Congratulations, but you're wasting your time, some people are never gonna get it. It's incredible! The shallow approach of the average fan never fails to amaze me, never! We're not like discussing sophisticated tactical concepts here, it's facts ffs. I mean you watch football regularly, you're supposed to know rotation is common practice for more than 2 decades now. It's merely down to observation ffs, haven't you noticed? Actually rotation is one of the major characteristics of the modern era, following the modification of rules, the upgrade of European competitions etc. And there's a fucking good reason for that. I remember back in early 00s' a Gus Hidding interview discussing the subject as an absolute must in modern football. Which should make you think how seriously it influences managers' work. For decades, and regardless of their tactical plans, they worked with like 11, 12, 13, 14 players max. Even substitutions were not allowed. Nowadays they are obliged to develop chemistry between 18, 20, 22 players. That is, if they do have that luxury, having such an amount of competent personel at their disposal, otherwise they're fucked, otherwise they need to lower their ambitions. They will also have to design masterplans to meet a busy schedule, which are modified day by day taking into account stuff such as injuries, form, strengths - weaknesses of opposition ahead, etc etc etc. Asking themselves questions all the time, how will that particular line-up match the demands of that particular game against that particular opposition instead of another, and so on. It's a totally different ball game these days, extremely complicated. I wouldn't expect all fans to go that far, but how can it be possible that some people still fail to understand the complexity of the fitness factor? That playing every 3 days inevitably influences your physical condition levels, and, as a consequence, your performance. When we are talking about the PL ffs, the most physically demanding league on the planet...
A couple of comments adding to your excellent post:
1. If Guardiola did not feel insecure, he would have rotated more in the Huddersfield match, especially in midfield and attacking line. As a consequence, more of our key players would be fitter for both the Sunderland as well as the Stoke matches.
2. If he trusted in his bench, Sterling would not have been fielded vs Sunderland, and Sane would not have started vs Stoke. By the way, last time he did not rest Sterling when he should, the boy picked up an injury, and the team missed him badly for a while. And when he did come back, he needed some time to find his form again...
3. Instead of blaming Guardiola for benching Silva and resting Sterling, if some people were not that ignorant, they would actually question the manager for exactly the opposite. For the real question here is, why does he not rotate more and more often, why does he not rotate as much as he should? Why does he feel insecure? You're capable enough reaching that question, than maybe, just fucking maybe, you'll start thinking about the limitations of that particular squad. And maybe, just fucking maybe, you'll start appreciating what he has achieved so far, already having established an extremely demanding philosophy, and competing against clubs such as:
- Chelsea: No European duties, Conte with the luxury of fielding the same starting 11 each week. Feeling comfortable enough to sell, I repeat, to sell (!) players such as Oscar and Ivanovic, making good money in the winter transfer window...
- Liverpool: Also no European duties, already out of both Cups, currently 4th (but with Arsenal 1 match less, so they could be 5th)...
- Spurs: Failing big time in European competitions, out of both the CL as well as the EL...
- Arsenal: Out of the CL with humiliating defeats, out of top 4 as we speak...
- United: Competing in the EL, not the Cl, Mourinio managing the most complete squad in the league, yet only 6th as we speak...
We're not even close evaluating the above mentioned realities. Instead, there are still people blaming Guardiola for his policy in that League Cup match, which took place in the week City would have to face your team for the CL group stage. And, for your information, there are still people debating whether Guardiola is better or worse than Pelegrini or Mancini. How about that? That is OUR reality...
So trust me when I'm telling you you're wasting your time, idiots will never understand, no matter what you or me or any other poster says. It's a lost battle. If they could understand, they would not be idiots, now, would they? Simple...
PS. Congratulations for your win yesterday.
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