Middlesbrough v Aston Villa pre-match thread

[rob_bridge]

1.4 as long as we take it seriously. No reason not too. Only 2 league games in Jan

[john e]

All those pleading for Watkins, McGinn and others to be rested for two weeks, are the exact ones who will be saying they are rusty and not quite match fit if they put in a subpar performance when they return

Playing twice a week on a regular basis yeah maybe you need a rest every now and again
But if you want to maintain form and fitness you should to be playing at least once a week

This idea that playing less football makes you better is a complete myth

It’s not about being better though is it? It’s about not getting to the point where they breakdown and get injured.

As it happens I wouldn’t rotate too much because there’s a two week break coming up. But players can’t play all the time, because longer term it’ll lead to injury.

I just don’t think it’s as simple as that
Some of our more serious injuries to Mings, Buendia, Diego Carlos came at the beginning of a season when they were bright and fresh and have nothing to do with playing too many games

Giving a player like McGinn more than two weeks rest will probably do him more harm than good injury wise and form wise

[RamboandBruno]

All those pleading for Watkins, McGinn and others to be rested for two weeks, are the exact ones who will be saying they are rusty and not quite match fit if they put in a subpar performance when they return

Playing twice a week on a regular basis yeah maybe you need a rest every now and again
But if you want to maintain form and fitness you should to be playing at least once a week

This idea that playing less football makes you better is a complete myth

It’s not about being better though is it? It’s about not getting to the point where they breakdown and get injured.

As it happens I wouldn’t rotate too much because there’s a two week break coming up. But players can’t play all the time, because longer term it’ll lead to injury.

I just don’t think it’s as simple as that
Some of our more serious injuries to Mings, Buendia, Diego Carlos came at the beginning of a season when they were bright and fresh and have nothing to do with playing too many games

Giving a player like McGinn more than two weeks rest will probably do him more harm than good injury wise and form wise

If we had 3 league games and a euro game in Jan, I’d probably say fair enough to changes. But two fooking games after Boro. Ultimately we play our better players there is less chance of an upset, end off.

[Risso]

January is probably the last month of the year when there's plenty of rest time between games, so it would be daft not to go as strong as possible. I'd possibly give Luiz a rest, and maybe McGinn, but no more than that.

[LeeB]

January is probably the last month of the year when there's plenty of rest time between games, so it would be daft not to go as strong as possible. I'd possibly give Luiz a rest, and maybe McGinn, but no more than that.

I'd rest Olllie above others, and Duran's has had plenty of minutes of late so should be up to speed. Can always have him ready to come on if things look like going a bit tits up.

[AV84]

I know there's a break between this and the next league game, and only 2 league games in January, so it's up to Emery to see if people need a rest. McGinn, Konsa, and Dougie have played the most in the league, and they've featured a fair bit in the European games. So I'd rest them, and leave Torres some more time to recover from the injury. I'd put them all on the bench though.

Martinez (if Olsen isn't available)
Cash
Carlos
Lenglet
Moreno
Kamara
Dendoncker
Ramsey
Diaby
Zaniolo
Durán

[paul_e]

Only a minor thing but if we do win this it adds a 4th game in January.

I know what people are saying about it being a quieter month but sometimes that extra week off can make a massive difference, especially after such a harsh schedule for the last 5weeks.

I'd be resting Luiz, Konsa, McGinn and Watkins and asking Martinez what he wants to do as well.

[Bad English]

Only a minor thing but if we do win this it adds a 4th game in January.

Winning this and the all following games in the tournament adds a trophy to our fairly dusty cabinet though.

[LeeB]

It's a fair point though, look at the absolute state of Newcastle at the minute.

I mean it's hilarious, but some of their players are burnt to a crisp.

[paul_e]

Only a minor thing but if we do win this it adds a 4th game in January.

Winning this and the all following games in the tournament adds a trophy to our fairly dusty cabinet though.

Does it, well fuck my old boots, who knew.

[olaftab]

Has ben added by a Mod and also the unnecessary word "thread" to which I could object to but that will just amplify my incompetence.

Who is Ben and why haven't you used a capital B?

I find my position no longer tenable so I am setting off on a walk from my house to Western SM and when my feet touch the sea water I am going to keep walking in to the sunset. I could say that letter E key is knackered on my keyboard but that's again my fault.

[PaulWinch again]

All those pleading for Watkins, McGinn and others to be rested for two weeks, are the exact ones who will be saying they are rusty and not quite match fit if they put in a subpar performance when they return

Playing twice a week on a regular basis yeah maybe you need a rest every now and again
But if you want to maintain form and fitness you should to be playing at least once a week

This idea that playing less football makes you better is a complete myth

It’s not about being better though is it? It’s about not getting to the point where they breakdown and get injured.

As it happens I wouldn’t rotate too much because there’s a two week break coming up. But players can’t play all the time, because longer term it’ll lead to injury.

I just don’t think it’s as simple as that
Some of our more serious injuries to Mings, Buendia, Diego Carlos came at the beginning of a season when they were bright and fresh and have nothing to do with playing too many games

Giving a player like McGinn more than two weeks rest will probably do him more harm than good injury wise and form wise

I don’t think the fact that a player can get a big injury out of the blue means that cumulative fatigue is a myth. Both happen and McGinn isn’t immune to it.

[Clampy]

There will also be players that are carrying knocks or have a niggly injury which they are playing though, in which case a rest might do them good.

[paul_e]

All those pleading for Watkins, McGinn and others to be rested for two weeks, are the exact ones who will be saying they are rusty and not quite match fit if they put in a subpar performance when they return

Playing twice a week on a regular basis yeah maybe you need a rest every now and again
But if you want to maintain form and fitness you should to be playing at least once a week

This idea that playing less football makes you better is a complete myth

It’s not about being better though is it? It’s about not getting to the point where they breakdown and get injured.

As it happens I wouldn’t rotate too much because there’s a two week break coming up. But players can’t play all the time, because longer term it’ll lead to injury.

I just don’t think it’s as simple as that
Some of our more serious injuries to Mings, Buendia, Diego Carlos came at the beginning of a season when they were bright and fresh and have nothing to do with playing too many games

Giving a player like McGinn more than two weeks rest will probably do him more harm than good injury wise and form wise

I don’t think the fact that a player can get a big injury out of the blue means that cumulative fatigue is a myth. Both happen and McGinn isn’t immune to it.

Yep, exactly.

I don't think anyone is suggesting it's simple or that there's a 100% correlation between game time and injuries but there are clear links that have been proven repeatedly.

From a physical side the simple fact is that as fatigue increases the amount of force required to go through a muscle before it's damaged is decreased, there are plenty of scientific studies proving this.

That isn't the full story though because the other affects of fatigue are around concentration and reaction times which, in top level sport, can create a need to push a bit harder or reach a bit further and that extra effort increases the number of injury risks that occur and, as with anything, the more chances you give it to happen the more likely it becomes.

[levico]

Not convinced we’re particularly interested in the FA cup, so a home win.