He's at mediocre game shape because you played him for 128 minutes last week!!! Never ever play your guys more than 90 minutes, if you can help it. In other words, schedule scrimmages, but play your backups or trainees who haven't played much in the regular season games. Don't train it, just don't play your guy in scrimmages and get him 48-90 minutes per week and he'll naturally go up.