Separating the Rooneys from the Ronaldos

[Pexbo]

So for argument sake, let’s say that the season starts again in 3 months time and teams are given a week to get match fit before their first game.

Which teams/individual players would you expect to come out raring to go and which do you think will be blowing out after 30 minutes and carrying a bit of timber?

From United I reckon the following would come out flying:

Rashford (Injury permitting), Bruno, Fred, AWB, Iglaho

And the following not so much:

Shaw, Jones, Matic and Pogba.

 

[Red Royal]

So for argument sake, let’s say that the season starts again in 3 months time and teams are given a week to get match fit before their first game.

Which teams/individual players would you expect to come out raring to go and which do you think will be blowing out after 30 minutes and carrying a bit of timber?

From United I reckon the following would come out flying:

Rashford (Injury permitting), Bruno, Fred, AWB, Iglaho

And the following not so much:

Shaw, Jones, Matic and Pogba.

I'd say Matic would be great after a break.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

McTominay would be fine, Maguire too. I'd guess Martial would start cold and need a game or two to get back on track.

 

[P-Nut]

James would be twice the player he's been lately with a nice long rest

 

[Dolf]

Let's not start this whole "shaw is fat" thing again shall we?

 

[horsechoker]

Alexis Sanchez will return to his Arsenal form

 

[OleBoiii]

Let's not start this whole "shaw is fat" thing again shall we?

Well you just did, didn't you?!

Way to get the Shaw roll... I mean the ball rolling!

 

[Mr Smith]

Thread title

 

[Kostur]

Well since all the fast food restaurants, i.a. Nandos, are closed down in the UK then Shaw might actually come back in fantastic form.

 

[Cutch]

So for argument sake, let’s say that the season starts again in 3 months time and teams are given a week to get match fit before their first game.

Which teams/individual players would you expect to come out raring to go and which do you think will be blowing out after 30 minutes and carrying a bit of timber?

From United I reckon the following would come out flying:

Rashford (Injury permitting), Bruno, Fred, AWB, Iglaho

And the following not so much:

Shaw, Jones, Matic and Pogba.

What makes you say Pogba? He always seems to keep himself in great shape. When we signed him he only had about a week of pre season if I remember correctly and was the best player on the pitch (v Hull?)

 

[Hoof the ball]

James would be twice the player he's been lately with a nice long rest

The assumption being that his lengthy drop of form isn't a case of quality normalisation, as opposed to physical fatigue. Of course, fatigue perhaps doesn't account for his form dropping so early in the season.

 

[Who's Kissing Cameras?]

The assumption being that his lengthy drop of form isn't a case of quality normalisation, as opposed to physical fatigue. Of course, fatigue perhaps doesn't account for his form dropping so early in the season.

Or maybe the fact that this season was his second ever season in professional football. His first in the top flight. That would take a toll on any player.

I don’t think it’s quality normalisation as he was providing, quite frankly, very high quality assists to Rashford. That skill level doesn’t just leave a player - especially a player so young and still adjusting to professional football let alone Premier League football.

Most assists in the squad - that’s a great achievement in a dysfunctional team before the arrival of Bruno.

 

[Pexbo]

What makes you say Pogba? He always seems to keep himself in great shape. When we signed him he only had about a week of pre season if I remember correctly and was the best player on the pitch (v Hull?)

I just assumed he wouldn't even be available.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

So for argument sake, let’s say that the season starts again in 3 months time and teams are given a week to get match fit before their first game.

Which teams/individual players would you expect to come out raring to go and which do you think will be blowing out after 30 minutes and carrying a bit of timber?

From United I reckon the following would come out flying:

Rashford (Injury permitting), Bruno, Fred, AWB, Iglaho

And the following not so much:

Shaw, Jones, Matic and Pogba.

Pogba is such a weird mention, he's always playing basketball and other training - keeping himself fit all the time. Not sure where this narrative is coming from.

 

[Jeppers7]

I just assumed he wouldn't even be available.

why would you mention him then ? Weird.

 

[Pexbo]

why would you mention him then ? Weird.

Why has it upset you? Weird.

 

[meamth]

Let's not start this whole "shaw is fat" thing again shall we?

No chance, it's a cult joke in caf.

 

[Isotope]

If we still kept Rooney and Lukaku, these two alone would fill up half the pitch.

 

[Jeppers7]

Why has it upset you? Weird.

It’s not ?

Your criteria though was “which do you think will be blowing out after 30 minutes and carrying a bit of timber?”

So it’s a bit weird to include a player because you don’t think he will be available, given the criteria you outlined ?

 

[VeevaVee]

Let's not start this whole "shaw is fat" thing again shall we?

He's literally been criticised by fellow professionals, his manager and clearly been slow off the mark while visibly being overweight for an athlete while away. Why act like it's not a real thing?

Look at these pics. He's not 'fat' obviously, but it's also clearly not the body of an athlete in peak condition, which isn't really on when you're being paid mega amounts of money to be one, even if it's off season, because he's come back in visibly worse condition than when he finished the season.

Spoiler

He's also worked hard to be in much better shape at times, as seen by the below, but that doesn't change that he has a justified reputation for being lax while away. Perhaps he's learnt from it now though.

Spoiler

 

[Brightonian]

So for argument sake, let’s say that the season starts again in 3 months time and teams are given a week to get match fit before their first game.

Which teams/individual players would you expect to come out raring to go and which do you think will be blowing out after 30 minutes and carrying a bit of timber?

From United I reckon the following would come out flying:

Rashford (Injury permitting), Bruno, Fred, AWB, Iglaho

And the following not so much:

Shaw, Jones, Matic and Pogba.

Not sure about Matic. I don't think he lacks discipline or conditioning, he's just old (and thanks to his big frame, old before his time in football terms). If anything he's at his best after a break.

Scotty will also be in top nick. In fact, the young players in general tend to be.

What about Martial? You never really hear much about his physical sharpness, possibly because his style is fairly low-intensity anyway.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Rooney... Ronaldo, sorry what?! Rooney was as one of the most aggressive and energetic players I've seen at the club. Had an incredible partnership with Ronaldo where he did all the dirty worj. And he's the one of the two, whose actually a United legend given how long he was here and his record.

 

[Jeppers7]

Rooney... Ronaldo, sorry what?! Rooney was as one of the most aggressive and energetic players I've seen at the club. Had an incredible partnership with Ronaldo where he did all the dirty worj. And he's the one of the two, whose actually a United legend given how long he was here and his record.

Rooney quite famously had to train to stay fit. If he wasn’t training he’d often be out of shape.

And yes Rooney had longevity over Ronaldo. That’s about it though. He was a great player but never got near the heights Ronaldo did. We won three titles and a CL largely due to Ronaldo.

 

[MrEleson]

Rooney... Ronaldo, sorry what?! Rooney was as one of the most aggressive and energetic players I've seen at the club. Had an incredible partnership with Ronaldo where he did all the dirty worj. And he's the one of the two, whose actually a United legend given how long he was here and his record.

Rooney stayed at United longer but Ronaldo had a bigger impact on the club's success.

 

[Samid]

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For his own sake I hope he continues playing for as long as possible. Retirement won't be kind to him.

 

[duffer]

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For his own sake I hope he continues playing for as long as possible. Retirement won't be kind to him.

He'll be like Steve Bruce or Neil Ruddock.
Not really a natural athlete.

 

[Offside]

Needs to watch it could end up a Razor Ruddock case.

 

[Mr Parker]

On the Liverpool end I would expect Milner, Henderson, lallana, Robertson, Salah, Mane and Wijnaldum to all keep their fitness. They tend to be the best in the pre season fitness drills.

 

[11101]

We've got a pretty professional group so think most will be fit.

Fred - struggled to keep up in his early days, so i could see that happening again. It wasn't really fitness related though.
Martial - never strikes me as the most motivated of our players.
Pogba - he will have done his best, but he has barely played in almost a year. No amount of training can counter that.
Maguire - he's a heavy lump and his muscles will need time to regain condition.
Chong - no reason other than i saw him in a training video and he looked knackered.

 

[yumtum]

Needs to watch it could end up a Razor Ruddock case.

Definitely the first person that springs to mind when you see that picture.

Rooney really isn't going to age well.

 

[Pexbo]

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For his own sake I hope he continues playing for as long as possible. Retirement won't be kind to him.

@Walters_19_MuFc