Apart from anything else, do we have a problem with fitness

[Robbie]

Quite a few our players don't look fit or the right shape for the PL. Too gym fit and not match fit.
We definitely flag after 60 minutes.
Arsenal looked super fit and were still running hard at 90 minutes, with the game in the week.

[Woolly Mammoth]

I have mentioned this on other threads. It is obvious that we are being overrun in the latter part of matches.
This is no conincidence.
Maybe we can expect it away to a certain extent. But not at home, not like this.
Cannot understand the substitutions today, Johansen came on far too late.
Ream coming off was a panic move. Although I was glad to see Kamara come on.
Glad to see McDonald on, but not necessary at Zambos expense.
Easy to be wise after the event, but it wasn't classic game management.

[Dodger53]

Most of the teams have looked fitter than us this season.

[Luka]

Our trouble is we are chasing both the game and some technically more proficient opposition.
As a game progresses the better players take more control and we have to work even harder.
It's not fitness that's the problem, it's overall ability at PL level.
Last year we were one if the best technically at championship level and as a game progressed we ran teams ragged.

Now that boot is firmly on the other foot.

[RaySmith]

Fitness is one thing a club can easily control, unlike skill or technique- ie make the players do the right amount and kind  of training at the  right  level and intensity- and there  is so much knowledge, and technical facilities, out there now about diet, training intensity, injuries and fatigue etc, and so many qualified coaches, it's hard to imagine that Fulham don't have  top coaches working for them, and make sure that each player is fully fit.

Also, the players themselves  must be fully motivated, i'm sure - it's their, very good, livelihood- but you're only as good as your last game, and the club's results. that must surely motivate players to give their all. No Fulham player is that good that their reputation goes ahead of them.

I do think, though, that players can appear lazy and unfit - when they're not, but  suffering confidence issues in a losing team, teamwork/positional problems, having to cover more ground than a more skilled, cohesive  opposition, and when you're getting the run around and  going goals down, tiredness and  fatigue can overtake you no matter how hard you try to keep going,  - and the opposite if you're doing well.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Fitness is one thing a club can easily control, unlike skill or technique- ie make the players do the right amount and kind  of training at the  right  level and intensity- and there  is so much knowledge, and technical facilities, out there now about diet, training intensity, injuries and fatigue etc, and so many qualified coaches, it's hard to imagine that Fulham don't have  top coaches working for them, and make sure that each player is fully fit.

Also, the players themselves  must be fully motivated, i'm sure - it's their, very good, livelihood- but you're only as good as your last game, and the club's results. that must surely motivate players to give their all. No Fulham player is that good that their reputation goes ahead of them.

I do think, though, that players can appear lazy and unfit - when they're not, but  suffering confidence issues in a losing team, teamwork/positional problems, having to cover more ground than a more skilled, cohesive  opposition, and when you're getting the run around and  going goals down, tiredness and  fatigue can overtake you no matter how hard you try to keep going,  - and the opposite if you're doing well.

A lot of what you say I feel is very true, and now that you mention it, could be even closer to the reality of our scenario than some of us think.

[AnOldBrownie]

I have mentioned this on other threads. It is obvious that we are being overrun in the latter part of matches.
This is no conincidence.
Maybe we can expect it away to a certain extent. But not at home, not like this.
Cannot understand the substitutions today, Johansen came on far too late.
Ream coming off was a panic move. Although I was glad to see Kamara come on.
Glad to see McDonald on, but not necessary at Zambos expense.
Easy to be wise after the event, but it wasn't classic game management.

Anguissa and Seri were both breathing hard after the first 25 minutes.   I saw Anguissa with his hands on his hips.  He was winded.

[RaySmith]

Anyone can  become breathless after a hard effort - doesn't necessarily mean they're unfit.


Why wouldn't top pro players, plying their trade in a foreign land, make sure they were fit -apart from the manager and club monitoring the situation.

I take part in tough local fell races, and   mountain bike events.
I train hard, and suppose I'm pretty fit for  69 - And I don't get paid to do this, so I find it hard to think a top player would not be motivated to be very fit with so much at stake.

[SP]

I've been really surprised how much pace & power teams have now.  A lot has changed in four years.

[Southdowns White]

Maybe all our players are training at Parkers pace when he runs the sessions!

[RaySmith]

The top players have everything - power, pace, stamina, strength - in every position.

One thing about top players too - they  make a lot less mistakes than poorer players.
Most passes go to their intended player, most shots on target - all done under the ferocious pace of the Prem , with little time to think - so mental  quickness is also a  factor.

[toshes mate]

Our trouble is we are chasing both the game and some technically more proficient opposition.
As a game progresses the better players take more control and we have to work even harder.
It's not fitness that's the problem, it's overall ability at PL level.
Last year we were one if the best technically at championship level and as a game progressed we ran teams ragged.

Now that boot is firmly on the other foot.

Agree with your analysis.  Players are being run ragged because we haven't sussed a team that can play their way for the whole ninety minutes.  If you do not dominate the opposition then they'll dominate you.

[itombomb]

Fitness/aerobic capacity is something that can be developed, but it is also genetic/physiological (just like fast-twitch fibres for speed etc).

There are probably stats on players that compare effectiveness/accuracy at starts of games to the end, but if you're playing in a lower pace league they won't be necessarily indicative of PL impact.

[Fulham Joe]

I think we tend to do too much work early in the game, and that we have nothing left for the later stages. I was watching our guys after 20 minutes and most were breathing heavy whereas the Arsenal team seemed quite relaxed in comparison. Maybe, like a marathon runner, we need to learn to pace ourselves better.

[filham]

When a team is being taken apart as we were in the last 30 minutes on Sunday they are never going to look fit. Had we been winning 2-1 with 15 minutes to go we would have looked as fit as fiddles.

[Chutney]

The premiership is a massvie step up, especially in regards to fitness levels and intensity. We are not used to having to go all out for an entire 90 mins, I'm sure we'll adjust, I hope so anyway!