Even with a disrupted pre-season, players should be as fit as they are 15 games into the season. If they are not injured and still not fit, when would they ever be?
When it comes to fitness and conditioning, it’s not just about comparing AFC to WPX. It's AFC vs other A-league teams. AFC is fitter, more aggressive, and plays a high-press style that should, in theory, be more physically demanding. Yet, they manage to maintain this for 100 minutes every game.
So, I agree that AFC must be doing something systematically right/better compared to the Nix, something Nix should learn and improve, especially given the quality of Nix’s training facilities.
When it comes to fitness and conditioning, it’s not just about comparing AFC to WPX. It's AFC vs other A-league teams. AFC is fitter, more aggressive, and plays a high-press style that should, in theory, be more physically demanding. Yet, they manage to maintain this for 100 minutes every game.
So, I agree that AFC must be doing something systematically right/better compared to the Nix, something Nix should learn and improve, especially given the quality of Nix’s training facilities.
Yep. But.
They’ve had players out. Hall. Brimmer. Pijnaker. Sakai.
Other guys who are good come in.
They can afford to spell their guys 45 or 60 minutes and rotate because they’ve got squad depth. Massive difference between throwing youth on for ten minutes when you’re two goals up and starting them. Moreno is their top scorer and often only plays a half of football. Maybe he’s only played a couple of full games if that. Much less chance of an injury.
That’s money and depth as a result. Don’t need to go looking for injury replacements. They’re already in the squad.