Rotation

[glasgowspur]

I had a search and there's some old threads in this but most of the players have left, so maybe the arguments aren't relevant now.
As there seems to discussions going on about it different threads maybe time to bring it all into one.

Bar the Man U game all our games against the bigger sides have been at home so a win is expected, Harry needed up front. But is it likely that away where we may have to sit back a bit Son would play up top and give Harry a break?

 

[braineclipse]

If we're going to give Kane a break I really don't think the big games is the time to do it, home or away.

Of our upcoming league games I would say Saudi Sportswashing Machine at home is probably the most likely one if we're going to rotate Kane. Perhaps Norwich at home mid Christmas fixture pile up. But I don't think it will happen in those games either.

 

[Gutter Boy]

If we're going to give Kane a break I really don't think the big games is the time to do it, home or away.

Of our upcoming league games I would say Saudi Sportswashing Machine at home is probably the most likely one if we're going to rotate Kane. Perhaps Norwich at home mid Christmas fixture pile up. But I don't think it will happen in those games either.

If not Saudi Sportswashing Machine and Norwich, then when?

We won't get easier matches than those

Son at CF is a decent option - as shown in his game there against Qarabag.

 

[Lemonade Money]

Didn't Kane just get a break somewhere?

 

[Finney Is Back]

If not Saudi Sportswashing Machine and Norwich, then when?

We won't get easier matches than those

Son at CF is a decent option - as shown in his game there against Qarabag.

I don't think we can use a home game against Qarabag as a barometer to judge how a player might perform up front against a PL team.

In saying that I think we do need to take a look and see whether Son can be an option up front in PL games. Perhaps having Kane on the bench would be a good idea. If we don't need to use him at all then great. If we look toothless for the first half then he comes on as a sub at half time.

 

[Gutter Boy]

I don't think we can use a home game against Qarabag as a barometer to judge how a player might perform up front against a PL team.

In saying that I think we do need to take a look and see whether Son can be an option up front in PL games. Perhaps having Kane on the bench would be a good idea. If we don't need to use him at all then great. If we look toothless for the first half then he comes on as a sub at half time.

Sounds a plan.

It would be interesting to try Njie at CF against more teams who don't park the bus too (re him being effective against City but not Chelsea).

I just think about how utilising Dier at CM saved us signing a player for £25m. Perhaps Son or Njie could do the same with CF. It's just a shame neither were in for pre-season to be able to experiment a bit more.

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

I don't believe it is much of an issue this month, we only have the Monaco home game as a midweek fixture until Christmas and that seems the ideal opportunity to rest players who need it, hopefully we can get into a position in some of the games where players can come off early. I'm sure the management team have all the information on the player conditioning and must make a decision on the mental tiredness that may occur.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Sounds a plan.

It would be interesting to try Njie at CF against more teams who don't park the bus too (re him being effective against City but not Chel53a).

I just think about how utilising Dier at CM saved us signing a player for £25m. Perhaps Son or Njie could do the same with CF. It's just a shame neither were in for pre-season to be able to experiment a bit more.

I think the problem there (with N'Jie) is that the teams that don't park the bus (+ Chelsea) are the ones that we would most want Kane to be starting against.

 

[Gutter Boy]

I think the problem there (with N'Jie) is that the teams that don't park the bus (+ Chel53a) are the ones that we would most want Kane to be starting against.

To me Kane is a smart player who is able to break down tough defences (clever movement, top link-up play).

You'd use someone like Njie against higher lines (where Kane's lack of pace blunts him a bit).

 

[Raziel]

The people at risk are Kane, Dier, Eriksen, Verts & Toby

Dier, hopefully we can rest once Bentaleb comes back
Eriksen, perhaps we could try Son & Lamela at same time to give him a break

The big question re resting Kane (and the club should know the answer), is are we buying a first team ready CF in January? If we are, we flog Kane until then, then work out how/where we rest him, if not .. we have to start soon.

Toby is the other issue, we could rotate in Wimmer and give Jan the odd game off.

 

[Finney Is Back]

To me Kane is a smart player who is able to break down tough defences (clever movement, top link-up play).

You'd use someone like Njie against higher lines (where Kane's lack of pace blunts him a bit).

So you're saying that you'd drop Kane and play N'Jie against Arsenal, City, Man Utd, Liverpool and (their bus parking last weekend aside) Chelsea?

 

[NaijaSpurs]

If not Saudi Sportswashing Machine and Norwich, then when?

We won't get easier matches than those

Son at CF is a decent option - as shown in his game there against Qarabag.

Such arrogance, our premier league history is littered with us dropping points in games that on paper fans thought would be relatively easy.

I would suggest the preferred option would be to sub Kane off once a games was in the bag instead of having him play 90 minutes

 

[nelto]

Saudi Sportswashing Machine have beaten us at WHL the last two years running.
#justsayin

 

[tw12yid]

The first 6 weeks of the new year have 1 mid week game(baring FA cup replays). That one midweek game is after the 3rd round of the FA cup so if we get a lower level team at home that's an obvious opportunity. But in general the one game a week for most of the new year should allow some recovery/rest time before Europa league kicks in again.
This is the main reason I dislike the league cup when your in Europe not having the two semi finals in the January is vital to allow your players a lighter workload.

 

[Jordinho]

The first 6 weeks of the new year have 1 mid week game(baring FA cup replays). That one midweek game is after the 3rd round of the FA cup so if we get a lower level team at home that's an obvious opportunity. But in general the one game a week for most of the new year should allow some recovery/rest time before Europa league kicks in again.
This is the main reason I dislike the league cup when your in Europe not having the two semi finals in the January is vital to allow your players a lighter workload.

The league cup is a bitch all the way. They should try to get more rounds out of the way earlier. You could have the final in December.

 

[NaijaSpurs]

The league cup is a bitch all the way. They should try to get more rounds out of the way earlier. You could have the final in December.

I agree.

 

[NaijaSpurs]

I also think FA cup matches do not require replays. If the semis and final do not have replays then why should the earlier rounds?

 

[DublinSpur]

Obviously Pochettino will have a better idea of which players are in need of a rest than us fans. Can Vertonghen and Alderweireld play the entire season without a break? (assuming - touch wood - no injuries). Will Dier and Kane burn out?

My own gut feeling is that we should start rotating players during some of the "easier" games over the next couple of months. Of course, we all know Spurs have dropped plenty of points in so-called "easy" games. But you have to prioritise somehow - and home to Saudi Sportswashing Machine is likely to be an easier game than away to Emirates Marketing Project.

And rotation shouldn't have to mean fielding a significantly weaker side. You don't switch out the entire team in one match. Give Kane and Alderweireld a rest against Saudi Sportswashing Machine for example (have them on the bench, just in case, but with the intention of not playing them unless required). Then do the same with Vertonghen and Dier against Norwich. And definitely play plenty of fringe players against Monaco. No reason not to rest a fair few for that match.

 

[Gazzasrightboot]

Obviously Pochettino will have a better idea of which players are in need of a rest than us fans. Can Vertonghen and Alderweireld play the entire season without a break? (assuming - touch wood - no injuries). Will Dier and Kane burn out?

My own gut feeling is that we should start rotating players during some of the "easier" games over the next couple of months. Of course, we all know Spurs have dropped plenty of points in so-called "easy" games. But you have to prioritise somehow - and home to Saudi Sportswashing Machine is likely to be an easier game than away to Emirates Marketing Project.

And rotation shouldn't have to mean fielding a significantly weaker side. You don't switch out the entire team in one match. Give Kane and Alderweireld a rest against Saudi Sportswashing Machine for example (have them on the bench, just in case, but with the intention of not playing them unless required). Then do the same with Vertonghen and Dier against Norwich. And definitely play plenty of fringe players against Monaco. No reason not to rest a fair few for that match.

I see what you are saying and agree to an extent. But there is a school of thought that says you could put those easy games away with confidence with your first choice Xi and rest your players against the big boys away from home where you're not expecting to win even with your first XI?

I think you have to take each game as it comes and play to win. No guarantees that one of your first choice won't pull up in training anyway. Each game is 3 points, and you should play the combination of players that will get you the best return. I think in the past we have always suffered against the so called easier teams because we don't give them the respect that they deserve. Leicester and Watford have probably thrived off that this season.

 

[glasgowspur]

I'm not a stat collector, but these "easier" games did we win them in the past by not playing our top players?
You should always play the strongest and most appropriate team to get a result in the present circumstances.
As I said in the first post, away to city where we may not have a lot of the ball and want to sit a bit deeper rest Harry and bring in Son.
Same away against Liverpool, we know they are going to press, we know they struggle at home against teams that sit back. So with Sons pace, two footedness, and our midfield me ability to spring him in behind on the counter it makes sense.