I started thinking about the training Villa does and with this post I just may be way out to lunch. I checked with Matt regarding the facilities at Bodymoor Heath and a look at the you tube he sent me left me impressed. Indoor pitch, gym, weights, hot tubs, and a swimming pool. What got me going was the amount of running a player does during a game–miles of running for most.
In order to do this there must be lots of miles done during training which are necessary in order to build up stamina, speed, and pace, that is assuming pace is the level a player works at. As an example, where did Brett Holman get his stamina from? Is it just natural ability? This can’t be easy on the knees and ankles building an engine for the Premier League.
I thought swimming would be a good substitute but I saw the pool in the video so I expect that some of the team do swim. Michael Phelps supposedly has lungs upward of 10 litres, so Villa should be able to use aerobic exercise to help thing. There are exercise bikes as well. Lance Armstrong had huge capacities although I’m not suggesting our team should be drug aided.
Therefore I would imagine the club have cardio work covered with an eye for joint and ligament damage, but can there be something else to develop stamina as lower body injuries take their toll throughout the season.
Perhaps a look at some other sports and how they deal with injury and fitness. Remember last year Randy took Richard Dunne to the Cleveland Brown’s medical facility to help with his broken collar bone as they had expertise with that type of injury. I thought that was forward thinking. Here in Calgary, the Flames hockey team have incorporated figure skating to help with flexibility and balance – sure it sounds strange to some, but it works, and surely what works is what matters, right?
The football team has used different sports to help with hand eye co-ordination and foot speed. Now I would think that every team is looking for any method of training to help with the outcome of a game. And this is where I am probably out to lunch as I don’t know every avenue of training that Villa uses. Would a sprint coach help with speed? Or a cycling coach with upper leg strength?
Ballet for balance, flexibility, and maneuverability? I’m sure there is a dietitian on board but are the diets general or individual? When looking at Olympic athletes, their diets are definitely individualized. Premier League players work just as hard as any Olympic athlete so shouldn’t their diets be individualized too? Again, I am stabbing in the dark as I don’t know the ins and outs of training, so perhaps all these things are being considered.
On a slightly different slant but still looking at other sports as possible areas for improvement is the play during a match. There are similarities between football in my opinion between the game Villa play, North American football, and ice hockey. For example, set plays play a part in all three sports. In the NFL and CFL every play is a set play. A specific play is decided on by the quarterback and players take their position with the idea that the ball carrier or receiver is placed in the open once play starts.
Now, isn’t a corner or free kick the same sort of idea? It appears to me that corners are mostly lobbed into a pack in the 6 yard box with the idea that an attacking player can either head or kick the ball in the net. To my eye, no one has been put into an unhindered position to attack. Defensive players don’t seem to be pulled out of position.
As an example, although not a set play, was Benteke heeling the ball back to Weimann, he pulled defenders with him and put Weimann in position with no defender within reach. Can’t that be done with set plays? (Ed: Villa do practice set pieces in training though their effectiveness is fairly low at present)
Could an offensive coach from the NFL or CFL or colleges help with this as that’s what their job entails? I’m just thinking about a different set of eyes and ideas put into a football scenario. I see players in the Premier League talk and shout to their team mates. Are there set phrases for all players to hear as, let’s say when the central midfielder sees the play unfolding differently? Audibles as they are called here (Ed: There are code phrases that are used in set plays, though obviously there is communication on the pitch as well).
Or from a set play, an audible is called and players move into position as the ball is put into play? I suppose you all think I’m nuts now. Wouldn’t the attacking team have an advantage with the knowledge of what is about to happen or the knowledge that an audible can be called to change the situation putting defenders at a disadvantage by a slower reaction time?
My ideas for this post is to get people thinking outside the football training/playing think box by utilizing other sport techniques, training and tactics to gain an advantage during game day. Or more probably so you can chuck tomatoes at me. The choice is yours.
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