NATION LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL

Best post 2016

 

[harms]

Actually, what about Hazard? It lasted a little lesser than a season but still

 

[JB08]

ZLATAN WAS A GREAT PLAYER BUT A DIFFICULT PERSONALITY
HE CLASHED WITH PEP BECAUSE HE WAS SHIFTED TO THE WING EVENTHOUGH HE WON PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN THAT POSITION
TOUGH PERSONALITY ? HE STILL WON PLENTY CLUB AND NATIONLEVEL
NATION
NATION
NATION LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL

Right then

 

[buckooo1978]

Rooney?

Perhaps not

 

[Brightonian]

ZLATAN WAS A GREAT PLAYER BUT A DIFFICULT PERSONALITY
HE CLASHED WITH PEP BECAUSE HE WAS SHIFTED TO THE WING EVENTHOUGH HE WON PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN THAT POSITION
TOUGH PERSONALITY ? HE STILL WON PLENTY CLUB AND NATIONLEVEL
NATION
NATION
NATION LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL

Why is this giving me deja-vu? Have you done this before?

 

[Tarrou]

Dunno how I missed that in the original thread!

 

[UweBein]

ZLATAN WAS A GREAT PLAYER BUT A DIFFICULT PERSONALITY
HE CLASHED WITH PEP BECAUSE HE WAS SHIFTED TO THE WING EVENTHOUGH HE WON PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN THAT POSITION
TOUGH PERSONALITY ? HE STILL WON PLENTY CLUB AND NATIONLEVEL
NATION
NATION
NATION LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL
NATIONAL LEVEL

legendary

 

[pcaming]

tbf to horsechoker, Zlatan scored 21 goals that season, so I'm not sure how you could describe that as a collapse. The raging is lovely tho

 

[Ibi Dreams]

Ben Arfa maybe? Was out of a job not too long ago, now hes playing for PSG.

Decent shout, though I think it was more of a case that he was never able to live up to his potential rather than going downhill. He always showed moments of genius in the Premier League but then would waste half the season either injured or just shite. He looks a different player now though for sure

 

[Sylar]

Brazilian Ronaldo? Did he kinda collapse after 98 or not? Cos I remember it being a big thing in 2002 his world cup output. I dont have a great memory of what happened between 98 and 02 for him.
Or was it just a Brazilian national level thing?

 

[VP89]

Anelka rose to some great form for Bolton before continuing at Chelsea for a year or two.

 

[The Stain]

Why is this giving me deja-vu? Have you done this before?

@fontaine