Has Kaz lost that yard of pace?

[Giraffe]

I just think it takes players longer these days to get back up to fitness after being out. I guess there are a number of reasons for this, including the pace of the modern game, lack of reserve team football, number of substitutes. In short it's rare that a player comes back from injury and is the same the player they were immediately. They need game time, which fortunately Kazenga is now getting. I think it's also the reason why for several seasons now we have had 3/4 very good wingers who can alternate.Pace brings injuries and we therefore need to be rotating a lot.

 

[Notters]

This discussion happens every time a winger comes back from an injury. He's just getting back to full fitness, judge whether he's "lost a yard of pace" after a few more games

This, although he's never seemed as quick as he first did at Withdean. I took that as being a result of him being more careful.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Finding his way back to full fitness. So sorry for him and that long term injury he had just become a 90 min player as well..

 

[GOM]

At the beginning of the season worked well with Bong putting balls over the top / through for him to run onto.

 

[BensGrandad]

It is fine for people to suggest that he is best as an impact sub to use against tired defenders but when do you bring him on as he seems to take some time to get up to the pace of the game. Do you do it at half time to give him 20 mins to get up to the pace of the game then 25 to make an impact or when. 20 mins at the end seems to do him and us no good or give much benefit.

 

[The Wizard]

Agree with most, probably not 100% fit and lacking match practice.. Had a good start to the season before he got injured and looked a more all round player rather than just the run and gun sort of player which he's been most of his career, injuries must take their toll on players though over time, he's been very unfortunate with injuries most his career it has to be said.

Same can be said for Wilson, who looks scared of getting injured every time he gets the ball, despite having a bit of class about him, injuries can and will affect players, mentally more than anything.

 

[CP 0 3 BHA]

Let's hope this is just him needing to play his way back to peak fitness.

Briefly at the beginning of the season we finally saw the player we all hoped he would become when he first pulled on an Albion shirt.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

If he has lost that yard of pace it might have been left in Miss Oatway's knickers ....

 

[Bigtomfu]

Prolly scared of getting injured again. He is a bit flimsy.

Good use of the word prolly. Oft underused.

Def playing within himself to stop his fast twitch muscle fibres going twang.

 

[tigertim68]

Anyone else noticed this? Watched the Ulloa last minute Forest winner on YouTube yesterday and noticed how much quicker and more agile Kaz looked in his movement when running with the ball. Maybe he isn't fit, but it looks like he's lost a bit of pace since then maybe the injuries have mounted up and cost him that burst of accelaration he was so known for, be a shame as on his day he's such a joy to watch.

He is not match fit yet , wait until he plays another 2 or 3 games then watch him go

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Regardless of whether he is, or isn't, fully fit - he's a one trick pony. Every time he gets on the ball you know exactly what he's going to do....
Every. Single. Time.
Totally overrated player in my opinion and shouldn't be on the pitch ahead of Knockaert at this point in the season.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Can't be 100% sure on this one, but 'lost that yard of pace' may WELL be the ultimate footballing cliche

 

[DFL JCL]

I think Knockhaert has raised the bar in terms of attacking intent and work rate. As a result Kaz is looking a little lackluster in comparison. I accept some of this might be returning from injury.

 

[Dirk Lehmann's Python]

This thread appears every time he gets injured. He started well last night then fell apart. Knockaert will come in for him on Friday. No big deal.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[Pavilionaire]

I agreed with Hughton's selection of starting Kaz last night - in theory, he wins free kicks, Skalak crosses them in and we get shots on target.

Unfortunately, in order to win free-kicks you have to take the man on and there wasn't much of that last night. Disappointing, but I still think he's a useful player to have in your squad. On last night's form he's back to being a bench option.

 

[seagulls4ever]

This discussion happens every time a winger comes back from an injury. He's just getting back to full fitness, judge whether he's "lost a yard of pace" after a few more games

The same discussion happens every time LuaLua comes back from injury!

Clearly he's still getting back up to speed.

He's a quality player and could yet play a vital role in our season.

Let's not forget he won the free kicks that allowed Skalak to whip in the balls for our first goals against both Forest and Birmingham.

 

[seagulls4ever]

I agreed with Hughton's selection of starting Kaz last night - in theory, he wins free kicks, Skalak crosses them in and we get shots on target.

Unfortunately, in order to win free-kicks you have to take the man on and there wasn't much of that last night. Disappointing, but I still think he's a useful player to have in your squad. On last night's form he's back to being a bench option.

The free kicks he's won have still led to goals in both of our past two games.

 

[Monkey Man]

I may be remembering it wrongly but I seem to recall that at the start of the season, when LuaLua was in such great form and starting games, he was playing in a less frenzied way than he'd done in the "impact sub" era and was making some more intelligent runs and cutting inside more.

Injuries aside, I guess there's just no way he's going to run at defenders down the wing for 90 minutes in quite the same way as he does when he's on for the final 20 minutes.

 

[Don Tmatter]

On tv pitch seemed very wet last night and slowed down players running with the ball.

Apart from Knockaert?

 

[Icy Gull]

I wonder if he is scared to run flat out in case he pulls his hamstring again? He is a very injury prone player and it possibly stops him doing what we all loved about him when he first came here. I.E knocking the ball past a player and then blasting past him leaving him for dead. He really doesn't do that anymore does he?