SOUTHEND United boss Kieron Dyer says new laws introduced to stop time-wasting have increased the workload for players this season.
Speaking earlier this week, Boreham Wood manager Luke Garrard revealed how the changes had seen his players covering 1km more each this term.
READ MORE: Updates from Blues' pre-match press conference
And Dyer also feels it has made a difference.
"Yes, it definitely has," said Dyer.
"Elliott (Turner) has come from a Championship team.
"He has all the data from the Championship and found that whenever a team ran over 110km they usually won the game.
"It's not all about running as we all know, it's about ability and stuff with players.
"But we've reached 110km every game which is phenomenal from the lads."
And that distance is further than Chesterfield covered during Dyer's time there.
"At Chesterfield I think we averaged about 105km as a team," he said.
"It just goes to show we're running more than a League Two team at times.
"Time is play is really important to that stat.
"Some times the ball is only in play 40 minutes in a 90 minute game which is crazy but our ball in play at the minute is probably pushing 55, 60 minutes.
"That's how we want it and we feel like we've got a fit team."
New laws introduced this season include teams being awarded a corner if goalkeepers take too long over a goal-kick.
But Dyer felt Joe Duncan was harshly penalised for that at Solihull Moors before Blues broke from the corner awarded to score their third goal of the game.
"I love the fact you can't time-waste and Joe (Duncan) definitely wasn't time-wasting by the way," said Dyer.
"We watched it back and it was so harsh how he get penalised for it but karma has a way of paying everyone back and we got a goal from it.
"Referees, I thought you were a bit harsh on Joe there but we'll take it now."
Share