While he's no speed demon...One of the things that had me concerned about Cripps this season (and led me to believe he was playing injured) was that he seemed to lack that initial acceleration, that burst from the pack. He seemed to be OK if he was coming on a bit of a run with his speed already up. When you're a bit worried about a lower body injury you often take a few tentative steps to make sure your legs are up to it before you accelerate.
That's the thing with a lot of midfielders though.
It's not a sustained speed but the initial acceleration over the first five or ten metres that's the key to their effectiveness.
That's the thing with a lot of midfielders though.
It's not a sustained speed but the initial acceleration over the first five or ten metres that's the key to their effectiveness.