Return of the Jay-di?

Sorry, that was rather shoehorned in.

Anyhow, reports suggesting he might be back for our final few games (although it seems a bit speculative I thought it might deserve a thread).

Question is.........................do we need him right now?


http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/416065.html

 

Apologies - just noticed TSS has posted the link in the PL thread. Feel free to remove (though I think there's a discussion to be had as to whether rehabilitating a player into the side is right now what we want to be doing...)

 

As I said on the other thread. The last thing I heard he was in very light training (basically cardio with no heavy running). So not even kicking a ball yet. It wouldn't surprise me if this is another thing said by his camp.

 

How long is it from cardio to match "fitness" then do we suppose?

 

If I had to guess? Probably a month at best, that is with no set backs at all.

 

"No heavy running" would suggest that they're still not entirely happy with the integrity and strength of the knee for it to be ready for even that, let alone twisting, kicking, sudden bends etc. He's not back this season is he?

 

I can't see us wanting to rush him, it would be crazy. He has aleady had one set back when he needed a 2nd knee op. If and it's a big if Jay gets fit, he will be on the bench for one game.

 

Absolutely no need to rush him....far better to have a fit JRod for next season.

 

That's ok. It's possibly worth a thread. We'll see eh?

 

I don't think there's any way he can get match fit by the end of the season. But if his knee is deemed structurally sound, I could see him making the bench and maybe playing 5-10 minutes a couple games. It would be a nice reward for his rehab efforts, and I think it would help build his confidence for next season.... or convince other teams he is healthy enough to bid on.

 

Yeah, for Spurs.

 

Still can't see him playing a major role, if at all, this season.

Think he should just concentrate on getting fit for next season.

 

I think that if he was and the club was secure in JRod signing a new contract to commit himself to Saints then everyone would have written this season off and concentrated on getting him fully fit for pre season training ready to challenge 2015/16.
However, the determination to get him on the pitch asap shows that JRod and the club wish to show he is fit to be sold in the summer
Will be a shame because I think he would flourish in the squads present environment

 

The club are not at all determined to get him on the pitch asap. Saints want Jay to come back slowly.

 

Can anyone name a player who had ACL surgery who came back as good as he was before?

Vin

 

Baggio? You can't count Owen.

 

It's physically impossible not to lose any pace. Went to a great talk on this when I was studying that way but basically the change in stricture of the ACL after a tear is impossible to be identical to how it was before and, as such, the "twitch" muscle reduces in its reflex.

Fascinating stuff.

 

Alan Shearer did it at Blackburn, turned out okay. Del Piero did it at 23 or 24ish, he said it just made him change as a player, he looked for opportunities which were not so physical.

Oh and Ruud van Nistelrooy did it before he moved to United.

 

The thing you could say tho, is none of them relied on pace as much as Jay does.

 

Exactly, they all changed their game substantially to account for it. Shearer was already a great finisher, just put on a ton of muscle mass and relied on strength to ride challenges (look at the change in him as he goes from a skinny young lad to a beast of a centre forward by the time he rocks up at Newcastle). van Nistelrooy was a poacher, didn't miss it. An accurate reflection of Jay could be someone like Essien, who massively tailed off after his op.

Personally I'm not sure Jay has many more tools in his locker other than pace and movement. He's a below average goalscorer who needs a bunch of chances, his passing/crossing is solid at best. Him being easier to mark and track kills half his game.