Gerard Deulofeu

[hetion]

I think this whole situation with his fitness is down to one of two things

1 - He's got a nagging injury/illness we don't know about that's preventing him from doing the required work to up his stamina

2 - He's not pushing himself enough to get that required fitness

I honestly think a lad like him should be able to have more wind than he does

I don't think he's not trying when he actually gets on the pitch, but I find it hard to believe there's not more he could be doing off it to improve in the areas in which he needs to improve, and that has to come under "attitude" (or "self-application" if you think "attitude" is unfair or incendiary)

I'm not saying he's a tit or a trouble maker like, but surely there's something going on with his application to be that unfit? At the end of the day, whether people like it or not, the PL is a fast paced league and you simply have to be able to run a lot, and if you can't do that you're going to struggle, no matter how talented you are

To be fair, he hasn't played over 60 minutes since September. Assuming he got a kick up the arse about his fitness at the start of the season, we haven't seen him given a chance to show that he's worked on it. Improving your fitness takes at the very least a few months.

You may be right, of course, but I'd be interested to see how he looks after 70 minutes now. I'd expect a pacey, quick-footed winger to be a lot less effective after that stage of the match, but if he can get to the point where he can be at near 100% for those first 70 minutes, then he needs to start I reckon.

 

[RyanGordon]

Your not wrong there mate he certainly does plays like one

You're a clown.

 

[BlueToff]

All very unsavoury.

If he starts, I hope he performs to the best of his abilities. If he does then we'll all be better off.

 

[Mountfield1985]

I think this whole situation with his fitness is down to one of two things

1 - He's got a nagging injury/illness we don't know about that's preventing him from doing the required work to up his stamina

2 - He's not pushing himself enough to get that required fitness

I honestly think a lad like him should be able to have more wind than he does

I don't think he's not trying when he actually gets on the pitch, but I find it hard to believe there's not more he could be doing off it to improve in the areas in which he needs to improve, and that has to come under "attitude" (or "self-application" if you think "attitude" is unfair or incendiary)

I'm not saying he's a tit or a trouble maker like, but surely there's something going on with his application to be that unfit? At the end of the day, whether people like it or not, the PL is a fast paced league and you simply have to be able to run a lot, and if you can't do that you're going to struggle, no matter how talented you are

Someone told me he's got asthma.

Then again, Paula Radcliffe had asthma!

 

[Tony Hibbert's 3rd leg]

Was great given the start up front vs Spurs the opening day. Would be an interesting role for him, but not like he's going to play there ahead of Lukaku. And not sure we would play both of them up top.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Someone told me he's got asthma.

Then again, Paula Radcliffe had asthma!

That would kind of make sense I guess, but even then surely he'd have an inhaler and such?

 

[Tubey]

If we had better wing options, I'd be all for him not playing, as he isn't up to standard.

But we have a situation where we don't have better wing options, and the ceiling for this lad is sky high.

Play him 90 minutes, give him a month or two of solid game time to prove his fitness, and then see if the class emerges. He's still young and came through a system that didn't prioritise cardio for offensive players, so it's far too early to write him off.

Here are the basic facts - in the past, when he's had a run of games from the start, he's generally impressed. When he's been in and out of the side, he looks lost. So let's do the former rather than the latter and see if we've got a player on our hands. Especially when the alternatives include dross like Cleverley and Mirallas.

 

[Blue Cheese]

I'm a Del fan nea.

Weird, I love my wingers but just cannot take to Bolasie, his technique is just so so bad.

 

[Blue Cheese]

I think this whole situation with his fitness is down to one of two things

1 - He's got a nagging injury/illness we don't know about that's preventing him from doing the required work to up his stamina

2 - He's not pushing himself enough to get that required fitness

I honestly think a lad like him should be able to have more wind than he does

I don't think he's not trying when he actually gets on the pitch, but I find it hard to believe there's not more he could be doing off it to improve in the areas in which he needs to improve, and that has to come under "attitude" (or "self-application" if you think "attitude" is unfair or incendiary)

I'm not saying he's a tit or a trouble maker like, but surely there's something going on with his application to be that unfit? At the end of the day, whether people like it or not, the PL is a fast paced league and you simply have to be able to run a lot, and if you can't do that you're going to struggle, no matter how talented you are

You can't build up match fitness getting splinters in your bum. He does a lot of dynamic sprinting, match intensity is hard to replicate in training, maybe that's why he gets tired easier. Look at Barkley and Lukaku, everyone questioned their fitness but they look much better now.

Gametime is needed and maybe his stamina will get better. Or I could be talking rot.

 

[granter79]

You can't build up match fitness getting splinters in your bum. He does a lot of dynamic sprinting, match intensity is hard to replicate in training, maybe that's why he gets tired easier. Look at Barkley and Lukaku, everyone questioned their fitness but they look much better now.

Gametime is needed and maybe his stamina will get better. Or I could be talking rot.

Agreed. Can train as much as you like but 90mins each game over a sustained period is the only way to build game fitness

 

[Nil Satis Niasse Optimum]

Just tell him to swung dem balls into the corridor of uncertainty as often as possible.

 

[LinekersLegs]

Deulofeu is so incredibly limited in what he can do. Completely one footed with a decent cross and above average pace. Teams are finding it easier and easier to defend him because they only have to worry about him trying to get to the end line.

For me he's always been a one trick pony and hasn't developed in the 3 years he's been here.

His fitness is atrocious still...and I hate the way he cries foul every time he loses the ball because he simply didn't beat his man.

Although he does strongly favour his right foot I don't see that as a major issue when on form he can provide some of the most inch perfect passes and crosses, there is one in particular that springs to mind for a Barkley goal (West Brom?) that was just jaw dropping.

I disagree about the one trick pony bit, when he first came all he did was run at his fullback until he ran out of space at the byline but, particularly last season, when the fullbacks started standing off him a bit more he was provided his crosses from much closer from the half way line or getting involved in link up play around the box. He was also breaking fast from opposition set pieces and running more central.

He obviously needs to improve his stamina, confidence and cut out the histrionics but at least he still has some time on his side unlike our other wingers who have their own set of limitations.

 

[bluerobert]

Someone told me he's got asthma.

Then again, Paula Radcliffe had asthma!

I think the only thing with that though mate is if his asthma was severe enough that he couldnt play an entire match or at least a fair proportion of it then surely it would have been picked up in medicals and the general medical checks footballers get throughout their careers. I cant imagine sombody with asthma that severe would have got to this stage in a career. I obviously cant comment on the severity of his asthma but i have asthma myself and as my own fitness improves the effects of the asthma become less severe. Maybe he's just lazy or doesnt have the mental strength to change his game

 

[Ihaters]

I'm a Del fan nea.

Weird, I love my wingers but just cannot take to Bolasie, his technique is just so so bad.

I like all our wingers, we spent so long with the likes of Billy and Davies pretending to be able to play on the wing, that I still feel spoilt having Lennon, Bolasie, Mirallas and Deulofeu to choose from. Deu is still my favourite though

 

[Baines' left foot]

We've just got to hope he doesn't play too well in the absence of Bolasie or Barca will defo exercise that buyback clause.

It's the only possible reason I can think of for him not playing that we bought him on the cheap and don't want him to go back. Very clever really.