Puel, rotation & the cups.

Now we can all agree that Puell has done a great job of rotation so far across all of our games but I was wondering at what stage of the cups would we have to get to before people wanted to see a stronger team?

2 examples:

If we win tonight and are drawn away to Arsenal while Liverpool are playing United/City.

If the Hapoel game comes around and we need to win to qualify.

So in either of those examples, would we all still be happy to see Virgil/Austin etc. rested or would we want our strongest teams then?

 

We need to keep the players going through a busy season and should we go far in all these competitions, Then burn out to our players will only cost us in the long term. I'm far more happier with Puel rotating his team, and not only keeping up the fitness up and the Injurys down but also he is bringing through youngsters that maybe no one thought could step up. Which puts us in a better season following recruitment to the right areas.

 

Puel has few choices for today...some rotations have been forced on him. He knows the importance of the Europa matches after our disappointment in Milan....he will play our strongest side for Hapoel. I want to do well in the EPL, but I am pretty confident that we will be fine over a whole season.

 

Bit psychic there mate. Wonder what sort of team Claude will put out for that?

I'd still prefer to see the Europa and PL given priority. Can't see Wenger putting out a full strength squad either. But then do we really want Arsenal getting a good look at our youngsters?

 

I'm hoping for a strong team for that one... theirs won't be the strongest so got a great chance of reaching a 2 legged semi.

Youth against Palace in the following league game for me

 

yesterday clearly showed that having half the team with youth effects the performance, not fair on the kids either. 2 or 3 per game gives them a good footing, the League Cup probably represents our best option of getting into Europe next season so I can see a strong side for arsenal. our Key players are Fonte, VVD, Romeu and Austin (with Redmond and Boufal next in line) these players must be looked after and rested whenever possible. I did not include Forster as he has not had much to do in the last 6 games

 

Think Redmond and Boufal may have a view on this list! I know you were making a little quip about Fraser, but isn't it good to have a deputy that doesn't scare the **** out of us?

I happen to think that the big Dutchman is among our best ever buys, but the one on the list I desperately want to see stay injury free is Romeu. Not only is his form exceptional at the moment, but I don't see anyone in the squad who can do the job he does even half as well as he does. For me he's replaced Victor and then some.

 

Some rotation will be necessary from now on due to injuries....I would like Puel to play his strongest side for the Arsenal game, but he doesn't even do that for Europa games, so don't hold your breath. He is trying to have a good side available for every match, so we can expect musical chairs to prevent burn out.

 

I like that last sentence Missing Lambo - thats exactly how i feel about Romeu ! What player and he is on fire atm, long may it last.

 

Indeed. If I was in the recruitment department at Spurs, I'd take a look at Romeu and wonder if we got the right one. Seriously.

 

I'll just leave it to Puel. He seems quite capable of getting it right. Very relaxed about it all.

 

Agree with you, FLT. It is a nice position to be in that there is some real depth being developed in the squad. Makes the whole rotation business easier. But this isn't serendipitous. Claude Puel's trust in the players is clear. He has given players opportunities and is developing a system they understand. They are re-paying him with performances.

EDIT: Just read the short piece about Ward Prowse on the OWS.

“Every player goes out on to the pitch knowing the manager is behind them.”


Bless!

 

Judging by his involvement in the training pictures, Puel would be playing if he could. JWP said in a previous interview that Puel was a fun manager, but they had to try not to kick him in training.

 

Just a bit different to Moanrino then who, according to reports, doesn't even turn up for training!

Great to see a manager get so involved and is so obviously enjoying himself.

 

One reason I think the rotation has gone ok for us is because we're committed to it.
We're making a large number of changes for every game.
I think it goes wrong for some teams when they play there "strongest team" for a few weeks in a row and then all of sudden make wholesale changes.
The majority of the squad are playing at least once a week so can feel very much part of the side in whatever combination Claude chooses

 

That's something I hadn't considered but it's a very good point. Makes it easier to maintain fluidity and the system when all are used to it.

 

We'd get heavily fined for that. Plus a points deduction threat if we did it again.

 

I'm not talking an entire youth team though am I?

I mean the weaker team should play against Palace in the league rather than against Arsenal in the cup.

 

Well you did say "play the youth". And even if it's a mixture of youth and reserves we could still get done. Remember Wolves at Old Trafford? McCarthy played a reserve side to save his players for more winnable games and got done.

 

He made 11 changes though... I'm not saying that. I'm simply saying that I would prefer the stronger team to go to Arsenal that week rather than Palace, so the opposite of what we've done for the league cup so far.

No way we would get done for that, with the amount if changes we make game by game who are the PL to tell us what our strongest side is?