Jay Emmanuel-Thomas lets fly from long distance during the first half at Derby
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas: Delighted with a run of games but I deserved to be dropped
By Dave Gooderham
Friday, April 13, 2012
12:05 PM
JAY Emmanuel-Thomas has backed Paul Jewell’s decision to drop him for Monday’s 2-1 home defeat by Leicester City.
JET’s impressive run of 20 consecutive starts was ended by Jewell as one of four changes made by the Blues boss.
But Emmanuel-Thomas admitted: “I needed a break. I was looking a bit jaded in my last game (against Derby on Saturday) so I think I was due a rest.
“The manager pulled me to one side and told me I was looking a bit tired, but that he hoped a break would do me good.
“I am looking to get back flying and getting involved in the games again, starting with Palace tomorrow.”
After struggling to convince his manager and fans alike during a largely underwhelming first four months at Portman Road, the mercurial Emmanuel-Thomas has been one of the Blues’ best performers in the second half of the season.
He said: “It is a great feeling to have played so many consecutive games. When you are on loan somewhere, you don’t get to play 20 games.
“I am very proud to have done that and hopefully I can do it for even longer next season.”
Despite three loan spells in the second tier, the former Arsenal man needed time to adapt to playing in the Championship full-time.
And asked what he has learnt about the gruelling league, he explained: “There are a lot more games than what you think.
“Every team seems to have their own little strategy – some teams have a target man, some teams work off counter-attack, some use their wide-men heavily.
“In the Premier League, a lot of teams just put a heavy emphasis on just passing the ball.”
Emmanuel-Thomas could well go straight back into the starting line-up for tomorrow’s trip to Crystal Palace after Josh Carson took his place on Bank Holiday Monday.
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4 comments
Dave....I think you are missing the point here. He IS match fit, yet playing 2 games in 72 hours, can, for some players, make an injury more likely. Prevention is always better than cure, and resting players when relevant, is very important, purely based on the medical information. Where I strongly disagreed with Jewell, was the decision to rest the three most creative players at the same time, which was, to say the least, idiotic. If I may give you an example from another sport, tennis. The top players will, on occasion, miss a tournament, to stay fully fit for a Grand Slam event, and also track and field athletes need to ensure that they do not peak too early as well. Footballers need a different kind of fitness, and all I was saying, was I can see where JET is coming from, especially as this is the first time he has been in a run of twenty games. If he was unable to retain, or even obtain match fitness, then I would agree with you completely, yet this is not th point being made here.
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Kevin Bailey
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Kevin if he isn't "match fit" for more than 20 games then he needs to find another job!
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DaveJS
Friday, April 13, 2012
I understand where JET is coming from, as match fitness is different from general fitness. It makes the performance of Hyam even more astonishing, though, and with Hyam and JET fully fit, and playing every week, we would have way ore energy than with Bowyer, and or Leadbitter.
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Kevin Bailey
Friday, April 13, 2012
You poor old soul 20 games on the trot, must be terribly tiring for a fit young man. Although I don't hear Messi begging to be rested - but then he's only played a total of 51 games and scored 61 goals in all competitions so far this season. Ah, but of course it's easy - Barcelona play a passing game!
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DaveJS
Friday, April 13, 2012