Lack of rotation: Will this hurt us deeper in the season?

kouroux

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But it's not your opinion. You clearly just said that you go with whatever the manager says, so it's the managers opinion and you don't have one of your own so there really is no point in you posting
Wtf :lol: ? If I used this dumbass logic of yours in reverse, I'd say you don't have an opinion either as you're criticizing for the sale but I wouldn't in reality
 

youngrell

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Are you kidding? We kept getting scoring chance after scoring chance. We just couldn't finish. there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the team that finished the game today would have won if they started
And scored... none of those chances.

This was while the game was wildly open and they had 10 men. If you think the team that finished the game wins it easily then I disagree strongly.
 

Suv666

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We did rest Varane, Martinez and Shaw today. While Rashford and Bruno were subbed of 60 mins it. That's not nothing.

We are going through a purple patch right now and the team is gelling well together. ETH might be worried wholesale changes might disrupt the rhythm a bit.
 

BorisManUtd

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I think it won't if we don't go far in Europa league. So I'll be cheering for Barca maybe
 

lex talionis

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This is an important topic to discuss, but at the end of the day we have to keep pressing with our best XI in every match, except in second legs where we gave a huge goal advantage. We can leave something in the table and drop points now in the hope of picking up points later, or pick up points now and risk dropping points later when fatigue really sets in. The poison we have to pick is going strong for as long as we can.
 

CloneMC16

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I think so. I keep seeing people in match threads say play our best players every game. We're going to pay for it. In my view, we should have rested more players here. It's quite clear that ETH doesn't like to rest players very often. I just don't think it's a good idea to play the same players every 3 days. If we can't rotate against a Championship team at home, then it's impossible to do so in practically any other game.

Bruno, Rashford, Casemiro, and Eriksen play every game. Antony plays a lot, too. He does seem willing to rest Varane.

If he doesn't rotate against Forest when we're 3-0 up and playing at home, that'll be ridiculous.
 

Abhinav

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Before the match started I thought he could play Garnacho and Fred. After the match, I still think those 2 were the only ones who could have started. Our bench quality is quite poor, we are still not clinical enough, our third / fourth choice CBs are a mistake waiting to happen. With this context, making wholesale changes has a high probability of an unfavourable result. I can empathise with EtH on his reluctance to not rotate as much
 

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Is this going to come back and bite us in the arse towards the back end of the season?

I know people will say that he'll rest players vs Forest but that's really not the point. Tonight is the 5th game in 15 days where we've more or less gone full strength. 3 of those games were really grueling so it's not like we've breezed past teams in that period. Sure, they'll get a rest midweek but after that it's non stop critical games every 3 days until the end of the season. Cup games against lower league teams is about making economical decisions. It's a good chance to give players a breather and avoid potential accumulated fatigue. If you don't trust players like Fred, Garnacho, Pellistri/Elanga at home vs Reading, when are you ever going to trust them?

I'm not usually big on the 'rotate everyone' malarkey that gets thrown around in every match thread. Reeks of people who play too much FM/Fifa. League and European matches plus deep in the domestic cups should feature strong lineups. But playing full strength week after week in every competition every 3 days and only rotate if you're facing a crap League One club or leading 3-0 before a second leg, that's insanity.

Hope there's a method to this madness from the management but in the past seasons we've seen players gassed out once we get proper deep into competitions. Will that be the case this year too?
Too dramatic. We rested our CBs and main players today were hooked at about 60th minute and on. Also we practically played this at walking pace. We didnt play full strenght today, rotated a bit and will rotate on Wednesday.
 

SadlerMUFC

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And scored... none of those chances.

This was while the game was wildly open and they had 10 men. If you think the team that finished the game wins it easily then I disagree strongly.
I didn't say that they'd win easily. I said I think they'd win and if not, there are reinforcements on the bench if the game isn't going as we like. If you want to continue to not think for yourself and only say "I'm just following the manager" then so be it. Be a muppet. No skin off my back. I will continue to think for myself and say things like "the squad should be rotated". But if we continue to play the same guys every game and players start getting injured, don't act surprised because you are the one who thinks we don't need to rotate when playing a midtable championship team
 

dinostar77

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As a minimum we need another CM. Shame that donny is out for the season, as he would have got plenty of minutes this season as squad is so threadbare.
 

BuzzKillington

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I want to say it is going to hurt us as that’s my experience of football. But I’ve been thinking the same about Pool & City for 5+ years now and it doesn’t seem to be bothering them too much.

The players are going to get their first proper summer break in years this summer, I say we just play them every week and see where we end up.
 

NLunited

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The line up was the right one. We needed to control the game so we needed Casemiro and Eriksen. Lindelof and Maguire deputized very well and are good in ball distribution.

We needed our best attackers to break them down. Starting with Pellistri and Garnacho would have been a huge gamble.
 

Judge Red

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All I know is that I expected Liverpool to be as bad as they have been this season after what they did last year.
 

youngrell

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I didn't say that they'd win easily. I said I think they'd win and if not, there are reinforcements on the bench if the game isn't going as we like. If you want to continue to not think for yourself and only say "I'm just following the manager" then so be it. Be a muppet. No skin off my back. I will continue to think for myself and say things like "the squad should be rotated". But if we continue to play the same guys every game and players start getting injured, don't act surprised because you are the one who thinks we don't need to rotate when playing a midtable championship team
You’re mistaking me for someone else with half of your reply.

We literally lost 1-0 in the period we are talking about. Resting loads of players today would be nonsensical when we have the league cup match to do so in midweek.

Players need to stay sharp just as much as they need rest. A 10 day break is not needed.
 

TMDaines

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Today was effectively a training game.
I swear some people think we train 7 days a week and then just have to live with all the matches on top as well. The players at the moment will likely be getting 1 proper training day each, along with the 2 match days, the 2 pre-match rest days and 2 post-match recovery days.
 

SadlerMUFC

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You’re mistaking me for someone else with half of your reply.

We literally lost 1-0 in the period we are talking about. Resting loads of players today would be nonsensical when we have the league cup match to do so in midweek.

Players need to stay sharp just as much as they need rest. A 10 day break is not needed.
So Andy Carole comes in with that challenge a touch higher and breaks Cassamiro's leg and you'd just think "it was unlucky"? We were playing a midtable championship team. McFred would be perfectly fine and we would still dominate the game...
 

Withnail

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Yes...ETH is going to run these playes into the ground. There is no reason to have so many starters out there today. We could have gone with this team and still dominated the game:

----------------------------Heaton-----------------------------
AWB-------Maguire------------Lindelof-----Malacia
-----------------McT----------------Fred---------------------
Pillestri--------------Mainoo----------------Garanacho
---------------------------Elanga-------------------------------

Then if we need to change it up bring in the heavy hitters. ETH is going to wear these players out
No feckin chance. That's the stuff of nightmares, right there.
 

SadlerMUFC

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It didn't at all
Yes it did. I state my opinion. You just repeat whatever the manager tells you like a good little muppet. I think for myself. You don't. Simple as...THen you responded with some nonesense that made absolutely no sense. I'm not in your league sweetie. Please stop trolling me...
 

kouroux

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Yes it did. I state my opinion. You just repeat whatever the manager tells you like a good little muppet. I think for myself. You don't. Simple as...THen you responded with some nonesense that made absolutely no sense. I'm not in your league sweetie. Please stop trolling me...
Agreeing with a decision means I don't think for myself ? I am not in your league indeed cause you make no sense whatsoever. You're batshit crazy. Must be great seeing the world in a black/white view :houllier:
 

Rockets Redglare

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So Andy Carole comes in with that challenge a touch higher and breaks Cassamiro's leg and you'd just think "it was unlucky"? We were playing a midtable championship team. McFred would be perfectly fine and we would still dominate the game...
But it didn’t happen did it. Hardly any of the players even broke a sweat today.
 

bosnian_red

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And scored... none of those chances.

This was while the game was wildly open and they had 10 men. If you think the team that finished the game wins it easily then I disagree strongly.
I think most people feel that we should have rotated half of them. Not full rotation, which tends to not work. But ok start Casemiro. Why not start Fred ahead of Eriksen? Start one of Pellistri or Garnacho instead of one of the 2 wingers? It just won't work well long term if we always go strongest 11. It never does.
 

Abraxas

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Maybe but for me tiredness tends to rear it's head when you're not playing well, it's a nice comfy blanket aka excuse for the players and manager. ETH doesn't allow excuses. He never makes them so it tallies he probably thinks there is a certain softness about players that moan about tiredness unless it is completely justified.

If you play your best team more often, you're more likely to be in contention. You're more likely to progress as a club and build a resilience and toughness and when you're on a run you don't hear shit about tiredness.

Also what good is a nicely rested squad that's not in the cups because you played second and third strings? You've got fresh players not playing a fixture.

If we get tired at the end of the season and run out of steam then okay, at least you know where the problem is. If you tinker with the side too often it's very hard to get the cohesion and play we want. Obviously we do have to smartly rest players at times and we do, you have to know the limits of the individuals but generally speaking I like the approach of consistent teams.
 
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TMDaines

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So Andy Carole comes in with that challenge a touch higher and breaks Cassamiro's leg and you'd just think "it was unlucky"? We were playing a midtable championship team. McFred would be perfectly fine and we would still dominate the game...
Casemiro getting a legbreaker is nothing to do with rotation.
 

SadlerMUFC

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But it didn’t happen did it. Hardly any of the players even broke a sweat today.
But it very well could have and you'd have no problem with it. And by saying "the players hardly broke a sweat" you are actually arguing for me. You are right. They barely broke a sweat so why risk injury to our top players when we could start McFred and still dominate while not risking players like Carremiro
 

Andycoleno9

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Get the game won then rotate.
Perfection today and expect to see quite a few left out midweek.
Not sure these games are too taxing.
ETH has said games have replaced training for us and the players are happier for it. I dont see anything wrong with it
This.

Soon people will start complaining about training schedule. "Why do they need to train hard every day?"
 

Red in STL

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I swear some people think we train 7 days a week and then just have to live with all the matches on top as well. The players at the moment will likely be getting 1 proper training day each, along with the 2 match days, the 2 pre-match rest days and 2 post-match recovery days.
Well there's been training somewhere, the interaction between AWB and Antony was excellent tonight and that could only have come about from training sessions, there was a definite plan as to how they positioned themselves
 

TMDaines

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Well there's been training somewhere, the interaction between AWB and Antony was excellent tonight and that could only have come about from training sessions, there was a definite plan as to how they positioned themselves
It’s almost as if the team is improving via consistent team selections in matches.
 

Dominant

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I see one particular drama queen in this thread ranting and raving about rotation, and even provided a horrible line-up that would probably have a high likelihood of us losing the game or worse, drawing and having a replay to add to our already congested fixture list. That would be ironic.
 

Judas

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If we continue going far in the Europa League and FA Cup, it's only logical to think it will. The games are coming so thick and fast, and we simply don't have a big squad. Injuries will no doubt come along, plus fatigue. It is what it is.

But hopefully we can still finish top 4 and pick up at least one trophy, I'll be over the moon with that.
 

Dominos

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It is a concern.

Let's say we reached the FA cup final, Europa final, and League cup final this season, with barely any rotation because we know ETH hates rotating.

Are we confident we'd finish top 4 when we're playing that amount of games? I'd be sceptical to be honest. When Thursday-Sunday comes around again we'll start to see some very leggy performances on the weekend league games, and our lead over 5th certainly isn't big enough that we can take top 4 for granted.
 

Samid

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But hey, we really needed him tonight. Fred couldn’t have done the job against Reading.
 

Livewire1974

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100% it will. Ten Hag will live it and learn from it though. It is what it is. All managers seem to come to the Prem and think they don't have to rotate. It's a learning season. Hope it doesn't cost us vs Newcastle in the cup final.


This is not it. It's reading. Fred can start vs City but not Reading? Pellistri starts for Uruguay in the world Cup but can't play vs a bottom half championship team? Garnacho has been class, etc etc etc. This is just the manager refusing to rotate.
He can rotate during the week against Forest.
 

CloneMC16

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But hey, we really needed him tonight. Fred couldn’t have done the job against Reading.
Feck sake man. Fred could have easily played tonight.

I know this type of thing can happen in any game, but this is easily a game we could have rested more of our players.