Changes

[Armin_Tamzarian]

I'd say the counter argument is that previously the options available for rotation were insuffucient to allow first teamers to be dropped. Either way Rafa will rotate his squad to ensure he wrings every last drop of energy out of them throughout the season.

 

Remember how knackered we were at Istanbul or Cardiff? We've played more matches than virtually any other side over the past 3 years and it shows at the end of the season. Rotation is now an essential part of the game for the bigger squads.

[Maldini]

I don't think it was necissarily the rotation itself that caused the problems, more the fact that the players we had to bring in weren't good enough. I don't think that's the case this season. Saturday was an anomaly.

[Sion]

A lot of new players as well, asking a lot. Aurelio, Agger, Kromkamp, Zenden, Gonzalez, Bellamy, Fowler, Sissoko, Pennant all arrived in the last 12 months and all figured.

[Cooldude]

Rotation's fine, although there are key players that have to play almost every game. The likes of Carra, Finnan, Xabi have to start more games than others.

[Guest Jodus]

I'd expect Crouch, Alonso, Agger, Aurelio and Finnan to start, along with Reina, Sami, Momo, Stevie, Bolo and Bellamy. Don't think we'll risk either out-and-out winger in this tie, but we could see both on Saturday. He may keep Kuyt up his sleeve, to start with Fowler on Sat also.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

predicting a rafa lineup last season was as difficult as the season before.

[MickeyDocs]

That's not true... after the Fulham game the team was pretty much reina, finnan, carra, hyppia, riise, gerrard, momo, alonso, kewell, crouch, and the only position that was rotated was morientes/cisse.

 

Warnock and Traore had a few outings at left back, and Riise played a few games in midfield, and occassionally Didi got a game.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

and garcia. so that's a mere 16 players he shuffled around all the time.

[IgPig]

I don't think it was necissarily the rotation itself that caused the problems, more the fact that the players we had to bring in weren't good enough. I don't think that's the case this season. Saturday was an anomaly.

 

Is the right answer.