Fitness levels

[FindernRam]

There was much talk about how hard players were being worked in pre-season, so how come we were out run by a load of players who apparently haven't been paid and seemed better motivated?

[TomTom92]

37 minutes ago, FindernRam said:

There was much talk about how hard players were being worked in pre-season, so how come we were out run by a load of players who apparently haven't been paid and seemed better motivated?

I'd say because our style of football is run around like men possessed with little appreciation for keeping the ball. A tactic that has seen Warne promoted 3 times, however i doubt he had a bench as weak as ours during any of them times. If we could've made 5 good substitutes then i don't think we'd have noticed the fatigue the same.

[ramboy63]

45 minutes ago, FindernRam said:

There was much talk about how hard players were being worked in pre-season, so how come we were out run by a load of players who apparently haven't been paid and seemed better motivated?

Yes you make a good point,quite a lot of our players looked out on there feet at 70 mins,so much for the extra training then

[ollycutts1982]

We did look like our legs had gone after about 75-80mins Saturday. 

It was evident at the Chesterfield game that a lot of the players looked dead on their feet, I assumed that it was a knock on from the Spanish training camp. I hope that we get to where we need to be fitness wise sooner rather than later. Certainly helps win games late on if you are fitter than your opponent.

[alram]

1 hour ago, FindernRam said:

There was much talk about how hard players were being worked in pre-season, so how come we were out run by a load of players who apparently haven't been paid and seemed better motivated?

if you want your answer:

 

wigan starting 11 age:

21

25, 19, 20, 26

21, 22

32, 24, 25

30

average age: 24

 

derby starting 11 age:

27

30, 31, 21

34, 32, 32, 22, 27

31, 32

average age: 29

we have 3 players under 30 and we wonder why we get outrun by a team with 2 players over 30? it feels like it happens in every game, last season we relied on superior quality

Edited August 8, 2023 by alram

[Magicman]

We have players who struggle to keep control of the ball, run with the ball and pass the ball. Sometimes, all of them !!

[Andrew3000]

1 hour ago, FindernRam said:

There was much talk about how hard players were being worked in pre-season, so how come we were out run by a load of players who apparently haven't been paid and seemed better motivated?

OK I'll bite, but against my better judgement because this stinks of WUM.  Were we outrun? Perhaps our midfield and centrebacks were outpaced, but thats speed and acceleration not fitness.  Wigan are under new ownership, so not sure how not being paid last season would effect their players now?  What did you see that indicated better motivation in comparison to us?  Wigan have a talented mix of young highly-regarded prospects and experienced players, who are well managed with a defined style and formation not the basket case that we expect Reading to be. They had terrible luck with injuries last year too.  Luckily I had listened to rams review podcast where a fan had given a detailed account and so and therefore  i expected a tough match. I didn't expect the c*** ups but fitness and motivation were both evident to me.

[GangwayD]

Interesting was Richie's interview that claimed the ball in play was on average 14 mins more this season than last. 

That's going to test the fitness and with our ageing squad I don't think we will be able to keep the high press up throughout the season, even during games.

I don't think Wigan particularly out ran us though.

Cheers 

Gangway D from the terrace 

 

 

[Millenniumram]

Because Wigan played football. We just ran around all game. It kills your energy.

[FindernRam]

15 hours ago, Andrew3000 said:

OK I'll bite, but against my better judgement because this stinks of WUM.  Were we outrun? Perhaps our midfield and centrebacks were outpaced, but thats speed and acceleration not fitness.  Wigan are under new ownership, so not sure how not being paid last season would effect their players now?  What did you see that indicated better motivation in comparison to us?  Wigan have a talented mix of young highly-regarded prospects and experienced players, who are well managed with a defined style and formation not the basket case that we expect Reading to be. They had terrible luck with injuries last year too.  Luckily I had listened to rams review podcast where a fan had given a detailed account and so and therefore  i expected a tough match. I didn't expect the c*** ups but fitness and motivation were both evident to me.

No WUM me! Just a concerned fan who has been massively disappointed in aspects of our play. Fitness being one of them. Loads of comments from others about us being leggy after 70 mins--in the first game of the season--- not as if we played six back to back matches in 3 weeks.

I dread to think how slow we'll be on Saturday! 

[estinnes]

I thought we looked fitter in the first half of last season and we were able to press well for longer periods of the game. This appeared to drop off in the second half of the season following the departure of Luke Jenkinson to D.C United.

Not sure if this had a big impact or if it was the result of a long season with a small squad, but there did appear to be some correlation.

[therealhantsram]

16 hours ago, GangwayD said:

Interesting was Richie's interview that claimed the ball in play was on average 14 mins more this season than last. 

 

 

Similar comment from Warne. Last season a player typically covered 11 to 12km per game. Against Wigan it was 14 to 15 km.

This will be a combination of the multiball system plus the new stricter rules about accounting for time added on more accurately.

It says to me that we can't continue with the Warne tactics that worked so well at Rotherham. Need a slower more controlled style of play where players can recover while in possession, then attack more strategically to manage energy levels.

Let's see if Warne is up to changing up his tactics to cope with the rule changes.

[angieram]

I have a question about the new rules. Now that time-wasting is being added on, don't players get warned or booked for it any more? 

The ref last night booked their goalie in 88th minute for misunderstanding his instructions but he'd been time-wasting for most of the half.

Mercifully for those of us watching, he didn't add the time on either!