How can we put the blame for players fitness on mourinho?
Time For Ole To Show His Mettle
- Thread starter Rado_N
- Start date
Because he’s trained these players since preseason? The manager is responsible for fitness...
We give the ball away like it's nothing. Just brainless decision making all over the pitch.
Fitness certainly played a part but I think I'd rather see them begin each game at full-tempo and get an early goal or two rather than start in an over cautious manner, concede, and then have to chase the game a la Mourinho. Defenders really impressed me today, they are improving game on game under Ole but its obvious we still need a couple of reinforcements to tighten things up when the going gets tough.
We were completely in control of the second half up until they scored, we had multiple efforts at goal and 80% possession. We lost our heads when the goal went in, we need to deal with the panic.
If Lingard scored that sitter from 4 yards out this would have ended 5-0
If Lingard scored that sitter from 4 yards out this would have ended 5-0
Except we won today, so he's actually passed his first and second test, since the honeymoon period ended, no?
Fair enough if you read it differently. The thread title and the hair-dryer set me off because we won 7 straight games. We have been crying out for this kind of form for ages.
If that’s not what the OP meant then I take it back.
I just said on the match thread the team looked tired again 2nd half like the spurs match. This ought to be the main priority worked on. When your forward tries a shot from the throw in line then you know theres a problem
The players looked way too comfortable in second half. He needs to tell them to not go that easy again. No game in PL is considered done at 2-0.
He needs to show he can alter the flow of a game other than replacing attackers for attackers.
He's doing very well so it'll come. Also Merson claiming Spurs was the real test only to change it to having to beat PSG to prove himself is hilarious to me.
He's doing very well so it'll come. Also Merson claiming Spurs was the real test only to change it to having to beat PSG to prove himself is hilarious to me.
Jesus, some of the reactions in here are ridiculous.
You'd think I was advocating getting rid of him or slagging him off ffs. All I'm saying is the time might be here where he needs to make use of a different approach to keep us on the right track.
Fitness may be a part of it as some have suggested, bit switching off is an issue too, and one we need to resolve.
You'd think I was advocating getting rid of him or slagging him off ffs. All I'm saying is the time might be here where he needs to make use of a different approach to keep us on the right track.
Fitness may be a part of it as some have suggested, bit switching off is an issue too, and one we need to resolve.
Second half was a bit of a slog, but to be fair Phelan was out even in the first half screaming at all the players over things they were doing wrong.
We're 7 from 7, for the first time since forever. Whilst he was late with the subs, he did react immediately to their goal.
I'm sure they'll get a bollocking too, there's very little to see here but we do need to find a way to maintain focus.
We're 7 from 7, for the first time since forever. Whilst he was late with the subs, he did react immediately to their goal.
I'm sure they'll get a bollocking too, there's very little to see here but we do need to find a way to maintain focus.
Imagine the scenes when we do drop points. 
Imagine when you learn to read.Imagine the scenes when we do drop points.
Yeah I’m very impressed with him
You listened to Merson?
I said after Spurs game, 2nd half performance isnt acceptable for me, today it wasnt good enough either. Not talking about points or results so dont mix one with another, had enough of that shit during JM (best example 0:0 at Anfield). You can say it was good/great win 3pts but not so good performance in same sentence, its ok.
Said many times during JM that defensive part of game never bothered me but if you look like you shitting pants out there while defending, thats a no go. If we have to concede, rather while trying to maul them then being in shell, on top of it, game was on OT. Ole should be here to change that, instead it seems with each passing game, its more result driven and lets be real, we arent that good when playing for result only.
Said many times during JM that defensive part of game never bothered me but if you look like you shitting pants out there while defending, thats a no go. If we have to concede, rather while trying to maul them then being in shell, on top of it, game was on OT. Ole should be here to change that, instead it seems with each passing game, its more result driven and lets be real, we arent that good when playing for result only.
The simple reason for our downturn in the last half an hour of games is that we are not used to applying this intensity. It will take time for our collective stamina to come up to scratch.
Couldn't help it. Lesson learnedYou listened to Merson?
Yep. It's like they think that under Sir Alex we won every game 4-0 and never had slower/nervier performances, or that Barca wins every game at a canter. Especially if you look at winning runs, you'll always have a decent amount of games that you grinded out, even though this was far from a grind, it was actually a very good performance overall.
We're playing in a way, and all of a sudden, that we haven't done so for a very long time. It's intense, and the player's conditioning is what's letting them down at the minute.
When intensity is a significant device in the tactical machine, other cog's in that machine will begin to suffer as a result of that device beginning to fail. At the moment our approach is to simply blow teams away and hopefully be far enough ahead - as we come to the final phases of the game - to be able to hold on to the result. Problem is when we've only managed to score 2, all it takes is for the opposition to get one (even if against the run of play) and all of a sudden the complexion of the game is totally different.
We need a plan B and for me that is to be able to take the sting out of the game by retaining possession in certain phases of the game. This allows us to catch our breath back and manage the game better. Tbf Ole tried to do this today by bringing on Mata, but our other players were already so tired by this point they became sloppy. The substitution however shows me he is somewhat aware of this.
When intensity is a significant device in the tactical machine, other cog's in that machine will begin to suffer as a result of that device beginning to fail. At the moment our approach is to simply blow teams away and hopefully be far enough ahead - as we come to the final phases of the game - to be able to hold on to the result. Problem is when we've only managed to score 2, all it takes is for the opposition to get one (even if against the run of play) and all of a sudden the complexion of the game is totally different.
We need a plan B and for me that is to be able to take the sting out of the game by retaining possession in certain phases of the game. This allows us to catch our breath back and manage the game better. Tbf Ole tried to do this today by bringing on Mata, but our other players were already so tired by this point they became sloppy. The substitution however shows me he is somewhat aware of this.
I do think the next month will prove whether he has what it takes
The hairdryer? Why? For not blowing away the opposition in every single game? This squad still has limitations, you can’t expect them to batter teams every single week. They were still comfortably the better team and deserved to win. Sometimes that’s sufficient.
This board is obsessed with the manager. I don't think you'll find a single player in whole PL that puts his fitness on the manager. The manager being responsible for a players fitness is completely made up. The player and his fitness coaches are responsible for player fitness not the manager.
Who manages the fitness coaches?
He's actually uncannily accurate in picking winners. He's good for an accumulator.
We don't have the right players in every position to play the type of football we want. There's a lot of player overhaul needed before we can start battering teams left right and centre. But the attitude and the way we are playing is encouraging and it's a step in the right direction.
The fitness levels are not where they need to be yet and he doesn't have the options to rotate in midfield while neither of the bench forwards have given any reason to trust them yet, plus the defensive situation is always going to be an issue until we get in the market.
Are you being serious?
Bit of complacency creeping in at the moment, our second half performances seem to be lagging quite a bit, maybe due to tiredness or just a general lack of running/making the runs into space.
A lot of the deficiencies in the team will take a lot of time and work to fix, or even require new players
Ole has done the first step perfectly, which is get the confidence back and get us winning again. The next step I'd say is to focus more on our fixing our weaknesses like our vulnerability at the back, amongst other things, and it's gonna take time.
Ole has done the first step perfectly, which is get the confidence back and get us winning again. The next step I'd say is to focus more on our fixing our weaknesses like our vulnerability at the back, amongst other things, and it's gonna take time.
Is it a fitness issue, though? I'm not so sure. We've got a squad full of internationals here. Top class athletes with best facilities available and we're talking as if they're making a jump from semi-pro to pro level football. I just don't buy it.
Ever since Fergie there's been this weird mix of high and low expectations. All top teams have games where theyre complacent and shit on the ball, and we're far from a top team. People are either expecting us to be the 2008 team, or they're content with us finishing 5th while hoofing the ball to Fellaini.
There's plenty of bad results still to come, as long as there's progress then people need to accept shit results and performances
There's plenty of bad results still to come, as long as there's progress then people need to accept shit results and performances
Drama queens in this place. Bloody hell, go and have a beer and get away from the keyboard.
I agree. We are attuned to giving the ball away and maintaining our positions with men behind the ball in the later part of games. That was our closing out strategy for 2.5 seasons.
Also, there hasn’t been much rotation in midweek and we are coming off a very gruelling fixture list where players had given their 110% for the new manager.
In the near term we need more rotation to avoid falling off a cliff around the 70th minute. Long term we definitely need to change the players conditioning.
Need a bit of rotation, keep the lads on their toes.
Dear me, the knives come out quickly these days don't they. Even after wins
I thought we were comfortable to be honest but we still probed quite well. We had 20 shots on goal but maybe we had to many speculative efforts and could have crafted something better. Once we scored the pen, they pushed forward and were quite good. At 2-0 we were comfortable. Second half we were decent. I wouldn't say the honeymoon is over etc. I think we were quite comfortable baring a few crosses. Defensively, some players maybe could have defended better but in general I think alls well. When they scored, Ole had a change of mind seemingly in regards Lukaku and went for Mata instead which I think was sensible. I don't think there's much of an issue. On another day we win 5-1 but we too many shots didn't hit test their goalkeeper
Were you at the game? It was fecking freezing by the second half. I’m not surprised both teams struggled to do much second half. It would have been difficult to get going for any team without the adrenaline rush from nicking a goal when behind or needing to score.
fecking hell people read what they want to.
Remarkable, isn't it?
Team that did no running starts doing lots of running. They tire as they adjust to a system at odds with how their previous two managers set up. End of story.
All the time-for-ole-captain-of-gondor-to-show-his-quality nonsense can do one.