Professional athletes

[MadDad38]

Amongst all the reasons for our crapness, I just can’t believe that our two goalscoring threats ie Hamer & Campbell do not put in the conditioning work required to last a 90 minute game of football.

In worldwide terms, the championship is in the elite level of football. United pays commensurate salaries. Yet in working week terms these two effectively clock off midway through Wednesday afternoon. Every single game. Imagine doing that in your job….

Why can’t our two best players be professional enough to be at 100% - or close to it - for the full match?

 

[Northernsoulblade]

Unfortunately neither can do 90 minutes and they are our main men doesn’t bode well not sure they are unfit though more can’t be arsed

 

[BerksBlade]

Fairly sure Gus did 90 minutes on Saturday

 

[bibbity bobbity boo]

Gus has played 90 minutes every match he's started this season bar 1.

 

[raimond]

Aye I'd agree but the fact most here are writing on a football forum whilst at work doesn't suggest we're best placed to answer this one.

 

[Northernsoulblade]

Gus has played 90 minutes every match he's started this season bar 1.

View attachment 223244

I stand corrected

 

[Northernsoulblade]

I stand corrected

He’s been on the pitch but a shadow of last years player so far I hope he gets back to it

 

[jaybee]

I'm not sure what people expect from Gus in the formation we're playing with the mentality we have

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Aye I'd agree but the fact most here are writing on a football forum whilst at work doesn't suggest we're best placed to answer this one.

I dont work Mondays so ill comment.

Fitness has been an issue at the club for some time.

From innocuous Injuries that take months or Injuries that mean season/career ending that we are silent about, we then don't help ourselves by signing players who are perma injured Hi Tom, Shacks and Ings, seemingly we dont do proper medicals

To the two mentioned above amongst others Gus may have played 90 but hes fucked like Campbell generally after an hour.

It is totally unacceptable.

 

[FriethBlade]

I think Gus is mostly ol. Looks a bit like Gazza build wise but is quicker and fitter than his physique would have people believe.

Campbell on the other hand looks like hes terrified his hamstrings will tear at any minute. The only time he puts a big effort in is when hes chasing a through ball. If u watch him the rest of the time he runs very straight legged to avoid stretching his hammys. Hes one reason our press is ineffective as he cant move fast to close defenders down

 

[bakeblade]

I dont work Mondays so ill comment.

Fitness has been an issue at the club for some time.

From innocuous Injuries that take months or Injuries that mean season/career ending that we are silent about, we then don't help ourselves by signing players who are perma injured Hi Tom, Shacks and Ings, seemingly we dont do proper medicals

To the two mentioned above amongst others Gus may have played 90 but hes fucked like Campbell generally after an hour.

It is totally unacceptable.

As well as a lack of fitness, the lack of desire is also concerning.
A good example was Ogbene's pathetic amble back to mark their goalscorer on Saturday, he then compounded this by turning his back on the ball.
Hopefully CW will roast him for this in the match review

 

[TJ blade]

I dont work Mondays so ill comment.

Fitness has been an issue at the club for some time.

From innocuous Injuries that take months or Injuries that mean season/career ending that we are silent about, we then don't help ourselves by signing players who are perma injured Hi Tom, Shacks and Ings, seemingly we dont do proper medicals

To the two mentioned above amongst others Gus may have played 90 but hes fucked like Campbell generally after an hour.

It is totally unacceptable.

Like you said, fitness ( or lack of it!) as been an issue for years at the lane, window after window bringing players in knowing theve got a record of injuries as long as your arm, basically because theve gambled on them & are relatively cheap! Same owd! Nowt changes, Wilder will probably do the same in the January window as well, hoping again that it will bring better results! It's the definition of insanity!!

 

[Houston_Blade]

In fairness to Hamer, he plays 90 mins most games. He just tails off after 60/70 mins frequently, but then we do as a team on the whole.

On the broader issue, I think there are 2 in play here:

1) General lack of strength and conditioning across the squad - This has been evident for years, I’d say the last time we were ‘fit’ as a team was 2016-2019 under CW MK1.

2) Injuries and availability - We seem to have a fetish for ‘rough diamonds’ when it comes to buying players. This means that they join us way below the peak fitness levels that are required for a full season (or a full game for some!). Our top individual performers over the last season or 2 have included Campbell, Souttar, Cooper etc. all were brought in with a sketchy availability stats in previous seasons but we took a punt. This season we have Mee & Ings as well as Davies. Last season we had Holding. All are good footballers with a lack of match fitness and seeming lack of ability to stay fit.

If they’re coming to us as maximum 60 minute footballers then we don’t have the ability to improve them. Some players are just made like this unfortunately and we seem to be drawn to them.

Even the likes of Mousset, McBurnie and Brewster, who we spent a chunk of cash on had poor records in this respect and we didn’t seem to be able to change them.

Either we have a systemic problem or we are fishing in the wrong pond.

 

[Bladesman]

Aye I'd agree but the fact most here are writing on a football forum whilst at work doesn't suggest we're best placed to answer this one.

A mid afternoon wank on a Monday is work.

 

[KMC-1889]

Agree with most of that, but I’d say we did look to be fit under Heckingbottom (N’Diaye couldn’t get through 60 mins when he first came in), but players would pick up endless muscle strains. Our low intensity training seems to be based on stopping that happening but we’ve now lost all our conditioning.