Form

Psychological, physical? Psychophysical?

Should we be patient with our 'form' players - given that they are paid so much and receive the best sports and lifestyle advice available to man*? Or should we berate them for overeating, crashing cars, being weak minded and disrespectful of their loyal fans**?

How is your form? Does your employer make allowances?

*ok
**ok ok

Before anyone says "Form is temporary, class is permanent," let me say: bullshit.

The history of the game is littered with players who never recovered from 'poor form,' no matter how 'classy.' There's a pretty good chance Fernando Torres is going down this road. If not him, then many others. Richard Wright, Denilson, etc. Michael Cox could reel the names off for you. :cox:

Valencia is finished then?

Grimson calls it. live and exclusive.

Originally Posted by reem

Valencia is finished then?

Grimson calls it. live and exclusive.

No, I just mean that there's no guarantee that a good - even great - player in a bad run of form will get back to his best. Often they do, but sometimes they don't.

Originally Posted by tatty

I'd like to add that I think Grimson would be a pretty steady GK in our team

We've got a few other GKs on the forum, younger than me, too; they just tend not to gob on about it as much as I do.

Not forgetting one injury leaves some of the best done for.

Kaka's been out of form 3 years now.

Form is temporary, class is permanent

On here judgement of form is unconditional.

Originally Posted by Stickman

Not forgetting one injury leaves some of the best done for.

Kaka's been out of form 3 years now.

Good point.

Cech's another.

Originally Posted by Grimson

We've got a few other GKs on the forum, younger than me, too; they just tend not to gob on about it as much as I do.

none of them, I repeat NONE of them would look half as resplendent on the team photo though. you're like Barry Gibb to their Robin and Maurice.

Torres is finished, no doubt about it imo. It's only because they paid fifty million earth pounds for him that he's not been £#%&!ed off to Spurs or somewhere.

Richard Wright world class?

What explained form to me was golf. You get a golfer playing great then his swing collapses or his putting goes to shit and for no apparent reason. Tiger is a good example. The guy was invincible and now look at him.

Originally Posted by aardvark

What explained form to me was golf. You get a golfer playing great then his swing collapses or his putting goes to shit and for no apparent reason. Tiger is a good example. The guy was invincible and now look at him.

Yup. He's second out of six billion.

Originally Posted by aardvark

What explained form to me was golf. You get a golfer playing great then his swing collapses or his putting goes to shit and for no apparent reason. Tiger is a good example. The guy was invincible and now look at him.

is that not just a case of him declining as he gets older and younger people being as good or better?

Form can also be tied in with circumstance. Torres will come good again and that's £#%&! all to do with form.

Originally Posted by believe

is that not just a case of him declining as he gets older and younger people being as good or better?

Form can also be tied in with circumstance. Torres will come good again and that's £#%&! all to do with form.

Believe tossing a fat cat among the pigeons there.

Thread killer imo. But in a good way.

Originally Posted by Switching Off

Richard Wright world class?

Naturally. citeh don't sign any old rubbish, just ask that smuk @#%&!.

Originally Posted by Grimson

We've got a few other GKs on the forum, younger than me, too; they just tend not to gob on about it as much as I do.

we've seen rogiepop in his keeper's uniform. not working.

Form is about confidence and confidence to try something quickly.

Remember Ruud was having a bit of a weird spell (probably hadn't scored for like 5 minutes or something...) We were playing some CL group game and he wasn't playing particularly well then he got a bit of a fluke goal literally of his arse or something and he almost instantly a different player.

I think if you are feeling confident then you make decisions more quickly. It can be that ability to make a decision quickly that can be the difference between it coming off.

Torres is a perfect example - 4 years ago you'd bet money he'd score 9/10 1 on 1s with the keeper. Now his confidence is shot, he waits that tiny second longer to make up his mind and the opportunity and his form is gone.

Remember reading a sports neurology book that included a chapter on the YIPS in golf.

Anything that interrupts the signal flying though your neural pathways will cause a drop in performance.

Thinking about Valencia's madly wayward shot at goal the other day. Or any player that can't hit the goal when taking a penalty.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-Michael-.../dp/0716730014