28 Dec 2016 21:00:24
Just read a comment with regards to Coutinho not been match fit for the city game.
Footballers should be supremely fit guys, but for some reason (in my mind anyway) they seem to be given an easy time when it comes to fitness. I would expect Coutinho to return to training with barely a dip in his v02 max, so long as he's been keeping reasonably active. I realise they need to regain a little bit of sharpness but they've been playing footballnsince babies, so surely this shouldn't be hard to pick up? Or am i missing the point? Is it more to do with the muscle or ligament itself not been fully repaired?

1.) 28 Dec 2016
28 Dec 2016 21:32:07
It's probably more to do with ankle strangth. It was a nasty injury. You very rarely throw a player straight into a 90 minute game, after doing a joint. You need to give it time to recover its strength. the V02 max will ofcourse dip, I'm not sure by how much, but he clearly won't be match sharp in terms of fitness having missed 5 games.

2.) 28 Dec 2016
28 Dec 2016 21:32:51
Agree with other players in less demanding situtations but were not talking match fit here were talking klopp fit. can't have any passengers.

He will be back soon enough. can't say where haven't been alright without him, few blips but back to ourbbest now :)

3.) 28 Dec 2016
28 Dec 2016 21:44:52
Actually, your VO2 max drops a reasonable amount after only a couple of weeks of no training. Of course he would still be very fit compared to the average joe, but his "fitness" of course will have dipped, especially from the levels Klopp seems to demand.

4.) 28 Dec 2016
28 Dec 2016 21:56:55
I imagine you have to get over it mentally as well, I wouldn't want to face 90 mins of my foot being stomped on knowing it's only just healed, I wouldn't want to do any 50:50s or anything like that either, scared it's going to go again.

5.) 28 Dec 2016
28 Dec 2016 22:07:48
Your VO2 max starts to drop after just 2 days in most people.

6.) 28 Dec 2016
28 Dec 2016 22:37:55
All good points, but would definitely expect him to have trained (swimming, arm cycle. something haha) I guess its probably more a case of the injury having healed correctly and game sharpness. Hard to remember the fine margins in the game these days. I can not play for 6 months and still return to the same poor standard as previous. obviously very different at the top.

7.) 28 Dec 2016
28 Dec 2016 22:58:45
Just had a look at the top 30 vo2 max scores of all time. and sneaking in there amongst the cyclists and cross country skiers was one of our old boys. But definitely not one i would have expected to see (looking at you Dirk kuyt) Oyvind Leonhardsen of all people. Who'd have thought it?

8.) 28 Dec 2016
28 Dec 2016 23:46:19
He can keep fit, but it's different muscle groups you're using and different fibres, fast and slow twitch. You then have to rebuild the muscle memory.
There are lots of things you can do to improve VO2max, ranging from altitude training to eating bluberries. I;m sure the LFC physios are well versed in what's best for pipco.

9.) 28 Dec 2016
28 Dec 2016 23:54:42
Why so much focus on vo2 max? Its not the be all and end all of performance. He may be able to run in a straight line at high speed 1000 times, or run for hours but not have the match sharpness to react, change angles, make quick decisions under pressure etc etc.

10.) 29 Dec 2016
29 Dec 2016 01:04:00
There is a huge difference between being physically fit and being match fit. You can be in good physical shape yet lack match fitness because the demands of in-game action are much higher (running, physical contact, endurance levels are higher. muscles are used more and more, etc. than one might believe.

11.) 29 Dec 2016
29 Dec 2016 02:34:11
He'll be targeted as well.
Don't forget that.