One of the key fundamental parameters impacting upon football matches is Fitness. All analysts, market-makers and traders employ their own methods to evaluate and compare team's respective physical prowess and energy levels.
Many things can underpin a side's fitness from a good training regime to the use of Performance Enhancing Substances (PESs) as previously addressed at: http://footballisfixed.blogspot.com/2006/12/doped-up-spanish-giants.html.
Below are some simple Fitness Ratings for the top few teams in the Premiership (last season's rating in brackets). These figures are based on the percentage of the goals scored by a team in the latter period of each half of the match compared with their opponents.
Chelsea 71 (78)
Man Utd 73 (65)
Arsenal 71 (70)
Liverpool 71 (69)
Portsmouth 71 (36)
What an incredible improvement at Portsmouth since Redknapp and the arms dealer's son Alexandre Gaydamak took control. Their Fitness Rating last season was the worst apart from the 3 relegated clubs and this season only Man Utd are fitter. The average age of the Portsmouth team that breezed past Sheffield Utd yesterday was over 28. Stunning! What sort of pasta are these people eating?
© Football Is Fixed/Dietrological
