simplyared
Full Member
Must be Fernando Torres!
Good griefHe broke one leg a few months after arriving at Liverpool, was played as a right winger by Rafa the following season (where he scored a lot of goals but never seemed to be trusted) and then broke the other leg in a pre-WC friendly.
Both his leg breaks were pretty awful. Incredibly unlucky to have two injuries like this in less than two years.
I agree with Torres. Every man and his dog that watched Liverpool regularly could see that the Torres that Chelsea bought wasn't the same one that they thought they were getting. He was dreadful for the last 18months at Anfield and his performance in our cup exit to you lot in 2011 summed him up. No fight, no desire and crucially, no bearing on the match at all.
His main attributes were his speed and athleticism, once the injury's took those aspects away he was fecked. I remember watching him play Arsenal for Liverpool just before he came to us and there was that moment he was up against Koscielny, he tried to beat him for speed even had a head start but Koscielny caught up comfortably, prime Torres would have left him for dead and returned for the carcass.I'll never understand Torres. At Liverpool he was maybe one of the best strikers I have ever witnessed in the premier league.
Injury. Simple as that unfortunately. He damaged his knee and was nowhere near the same player after that. Great player when he first joined and at one time, he was the best striker in the world but he went downhill drastically and will never be compared to the best ever players because it was for such a short amount of time.I'll never understand Torres. At Liverpool he was maybe one of the best strikers I have ever witnessed in the premier league.
He was a joy to watch and his song was epic as well. You're right about his pace too, he sped past people and left them dead in the water. I still can't get my head around Chelsea scouts deciding he was worth £50m when you bought himHis main attributes were his speed and athleticism, once the injury's took those aspects away he was fecked. I remember watching him play Arsenal for Liverpool just before he came to us and there was that moment he was up against Koscielny, he tried to beat him for speed even had a head start but Koscielny caught up comfortably, prime Torres would have left him for dead and returned for the carcass.
I'll never understand Torres. At Liverpool he was maybe one of the best strikers I have ever witnessed in the premier league.
According to Wilkins he was Carlo's pick and wanted him as early as the summer.He was a joy to watch and his song was epic as well. You're right about his pace too, he sped past people and left them dead in the water. I still can't get my head around Chelsea scouts deciding he was worth £50m when you bought him
After he won the Ballon d'Or and the UCL, it looked like he came back that summer being 6 years older, he still had his flair and creativity, but the physical edge he had to rule at the highest level was gone, he was always late on a football pitch.How sharp was Ronaldinhos decline in hindsight? He was an absolute megastar in 2005 but after an underwhelming world cup he seemed to lose his world class status overnight or is that an exaggeration?
Don't think i was ever as scared of Chelsea playing anyone as i was Ronaldinho, which is a massive compliment to Ronny seeing he faced our best ever sides.After he won the Ballon d'Or and the UCL, it looked like he came back that summer being 6 years older, he still had his flair and creativity, but the physical edge he had to rule at the highest level was gone, he was always late on a football pitch.
Like seeing Rashford turn into Mata in a couple months, tragic.
Not really a decline for either of them as they never really hit any heights. All hype.Anyone mentioned Freddy Adu and Bojan yet ?
I'm sure I've mentioned it already in this thread, he actually went through a lot of mental health issues after his father dies when he was 22. Couple that with the South American party style that starts a lot of their players declining in their mid 20s.Adriano for me
Any shot from anywhere was a rocket into the top corner with him.I'm sure I've mentioned it already in this thread, he actually went through a lot of mental health issues after his father dies when he was 22. Couple that with the South American party style that starts a lot of their players declining in their mid 20s.
Great player in his prime, a god in PES5, the greatest football game ever made
This is what reminded me of him. That left footI'm sure I've mentioned it already in this thread, he actually went through a lot of mental health issues after his father dies when he was 22. Couple that with the South American party style that starts a lot of their players declining in their mid 20s.
Great player in his prime, a god in PES5, the greatest football game ever made
It was entirely due to injury... he fecked his knee and had surgery before the World Cup, was never the same again.It has to be Torres even though he played a few years in top teams after the decline. What makes his decline so special is that he didnt have any injuries or any other obvious reasons. He just declined.
Another one is Ibrahim Ba if anyone remember. Starting player in Milan and just missed to take a spot in the world cup winning french team 98. He declined while still being rather young.
Fabregas is the Rooney effect. Started at 16, burned out by 26/27. Very few are freaks like Giggs and Zanetti who are still remarkable athletes into their mid 30's.Van Persie's was pretty bad from the level he was at.
Cesc Fabregas, I think it's forgotten how damn good he really was at his prime.
Oh really, didn’t know that. Explains the decline I guess. I thought he was one of those players that had an early breakthrough in a top league and then decline early without injuries.It was entirely due to injury... he fecked his knee and had surgery before the World Cup, was never the same again.
Harsh to name Bojan with Adu. Could be considered a starter for Barca at one point, the best Adu ever did was MLS.Not really a decline for either of them as they never really hit any heights. All hype.
Wasn't Adu briefly with United? I seem to remember he was here on trial for a wee while.Harsh to name Bojan with Adu. Could be considered a starter for Barca at one point, the best Adu ever did was MLS.
Yeah, it's mentioned on his wikipedia page, but not much details. In the end when Adu finally made the transfer to Europe he ended up at Benfica (not exactly a Tier 1 Youth destination) and they loaned him different clubs which got progressively worse (AS Monaco -> 2nd Turkish League) until they finally got rid of him.Wasn't Adu briefly with United? I seem to remember he was here on trial for a wee while.