round thoughts | on the beautiful game

1. Win your home game

Research shows that players from the home team produce as much as 17% more testosterone than the players from the away team. It’s probably got something to do with very instinctive urge to protect the tribe/home. Anyhow, use this physical advantage over the opponents.: Don’t lose at home.

2. Let the kids play

Research shows that the more competitive matches on a weekly basis improve strength, speed and agility. The more minutes played in a season, the greater the improvement in a player’s speed as well as quadriceps and hamstring strength. Meaning: If you have a talented youngster who can’t get competitive match, send him out on loan – he will return a better player.

3. Eat your mustard

Pre-match meal should have hot mustard in it. Research shows mustard can trigger a similar response to anabolic steroids in the body, increasing lean body mass and boosting physical performance. Thus, giving the “Cut the Mustard” expression a whole new meaning.

4. Cry

Players who saw crying as response to losing scored higher in self-esteem test, and were deemed to be more confident on and off the pitch. Crying helps you be more confident!

5. Play it simple

Trying extraordinary dummies, elasticos, flip-flaps and so on might be beautiful to watch but they must be used rarely. Studies show that the velocity of a shot is reduced by up to 15% when a forward fakes one direction then moves in the other before attempting a shot. Dribbling is also more tiring than passing. In short, double pass is more effective than showboating, playing in simple gets you better results.

6. Don’t sack the manager

Sacking a manger mid-season has almost no effect on a team’s performance. That’s the conclusion of a study into 361 mid-season managerial changes that took place over 45 years in the Bundesliga.

7. Invest your money in the medical staff

Players on losing team have a 21% greater risk of injury than those that win games. That’s according to researchers who watched over 6,000 top level European league matches . It’s clear that the clubs’ medical work is vital for results.

8. Send your injured to sunny places

Vitamin D, which is provided by the sunlight, can help boast recovery and reduce the amount of muscle injuries, according to research. 65% of the Premier League players  had insufficient levels during the winter months – which can lead to injuries and fatigue. A sun-filled vacation will help. It is also noted that November is statistically the most common time for footballers’ injuries. Know that and act accordingly – do more stretches and a have a longer warm up session.

9. Clear Your Mind

Football is a game you play with your brain. So resting it before a match, like resting your body, is the smart thing to do. Tests showd that athletes who rested their cognitive circuits – by watching films before exercise – performed better than those who’d done puzzles.

10. Use your depth

When playing two matches a week, injury is six times more likely. Researchers recorded an injury rate of 25.6 injuries per 1,000 hours of football among players who played twice a week, compared to just 4.1 per 1,000 hours when players had six days or more between matches.