I have had work colleagues fasting and I would bet my bottom dollar it has an affect on a professional sportsmen. There is no way the human body would be fully fit and energy levels at normal through a period of fasting.

 

Yeah football players typically run ~7miles during a match, which is much harder to do if you're running on fumes, not to mention the negative effect on mood and mental sharpness that can accompany low energy levels. There is a reason why modern professional footballers' normally follow such highly optimised diets.

Yeah football players typically run ~7miles during a match, which is much harder to do if you're running on fumes, not to mention the negative effect on mood and mental sharpness that can accompany low energy levels. There is a reason why modern professional footballers' normally follow such highly optimised diets.

Agreed. The focus on diet point is the clincher. Clubs focus hugely on diets and employ experts to ensure the players have every possible advantage on match day. Given that fact it seems pretty obvious to me that a dramatic change in eating routine is going to have an impact on a player.

So far not a huge fan of his. He is all pace so far. But I think we'll use him as a substitute who can bring blistering pace to the side.

Nope, not buying into that.

I'm fairly sure the whole fasting argument has been gone over before and it's proven not to have any significant health affects and certainly shouldn't ruin a players form.

I just don't think he's that good, all pace not much end product. He'll get a fair few minutes off the bench but I don't expect him to even get close to displacing any of our other attacking players in the starting line up.

What argument is there? If a human does not eat food it has been proven that the body begins to break down virtually eating itself. Senses begin to suffer, mental capabilities are reduced drastically, physical strength is sapped, and I could go on and on to bore you of how many biological processes affect overall homeostasis.

I am not saying this is why Salah hasn't finished well but for you not to think it has no effect is absurd!

Do me a favor, get in your car and drive, doesn't matter where, could be just circling the block for a few hours. When your car starts to sputter and eventually stall out due to lack of fuel, you will then realize that energy is needed to power something. Whether a car or human (plant, animal, fuel cell, anything that needs energy for that matter) is irrelevant... Same way your auto needs gas to run, a human needs food or some sort of nutrition to do the same.

Edited July 28, 201411 yr by DoubleHelix

What argument is there? If a human does not eat food it has been proven that the body begins to break down virtually eating itself. Senses begin to suffer, mental capabilities are reduced drastically, physical strength is sapped, and I could go on and on to bore you of how many biological processes affect overall homeostasis.

I am not saying this is why Salah hasn't finished well but for you not to think it has no effect is absurd!

Do me a favor, get in your car and drive, doesn't matter where, could be just circling the block for a few hours. When your car starts to sputter and eventually stall out due to lack of fuel, you will then realize that energy is needed to power something. Whether a car or human (plant, animal, fuel cell, anything that needs energy for that matter) is irrelevant... Same way your auto needs gas to run, a human needs food or some sort of nutrition to do the same.

If you put a full tank in every night, it would never stutter! It's not like he isn't eating full stop, im sure he loads up on nutrition at night, and having done this every year, all his life, I don't think it will have too much effect on his body.

We should have held out and signed markovic after all. It seems salah is scared to take players on, which is frustrating to watch.

We should have held out and signed markovic after all. It seems salah is scared to take players on, which is frustrating to watch.

 

I don't think he is scared. When he did play for us last season he would take people on a fair bit, it was just his final ball that was lacking. I am not about to give up on a player who has only played a handful of games for us so far and i don't think it is fair that he is being so harshly judged on a few pre season games.

I have had work colleagues fasting and I would bet my bottom dollar it has an affect on a professional sportsmen. There is no way the human body would be fully fit and energy levels at normal through a period of fasting.

khalid bolarouz did the same although I couldn't tell when he was fasting or not!!! Sorry couldn't resist!

khalid bolarouz did the same although I couldn't tell when he was fasting or not!!! Sorry couldn't resist!

Ha ha fair point. I still remember a Football Manager esque post from someone when Boula signed. Said something like

Tackling 19

Heading 20

Marking 20

Reactions 19

Etc etc

We all thought we were signing Beckenbauer.

If you put a full tank in every night, it would never stutter! It's not like he isn't eating full stop, im sure he loads up on nutrition at night, and having done this every year, all his life, I don't think it will have too much effect on his body.

A fair point. I just don't think he is the shoddy player some are making him out to be. His final touch/play is a bit erratic but I do remember him finishing quite well against us in last year's Champions League. I would say you just don't lose that but then I think of Torres so you may very well be right? I am willing to bet he will come around and be great off the bench attacking late inthe match.

Edited July 28, 201411 yr by DoubleHelix

Hope he pushes on, he really didnt do well in pre-season with the big 4 away and he'll struggle abit now.

Yeah, not really that impressed with him thus far. His first touch is decent and he's quick for sure, but his finishing, link-up play, decision making and crossing are all below-par. They were last season as well, and at Basel. How he managed to get two against us I'll never know?

 

One for the League Cup / FA Cup methinks.

 

Hope he proves me wrong though!

I was surprised he wasn't even on the bench today.  Thought he would be part of the squad at least after all the game time he got in pre-season. 

I rate Salah. I hope he is given a fair chance here. I was also surprised he was not in the squad today.

I was surprised he wasn't even on the bench today. Thought he would be part of the squad at least after all the game time he got in pre-season.

Failed to impress in preseason, cant see the lad getting much game time ahead if the other four.

I do wonder if a spell out on loan would help his development.

I'd only be happy to loan him out if it was a top team around Europe with maximum game time.

Doubt a top team would take him and give him the playing time required.

He will be needed though as we have loads of games and 4 fronts to fight for this season.

Edited August 19, 201411 yr by RFC_CFC

Yeah, not really that impressed with him thus far. His first touch is decent and he's quick for sure, but his finishing, link-up play, decision making and crossing are all below-par. They were last season as well, and at Basel. How he managed to get two against us I'll never know?

 

One for the League Cup / FA Cup methinks.

 

Hope he proves me wrong though!

His finishing is great, his pace and finishing are his 2 main strengths 

I don't think a loan would do him many favours. He was already playing for a Champions League club when we signed him, if he is to improve it is alongside top-class players, which means us or someone on our level. Not only are teams at the top level appropriately rare, but even if we could find someone to take him on, I doubt there is a team good enough who could guarantee him the consistent playing time he really needs. I don't think we would be considering this option without the homegrown/foreign players situation, and I have a nasty feeling that will be solved by Cech leaving.

Doubt a top team would take him and give him the playing time required.

He will be needed though as we have loads of games and 4 fronts to fight for this season.

Don't think he would get enough games here constantly to really develop bar an injury crises & you are counting on a good draw in cup games for him to start. Questioned the signing as he is not top -4 quality & that still stands, and I reckon Jose would rather play Ramires on the wings before him.

Call me crazy but I will loan him out to Newcastle or QPR; a mid/low table club where he will play weekly, and in Newcastle's case a loan swap for Ben Arfa who will push Oscar. At 22 he needs to be playing weekly or come next season we end up with another Moses. Baker can move up & take his role occasionally while playing with the under-21s.

What is the point in swapping Ben Arfa, a player who can't even get into Newcastle's team, for Salah?

 

Schurrle isn't going to play every single game this season, Salah is the only left footed winger we have and will be used as rotation.

Ben Arfa and Salah are nothing alike. In addition to that I can't imagine Ben Arfa ever getting a game under Mourinho, has nowhere near the work ethic or consistency required.

Ben Arfa and Salah are nothing alike. In addition to that I can't imagine Ben Arfa ever getting a game under Mourinho, has nowhere near the work ethic or consistency required.

Indeed, he's just wasting away on the bench like mata was. However, Ben Arfa is on the bench because of his laziness, never tracks back.

Just seen a rumour linking him with a switch to Sunderland