Fatigue ? | Page 5 | Vital Football

Fatigue ?

we have been playing a quick, high tempo, high energy game. Other teams in this division couldnt live with us when we hit our groove. Just mesmerised by our quick thinking and quick pass and move play. We played this way, game in game out. We still see it in shorter pieces of play, but it's noticeable that this high energy game is looking like it is petering out. Could be partly to do with the muddy pitch's at the moment which are acting as a leveller. No Harry Anderson to throw in. Grant is playing deeper because Bridcutt is out and although he puts a lot of effort in, he's lost half a yard. But yeh, the number of games and our style of play are maybe taking its toll.
 
Last season ended on 7th March, though, so every footballer is playing more this season than last.

Having praised them for their fitness, the ability to score late goals and not concede them, why are they more tired than those of other teams now?

I'm not going with that excuse, it shouldn't have been brought up by the manager, I think it's one of his few errors of judgement.

There's only Grant and Eyoma who've played a lot of matches, Grant having appeared in every one, albeit sub a few times in the EFL Trophy.
But we’re not at the 7th March yet and we started later
 
It's just a funny old season. Look at Forest Green tonight – second in League Two and won four in five, just been smashed at home by struggling Southend, who had lost five of their last seven. I wonder if Mark Cooper will blame tiredness?
 
But yeh, the number of games and our style of play are maybe taking its toll.

If the physical planning of this squad means that it's run out of gas after 26 games of a 46 game season then whoever is responsible for that should be packing his belongings right now.

Naturally, they shouldn't, because the very idea that could be possible in today's game is ludicrous.
 
i dont think the plan at the start of the season was primarily to actually win this league. It was to achieve a respectable league position but primarily play the sort of football we have been playing, which would be attractive to Premier League teams to send their promising young players on loan. Also to nurture young talent of our own and showcase in order to sell on. The business model in order to survive as a football club at this level.
But here we are at the top and having to keep playing to the same high standard. If our performance so far were mid table perhaps we wouldn't have noticed.
 
We have had a great year to be fair wherever we finish

Fatique can be a issue but lots of things play into this

Conditions of pitches deteriotate over the year

The wind rain etc can also play into this

Knocks niggles putting strain on other parts of the body

Injuries for teams are par for the course All teams not Just Lincoln

Corona has no doubt played a huge part in teams unable to train/ play etc And what wedont know does everybody bounce back straight away 0r in different stages, Im sure some take a while to get back to speed fully ,

Without stating the obvious we can only guess the above and also only the club know where we are in comparision to where they wanted to be this year, I would imagine disappointed if we dont get promotion however probably overjoyed with the standard of football and position so far,
 
Last season ended on 7th March, though, so every footballer is playing more this season than last.

Having praised them for their fitness, the ability to score late goals and not concede them, why are they more tired than those of other teams now?

I'm not going with that excuse, it shouldn't have been brought up by the manager, I think it's one of his few errors of judgement.

There's only Grant and Eyoma who've played a lot of matches, Grant having appeared in every one, albeit sub a few times in the EFL Trophy.
Number of players used this season will be one (for reference, we had used one of the lowest at 23 last I saw (L1 average was 29, albeit the January will have skewed some numbers slightly)).

How many of those all those minutes played will have been played by the first XI.

Depth of squad. Portsmouth or Sunderland can probably mix 5 or 6 of their players up if needed, we can probably get away with 2 or 3 before we see a drop off and in some areas, there's a massive drop off with just one change (Hopper, for example, or Bridcutt)).
 
Number of players used this season will be one (for reference, we had used one of the lowest at 23 last I saw (L1 average was 29, albeit the January will have skewed some numbers slightly)).

How many of those all those minutes played will have been played by the first XI.

Depth of squad. Portsmouth or Sunderland can probably mix 5 or 6 of their players up if needed, we can probably get away with 2 or 3 before we see a drop off and in some areas, there's a massive drop off with just one change (Hopper, for example, or Bridcutt)).

That's my point, @Luke Imp, tiredness should not be getting mentioned now, that's only a possibility later on. And, injuries permitting, there is sufficient depth now after the January window to cover for rotations.

What's happened since Doncaster is a drop in level, which can happen at any time for no particular explicable reason. The team had become a little cautious, probably due to us having difficult away games to play at Hull (twice), Gillingham and Sunderland, and then being pressed effectively at home by Accrington.

Currently it lacks the spark of previous games. This can only be form, and/or injury disruptions. It can't be fatigue.
 
This discussion on fatigue is interesting. The belief that it is the same for everyone is not quite right at this point in time - take a look at the number of games played by each club in League One:

42: Hull
41: Lincoln
40: MK Dons
39: Fleetwood, Gillingham, Plymouth, Portsmouth
38: Bristol Rovers, Northampton, Oxford, Peterborough, Sunderland
37: AFC Wimbledon, Crewe
36: Charlton, Rochdale
35: Accrington, Blackpool, Doncaster, Shrewsbury, Swindon, Wigan
34: Burton, Ipswich

Those numbers represent big differences, especially considering such a compacted schedule. For instance, Ipswich have effectively had seven midweeks off while Lincoln have been playing. And is it surprising that Swindon looked more energetic than us?

Perhaps that run in the FLT was not such a great idea, but a brief trawl around other fans' forums suggests that fatigue is having a wider impact than just for Lincoln. And it will surely catch up with the other teams within the next few weeks. The winners in May will probably be the teams that deal with it and adapt to it, rather than there being any possibility of avoiding it.
 
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This discussion on fatigue is interesting. The belief that it is the same for everyone is not quite right at this point in time - take a look at the number of games played by each club in League Two:

42: Hull
41: Lincoln
40: MK Dons
39: Fleetwood, Gillingham, Plymouth, Portsmouth
38: Bristol Rovers, Northampton, Oxford, Peterborough, Sunderland
37: AFC Wimbledon, Crewe
36: Charlton, Rochdale
35: Accrington, Blackpool, Doncaster, Shrewsbury, Swindon, Wigan
34: Burton, Ipswich

Those numbers represent big differences, especially considering such a compacted schedule. For instance, Ipswich have effectively had seven midweeks off while Lincoln have been playing. And is it surprising that Swindon looked more energetic than us?

Perhaps that run in the FLT was not such a great idea, but a brief trawl around other fans' forums suggests that fatigue is having a wider impact than just for Lincoln. And it will surely catch up with the other teams within the next few weeks. The winners in May will probably be the teams that deal with it and adapt to it, rather than there being any possibility of avoiding it.
We're in League 1 Scotty!
 
Perhaps that run in the FLT was not such a great idea, but a brief trawl around other fans' forums suggests that fatigue is having a wider impact than just for Lincoln. And it will surely catch up with the other teams within the next few weeks. The winners in May will probably be the teams that deal with it and adapt to it, rather than there being any possibility of avoiding it.

The numbers are good but we only have two outfield players who have started more than 30 games so far.

Also several clubs have had longish spells without a game due to Covid, which has disrupted their season and means they haven't been able to take advantage of spare midweek dates.

I agree that playing so regularly will affect players, I don't believe it's affecting ours more than it is those of other teams.
 
That's my point, @Luke Imp, tiredness should not be getting mentioned now, that's only a possibility later on. And, injuries permitting, there is sufficient depth now after the January window to cover for rotations.

What's happened since Doncaster is a drop in level, which can happen at any time for no particular explicable reason. The team had become a little cautious, probably due to us having difficult away games to play at Hull (twice), Gillingham and Sunderland, and then being pressed effectively at home by Accrington.

Currently it lacks the spark of previous games. This can only be form, and/or injury disruptions. It can't be fatigue.
How can you be so sure that fatigue isn’t a problem, do you have access to players individual training and fitness records which, the rest of us don’t? Training at this stage of the season, with two games every week, is more about managing workload, knocks and strains and keeping topped up levels of fitness rather than pushing players to greater heights. So to say that fatigue doesn't affect form seems incomprehensible to me!
 
How can you be so sure that fatigue isn’t a problem, do you have access to players individual training and fitness records which, the rest of us don’t?

I've made several posts already outlining why that shouldn't be the case with 20 games to go. Certainly not in comparison with other teams. So I'm not going to repeat all those points again.
 
Also several clubs have had longish spells without a game due to Covid, which has disrupted their season and means they haven't been able to take advantage of spare midweek dates.
I believe Covid breaks have been good for those clubs up to this point because it has reduced the impact of that draining playing/training/playing schedule. However, it will not be a good thing between now and the end of the season, so it is swings and roundabouts as far as that is concerned. Fatigue will catch up with everyone, and within the next few weeks. I still believe that we are in a good position compared with some of our rivals because of our relative youth.

It is interesting what Plymouth fans are saying about Luke Jephcott - that he suddenly looks tired and needs to be rested. They would be in trouble without him, no one else has scored more than 5 goals for them this season. Plymouth have played 39 games, two fewer than us.

On the subject of what that three games in eight days schedule looks like in practice, missing a midweek game (or a Saturday, for that matter) gives the players seven days to recuperate instead of three; in the case of Ipswich, they have benefitted from that extra recovery time (and planning time) on seven occasions compared with Lincoln, and eight times compared with Hull. That is very significant. It is some wonder why Ipswich are not doing far better than they are.
 
The ones who have had covid will be more tired due to its effects.
Not sure how many of ours have had it so far, but Anderson and Montsma I think are two of them that have had it.
 
in the case of Ipswich, they have benefitted from that extra recovery time (and planning time) on seven occasions compared with Lincoln, and eight times compared with Hull

Scot, the season started 24 weeks ago.

We only have two outfield players who have started more than 30 games.