Rotation vs always playing best team

[jono_t2000]

Leeds have named the exact same starting lineup for their last 3 league fixtures

Sunderland have named the exact same lineup for the list 2 league fixtures and only made 1 enforced change in the game before that.

Please Chris, non of this rotation crap or horses for courses crap.... Pick the strongest team for the final remaining fixtures and let other teams worry about us.

The team against Boro showed you the way forward!!

 

[ml1997]

I think rotation is needed but not all in one game. I think your centre half’s, goalie and defensive midfielder should play when available, but the other 7 1 or 2 should be given a rest every game unless it’s a big game. However, when there’s injuries rotation becomes a luxury and if the team’s already weak (which we shouldn’t have to deal with) rotation should be minimal.

 

[AWetFlannel]

Leeds have named the exact same starting lineup for their last 3 league fixtures

Sunderland have named the exact same lineup for the list 2 league fixtures and only made 1 enforced change in the game before that.

Please Chris, non of this rotation crap or horses for courses crap.... Pick the strongest team for the final remaining fixtures and let other teams worry about us.

The team against Boro showed you the way forward!!

Leeds' last three league fixtures were on the 5th, 11th and 17th, whereas ours were on the 8th, 12th and 16th.

But regardless, many other managers such as Guardiola regularly rotate. If his management style is "crap" then I've got no clue what's good.

 

[jono_t2000]

Leeds' last three league fixtures were on the 5th, 11th and 17th, whereas ours were on the 8th, 12th and 16th.

But regardless, many other managers such as Guardiola regularly rotate. If his management style is "crap" then I've got no clue what's good.

Crap as in nonsense as in non-sensical

Not literal

 

[Weasel]

You have to take on board that Leeds, Sunderland and Burnley all had bigger squads than us at the start of the season and haven't been flogging the same small pool of players available, half to death in the first half of the season like CW has had to do. Especially as a lot of the fill in players were just young kids brought in earlier than what would be ideal, out of necessity.

Now its mid to late January and CW has managed to bring in 5 more players as reinforcements (to get the squad up to the same numbers as our competitors), he is now having to both manage the players who have played too much by trying to rotate and rest where he can, and integrating the new lads in the team to get them up to speed with fitness, match sharpness and team patterns. It's been a balancing act and he has had no other option but to rotate. Our rivals haven't had the same problems in the first half of the season with squad numbers and didn't need to bring in as many as we did. So they haven't needed to rotate theirs teams as much as they are all up to speed and most have been playing together all season.

I bet if we had also had the same numbers at the start of the season, we wouldn't have just brought in 5 new players and we also wouldn't be having to rotate as much. Circumstances have dictated our rotation policy.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Leeds played on the 5th, 11th and 17th
United played on the 8th, 12th and 15th

 

[Ridgeway Blade]

CW has had tochange his team to manage the injuries, ethe load of those plyers who were new to the team and the level. Even now we are trying to bed new players in as an added issue. Remember, when Wilder got us promoted before we had a really settled side with very few injuries and we could name the team every week. In all the circumstances we have done remarkaby well and lets hopw we don't get as many injuries to cope with. One of my worries is the number of bookings we keep picking up.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Leeds have named the exact same starting lineup for their last 3 league fixtures

Sunderland have named the exact same lineup for the list 2 league fixtures and only made 1 enforced change in the game before that.

Please Chris, non of this rotation crap or horses for courses crap.... Pick the strongest team for the final remaining fixtures and let other teams worry about us.

The team against Boro showed you the way forward!!

What is interesting is that during our rise from league 1 to the PL Wilder played the same starting 11 most matches.
I’d have expected him to rest players but changes were minimal.

So as he’s changed his policy this year there must be a valid reason for it.
I’m guessing some players are close to the red line in training so he’s trying to prevent injuries.

Another point is he might be experimenting with one eye on next season if we reach the PL.

I also agree that Wilder appears to make some strange line up decisions but he must know what he’s doing.

 

[BrisBlade]

I'm unsure whether it's rotation or experimentation. Leeds and Sunderland know their best XI. On the other hand, we have three players nailed on as starters when available: Cooper, Anel, and Vini. Gus would be on that list if we didn't need to manage his games so he doesn't pick up a three match ban. Burrows, O'Hare, and Peck maybe should be on the list but Wilder does rotate them out. RB, CB, RW, and CF are all positions very much up for grabs.

The thing that bothers me more than rotating players is mucking about with the system (and therefore style) from one game to the next. I am fully supportive of changing during a game when we need a goal, defend a lead or it's clear something isn't working, but until we have a consistent approach at kick off we will lack a clear identity and consistency (in quality of not results).

 

[Champagneblade]

Wholesale rotation or at least large rotation seldom works, see our cup game as an example.

In fact it could be argued that full rotation over partial is better I.e. if we’d simply picked the development squad who play week in week out together the they may have faired better.

But the main point with us is that we’ve probably had to overwork the players due to an initial small squad size.

Hence why the likes of Burrows and Gilchrist have seen their form dip.

Managing their minutes carefully is probably wise until they have recovery time. Burrows coming on at Luton in a short burst gave us a boost without knackering him in the process.

 

[Bladezz]

We see every single season Leeds fall away at the end of the season due to lack of squad rotation.

I think it would be better looking at us in how we usually keep the same steady throughout.

Sunderland change a fair bit. Burnley make tweaks.

Leeds to be on same points as us with their far superior teams suggest everyone should be copying us.

 

[Revolution]

Leeds' last three league fixtures were on the 5th, 11th and 17th, whereas ours were on the 8th, 12th and 16th.

But regardless, many other managers such as Guardiola regularly rotate. If his management style is "crap" then I've got no clue what's good.

Guardiola can afford to rotate as much as he likes because he has a stellar squad.

This does not mean that managers with less talented squads should adopt the exact same strategy (though some rotation is likely optimal).

See also: playing out from the back.

 

[Rufus Smalls]

Irrespective of team selection or player rotation, I have the feeling that CW would accept a draw against Leeds today.

Not sure if that shows a lack of ambition, fear of the opposition or happy to take the point looking at the table as it looks now. Playing to full potential, Leeds are probably the best team in the League and I feel that this will play more on CW’s mind when selecting a starting eleven than the need to rotate/rest players.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Other than maybe Peck it wasn't like we rotated for the sake of it on Saturday and that's with a 3 game week.

We now only have two midweek rounds left.

 

[CrookesBlade]

He’s rotated players out recently that he’s been hammering all season due to lack of options - Peck and O’Hare being obvious examples.

At the start of January he spoke about a number of players being in the “red zone” based on the data and likely to break down some point without a rest.

 

[bonobo]

You could argue well managed rotation has been key to our success so far and is one of the things that helps you ensure you are able to field your strongest team by maintaining players fitness and stamina and making sure key squad players get game time, for when they will inevitably be needed. In general under Wilder, in his previous spell, he was incredibly consistent in his team selection, but did start to introduce rotation through the promotion run-in, which was successful. Hecky got hammered at times for using rotation at earlier stages in the season, but then his teams always finished the season strongly and their stamina was key to that. It is always hard to judge from a crowd if resting/rotating players work, because we don't know the conditioning, so it's fairly hypothetical whether we think it is a good approach. We all live by the urgency of the next game as fans, but my feeling is that the Championship is such a slog, that it is squads, rather than XIs that get you over the line.

 

[ChelmsfordBlade]

We have won 7 of the last 8 in the league while rotating. Our form is far better than Sunderland's currently so why are we asking our manager to look at what theirs is doing?

 

[1889]

Rotation is all very well if you have an embarrassment of riches, with players of equal quality to come in without effecting the overall team performance, or style of play. Teams who have assembled almost billion pound squads can do that, but we cannot. Everyone knows our strongest starting 11 and to make 3 or 4 changes only ever makes us weaker.
I’d like to see Wilder, pick our strongest starting 11 for the remaining fixtures and get at teams from the first minute to the last. Replacing players after 60 minutes or so, only when the game is won.
Wilder’s pissing about unnecessarily cost us 3 points v Hull and in recent weeks could easily have done so again, versus Portsmouth, Derby and Luton.
Surely he cannot think that the team that started v Luton, would currently be in the top six ?

 

[CrookesBlade]

Rotation is all very well if you have an embarrassment of riches, with players of equal quality to come in without effecting the overall team performance, or style of play. Teams who have assembled almost billion pound squads can do that, but we cannot. Everyone knows our strongest starting 11 and to make 3 or 4 changes only ever makes us weaker.
I’d like to see Wilder, pick our strongest starting 11 for the remaining fixtures and get at teams from the first minute to the last. Replacing players after 60 minutes or so, only when the game is won.
Wilder’s pissing about unnecessarily cost us 3 points v Hull and in recent weeks could easily have done so again, versus Portsmouth, Derby and Luton.
Surely he cannot think that the team that started v Luton, would currently be in the top six ?

How was Wilder ‘pissing about’ v Hull? We had no midfielders available.

 

[Nickydblade]

Rotation is all very well if you have an embarrassment of riches, with players of equal quality to come in without effecting the overall team performance, or style of play. Teams who have assembled almost billion pound squads can do that, but we cannot. Everyone knows our strongest starting 11 and to make 3 or 4 changes only ever makes us weaker.
I’d like to see Wilder, pick our strongest starting 11 for the remaining fixtures and get at teams from the first minute to the last. Replacing players after 60 minutes or so, only when the game is won.
Wilder’s pissing about unnecessarily cost us 3 points v Hull and in recent weeks could easily have done so again, versus Portsmouth, Derby and Luton.
Surely he cannot think that the team that started v Luton, would currently be in the top six ?

Earlier in the season we had an ‘embarrassing’ lack of options on the bench. Compared to many Championship squads we now have, on paper at least, an ‘embarrassment of riches’.

So taking your own advice about ‘not pissing about’, who do you now say is our best starting striker or up front combo that should definitely start every game?

We all loved the Boro game and it would be great if we could play this as ‘our best starting eleven’ and do as well against Leeds, and storm the rest of the season with that side. What if he chose that side and took it to Leeds (as most of their fans seem willing us to do) and we get spanked? Fair enough, it could happen. Then we try the same again in the next game and lose again? Then again as we drop into the playoff places. Do we stick with the same side and approach in the holy name of ‘not pissing about’?

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Our results when we’ve had a fit Souza, Blaster/Peck, O’Hare, Hamer, Rak Sakyi.

Watford (H) W
Hull (A) W
Derby (H) W
Portsmouth (A) D
Wednesday (H) W
Coventry (A) D
Oxford (H) W
Sunderland (H) W
West Brom (A) D
Millwall (A) W
Middlesbrough (H) W

That’s only a third of the season so far we’ve had our 1st choice midfield and, the Portsmouth game apart we’ve got good results.

Hopefully, these are all fit now and there’s no reason to change it up.

 

[Mumbo]

He wouldn’t rotate if it wasn’t necessary,
Not every combination works.
Nowt wrong with experimentation especially with new players.
We now have a strong bench (options)
use it right and we’ll be celebrating promotion
and maybe even the champ title.

 

[SouthportBlade]

No manager will rotate unless there’s a need to.

We’ve returned to a fuller squad for an injuries perspective, but players won’t let be fully fit hence the rotation - either through returning from injuries to having not played many minutes, or carrying minor knocks.

Available to play doesn’t mean 100% fit for 90 mins each week. The players aren’t robots, nor is fitness in elite level sport black and white.

 

[Lord Eddard Muir]

What is interesting is that during our rise from league 1 to the PL Wilder played the same starting 11 most matches.
I’d have expected him to rest players but changes were minimal.

So as he’s changed his policy this year there must be a valid reason for it.
I’m guessing some players are close to the red line in training so he’s trying to prevent injuries.

That'd be my read on it. I loved that compact squad from that era with a clear first 11, but there's an argument to be made that playing so many games with the same team burned out a lot of the players and also led to CW's complete inability to adapt to life without JOC

 

[dronny_blade]

I'd argue sitting top of the form table after the last 8 games probably says that the squad rotation is being managed perfectly

 

[DifferentClass]

I'd argue sitting top of the form table after the last 8 games probably says that the squad rotation is being managed perfectly

Not good enough, Wilder out!

 

[1889]

Earlier in the season we had an ‘embarrassing’ lack of options on the bench. Compared to many Championship squads we now have, on paper at least, an ‘embarrassment of riches’.

So taking your own advice about ‘not pissing about’, who do you now say is our best starting striker or up front combo that should definitely start every game?

We all loved the Boro game and it would be great if we could play this as ‘our best starting eleven’ and do as well against Leeds, and storm the rest of the season with that side. What if he chose that side and took it to Leeds (as most of their fans seem willing us to do) and we get spanked? Fair enough, it could happen. Then we try the same again in the next game and lose again? Then again as we drop into the playoff places. Do we stick with the same side and approach in the holy name of ‘not pissing about’?

First half of the season, we were obviously short numbered and had to make the best of what we had. However, that is not the position now, the new owners have recruited in areas where we were short. Consequently we have the advantage of a strong bench but I believe, those new signings should be the fresh legs coming on at the hour mark to help close out the game, not be starting.

In relation to the Leeds game, if he doesn’t start with our best 11 and take the game to Leeds, but rather adopts the same game plan as Luton, we would get spanked anyway. Personally I’d rather see us go down fighting

 

[SwissBlade]

Leeds have named the exact same starting lineup for their last 3 league fixtures

Sunderland have named the exact same lineup for the list 2 league fixtures and only made 1 enforced change in the game before that.

Please Chris, non of this rotation crap or horses for courses crap.... Pick the strongest team for the final remaining fixtures and let other teams worry about us.

The team against Boro showed you the way forward!!

Injuries…. We’ve had injuries. Leeds seem to have escaped a lot of injuries.

But also, the last 6

Leeds W4 D1 L1
Blades W5 D0 L1
S’land W3 D2 L1

 

[Nickydblade]

First half of the season, we were obviously short numbered and had to make the best of what we had. However, that is not the position now, the new owners have recruited in areas where we were short. Consequently we have the advantage of a strong bench but I believe, those new signings should be the fresh legs coming on at the hour mark to help close out the game, not be starting.

In relation to the Leeds game, if he doesn’t start with our best 11 and take the game to Leeds, but rather adopts the same game plan as Luton, we would get spanked anyway. Personally I’d rather see us go down fighting

Fair enough, we never start Brereton-Diaz, Cannon, Clarke, Holding or Choudhury but they undoubtedly strengthen the bench. I assume Cambell up front. That looks pretty good to me.

The desire to take it to Leeds and everyone else is completely understandable. I’m up for it for what that is worth, and if it goes as well as Boro then all is good. If that doesn’t work and we drop places I’m not sure most Blades fans will continue to praise Wilder’s bold approach and want us to keep doing the same thing and be happy to ‘go down fighting’. It will be “why can’t he see he see the obvious…?”, “doesn’t he realise it’s a squad game”, “no plan B”, and “why did we spend in January if we’re not going to start them”…or whatever hindsight wisdom it is easy for fans to use.

I don’t think anyone wants the Choudhury Souza combo, but I understand why Wilder attempted it, particularly as our ‘best 11’ had been run into the ground, and I won’t assume it’s because he’s daft, or stubborn, or a coward.

Saying that I don’t think the ‘best 11’, and particularly how they line up, is so obvious. In some games O’Hare, Peck and particularly Rak-Sakyi have dipped in performance. There have been well thought out calls for, for example, Brooks, Davies or Seriki to start. Up front is a (pleasant) conundrum, and Campbell has not hit his pre-injury form yet, but he has looked good coming off the bench so maybe one of our other striking options should start. Who knows maybe sometimes we use a slightly different starting 11 depending on oppo, form or fitness. Lots of fans have moaned about Hamer starting on the left all season, but is it now ‘obvious’ that Wilder got it right all along as he should be starting there before Brereton-Diaz?

I’m looking forward to the rest of the season. However, unless we beat Leeds, smash other teams, and pull away at the top, some fans will be less happy and no doubt question Wilder’s decisions. That’s football.

 

[1889]

How was Wilder ‘pissing about’ v Hull? We had no midfielders available.

Yeah, fair point, Hamer was out suspended, Davies was injured, Peck and O’Hare played and Souza was on the bench. Nevertheless playing Burrows as the holding midfielder doesn’t work and also makes us vulnerable down the left.

He did alter the team shape, but as you point out his hand was forced due to injuries.