How does COVID’s after effects influence a Footballers performance?

The season 2020/21 is by far one of the strangest, with tales of multiple call-offs due to Coronavirus outbreaks within squads. Footballers have been criticised for not playing with the usual intensity, which has been blamed on factors such as lack of fans in stadiums.

Many have not recognised the impact that COVID can have on professional sportspeople, and the consequential post-Covid sluggishness can infuriate fans. Many fans have taken to social media to criticise and abuse players for poor performance, without considering the factors involved.

Shortness of breath will mean that the cardiovascular system cannot work at full capacity, which will lead to a less intense performance. The increase in fatigue will also cause problems, with players struggling to get through a whole 90 minutes.

During intense exercise, the heart rate must increase to supply more blood to the working muscles so that toxic by-products of the increased intensity of exercise, such as lactic acid, can be removed.

We should also see a footballer’s stroke volume rise, as more blood is pumped out of the heart during contractions. This will eventually culminate in the increase in cardiac output. Both heart rate and cardiac output can be affected by the virus and have a detrimental impact on performance.

It is easy to assume that footballers, regarded as elite athletes, can shake off the virus without being seriously affected. However, the same after-effects of COVID-19 are present in performances across many elite sports.

After-effects of COVID that are relevant are fatigue, shortness of breath and problems with concentration.

Here are three teams that have been affected by Coronavirus, assessed using PPDA (passes the opponent makes before a defensive action) and Match Tempo. Source: (Wyscout).

Aston Villa:

On 7th January, it was announced that Aston Villa had to close their Bodymoor Heath training ground after several positive COVID cases.

In Villa’s last game before the COVID outbreak against Manchester United, they had match tempo of 15.76. They also recorded a PPDA of 10.55, which is good against a top-six side.

The West Midlands side’s first game back was against Manchester City, where they lost 2-0.

Villa’s match tempo only slightly increased to 15.03, with a PPDA of 21.25. In a game which seemed to be played at a very high pace, Villa’s tempo was still surprisingly low.

These statistics suggest a correlation between the COVID infection in the squad and the intensity of the subsequent Villa games. Fitness needs to be focused on in training to regain their cardiovascular insurance.

Rotherham United:

Rotherham United are another team which has faced many COVID disruptions: games against Middlesbrough and Derby County were called off. In the first game back against Barnsley, the Millers could only manage to put out six substitutes.

Rotherham’s last game before being affected by COVID was against Blackburn Rovers. In this game, United had a match tempo 13.25, with a PPDA of 10.84.

There is no doubt that Blackburn are one of the better teams in the Championship, but the Millers’ ball retention was disappointing in this fixture.

Rotherham did not play again until 29th December against Barnsley. Rotherham, surprisingly, had an increase of match tempo in this game with a score of 14.41. There was also a fall in PPDA from 10.84 to 8.

This suggests that COVID did not have such a heavy impact on the Millers’ performance as presumed. One reason for this is that the COVID cases were possibly not in the main squad, so the team put out by Paul Warne against Barnsley was quite strong.

Another factor which may have impacted the Rotherham team performance is the severity of the virus suffered by the players. If the players recovered quickly, the long term effects are significantly reduced.

Carlisle United:

The Cumbrians have been one of the worst affected sides in the EFL, with a 28 day COVID break between games in January. This led to United having three games postponed, which may seem helpful, but it leaves United playing catch up in a potential title charge.

Chris Beech has emphasised a high-intensity style of play this season, which has proved beneficial to the team’s performances. However, has United’s COVID outbreak blighted Beech’s style of play?

Carlisle’s last game before the outbreak was against Walsall on the second of January. United recorded a match tempo of 14.28 and PPDA of 9.86, impressively over the leagues average.

The Cumbrians return to action was met by a sluggish one-nil victory over Exeter City. With no proper training, it was no surprise United’s match tempo dropped to 12.8 and a rise of PPDA to 12.71.

Watching the performance, it was obvious that United struggled to meet the physical demands of 90 minutes. Beech seemed to set out a game plan to focus all energy and attacking intent early on, which paid off, as Lewis Alessandra scored the only goal of the game in the ninth minute.

Cumbria’s poor weather has led to United struggling to train outdoors, this may mean that it will take United longer to regain their high press.

There was improvement statistically against Forest Green Rovers, with a match tempo of 14.81 and a PPDA of 5.68. After the game, Chris Beech alluded to the fact that Jon Mellish was trying to get his lungs back, Mellish has been a big part of United’s high press.

Chris Beech will feel that that the needs to get his players fitness back as soon as possible to meet the demands of a hectic schedule. If United can regain their intensity, they will be challenging for promotion at the end of the season.

Overall, COVID seems to have differing effects on players across the country.

It cannot be disputed that the virus can be devastating to experience, and we should not underestimate its effect on sportspeople. They are human beings as much as the normal person is and can still suffer, despite their high fitness level.

In a job where physical fitness is key, a virus which reduces cardiovascular endurance is a huge problem. Players may be struggling for a few games before they regain their elevated performance levels, suggesting that more local competitive friendlies could support players as they regain their fitness.

The pressure put on by people externally connected to the game should be more forgiving since players are fighting the same disease as everyone else. The health risks it poses may beg the question, “Should football be played at all if players’ health is at risk?”

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