I've always thought the role of training sessions is overlooked by football fans

[Monty91]

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150421/-you-get-a -vibe-like-a-weather-forecast- (http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150421/-you-get-a-vibe-like-a-weather-forecast-)

[Pokster]

so how you think it is overlooked is beyond me

[Monty91]

particularly with regard to match day selection.

[Pokster]

selection

[IUFG]

[Monty91]

Whereas plenty of other hypotheticals are always put forward

[Classic Jorge]

f**king British core. He'll be saying "innit" next and flicking his fingers an ting

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

We have absolutely no idea what happens in training or the performance of individuals, the attitude of players during.

Let's be honest, if a person did mention training as a hypothetical I would imagine you to be among the very first to attack their comment based on the above.

We can however comment on match day performances and link that tangible though objective factor towards team selection.

[Monty91]

http://www.awimb.com/fudforum/index.php?t=tree&th=568531 &mid=3892696&rid=5863&S=ae073db76532f393dce09083 ccd8ca8f&rev=&reveal= (http://www.awimb.com/fudforum/index.php?t=tree&th=568531&mid=3892696&rid=5863&S=ae073db76532f393dce09083ccd8ca8f&rev=&reveal=)

You may wish to also observe my resolute defence of Giroud in the face of certain highly crutical posters including LA.

[Pokster]

we don't see training so how can we comment on it... you don't often hear a manager saying i haven't picked x because he couldn't control a bag of cenment in training.... so how can we know?

[Luis Anaconda]

[Monty91]

theories about a manager's decisions. So why do they never mention training?

You are right, it is an assumption, but my suspicion is that it's because they overlook its importance.

[Monty91]

in exchange for focussing on just how clever it makes me look :-)

[Luis Anaconda]

Simply making something up to suit you doesn't make it true :shrug:

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Don't be a tool.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

LA and others expressed an opinion at the time, nothing wrong with that. You should not be making yourself comfortable on your high horse simply because some 12-18 months later he is playing very well.

A players performance in training is simply that, training, a competitive arena of sorts but not in any way the same as a match. A player can be “flying in training” but **** in matches.

Similarly the history of football would throw up players who perhaps weren’t up for training but come match day the situation reversed.

Of course a manager will see training as an influential factor in team selection. Training is still a fundamental part of a footballers job and will form part of how their manager assesses them. Not for us to comment on all the same as I mentioned before it is a factor which not one of us has a single clue about.

Ultimately however, and this is completely beyond argument, it is what a footballer does in games that is of prime importance.

[Monty91]

Posts by me don't count :-)

[Luis Anaconda]

Though I am going to be consistent is still slating the vain French**** despite his clearly rather magnificent performances recently if that is all right with you :thumbup:

[Monty91]

[Pokster]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

He still lacks pace and he still doesn't play to the whistle.

Now, had LA declared, 'He's f**king ****e' in the manner of some of our less thoughtful contributors, one might easily accuse him of bantering himself off with ****housery.

[Luis Anaconda]

Incident on Saturday when he played a one two and looked like he was running through treacle and Federici got their first. Reckon even Per would have got there. I will admit other aspects of his game have come on wonderfully

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Monty91]

If so, maybe having a Costa would help.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

Which I would say today is still valid.


Thing is neither your or LA's criticism of the player is to deny he has had a good season. I don't see that season however as elevating him to being one of the very best there is, similar to how Harry Kane's season does not make him one of the very best in the PL.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

he might end up being one of our most important players in next season's title-winning charge.

[Peter]