[mulliganstired]

Just been reading about the Arsenal training start and stuff like that, and it got me thinking about our squad and which players would have let themselves go a bit during lockdown and who would have kept themselves up to scratch off their own bats.

I reckon HRK will have kept himself super-fit, but I'm not so sure about Charlie and Ken Z!

Younger players like Townsend and Perriera shouldn't have so much of an issue either.

[WoysWunderful]

Just been reading about the Arsenal training start and stuff like that, and it got me thinking about our squad and which players would have let themselves go a bit during lockdown and who would have kept themselves up to scratch off their own bats.

I reckon HRK will have kept himself super-fit, but I'm not so sure about Charlie and Ken Z!

Younger players like Townsend and Perriera shouldn't have so much of an issue either.

Jakes been running through Walls and I bet o,Shea’s been fouling the postman 😂😂😂

[Adder]

Thought I'd restart this thread as it's so obvious we are in the relegation zone (bottom in fact) when it comes to energy and intensity on a game by game basis. I really dread to think what our squad would look like if they were dropped in for a day of Klopp's triple sessions or Bielsa sessions.

System, tactics, formation etc. are obviously important but without doing the hard part of it and playing with intensity you're onto a loser in today's premier league.

[boingboing1989]

Thought I'd restart this thread as it's so obvious we are in the relegation zone (bottom in fact) when it comes to energy and intensity on a game by game basis. I really dread to think what our squad would look like if they were dropped in for a day of Klopp's triple sessions or Bielsa sessions.

System, tactics, formation etc. are obviously important but without doing the hard part of it and playing with intensity you're onto a loser in today's premier league.

You can make up a lack of talent with hard work but it seems for the past 3 or 4 years every team we've played seem to look fitter, stronger, faster than we do. We really need to start pointing fingers at the fitness coaches at this point.

[Dexy]

Dion Dublin made the point that when you are in trouble you get zapped physically and mentally every week .
Interesting point from someone who was in this situation several times .

[Adder]

Dion Dublin made the point that when you are in trouble you get zapped physically and mentally every week .
Interesting point from someone who was in this situation several times .

Yes I heard that and it's an interesting point. That may well play a part but think there's more to it than that though....Fulham look pretty fit apart from Mitrovic maybe. The start of last season when we were playing well and with intensity, we had Livermore looking a bit leaner and fitter and he was playing better. We then seemed to lose that intensity and we were seeing the likes of Charlton, Barnsley and Wigan looking far more energetic and giving us all the trouble we could handle.

There's just no way we are currently at the same level of fitness as Leeds or Liverpool to name but two.

[baggiebof]

You train to the style of play you have. As a result of our weak central.midfield.and poor defence, we don't press high and generally try and retain our shape off the ball so that pressing intensity won't be there in training like it will be at Leeds or Liverpool. We often don't have the ball but are chasing games towards the end so we have a tired group who haven't had possession of the ball, are losing again, that have to then try and chase the game.

[LiamTheBaggie]

We’re largely a team based on shape and containment and if truth be told we’re not very good at that.

We’re not very good at pressing because our central midfield and back four are far too slow and immobile. This has been the same for many a year now.

The fitness levels are appalling and it was something Allardyce highlighted when he joined the club. The camera panned to jake Livermore when Fulham had a throw in within the first 7 minutes. He was already blowing his cheeks at that point. Appalling levels of fitness.

[Dexy]

We’re largely a team based on shape and containment and if truth be told we’re not very good at that.

We’re not very good at pressing because our central midfield and back four are far too slow and immobile. This has been the same for many a year now.

The fitness levels are appalling and it was something Allardyce highlighted when he joined the club. The camera panned to jake Livermore when Fulham had a throw in within the first 7 minutes. He was already blowing his cheeks at that point. Appalling levels of fitness.

Don't think our defenders are that slow mate , the midfielders and forwards on the other hand......

[LiamTheBaggie]

Don't think our defenders are that slow mate , the midfielders and forwards on the other hand......

Bartley, Ivanovic, O’Shea, Peltier are running through treacle.

Gibbs is likely to pull a hamstring if he had to do any running.

There’s only Ajayi and Furlong with any sort of agility to them and unfortunately they’re both awful.

[Dexy]

Bartley, Ivanovic, O’Shea, Peltier are running through treacle.

Gibbs is likely to pull a hamstring if he had to do any running.

There’s only Ajayi and Furlong with any sort of agility to them and unfortunately they’re both awful.

I don't Bartley is that slow , he's a big unit that takes a little longer to get going . O'Shea granted lacks pace , Gibbs the one thing he has is pace although thats not as quick as it was .
Peltier , do we have to count him ?
Ivanovic well thats a given at his age , he never was quick from memory .
We could be starting with a new RB , Semi , Bartley , Gibbs.
Thats really not that slow mate , our real problem is the midfield .

[Adder]

You train to the style of play you have. As a result of our weak central.midfield.and poor defence, we don't press high and generally try and retain our shape off the ball so that pressing intensity won't be there in training like it will be at Leeds or Liverpool. We often don't have the ball but are chasing games towards the end so we have a tired group who haven't had possession of the ball, are losing again, that have to then try and chase the game.

Maybe, but whatever style you play you will do it better if you have good fitness levels. When you are knackered, accuracy drops off and mistakes are more likely. Last year we were far more of a possession based side but something was lost in our fitness and intensity levels as the season progressed. You only have to watch Liverpool play to know they must do a hell of a lot of sprint interval training type stuff...that's the stuff that has players collapsing to the ground and throwing up in pre-season training. I read an article on Klopp saying that when he was at Dortmund, players were on the floor some of them throwing up after a training session. He was walking amongst them saying are we going to finish there for the day or do we want to come back in 2 hours to do an extra session which will allow us to win the league in 9 months time ?

[baggie82]

Tony Pulis had the players as fit as a fiddle - and that worked out well.....

There are certain players like Livermore who like out of shape but most of our problems with mobility arise from 1) chasing the opposition around the pitch and not having possession of the ball 2) having older players like Gibbs who are in the knackers yard.

Losing teams always look knackered. Remember how energetic we looked in the second half at Brighton when we dominated them?

[baggiebof]

Losing teams always look knackered. Remember how energetic we looked in the second half at Brighton when we dominated them?

Along with our different style of play to the teams mentioned as I have highlighted above, this is key. I am not saying our fitness is good, I am inclined to agree that we don't look as fit as maybe we could be generally but I am not sure we can throw that accusation round with any certainty, especially when the fitness staff at the club get criticised. I'd also say that we don't seem to struggle with as many muscular injuries, Gibbs aside, as other clubs which suggests some good work is being done.

Like I say, I'd tend to agree that we could be fitter but it just seems an easy accusation when a team loses often, a bit like the shouts that players lack commitment and effort etc, it is rarely as simple as that.

[Adder]

Tony Pulis had the players as fit as a fiddle - and that worked out well.....

There are certain players like Livermore who like out of shape but most of our problems with mobility arise from 1) chasing the opposition around the pitch and not having possession of the ball 2) having older players like Gibbs who are in the knackers yard.

Losing teams always look knackered. Remember how energetic we looked in the second half at Brighton when we dominated them?

So you have no issues with our fitness / intensity ? Fitness levels in the premier league have moved to a further different level in the years since Pulis (in any case did pre season training in Austria give us high fitness levels ? Pulis seemed to suggest it was important for avoiding injuries  during the season).