Are we overlooking something??

[Hugo Boss]

Is it me, or did things start going down hill after that new Sports Scientist bloke was brought in to replace Jon Goodman?? Could it be that some of the players didn't agree with his methods?? I think i'm right in saying that the guy doesn't even have a footballing background.

Not saying this is the be all and end all of our sad demise last season but could be another factor.

[Row Z Royal]

Another rare inciteful post from Hugo Bers.

[The 17 Bus]

whey hey, +2

[willz_royal]

FINALLY! i have been saying this every week for ages! Ever since the bloke from wolves came weve been rubbish. We might now have superior fitness now, and thats why we could never keep up with players to mark/tackle etc, and pull away from defenders to score!

[Pele_Kitson]

Did he not used to work with Hoddle at Wolves?

[Hugo Boss]

Another rare inciteful post from Hugo Bers.

Cheeky b*stard!!

[Toxteth O'Grady (USA)]

Excellent observation. Clearly it is not the only reason but you need to give yourself the best chance in everything you do - and I don't think this new guy is as good.

You don't see the players doing their structured warm ups or even warm downs these days. This just means we are not as physically prepared as we have been in previous years. Nicky Hammond - sort it out.

[crossie]

It went down hill when Hunt had his hair cut. Which was actually Coppell's fault.

SACK COPPELL!

[Alan Partridge]

HNA's racists get another chance to post

[Hugo Boss]

Another cheeky b*stard!! I'm being serious!!

[Chillitsphil]

It is a fair comment - in previous years we have looked fit and have scored numerous late goals (often a sign of fitness - Bolton away springs to mind). This year we looked tired in games and we stopped running conceeding late - Man City, trying to think of some others but i'm sure there are. It is probably partially down to the players (missing Sidwell's energy) but there might be something in this one.

[Alan Partridge]

Another cheeky b*stard!! I'm being serious!!

I know you are m8




Hugo Earlier

[Chillitsphil]

HNA's racists get another chance to post

Why try to ruin a perfectly reasonable good thread? Hugo has a point here.

[Row Z Royal]

HNA's racists get another chance to post

Why try to ruin a perfectly reasonable good thread? Hugo has a point here.

As demonstrated in the above photo.

[TomTheRoyal]

Once you go Sports Scientist, you never go back.

[Chillitsphil]

I don't know what Hugo has said or done elsewhere... should I start a new thread for the people who may be interested in whether the new sports scientist made a difference and thus can discuss it sensibly?

[Row Z Royal]

I don't know what Hugo has said or done elsewhere... should I start a new thread for the people who may be interested in whether the new sports scientist made a difference and thus can discuss it sensibly?

No, but you can tell me whether Goodman was "sacked" or whether he moved for a promotion. My memory fails me.

[Vision]

It is a fair comment - in previous years we have looked fit and have scored numerous late goals (often a sign of fitness - Bolton away springs to mind). This year we looked tired in games and we stopped running conceeding late - Man City, trying to think of some others but i'm sure there are. It is probably partially down to the players (missing Sidwell's energy) but there might be something in this one.

Late late winners against Boro,Wigan and Sunderland as well as late consolations against Villa x2 & Pompey just off the top of my head suggest that it isn't the case.

[Alan Partridge]

It is a fair comment - in previous years we have looked fit and have scored numerous late goals (often a sign of fitness - Bolton away springs to mind). This year we looked tired in games and we stopped running conceeding late - Man City, trying to think of some others but i'm sure there are. It is probably partially down to the players (missing Sidwell's energy) but there might be something in this one.

It also doesn't help when we run the furthest out of all the teams in the league according to ProZone, why? Because we played the majority of the games without the ball and why's that? Because our players as a group weren't good enough for the Premier League.

That's probably a better reason rather than 'sports scientist' fault.

[Aly Murty]

Goodman moved on to run his own private consultancy business I think. Personally I'm not sure you can place the blame here. Goodman was barely here for longer than a season, and during that time he was only working part-time and seemed to basically continue the methods of Niall Clark. Goodman was an ex-pro and therefore, obviously in tune with the players, I'd even go as far to say he made himself 'one of the lads' which isn't necessarily a good thing. He had a very clear view that you had to be mates with the players and be able to join in with them in with them through the football skills/drills, which isn't to me a necessity for a sport scientist. I have no knowledge of the new guy, but not being from a footballing background should make no difference - the principles are the same and as long as he's got the qualifications and experience with working in a football team (which he does froom his time at Wolves) he should be more than capble of doing the job.

As AP says, this season we've played far more without the ball, increasing the amount of running we've done and so leaving less in the tank for the latter stages of the games. Its also a hell of a lot harder to keep on running when you're losing and have been for a number of games, the confidence and motivation is just not there. Reading also have a placement student in charge of all the dehydration testing/hydration maintenance/heart rate monitoring aspects - perhaps he isn't doing his job?!