Back from the Game - Southampton

[kwik-silva]

Quite right too. Can I order a gingerbeard man for the Watford game? I'm middle-class too.

Actually, yes you can. I still have some gingerbread dough left as I was going to make two gingerbread houses but only had to make one in the end. I froze the remaining dough. I'll make some star cookies. Anyone else want one?

I'm up for some gingerbread, in any shape

[Sarah Star]

I want a gingerbeard man

I can give him a gingerbread beard, will that do?

KS, you're welcome to a cookie.

[kwik-silva]

Thanks muchly

[rabidbee]

I want a gingerbeard man

I can give him a gingerbread beard, will that do?

Will it look like papereyes?

[Dirk Gently]

Start selling gingerbread referees - you'll make a fortune as people will want to rip their heads off after appalling decisions.

[Sarah Star]

I want a gingerbeard man

I can give him a gingerbread beard, will that do?

Will it look like papereyes?

If I knew what he looked like, yes.

[Sarah Star]

Start selling gingerbread referees - you'll make a fortune as people will want to rip their heads off after appalling decisions.

Good idea. I'll see what I can do.
Perhaps some gingerbread Stephen Hunts and Shane Longs also so that people can do the same when they get frustrated instead of abusing our own players.

[rabidbee]

Will it look like papereyes?

If I knew what he looked like, yes.

I thought you'd been on AE long enough by now!

[rabidbee]

Start selling gingerbread referees - you'll make a fortune as people will want to rip their heads off after appalling decisions.

Sounds like voodoo dolls might be more appropriate!

[Sarah Star]

Will it look like papereyes?

If I knew what he looked like, yes.

I thought you'd been on AE long enough by now!

I'll see what I can do.
I'm going to need a lot of gingerbread.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

I agree, the items you bring don't stop you being vocal. This is going to be the same debate every single time though, Reading fans aren't vocal enough, and theres supposedly nothing that can change it, I do like the idea if unreserved seating so that the more 'vocal' fans can sit at the back, or front, or wherever, there were people telling other people to sit down at saints, shocking I know

unreserved seating would only work if the people who wanted to sing got there first and claimed an area of the stand as their area by singing away. Those who wanted to sing would join them, and those that just "spectate" would go elsewhere.

As it is, the "spectators" probably go in the ground and find their seats first.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Rabidbee - I wasn't talking about players not playing - I was talking about the age old excuse oft brought out that the players are "tired" after playing two games in 3 days or whatever. My opinion, albeit in the minority, is that they shouldn't be tired - they're professional footballers and they know that there will be occasions when they have to play more than one game in a week. If they can't step up to the plate (because they're "tired") they shouldn't take the big money that comes with it.

'greed. These so called 'professional' footballers should be able to handle playing 2 games in 3 games - without a shadow.
I've done it before and it really doesn't have a great impact whatsoever.

There's a big difference between kids/park football and the professional game! Not to mention your age, aren't you just a wee wipper snapper? Come back in 6 or 7 years time when you mid to late 20's and carry half a season full of knocks and need to play flat out again

RL, the players may moan about it, but the game is so fast and physical these days that there is only so much the body can take. Being paid 2k or 20k doesn't change those limits

[Royal Lady]

Oh come on!! Players have been playing 2 sometimes 3 games in a week for YEARS. You never heard players moaning about being tired then and they didn't have the same training/diet regime that they all have now.

[SLAMMED]

Will it look like papereyes?

If I knew what he looked like, yes.

I thought you'd been on AE long enough by now!

Is that a cross between Fat Bastard and Michael Moore?

[rabidbee]

Do you really think that it has absolutely no impact upon fitness levels and, therefore, performance?

[londinium]

Brum drew. Wolves drew...no harm done

[Arch]

Oh come on!! Players have been playing 2 sometimes 3 games in a week for YEARS. You never heard players moaning about being tired then and they didn't have the same training/diet regime that they all have now.

I don't know why you keep harping on about this. RFC players are fantastically fit and healthy and the man whose job it is too pick the best team to win games thinks they are not at their best on 48 hours rest. As long as there has been holiday fixture congestion there has been talk of the drain on the players. In the past, squads weren't deep enough to rotate.

[Ian Royal]

Marathon runners are professional atheletes, but you don't see many happily running two in a week without it impacting on their time.

It's completely blinkered and divorced from reality to just say that they're professional athletes so it shouldn't affect them. They aren't some sort of genetically engineered super person, they're still human. The training means it effects them as little as possible and they can do it. It doesn't mean it doesn't impact on their performance and fitness levels.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Oh come on!! Players have been playing 2 sometimes 3 games in a week for YEARS. You never heard players moaning about being tired then and they didn't have the same training/diet regime that they all have now.

It's an easy excuse for them to drag out when they play badly, but it's also a pretty valid one

I don't like it as I think it's possible to play more games than they do, but the level of performance will bit hit. I can see why, with the size and depth of squads these days that managers choose to rotate at times like this

As for players playing so many games for years, the pace of the game is so much faster than it was just 10 years ago. Yes training methods and diets have changed, but that's just made the standards so much higher that competing at anything less than flat out is shown up more

[Ian Royal]

Good post.