[Albion] “The fight has gone out of Brighton”

[BN9 BHA]

I'm pleased the 'footballer's fatigue' myth is being dismantled on this forum. It's always mightily annoyed me.

Aside from what many everyday people do in their work - as well documented in previous posts - I would also like to draw attention to other professional sports. The intensity of training and the levels of fitness demanded by sports like boxing and cycling (yes I know there are others) really puts the 90 minute effort shown by professional footballers into the shade. In fact, even if players ran solidly for 90 minutes (which they don't) and were tackling and shooting throughout (which they don't) it would be perfectly attainable for a trained, professional athlete. I just don't get it. To think professional Grand Tour cyclists ride almost every day for three weeks, for hours at a time at a high intensity. It's all about how you apply yourself. 'Football fatigue?' What a load of ball-ocks

I will add tennis to the list of other sports, I often think pro tennis players are super humans.
Maybe tired footballers should take up cricket

 

[dazzer6666]

I will add tennis to the list of other sports, I often think pro tennis players are super humans.
Maybe tired footballers should take up cricket

True.....gruelling 5 setters on consecutive days.....

Makes me laugh when they say on TV ‘xxx has been fantastic, he’s covered 11km’. Big deal.

 

[Dorset Seagull]

I wonder why it has been ruled out without trying it out. If It’s a straight choice I would still prefer to play Propper further forward as he is simultaneously our best and worst passer of the ball. I would prefer his range of passing nearer the opposition goal and for the times he passes to an opponent that would also be preferable higher up the field. I take the point made by [MENTION=12935]GT49er[/MENTION] about Gross’ assists and this is certainly not meant as a criticism.

I think you need a combination of assists and plenty of work rate to link the CM and assist the Striker. Gross offers both but I’m not sure Propper does

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm pleased the 'footballer's fatigue' myth is being dismantled on this forum. It's always mightily annoyed me.

Aside from what many everyday people do in their work - as well documented in previous posts - I would also like to draw attention to other professional sports. The intensity of training and the levels of fitness demanded by sports like boxing and cycling (yes I know there are others) really puts the 90 minute effort shown by professional footballers into the shade. In fact, even if players ran solidly for 90 minutes (which they don't) and were tackling and shooting throughout (which they don't) it would be perfectly attainable for a trained, professional athlete. I just don't get it. To think professional Grand Tour cyclists ride almost every day for three weeks, for hours at a time at a high intensity. It's all about how you apply yourself. 'Football fatigue?' What a load of ball-ocks

Unsurprisingly Grand Tour cycling and football are different.

A cyclist doesn't do 30 short sprints in 10 kms, if they did, guess what, they'd be too fatigued to carry on.

As for professional tennis the less said about their amazing powers of recovery the better.

 

[Codner's Wallop]

Unsurprisingly Grand Tour cycling and football are different.

A cyclist doesn't do 30 short sprints in 10 kms, if they did, guess what, they'd be too fatigued to carry on.

As for professional tennis the less said about their amazing powers of recovery the better.

Cycling and football different?? Are you sure because I was convinced they were EXACTLY the same sport.

Seriously, you really do talk a lot of rubbish. Cyclist are constantly riding in short sprints - these bursts of power help them gain tactical advantages in the peloton.

 

[Stat Brother]

Cycling and football different?? Are you sure because I was convinced they were EXACTLY the same sport.

Seriously, you really do talk a lot of rubbish. Cyclist are constantly riding in short sprints - these bursts of power help them gain tactical advantages in the peloton.

ok.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

I think that’s because you don’t understand it. When a professional footballer is tired, it doesn’t mean he needs to lie down and have a nap on the pitch, or can’t be bothered to run around anymore. This is top level, elite sport, where things are won and lost on the tiniest of margins. If they lose 1 or 2% of their energy, that makes a difference. Games can be won or lost on that. Would it make that much of a difference in your job? I bet it wouldn’t. It certainly wouldn’t in mine. If my performance drops 10% or so nobody is going to notice. It’s not like that for footballers.

It grips my shit when people always have to mention the money they earn. What does that have to do with anything? Do you think they’re not trying? Because that’s a different thing altogether, and nobody can forgive a lack of effort at that level. But if they are flagging a bit from a tough run of games, then what are they supposed to do? They’re trying their best, and it’s not like the players are moaning that they are tired, is it?

People saying “I used to play loads of football without much of a break and I was fine” are just ****ing laughable. Oh yeah, because that’s comparable to the intensity of the Premier League, isn’t it?

I don't know how many hours the muscles in your legs need to recover. The older you are the longer it must take to recuperate.

 

[Commander]

I don't know how many hours the muscles in your legs need to recover. The older you are the longer it must take to recuperate.

No. Probably because you’re not an elite Physiotherapist.

 

[Weststander]

Cycling and football different?? Are you sure because I was convinced they were EXACTLY the same sport.

Seriously, you really do talk a lot of rubbish. Cyclist are constantly riding in short sprints - these bursts of power help them gain tactical advantages in the peloton.

 

[Machiavelli]

Well, I didn't mean to rotate them all at the same time... that would be silly! Yes, I agree that coaches want stability at the back, and maybe they see in training that Ryan and the two Ds are still the better option - I dunno

I know you didn't mean that, and agree that some need rotating, especially the CM three -- Stephens, Propper and Gross -- who at least earlier in the season were all in the top ten of distance covered in the whole of the PL. We rotate forwards and wingers within games, and CH has rotated Bong and Suttner between games.
The goalkeeper and CBs are, however, a step too far, which is why I said what I did. They've been very good this season, all three of them. Duffy really had a poor game yesterday (he was by no means alone in that), and when pressed consistently by the opposition, his shortcomings as a footballer -- rather than bricks through walls defender -- are exposed. It's that, far more than fitness or rotation, that yesterday indicated.

 

[Machiavelli]

Ryan is the last position we need to dick around with. He’s been almost faultless.

Murray has got a few goals but they’ve masked his lack of pace, constant niggly fouling and always being caught offside. He’s missed too many really good chances as well for a striker at this level. Not clinical enough.

Stephens and Propper are giving the ball away too much, but there is literally no competition for their places with Kayal not match fit and Sidwell miles away. We desperately need CM cover.

Bruno is starting to get increasingly exposed.

Gross had a brilliant start but seems to be struggling a bit now - possibly because the CM aren’t finding him enough, possibly because he’s dropping too deep now and too isolated from Murray.

The wingers are a mixed bag. Think Jose needs to play more, but stay wider when he does (and the team need to give him the ball). Knocky looks like he needs a rest (and some talking to) and March really needs a run of games - he’s either showing flashes of brilliance or he’s anonymous.

Definite sense that all isn’t quite right in the camp at the moment. Big six weeks or so ahead to get things back on track and get reinforcements in.

Can't disagree with any of this

 

[Machiavelli]

I think that’s because you don’t understand it. When a professional footballer is tired, it doesn’t mean he needs to lie down and have a nap on the pitch, or can’t be bothered to run around anymore. This is top level, elite sport, where things are won and lost on the tiniest of margins. If they lose 1 or 2% of their energy, that makes a difference. Games can be won or lost on that. Would it make that much of a difference in your job? I bet it wouldn’t. It certainly wouldn’t in mine. If my performance drops 10% or so nobody is going to notice. It’s not like that for footballers.

It grips my shit when people always have to mention the money they earn. What does that have to do with anything? Do you think they’re not trying? Because that’s a different thing altogether, and nobody can forgive a lack of effort at that level. But if they are flagging a bit from a tough run of games, then what are they supposed to do? They’re trying their best, and it’s not like the players are moaning that they are tired, is it?

People saying “I used to play loads of football without much of a break and I was fine” are just ****ing laughable. Oh yeah, because that’s comparable to the intensity of the Premier League, isn’t it?

This too.

 

[Commander]

Why do players drink during the season then? If they are searching for that extra 1% they wouldn't. Footballers could and should be much much fitter than they are.

Because they are human? I’d be better at my job if I didn’t drink.

 

[Commander]

They are professional athletes. It bugs the hell out of me that they don't try to have as good a physical condition as they could. That IS their job. Their job is also to be for enough to play 3 games a week to the same intensity.

Who says they don’t try to have as good a physical condition as they can? Where are you getting that from? You’ve just made that up. Look at Bruno FFS, he’s the oldest player in the Premier League!

I don’t understand why people expect footballers to be saints. Would you be better at your job if you got 10 hours of sleep a night, didn’t drink, ate super-healthily and devoted to your entire life to it? I bet you would, I certainly would. It’s so easy for fans to say “If I was in their shoes I’d be a total saint”, but you almost certainly wouldn’t, because everything is relative. Their job is their job, same as your job is yours.

It’s the same with the whole money thing, there are plenty of people in the world to who you or I would seem rich to. There was a thread on here the other day moaning about why more footballers don’t give 1% of their earnings to charity, because it would make no difference to them. Well it would make no difference to me either, but do I do it? No.

It’s also easy to forget that these are young guys in their 20s. If I had what they have in my 20s, would I be a total saint and do everything I was supposed to? No chance. I might do if I could go back and do it again now, but thats different.

 

[Commander]

Of course I bloody would not drink! If all the players had the same dedication as Bruno they would be much better players.

Do you drink now? Would you be 1% better at your job if you didn’t?

 

[Commander]

Do you drink now? Would you be 1% better at your job if you didn’t?

I don't have a TEAM of nutritionists to advise me and give me food plans to follow though like they professional athletes do.
I never used to drink before Sunday football when I played.

So yes then.

So you don’t take your job as seriously as you are saying they should.

Anyway, enough for this evening. Night night.

 

[Weststander]

They are professional athletes. It bugs the hell out of me that they don't try to have as good a physical condition as they could. That IS their job. Their job is also to be for enough to play 3 games a week to the same intensity.

Too simplistic.

Several Albion players in this thin squad (of any quality) are being flogged to death. Modern players run and work far more than ever before. The countries with winter breaks can't understand this, as they see English based players disappoint in international tournaments.

Separately, who are any of us to say they're not trying to be in the best condition possible? The club's team of highly skilled doctor's, nutritionists, etc, would have them in peak condition. Questioning that is baseless.

 

[dsr-burnley]

Mmmmmmm........Burnley have used the fewest amount of different players this season and I’d suggest ability wise, their team is very similar to our and look at where they are in the table

And incidentally, Burnley players don't get rotated and don't get tired. If your lot are tired, your fitness staff need looking at.

 

[OzMike]

And incidentally, Burnley players don't get rotated and don't get tired. If your lot are tired, your fitness staff need looking at.

Can't help but agree with this, the facts are the facts, same with Man City players who I have already stated play Champs League games as well.

 

[Stat Brother]

And incidentally, Burnley players don't get rotated and don't get tired. If your lot are tired, your fitness staff need looking at.

Would that be the same Burnley team that played in the Premier League last season, narrowly staying in the division (mainly thanks to the incompetence of the relegated teams) despite looking a bit 'leggy', and now feel themselves up to speed?

Can't help but agree with this, the facts are the facts, same with Man City players who I have already stated play Champs League games as well.

Would that be the same Man City who have only had to chase about 3 or 4 games all season whereas in others have cantered home by 4, 5, 6, and even 7 goals?