Fitness in General (2 Viewers)

Nick

Administrator
Aside from injuries, why do our players seem so unfit?

Allen and Shipley were blowing.
 

steve101

Well-Known Member
Aside from injuries, why do our players seem so unfit?

Allen and Shipley were blowing.
Probably because they are not able to train as much due to COVID; they have not been given game time in under 23s (apart from one game last week) and they have hardly featured in the first team over the last month or so. Why Robins thought starting them with an extremely unfit Matty Godden is bizarre!
 

Kilclines curly mullet

Well-Known Member
Probably because they are not able to train as much due to COVID; they have not been given game time in under 23s (apart from one game last week) and they have hardly featured in the first team over the last month or so. Why Robins thought starting them with an extremely unfit Matty Godden is bizarre!
Shipley‘s fitness is nothing to do with training / COVID. As per the previous post he has never looked fit past 60 minutes....shocking for a professional footballer.

Allen is probably a lack of playing time / training.
 

Sick Boy

Super Moderator
Shipley looks overweight at the moment, which is pretty shocking for a professional athlete.
 

TomRad85

Well-Known Member
Shipley looks overweight at the moment, which is pretty shocking for a professional athlete.
Shipley is on the list of players I could really do without seeing again this season. Better not piss him off too much though, might need him for league one.

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
 

cc84cov

Well-Known Member
Shipley‘s fitness is nothing to do with training / COVID. As per the previous post he has never looked fit past 60 minutes....shocking for a professional footballer.

Allen is probably a lack of playing time / training.
Worrying the manager even picked them even more worrying why he left it so long before changing
 

eastwoodsdustman

Well-Known Member
Aside from injuries, why do our players seem so unfit?

Allen and Shipley were blowing.
My opinion is that we got the shape badly wrong yesterday. We were chasing round like headless chickens. It wasn’t due to lack of effort, fitness or ability (to a lesser degree) just the set up and formation. Back four and centre mids barely cover any ground but the front 3 are running round like dogs chasing the ball.
 

cc84cov

Well-Known Member
My opinion is that we got the shape badly wrong yesterday. We were chasing round like headless chickens. It wasn’t due to lack of effort, fitness or ability (to a lesser degree) just the set up and formation. Back four and centre mids barely cover any ground but the front 3 are running round like dogs chasing the ball.
That was clear after 5 mins the shape was wrong another clear indication hes way out of his depth
 

eastwoodsdustman

Well-Known Member
That was clear after 5 mins the shape was wrong another clear indication hes way out of his depth
That may be the case but he might be picking his fights so to speak and looking more towards Monday’s game. I just hope we get the right formation and selection.
 

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
Probably because they are not able to train as much due to COVID; they have not been given game time in under 23s (apart from one game last week) and they have hardly featured in the first team over the last month or so. Why Robins thought starting them with an extremely unfit Matty Godden is bizarre!

Hes not up to this level unfortunately. Hes been part of an amazing few years but if we stay up hes one of many that need replacing.
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
Not sure you can blame COVID when every team will have been dealing with that.

I think a large part of it is experience at this level. The game is much faster than L1 and most of our squad haven’t played at this pace consistently before.
 
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Colin Steins Smile

Well-Known Member
Fitness is not just reliant on the training loads, as the best prepared sessions cannot compensate for players, lifestyle, eating and drinking habits.
Do our players abstain from alcohol, ensure they sleep consistently within the same time lines (ie not going to bed at 2-3am once a week), fully adhere to the recovery strategies prescribed by the sports science team, etc...
 

cc84cov

Well-Known Member
Not sure you can blame COVID when every team will have been dealing with that.

I think a large part of it is experience at this level. The game is much faster than L1 and most of our squad haven’t played at this pace consistently before.
If we are blaming Covid then Rotherham should be fucked
 

Hobo

Well-Known Member
Not sure you can blame COVID when every team will have been dealing with that.

I think a large part of it is experience at this level. The game is much faster than L1 and most of our squad haven’t played at this pace consistently before.

Most Champ sides played through and didnt have the League 1 lay off so carried levels of fitness through. Also I think players in Champ as a whole are more Athletic and fitter any from League 1 so big step up.
 

cooperskyblue

Well-Known Member
Every team we play looks sharper than us. Fitter than us. Early in the season the excuse Robins used was we were playing catch up, because of the extended lay off we had with our L1 season being curtailed. I accepted that, as frustrating as it was, but we have simply never caught up. We have an international break, come back and look more tired than we were before.
We got over run yesterday and we just didn't look like we tried to keep up with them. Fitness? Effort? I'm not sure, but it was bitterly disappointing.
 

mrtrench

Well-Known Member
I don't know enough about fitness to have an opinion on the cause, but my observation is that the biggest issue this year is our passing. Last year our inter-team play was wonderful to watch. We were passing the ball around our opponents and when we got the ball we kept it.

This year we are back to the bad old days. We cannot string more than 3 passes together and there are some players who are much worse than others. It seems to me that almost every time McCallum gets the ball he's going to give it away. He wasn't like that last year.

And I think the players know it too. That's why we hoof the ball so frequently (to concede possession still but at least in their half). Is it fitness, because that seems like something easy to fix and moreover it's unlikely that Robins would allow that to happen? Is it because opposition sides are so much better at pressing us and we were never really that good a passing team last year either (we were flattered by poor opposing sides)?

Of course we cannot score even when we create an opportunity either. But that's understandable given that our strikeforce has been injured. But even Godden wasn't going to score yesterday or in many other games this season because we're unable to pass the ball through their defence. We're unable much of the time to pass it past their attackers in our own half.
 
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wingy

Well-Known Member
How many times have we heard that? Last few games hasn't it?
When and how did this come to the basement of the 2nd division?

Teams that play both prem and European games seems logical and supported by huge squad's.
I find it quite bizarre down here ,feels more like team's are prepared to cede a game in the hope it may bear fruit in the next one .
Is it just due to fitness in this condensed season?
Just absurd for me if it's not due that.
 

Nick

Administrator
When and how did this come to the basement of the 2nd division?

Teams that play both prem and European games seems logical and supported by huge squad's.
I find it quite bizarre down here ,feels more like team's are prepared to cede a game in the hope it may bear fruit in the next one .
Is it just due to fitness in this condensed season?
Just absurd for me if it's not due that.

Yeah exactly, I think it's people desperate to try and justify the poor performances / team selections etc.

So many times there have been "free hits" because we were x points clear of relegation and now other teams below us seem to be improving and we are going backwards.
 

Esoterica

Well-Known Member
I don't know enough about fitness to have an opinion on the cause, but my observation is that the biggest issue this year is our passing. Last year our inter-team play was wonderful to watch. We were passing the ball around our opponents and when we got the ball we kept it.

This year we are back to the bad old days. We cannot string more than 3 passes together and there are some players who are much worse than others. It seems to me that almost every time McCallum gets the ball he's going to give it away. He wasn't like that last year.

And I think the players know it too. That's why we hoof the ball so frequently (to concede possession still but at least in their half). Is it fitness, because that seems like something easy to fix and moreover it's unlikely that Robins would allow that to happen? Is it because opposition sides are so much better at pressing us and we were never really that good a passing team last year either (we were flattered by poor opposing sides)?

Of course we cannot score even when we create an opportunity either. But that's understandable given that our strikeforce has been injured. But even Godden wasn't going to score yesterday or in many other games this season because we're unable to pass the ball through their defence. We're unable much of the time to pass it past their attackers in our own half.
I think a lot of what you say there about the passing is a combination of 3 main things: 1) a lack of options to actually play a progressive forward pass to, 2) the distance that pass needs to travel and then 3) who is receiving the ball when it does get there.

In McCallum's case, as an example, it's also where he receives the ball. Lets say he gets on the ball, midway in his own half near the left touchline, usually a delayed pass from Hyam. Who has McCallum got in front of him?
Keeper, 3 CBs and 2 DMs are already level or deeper than him, DaCosta at RWB has seen a butterfly and gone skipping after it, that leaves 3 players - Godden with 2 giant CBs up his arse and Shipley and Allen who are marked by defensive midfielders or fullbacks and have to drop far too deep to offer themselves for the pass.

People talk about not getting enough bodies in the box, we don't even get enough bodies into the opposition's half!
 

mrtrench

Well-Known Member
I think a lot of what you say there about the passing is a combination of 3 main things: 1) a lack of options to actually play a progressive forward pass to, 2) the distance that pass needs to travel and then 3) who is receiving the ball when it does get there.

In McCallum's case, as an example, it's also where he receives the ball. Lets say he gets on the ball, midway in his own half near the left touchline, usually a delayed pass from Hyam. Who has McCallum got in front of him?
Keeper, 3 CBs and 2 DMs are already level or deeper than him, DaCosta at RWB has seen a butterfly and gone skipping after it, that leaves 3 players - Godden with 2 giant CBs up his arse and Shipley and Allen who are marked by defensive midfielders or fullbacks and have to drop far too deep to offer themselves for the pass.

People talk about not getting enough bodies in the box, we don't even get enough bodies into the opposition's half!

So, if I understand correctly, you are agreeing that our passing game has gone to pot and the reason is because our shape and running off the ball is poor? So if that is the case, why doesn't Robins do something about it? Is this a side-effect of Robins deliberately playing a "don't lose" strategy? Players are not attacking their half and hence there is nobody to pass to and our best hope in every game is to draw 0-0?
 

fernandopartridge

Well-Known Member
I think a lot of what you say there about the passing is a combination of 3 main things: 1) a lack of options to actually play a progressive forward pass to, 2) the distance that pass needs to travel and then 3) who is receiving the ball when it does get there.

In McCallum's case, as an example, it's also where he receives the ball. Lets say he gets on the ball, midway in his own half near the left touchline, usually a delayed pass from Hyam. Who has McCallum got in front of him?
Keeper, 3 CBs and 2 DMs are already level or deeper than him, DaCosta at RWB has seen a butterfly and gone skipping after it, that leaves 3 players - Godden with 2 giant CBs up his arse and Shipley and Allen who are marked by defensive midfielders or fullbacks and have to drop far too deep to offer themselves for the pass.

People talk about not getting enough bodies in the box, we don't even get enough bodies into the opposition's half!
The general point here that exacerbates all those issues is that most of our players take a touch too many, don't change direction and don't look beyond the easiest pass, including Hamer a lot of the time.
 

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
So, if I understand correctly, you are agreeing that our passing game has gone to pot and the reason is because our shape and running off the ball is poor? So if that is the case, why doesn't Robins do something about it? Is this a side-effect of Robins deliberately playing a "don't lose" strategy? Players are not attacking their half and hence there is nobody to pass to and our best hope in every game is to draw 0-0?

Think the better calibre of opposition is a big factor. Defenders/midfielders in this league are quicker and stronger. They're not frightened to get touch tight or step in front of our players to win the ball.
That didn't happen anywhere near as much last season.
 

stay_up_skyblues

Well-Known Member
When and how did this come to the basement of the 2nd division?

Teams that play both prem and European games seems logical and supported by huge squad's.
I find it quite bizarre down here ,feels more like team's are prepared to cede a game in the hope it may bear fruit in the next one .
Is it just due to fitness in this condensed season?
Just absurd for me if it's not due that.

After a two week break no less.
 

cc84cov

Well-Known Member
Think the better calibre of opposition is a big factor. Defenders/midfielders in this league are quicker and stronger. They're not frightened to get touch tight or step in front of our players to win the ball.
That didn't happen anywhere near as much last season.
Even more reason we need a manager who can get extras out of players
 

cc84cov

Well-Known Member
We new players! Look at Better days post regarding wages. We're basically a league one outfit operating in the Championship.
I'm not sure what you think can be done with the current squad.
Even robins has said we are a mid table side with better away form ?
 

mrtrench

Well-Known Member
We new players! Look at Better days post regarding wages. We're basically a league one outfit operating in the Championship.
I'm not sure what you think can be done with the current squad.

I think you are right. Just look at the difference in QPR since last time. However we're not the only club in that position. We were coping in the first few months. Why not now?
 

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
I think you are right. Just look at the difference in QPR since last time. However we're not the only club in that position. We were coping in the first few months. Why not now?

We started badly, had a bit of a run, went to shit again and stayed there!
I thought we'd go on another run but that hasn't materialised, why? I really don't know, injuries have played a part but I don't think that's the sole reason.
Robins has failed to make changes at times when games were crying out for them.
Missed chances, especially against Wycombe.

Another 3 or 4 pintson the board at this stage and I think everyone would bea lot more chilled.
 

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