Players held back by injuries

Klopper76

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Earlier today Naby Keita left training with what seemed to be another muscular injury, which seems to be a common theme since he signed for Liverpool.

This got me thinking about other players who were clearly talented but had their careers hampered by injury.

I think Aquilani had some talent but was devastated by injuries at Liverpool. Arsenal have had a few as well. I remember Eduardo being brilliant just before his horrible ankle injury at Birmingham.

Anyone else come to mind?
 

Solius

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Hargreaves could have been so much better for us. Instead he turned into a salty cnut.
 

stu_1992

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Right now, Shaw. I think he's a good player for us but he'd be much further on in his development had he not had so many injuries.
 

Kush

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Phil Jones.

No, I am serious. While I think Fergie went way overboard when he spoke about him being 'our best player ever', there was serious potential in Phil Jones early on. Raft of injuries completely derailed his career.
 

2 man midfield

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Rafael. Always thought he could've been great for us.
 

Superunknown

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Hargreaves could have been so much better for us. Instead he turned into a salty cnut.
That 07/08 season, though. :drool:
I'm convinced that we would have won the Champions League again with him in the side. Huge disappointment regarding his injuries as I felt that he had so much more to give and it was such a promising debut season for him at the club.
 

Strats

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Brazilian Ronaldo. Such a shame his injuries affected his career.
 

Klopper76

"Did you see Fabinho against Red Star & Cardiff?"
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Ok stay with me on this...Andy Carroll.

He was doomed to fail with us but I think that if he'd stayed fit for West Ham then he would've managed 15-20 PL goals with them easily enough at some point.
 

FootballHQ

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Sturridge.

Could never build on his fantastic 13/14 season. Pretty much missed the whole of the next season injured.
 

Kag

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Jack Wilshere.

Not popular by any means but he was an incredibly good teenage midfielder. Ravaged by injury.
 

awop

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Arsenal have had a few as well. I remember Eduardo being brilliant just before his horrible ankle injury at Birmingham.

Anyone else come to mind?
You can add Wilshere and Diaby for Arsenal.
 

Kag

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I often wonder what might have become of Will Keane, too.

He was better than your typical good goalscorer in the academy. At the very least he looked like a certain Premier League footballer.
 

LilyWhiteSpur

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Gonna say it, gonna get roasted, Ledley King could have been seen at Rio levels if he had knees.

Anderton also, was quality.
 

Ødegaard

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Ronaldo, Hargreaves, Adriano, Wilshere, Diaby, Jones, Sturridge (mentally), King, Owen, Woodgate & Pato.
 

TheReligion

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Darren Anderson, Jamie Redknapp, Vermaelen, Thiago Alacantara, Gareth Bale, Wilshere, Marco Reus, Owen, Jonathan woodgate
 

Chipper

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Thought El Shaarawy was going to develop into a fantastic player after that breakthrough season he had at AC Milan. He then had 2 seasons of lots of injuries at a key stage in his career. A really bad loan move to Monaco followed that then he did alright for Roma but never really hit the heights he did in that one special season for Milan and now he's in China.

Hard to say for certain if it was the injuries at that important stage that held the rest of his career back or if he was just a flash in the pan.
 

Kivu

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Gourcuff? At a certain moment compared with Zidane (although it is a combination of injuries and probably mental strength). His goal vs PSG in 2009 :)
 

Robbie Boy

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Was watching one of the PL years the other day can’t remember which season but Eduardo was looking like a very good player for Arsenal before Martin Taylor’s horror tackle.
 

Klopper76

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Sturridge.

Could never build on his fantastic 13/14 season. Pretty much missed the whole of the next season injured.
That's an obvious one I missed.

I seem to remember Daniel Agger having a few injuries in his time, and I always thought he was capable of being a decent defender.
 

buckooo1978

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Earlier today Naby Keita left training with what seemed to be another muscular injury, which seems to be a common theme since he signed for Liverpool.

This got me thinking about other players who were clearly talented but had their careers hampered by injury.

I think Aquilani had some talent but was devastated by injuries at Liverpool. Arsenal have had a few as well. I remember Eduardo being brilliant just before his horrible ankle injury at Birmingham.

Anyone else come to mind?
Aquilani was a funny one - he was injured badly previous to signing for Liverpool - I remember Benitez boasting that they got him cheap as a result but he might have been having a pop at the owners
 

Klopper76

"Did you see Fabinho against Red Star & Cardiff?"
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Owen's a good one. He never hit anything over 19 PL goals in his career across a season but missed large chunks with reoccurring injuries.

To be fair I think the club rushed him back a few times as well.