Squad rotation for the run in.

[Paulmcfc2703]

Because we don't know early on in the season what will happen so we pick a team that we think is going to win the game. We don't know in October that we're going to arrive at this point of the season going well in all four competitions. If we're not doing well in the league then we fall back on the domestic cups. It's an insurance policy, like it was last season. This time, Pep feels he doesn't have to use his insurance policy hence why he rotated heavily and probably will against Spurs.

The relevance of the cost of the team is that it shows our second string should be strong enough to be competitive and the need to put out youngsters is negated. On yesterday's evidence, you'd think again.

Of that team yesterday, Mendy is shit and should have been sold 2 years ago, Sterling is looking like pre Pep Sterling, Cancelo/Jesus are miles off it and Torres looks well off the level we need him to be and shouldn't be near the squad. That's £200 mill we know shouldn't be anywhere near the starting 11 and we knew that before yesterday.

A league cup isn't an insurance policy, last season was still a poor season despite winning it. You can't blame tiredness in April when realistically every season for us should consist of a title challenge and a good run in the CL.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

We had to rotate

Yea Pep maybe rotated too much but we have a huge squad....he probably wanted to see if those out of form/fitness could play themselves back into the picture

Don't care about the FA Cup, it's a better one to win than the league Cup (which we will likely win) but all focus should be on the ECL and Prem

We don’t have a ‘huge squad’ ffs. We have the same amount of players avaiable as all the other PL teams and, no matter who you are, if you’re out of form, getting picked with 4/5 others that are out of form will not work.

 

[B\connellblue]

Foden,Mahrez and Gundog are going to have to play really well to the end because they look our only goal threat.
Hopefully John stones can get a few as well.

 

[B\connellblue]

Gundogan said the other night "we are not tired we want to play every game" or something along those lines.
In fairness 2 games a week should be doable for a professional athlete.
Best 11 for the next 3 and see where that gets us.

 

[Keeper!]

Before I get called a Rag. You know I’m not a Rag.

The Rags don’t make wholesale changes like we do. They’ve not had as many games as we have, but they aren’t that far off. They also play on a Thursday in the EL.

The Leeds United game was a warning to Pep that the current ’squad of players’ aren’t capable of beating other teams who play their 1st team players. So Pep once again makes wholesale changes to the team that beat Dortmund, and brings in the same players who failed to beat Leeds, and no surprise, City got beat by Chelsea. When you make 6,7, 8 changes to a team it completely disrupts a settled and winning team.

I appreciate Pep has to make some changes. But resting Foden is baffling. He’s young, fit, at the top of his game, and hasn’t played all season. The same with Zenchinko, who has only just got his place back.

Once again we had no creativity or attack in midfield. When you take out Gundogan, Mahrez, Silva, and Foden, and you replace them with Fern, a defensive midfielder, Torress, who doesn’t get game time, and when he does is pretty ineffective, and Sterling, who has completely lost form, the team struggles once again.

Like any City fans I can take defeat. Sometimes other team is just better on the day. Which doesn’t happen very often against City. But yesterday was another horror show from the squad players who got another chance. No doubt they all complain that they don’t get game time, and aren’t in the regular starting 11. The result and performances against Leeds and Chelsea tells them exactly why they aren’t regulars and starters in the starting 11.

So where does Pep go from here? Does he play his first team and the players he rusts for the rest of the season, or does he take another risky gamble and make more wholesale changes for some of the remaining games left? Because if Pep does, anymore performances like Leeds and Chelseawill cost us the Carabo Cup, the PL title(god forbid) and the CL.

The only reason for the resting of players, particularly Foden and Zinchenko is the club badly want the Champion's League and we will never have a better opportunity than this season, it's up for grabs, all the teams left we are very capable of beating.

 

[Dirty Harry]

I still think Torres is much better down the middle, the few things he did do yesterday was in and around the box, he will come good but with little game time it's hard for him to gain momentum, much like Sane first season with us

Agreed, he's a clean and true striker of the ball, something Jesus and Raheem lack.

 

[swinton blue]

Think I mentioned this before and yesterday team makes me think even stronger that given how the games are falling and starting with Leeds with all the changes then back to our first 11 against dortmund. 8 changes yesterday. It looks to me first 11 against Villa and I hate to say it more changes for the final with our first 11 in mind for psg and again changes for Palace with the second leg in mind

 

[simon23]

you do realise if you just flog the players listed i your post, they will perform worse tha the replacemets you are pissed at.

I disagree.....players and managers talk about rhythm all the time....its not flogging them to play the last few games of the season repeatedly when they have been rotated all season....If you do it like Klopp for full seasons year after year I agree with you but you are talking about a run of 6-7 games or something like that.......hardly flogging....Someone like foden for instanse at his age certainly could as could Dias (23 years old) Jesus (24?) etc....maybe not the likes of Fernabut even Walker who is just a machine probably could.

Certainly stop the huge roatation of teams until the league is mathematically won....then it doesnt matter

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

The only reason for the resting of players, particularly Foden and Zinchenko is the club badly want the Champion's League and we will never have a better opportunity than this season, it's up for grabs, all the teams left we are very capable of beating.

I think this season is more about mental pressure and tiredness than physical fatigue. It is interesting to see how players like Gundo, Foden, Zinchenko, Walker, Dias, Stones, Mahrez, have really stepped up while others seem to have crumbled. I also think the pandemic/lockdown has affected different people differently. All our players have family worries. I loved Gundo's comments when he was asked about the pressure of the run-in. He said: "It is easy playing. There is nothing else to do." He's turned into a bit of a club legend this season.
We just need to get over the line in these remaining trophies. It will tell us a lot about the character of our team. They did it in 18/19 on the run-in so I am still positive.

 

[WestGorton]

Rotation has got us in a good position overall barring Leeds and yesterday but Villa and PSG are now obvious best team jobs with perhaps a minor change for the final.