Pidge

They had time to control and play back then. Now if a player does a step over and looses the ball they get roasted.

I think you will find that the introduction of GPS was not to discipline players for being lazy. The main reason it is used is to track the work load muscles have done and try to predict a player at risk of injury, so their training can be altered. I can assure you the average player is much fitter in a cardiovascular sense now then back in the 80s and 90s. That includes the teams we are playing who are much further down the league. That’s why we are not simply fitter then other teams and actually need to be more switched on (react to second balls first) and physically aggressive to get to the ball ahead in a 50:50.

I’m beginning to understand McFluff a little better. I thought we were discussing why the players looked leggy (your word). you seemed BP, to be suggesting extra training without time to recover would help. I hope you are not suggesting playing 3 times a week will give them even more energy. Often in Big Joe’s day, if we were playing twice a week he wouldn’t have the players train in between except to work on shape and game plan. I’m guessing that was so the players wouldn’t look leggy.

I’m not usually expected to explain someone else’s observation, you seem to understand what is meant by “leggy” as you agree our players look to be. What can say is that bringing them in on the Sunday after a league match and only a short time before the next league game is not the advise a sports Rehab Therapist would give to result in them being converted from leggy to lively!

I’m confused

That is such bollocks mate. Were you in the changing room after? The performance was poor because they were often half a yard behind the opponent. The statistics on their GPSs won’t be different from other matches where they played well !

Maybe you didn’t take note of whether there was a Tuesday game on those occasions. If there was, take it from me that physical training the day after a competitive match without sufficient recovery time (ie match Tues) was counter productive.

I agree with most of this Big Dog The truth is that this group of players were unable to compete yesterday with a team which was strong and quick and took advantage of a weak referee who allowed pushing, pulling and holding all over the pitch. Players of “better” quality still have to earn the right to play. They have to be mentally strong enough to be first to the loose ball, to win more then 50% of the 50:50 balls they complete. To find a way to win headers despite physical attentions from a defender. Once you are winning possession, you can pass and play football. Yesterday there were not enough with the mental strength to be physical enough and aggressive enough to best their opponent. Most either lost the ball under that pressure or just hoofed it aimlessly before they did loose it. Motivation wise you have to wonder why the big crowd of fans, and the expectation of the owners family was not enough to make them want and need to compete.

That comment suggests you are not very knowledgeable about the nuts and bolts of football management. Why when you are playing again Tuesday night, would you train the players on the training pitch, they need to recover. if you want to punish them, bring them in to watch the match.

Really? Do you think there is an explanation?

You have no idea how Reid responded to MM when sanctioned at the beginning. Whatever happened at the beginning clearly cannot be undone/unsaid.

For me the budget worry was one of the reasonable “worries”. Do any of us know the depth of the owners pockets? Every other Oldham owner in recent years have either run out of money or just decided to stop wasting money on our/their football club. I still find myself hoping we get promoted for many reasons, but one is that league 2 money will help the owners.

“Youth is the way” until its not. Apparently Hammond and Sachdev aren’t ready. Only those that BP1960 says are ready are ready.

I predict you are heading for a blocking! I try to resist replying to his every post, but they are irritating, sometimes I can’t resist!

Strange question for someone who knows so much about recruitment. What do you even mean by fitness test? Are you talking about assessing the risk of injury, because the fact that players get injured after being signed seems to be your point? Or are you talking about assessment of VO2 max? Or are you talking about joint range and muscle strength assessments? “Fitness tests” is such a simple term. Players signed at our level have to be a bit of a gamble. The better quality players are often being let go by teams higher up the pyramid because of their injury record or age.

Maybe you are looking for different things then me. I can assure you there have been occasions when players went down with head injuries, the ref, yes, stopped the game and having spoke to the player allowed the game to restart. So far no harm done but the facts are that a player with a more serious head injury and confusion, will often say they are fine and want to carry on.

Did sound like a bad one. Good job the doc just ran on. This new thing where players get a mandatory minimum of 30 seconds off the pitch to get treatment has meant occasions where a ref has assessed head injuries and agreed with the injured player that he does not need the physio or doctor to assess him. That really should not/cannot happen as they are not trained to do so.

I guess is somewhere between. As you exert yourself in any sport, there is a comfortable level of exercise (which increases with fitness), then it becomes uncomfortable because you start getting those tired and breathless feeling from lactic acid buildup. At that point you are probably at 80% of your max capacity to exercise. Most can push it a bit, but to get close to 100% you need motivation, both self and other (loyalty to manager, team mates, club). IMO the players are good enough, evidenced by the few good performances, or good spells. So the issues are to a large extent motivation. Lots of factors to get right here from club and management. Buying the right players at the right point in their careers. Handling them in the right way, getting the right culture in the dressing room etc etc Compliated!

Lol, do we need to take the advice of a Canadian football writer? Taking the ball on the half turn is something you do when you know where the space is around you. If there is no space there is no point as you will have to pass back. The players who appear to get on the half turn more often are those who are aware of what is around them. Players who regularly glance around. It bugs me greatly when a pass in made to a midfielder who is free with room to turn, and he just stays looking backwards and he then has to pass there. Not knowing where the space is around you and where players are moving is the biggest fault in football IMO.

It’s definitely a mental thing. Not enough players brave enough to make a forward pass, or turn, or step out 5 yards up the pitch. It means more at home. Away from home a mistake goes unnoticed. That whole issue needs addressing directly, “we don’t mind you making mistakes.” But let’s start with us fans, how many of us can say that? Most of us call the players “shit” when they make a mistake!

The passes were made by the players who came on

Very happy if this turns into a result,

My win was on Chaddy the Owl at 40/1 in the mascot race. Back then he did that run from one penalty to the other to kick a penalty. I remember thinking he was fast and so put a tenner on .

Exactly Why do certain people not understand this and say it was poor management from MM. It was a great opportunity to get into the heads of the fringe players. If they can’t motivate themselves to put some effort in and show they can contribute to the matches that really matter, then they are actually just giving up, waiting for the end of their contact. And many of them didn’t pass the test.

So BP, are you really suggesting that you make a decision which could cost us a league game on the basis of the accuracy of a weather forecast 4 days ahead. Wow you do talk silly sometimes!