His 2011-2012 campaign was after the leg break and he was our player of the season that season.
Injuries that were turning points in careers
- Thread starter Gazza
- Start date
Ronaldo knee tendinitis is something no one ever talks about, as it wasn’t a “moment” injury, but it completely changed him even more as a player. Even early at Madrid he was an explosive dribbler and flair player, but the knee robbed him of quickness and he pretty much stopped dribbling outside of the box after ‘14 or so.
A recent United one for me is Bailly. He was imperious in his first half of his debut season, but then he got injured and has been injured on and off ever since. But people forget he was geniunely playing like the best CB in the PL when he first moved here.
A recent United one for me is Bailly. He was imperious in his first half of his debut season, but then he got injured and has been injured on and off ever since. But people forget he was geniunely playing like the best CB in the PL when he first moved here.
I don't think the injuries caused this
People will laugh but Anderson before he broke his leg, at Porto he was doing full pitch explosive solo runs constantly, he had to become a less mobile player who relied mostly on passing and picking and choosing when to burst / accelerate
Ronaldo, Alan Smith, Phil Jones, Michael Owen, Owen Hargreaves, Jack Wilshere, Daniel Sturridge.
Bit surprised that Alessandro Del Piero hasn't been mentioned, perhaps I'm misinterpreting the criteria. Obviously had a long and wonderful career that is eclipsed by very few and constantly found ways to reinvent his game, but he could have been an even greater player/dribbler/entertainer with a more significant peak if not for the horrific knee injury vs. Udinese which robbed him of a lot of his ferocity and quickness on the ball. Especially off the back of a season where he was a genuine force of nature with 32 goals in all competitions...including a then record 10 in the reorganized Champions League format (as well as a then record 5 in the knockout stages), had established himself as one of the foremost creative attackers in global football with close to 20 assists, and was adjudged Serie A Footballer of the Year ahead of prime Ronaldo Luís (incumbent Ballon D'Or winner and his primary rival in that year's keenly contested Scudetto race with Internazionale).
@Šjor Bepo
@Šjor Bepo
I cannot believe nonone mentioned Torres. He actually declined after an injury and not after his move to Chelsea, as is popular belief.
Off topic, someone mentioned James Wilson in the thread so I looked him up to see what he was up to. Playing in League Two. just wow.
Off topic, someone mentioned James Wilson in the thread so I looked him up to see what he was up to. Playing in League Two. just wow.
Giggs??
Kaká had one of the most unfortunate injuries, timing-wise. When he joined Madrid in 2009, he was regarded as being one of the greatest in the game. He missed the majority of his second season through injury, by which time Real were focused around getting the best out of Ronaldo. Kaká became an afterthought, when his second season could have cemented him as a key player.
This is actually a good call. I remember seeing him in the World Cup in Brazil when he was carrying that injury and thinking he'd looked like a different player. There was talk in the background at that time that if he didn't manage that injury well it could end his career.
Mental to think his biggest career highs probably came after that (Euro 2016, three consecutive CL's with Madrid).
I'm not quite sure that's how I remember Shaw. When he first came, I recall the consensus was he was good in defending rather than attack, and that it was rare as most fullbacks from his generation catches the eye with their attacking prowess rather than defending capabilities.
His best season came after the leg break
I think he was talking about Rooney?
Cleverley after Kevin Davies tackled him?
The point I addressed was in regards to Ronaldo.
Marco Van Basten
Kaka
Kaka
Ah sorry I didn't expand the link.
Re ronaldo, he was probably more exciting to watch at united but exciting doesn't means good. He was arguably a better player at Real
Paul Pogba's injury in the starting Champions League match of 2017-2018 season which had him sidelined for a while. Manchester United up to that point have been "4-0" FC. After Pogba was out, he never recaptured that form and we started the decline under Mourinho. We started that season in typical Jose's "2nd season" form.
I really don't see how it's arguable. Ronaldo was pretty good in 2006-2007 and in 2007-2008 of course(I thought his 2008-2009 season was nowhere near as good).
But he was on a different level at Real.
He became a better goal-scorer overall and was more reliable in the bigger games(his knock-out record being testimony to that) + his decision making got better as the years went on.
More exciting to watch at United? Maybe, but he was pretty exciting to watch at Real for his 1st 3 seasons there. It was only after that 1 injury in 2013 that his dribbling started to decline and he started dribbling less.
"I have had sex several times before some games. It helps you concentrate. Not all the coaches let you have sex before a match though." By Ronaldo R9. He has had parties with some hookers before the game, not after that.
I admire his great talent, but this is a bad habit for his knees. It's not only because of the injuries on the pitch, he is overweight to carry on that poor knees.
Edit: wrong quote
I admire his great talent, but this is a bad habit for his knees. It's not only because of the injuries on the pitch, he is overweight to carry on that poor knees.
Edit: wrong quote
Roy Keane's serious knee injury in 1998 pushed him to give up alcohol, he came back like a demon and was arguably the best player on the planet in his late 20s
Giggs lost that extra bit of pace due to hamstrings issues.
Deisler didn't manage to show his full potential and retired at 27.
Deisler didn't manage to show his full potential and retired at 27.
Totally disagree. Ronaldo from 10-13 is by far the best version I've ever seen. He has everything and was totally unstoppable - pace, skill, drive, trickery, athleticism, strength, finishing, shooting, heading etc. He does less stepover than in his Man Utd years, that's true, but thats about it too. He did master other aspects of his game which has much more direct impact on the pitch (for examples skills like Ronaldo chop, which is much more effective and always end up in creating space for him to shoot and score goals)
L.Ronaldo
Van Basten
Owen
Falcao
Lentini
Hargreaves
Van Basten
Owen
Falcao
Lentini
Hargreaves
I think the hamstring injury that made the biggest impact on Giggs was against Derby at OT in the 1997/98 season as I recall. It practically ended his season at a time when he was really flying. After that, he tried to be more conservative in his sprints.
Dion Dublin's career was on the up until he broke his leg at Old Trafford. By the time he had recovered, United had signed Cantona and that was pretty much it for Dublin's United career.
Gündogan is a recent example. Was destined to hit the heights only Modric did during the days Dortmund reached the CL final. The back injury that saw him missing more than a year cost him heavily. Said himself that he had to readjust his playing style. Before that, he was pretty much impossible to press. A joy to watch.
Not an injury but Götze's career was ruined by his metabolic condition. Would probably be playing at Neymar/Hazard level if it wasn't for that.
Not an injury but Götze's career was ruined by his metabolic condition. Would probably be playing at Neymar/Hazard level if it wasn't for that.
Isn't Ronaldo mote of a chronic knee problem rather than an injury?
Eduardo Da Silva.
I was quite young when this happened and I remember him coming back and not being able to understand why he didn’t look “that good” any more. Obviously with my adult hat on he was still a top player but he wasn’t a superhero any more, one of those ones who just made magic happen.Bit surprised that Alessandro Del Piero hasn't been mentioned, perhaps I'm misinterpreting the criteria. Obviously had a long and wonderful career that is eclipsed by very few and constantly found ways to reinvent his game, but he could have been an even greater player/dribbler/entertainer with a more significant peak if not for the horrific knee injury vs. Udinese which robbed him of a lot of his ferocity and quickness on the ball. Especially off the back of a season where he was a genuine force of nature with 32 goals in all competitions...including a then record 10 in the reorganized Champions League format (as well as a then record 5 in the knockout stages), had established himself as one of the foremost creative attackers in global football with close to 20 assists, and was adjudged Serie A Footballer of the Year ahead of prime Ronaldo Luís (incumbent Ballon D'Or winner and his primary rival in that year's keenly contested Scudetto race with Internazionale).
@Šjor Bepo
Yes it’s simply a sadness from the poster I feel, an attempt to grab consolation amid the fact that he left.
Phil Babb when he slid dick first into the goalpost. He didn’t get any worse at football, but before that he’d been out shagging every night.
Badstuber.
Will Keane was a career changer. He had everything going for him. He was considered better than Kane in the youth set-up. Won the U17 Euros with England. He was bossing youth level. I remember scoring a hat-trick against Chelsea's reserves with a hyped-up young Lukaku. A lot of us were looking forward to his break through and then he broke his leg for England u20s. He never recovered both physically and mentally. His brother overtook him too and had a good career.
Yea. I liked him in his first few years at Bayern but then continous ruined him.
One example that I always remember is Deisler in 2006, when he was injured by Hargeaves right before the world cup.
Deisler already had a lot of injuries before that but finally completed a couple of seasons without any major injuries from 2004-2006. I remember he was really good in the 2005-06, therefore it seemed he was finally going to fulfill his potential.
He was heading into the World Cup as one of Germanys key players but then a training ground tackle by Hargeaves meant another long term injury. He missed the World Cup and never another professional match after retiring a few months later, at the age of 26.
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Was about to mention him. Had loads of promise and was really highly rated in a good Bayern team.
Not so much an injury, more a disease, Götze went from being one of the most exciting players of his generation to being a slow, overweight player due to his metabolic disease.
Now out of contract at 28. 6 years ago he had just scored a beauty of a winning goal in the world cup final.
On top of that it took docters over a year to figure out he had this disease, all that time he was getting slack for being 'fat and lazy' when he couldn't help it.
Now out of contract at 28. 6 years ago he had just scored a beauty of a winning goal in the world cup final.
On top of that it took docters over a year to figure out he had this disease, all that time he was getting slack for being 'fat and lazy' when he couldn't help it.
That must have been distracting pre-match team talks.
Dean Ashton?
Think is was SWP that broke his ankle in training. Looked a fine player at West Ham, totally did his career.
Think is was SWP that broke his ankle in training. Looked a fine player at West Ham, totally did his career.
I had high hopes when we signed Neil Webb in 1989. Scored a great goal v Arsenal on the opening day of the season but got injured playing for England and, although he came back at the end of the season to play in the cup final, never lived up to the fans expectations .
Not an injury as such but I'm going to throw Darren Fletcher in here. He improved dramatically as a footballer and was a true leader in our midfield, showing great energy, tenacity and a willingness to win. He won over the crowd and eventually became loved by many fans. Then, he developed ulcerative colitis and struggled to string together appearances or show the same kind of form as he did before. Derailed his United career massively. I have a friend who suffers from something similar and know how troublesome it can be, affecting so many aspects of day-to-day life.