Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell can retain their fitness if they are forced to train alone ahead of England’s last 16 clash with Germany, but socially distanced group sessions will give them the edge they need to take on the old rivals.
Coaches spoken to by Sportsmail are unconcerned about the England pair’s physical shape after a long season in which they have racked up more than 100 games between them.
However, solo training limits the options for ball work, and while not perfect, a bubble of five can give the players the work out they need.
‘I don’t think it will be a big challenge for the players’ fitness,’ Chris Short, a senior member of the sports science team at Middlesbrough, told Sportsmail.
‘They are young lads and there are periods in the domestic season where players have a two-week break. It is not a problem.’ added Short, who was head of sports science at Oxford United until the end of last season.
‘The biggest challenge for the players will not be physically, the issue will be not being in a training environment.
‘You have situations when you play even in small-sided games where you have to make decisions. It will be more about decision making and sharpness,' Short, who played for Sheffield United and Stoke City, before a coaching career that has also included Leeds United, Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Sheffield United, added.
The Three Lions' Euro 2020 campaign was thrown into disarray this week after both players were advised to stay away from the squad, having come into close contact with Covid-positive Scotland star Billy Gilmour.
Today, Mount and Chilwell trained at a 'private location', away from their team-mates, after being forced into isolation.
Gareth Southgate's team took to the pitch ahead of their last-16 tie against Germany, and Mount and Chilwell were kept apart entirely.
The FA are seeking permission from Public Health England for Mount and Chilwell to take part in socially-distanced training with their team-mates over the next few days in the hope they can play some part in the last-16 tie.
Whatever the outcome of the FA’s appeal, Short is confident that both players will still be in good shape for Germany on Tuesday June 29, in front of 45,000 fans at Wembley.
Elite footballers see little physical decline for up to four weeks even if they are not playing matches, research suggests.
And the England players, including Mount and Chilwell, have mostly had long campaigns where they have played a lot of games.
Mount made 54 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions last season, and has appeared for England on five occasions since the turn of the year. And Chilwell played 42 times for Chelsea and twice for England.
‘They have both had successful seasons and they will be at the peak now anyway,’ added Short, who was born in Germany and admits he has a soft spot for the country. ‘It may be a small break, but it will not be detrimental. And in many ways a break may be beneficial. They can train in a different way and may come back feeling fresher.’
The hope is they can at least train in a bubble of five players, adopting a similar protocol to the Premier League as football restarted after the lockdown last year.
This will give the coaches more options to maintain fitness and allow the players to work on ‘core principles’, such as the transition between in-possession and out-of-possession, as well as technical aspects.
Socially distanced training protocols do not allow contact, so tackling would be out and participating in tactical practices with the whole team would also not be allowed.
However, even in small groups a lot can be achieved, say coaches
‘The squad will not be training altogether all of the time, anyway, given how intense the tournament is,’ said Ross Brooks, a member of the coaching organisation, Football DNA, which trains and supports coaches from the grassroots game all the way to the elite level.
‘There will be lots of light session and short sharp sessions for all of the players. The coaches will be managing their load. It will be different for every individual.’
‘Even with social distancing you can have lots of unopposed practices, working on passing patterns and technical skills’
Shooting, passing, some elements of transition, speed of thought and foot can all be tested more rigorously with five players, rather than one.
And Brooks, who is a member of the coaching staff at West Ham United, believes the game plan can be communicated effectively without participating, too.
‘They can get all of that by watching the sessions or through technology, even if they are not directly involved. It may not be as good, but it can still prepare them.’
And despite the challenges, if Mount is allowed to form a bubble, Brooks expects him to have an impact on Tuesday.
‘Absolutely, he can be ready and affect the game. I imagine he will use this in a positive way and be even more up for it. He will be chomping at the bit.’
Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand agree that Mount can be fit, firing and raring to go if Southgate picks him to play against the Germans.
‘His fitness is unquestioned,’ said Lampard, who took Mason Mount with him during his managerial spell at Derby County and then made him a regular at Stamford Bridge.
‘If he can… keep himself at a level, we have seen Gareth rely on him and I think with the level of the game we will have, where we have to be very good off the ball as well as on it, Mason is a very complete package.’
‘Get him anywhere near fit, he is so intelligent, the game plan going into the game you can drop it to Mason in meetings and he picks things up. I would not be surprised if [Gareth Southgate] relies on him whatever,’ Lampard said on BBC Sport.
Ex-Manchester United and England defender, Rio Ferdinand, admits he was a player who liked to know he has some solid training sessions in the bank before playing matches, but agrees that if Mount is called upon, he will not blink.
‘I liked to have sessions behind me going into a game, but if needs be for games like this on this stage… Mason Mount is a young kid and fearless in every situation he goes into,’ Ferdinand told the BBC.
Southgate and England are incredibly frustrated that Mount and Chilwell have been forced to isolate after a short conversation in the Wembley tunnel with their Chelsea team mate, Gilmour, following the Scotland game. The Scottish players were not served with similar restrictions.