Fitness

[Nastylee]

At the start of the season I watched our first few games and felt the fitness levels were poor. We started well but ran out of steam (United springs to mind) and were unable to press in the second half. I put this down to early season cobwebs and the fact that a number of players had come from abroad where their regimes might not be as stern. However, given we are almost midway through September, I think it's starting to become a concern. Second half today was pathetic as we all know but we looked completely shot and unable to compete during the last twenty minutes and were chasing shadows. Is it just me or is anyone else seeing the same?

[Brend'Watkins]

Yep. It's not just a few either it's the majority of them. Richards looks like the only one with legs after an hour of the match. 

[OzVilla]

Yes absolutely. It's mid September and we still have the look of mid July pre season fitness levels.

I appreciate we have a lot of new players from leagues where the physical demands arn't as strong but it really worries me as its been an issue for ages now.

Sanchez still looks not PL match fit and he's no excuse.  This and dumb substitutions cost us today and it's not the first time for either.

[RussellC]

I think we probably wore ourselves out today by not being able to keep hold of the ball in the second half and therefore having to chase Mahrez and co around the pitch. Sanchez has never looked capable of lasting 90 minutes to me and Gabby, Grealish and Gil were all recntly recovered from knocks so probably were lacking match fitness. Bacuna's the worry for me.

[Des Little]

Everyone knows that you use a lot less energy when you've got the ball as opposed to when you're chasing it. Maybe if we held onto the fucker long enough we may not be blowing out of our collective arses after an hour.

[supertom]

Fitness has been a problem for us for years. Dunno what it is.

[villadelph]

Everyone knows that you use a lot less energy when you've got the ball as opposed to when you're chasing it. Maybe if we held onto the fucker long enough we may not be blowing out of our collective arses after an hour.

Gabby, Ayew and Gestede aren't exactly ideal for holding the ball up. As a trio they are just too wasteful and put a lot of pressure on the midfield.

Thought Gabby was pretty good today though. Still can't trap a ball but made some great runs and could've gone home with a few assists.

Don't know what Kozak did to Sherwood but it must've been pretty bad.

[brian green]

You just can't tell what it could be. Certainly the lack of stamina is there to see but it is not only about training. Diet, sleep, lifestyle and generally looking after your physical condition all come into it. You can run round BH until your legs drop off but it will not do you any good if you are pigging out on junk food, smoking cigarettes and staying out all night at a nightclub. I always like northern European players because they get the whole thing of taking care of themselves.

[KRS]

Didn't TS bring in a team of staff to deal with the lifestyle and diet last season? Pretty sure the only way to build stamina and fitness is running and gym work? The only other thing I could point to is game management so the players are able to recover during the game rather than high tempo for 90 minutes...well, for as long as they can last.

[tony scott]

We have some excellent training facilities where fitness and stamina are easily monitored ,are the results they provide not being acted upon ? or maybe certain players are being given playing time over the 90 mins getting up to speed regardless of the match situation.

[ozzjim]

I think it purely style of play. The midfield unit needs fresh legs on the hour each week quite simply to be able to carry it through. It was the same under O'Neill, even John Thuggy commented on it after a game against them. This high tempo pressing is fine if you manage it in the game. Sherwood morphs into some sort of idiot when the players step onto the pitch.

[brian green]

I am not so convinced that gym work and running are the simple way to build stamina. Bulk and muscle play a very important part in staying power. I was amazed at one of the pre season games, I can't recall if it was Walsall or Forest when Sanchez took off his shirt he looked to have put on a stone of upper body muscle since last season. Players who can run and run for 90 minutes have the build of George Boateng not Carl Froch. I suppose what I am saying is that it ain't the amount of training you do but what the training regime consists of that builds your stamina. Perhaps we need a specialist stamina trainer. Birchfield have probably got one we can borrow.

[Virgil Caine]

I think Brian that the gym work is about pumping ego - I think many footballers want the body perfect as part of the overall package which includes the millionaire lifestyle. When you consider the likes of Des Bremner and Frank Carrodus although hardly Charles Atlas could probably out run most of today's Premier League players. When you also consider that footballers today play, week in, week out ,on pitches that resemble bowling greens and that major apoplexy is caused if they have to play more than once a week it leads to the conclusion that players pre Premier League were a lot fitter.

[dicedlam]

Wasn't the fitness levels one of the things that Sherwood highlighted when he arrived?
I agree on what quite a few have said already, winning or losing he needs to use his midfield options fully to either kill a game off or increase the tempo further.

For me, yesterday's substitutions was born out of pure arrogance and being caught up in the 'ole' frenzy coming down from the supporters.

Who does he think we are...Barcelona?

[Gregorys Boy]

Not buying it.  Thing is when you're two nil up as late into a game as were yesterday fitness doesn't come into it.  Its all about focusing, not giving the ball away in silly errors, and keeping tight at the back.  From 2-0 up we should have been able to play an effective counter attacking game but partly because Sherwood taking the likes of Gil and Gabby off we didn't do that.

Fitness has almost nothing to do with it.