No player can come back from a month out and be up to the speed of a match.
A better way of putting it is injury free but not fully fit. Fit but not match fit is stupid to me.
No player can come back from a month out and be up to the speed of a match.
I keep going on about this, but it's because an awful lot of people don't seem to see it right now. We may as well bring Le Tiss out of retirement for all the use Rickie has been for much of this season. We seem to be relying on him for set piece shots and the odd long pass. His mobility, leap, speed are all completely shot I'm afraid. Let's not cloud ourselves with nostalgia. He has a use from now as a bit-part sub but a main striker is so, so, so needed.
Shame his back is a complete mess.![]()
Well whilst everyone here forensically dissects, worries, argues and can't work out the fact that we just didn't really get the rub of the green today, I'm off to do something worthwhile with my Saturday for once!
I keep going on about this, but it's because an awful lot of people don't seem to see it right now. We may as well bring Le Tiss out of retirement for all the use Rickie has been for much of this season. We seem to be relying on him for set piece shots and the odd long pass. His mobility, leap, speed are all completely shot I'm afraid. Let's not cloud ourselves with nostalgia. He has a use from now as a bit-part sub but a main striker is so, so, so needed.
A better way of putting it is injury free but not fully fit. Fit but not match fit is stupid to me.
Being very 'Cortese' about it - as someone who had the ability, unlike us fans, to completely remove emotion from decisions (some people may see this as sociopathic, but it's bloody useful), I'm quite sure Nicola was prepared to sell Rickie for £8m in January. It would have been the sale of the century to be honest.
All comes down to how much we need that money, and how much we value his presence. Said at the time that £8m is well above the odds, taking only his value as a player into consideration, but that isn't the only consideration.
We were completely dominant, lacked a bit of creativity and presence up top, but really it was one of those games that we could have absolutely battered them in. That we didn't shouldn't really be a concern on this occasion - play like that and buy a lively striker/finisher, we'll win the majority of games we play. West Ham defended very well. The end.
We really weren't completely dominant. Our defense was bad. In the second half, West Ham allowed us possession because they know they defend well and that they could score from a counter.
Not that I'm blasting the team but you've got rosy shades on. We were not good, and we're not going to beat too many teams with our defense playing like that.
Hands-off; she's mine![]()
And it's all gone quiet over there...![]()
now you are just finding a way to not agree. No matter how you word it or what phrase you use, a player out for 6-8 weeks or so will not be up to the speed or fitness of a match when playing against other top level athletes.
It is not. Anyone who has played any sport at a half decent level will tell you that you can be free from injury (completely), but not match fit. I don't see why you can't understand it. In fact, it is common sense.
Go for a run everyday for a month, timing each run. After about 3 weeks, you'll find your 'normal' time. Then do nothing for 6 weeks. Go for a run at the end of the six weeks, tell me how you feel and what time you do?