Personally I prefer to play the long game, in response to this expected fatigue-inducing season.
Playing second stringers, rotate well early so hopefully we get many players back to their best forms a.s.a.p. from real games since our trainings are unreliable. Would also contribute to competition of places which helps. It's better on the long run.
Plus, don't see why we should be so scared of Istanbul, just as we shouldn't previously vs RBL which oddly many fans do. If it's vs PSG again, then definitely bring out all your best guns. Against the weaker actually shit teams though why bother too much? We need to consider improving our shit PL form as well. Imo PL is more important than CL to be honest.
Don’t disagree with rotation for freshness, but that doesn’t hold too much with GKs. By definition, the GK position will always have biggest disparity vis à vis starts between the GK1 & GK2 as there’s more credence & intelligence in keeping your GK1 fresh & on point mentally than there is gifting unnecessary games to your GK2. This had to have been made clear to Henderson & his camp before him coming back; if it wasn’t, then we are in a more shambolic back office perspective than we know. It also should have been made clear that, minus any calamities or injuries befalling DDG, there would have been a finite number of matches that Henderson would be starting.
Another reason I don’t think (& hopefully the club agrees) that Henderson shouldn’t play until dead rubbers is: imagine putting DH in goal for the away match & he shits the bed & we lose due to him. Then, DDG is reinstalled for the fourth match. Now you potentially have two keepers mentally challenged going forward for what, participation points? Let’s ride DDG’s success so far this year two more games in the CL, then we can give the matches to the second string goalkeeper.
I agree we need to focus on the PL, but removing DDG for no reason other than to give Henderson game time isn’t fair to either especially at this early stage in the season. If we are still below tenth after fifteen more PL matches, then there’s a valid argument for Henderson getting more PL game time.