From a sports science perspective...

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

Wondered if someone with a more intimate knowledge of the subject matter has a view on how best to approach this off season?

As it'll be c4 weeks - how do you use that time? How much rest do the players have? Ours look shattered but will giving them a short rest mean we start next season slowly but tire again after a dozen games?

Or did we use the lockdown like a pre-season, hence our very slow first 4 games, and then this 4 week break will be more of a pre-season break?

For those of us with an interest in this area - it's going to be fascinating!

 

[Bladezz]

I think at Premier League level I would expect the players to go on holiday for a short while and relax. But equally it’s not like they can put 1 stone on I think they have to choose there indulgences etc. These boys have worked their entire lives to get to this level and you would expect most have 5 years of so at this level.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

It's a good question Rog, I'd not thought much about it, but 4 weeks is not a lot of time to prepare for a new season.

I recall Norwood saying, post lockdown (before the season re-started), that every single player had beaten their pre-season "best" in terms of their fitness levels. But they didn't play like it in those first few games! So I wonder how much importance should be placed on this "sports science" element and how much should be placed on getting the players working together and developing an understanding of how they are going to play together when the new season starts? I'm assuming there will be quite a few outgoings and a few incomings - so for me, as long as the players are at a good level of fitness I'd prefer the emphasis to be on bedding the new players in and getting them to gel.

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

I think at Premier League level I would expect the players to go on holiday for a short while and relax. But equally it’s not like they can put 1 stone on I think they have to choose there indulgences etc. These boys have worked their entire lives to get to this level and you would expect most have 5 years of so at this level.

But would a 1 week break really help recharge the batteries?

The usual off-season would be 3/4 week off followed by a 6-8 'pre-season' training block! How many times have we said of a player: "he needs a pre-season under his belt"? Now we don't have that luxury.

I'm genuinely intrigued as to how we approach this. Even more so considering how shattered we look!

Have other teams with nothing to play for (Newcastle, Brighton etc) - have they been in heavy training during this period and using the time as a 'pre-season' whilst the likes of us have been taking the league serious?

...or has that been Wilder's plan? We've been beasting the players in training so we start next season like ninjas and that is why we've been looking so tired?!?!

 

[blade67]

My understanding is the planned start date is 12/13th September. That is 7 weeks from Sunday

A normal off season would start mid may -12th May was when last season finished. This season started on 10th August so that's 13 weeks

These lads don't go off and get pissed and eat burgers all day in the off season anymore. I think there were quite a few videos of United players at private coaching sessions on holiday last summer.

I guess they take 2 or 3 weeks off and then get back into it. With pre season friendlies booked for the end of August and early September.

Next season will be weird for everyone and the fixture list/timings may affect pre season plans as well