Gary Field : Is Rotation Damaging The Performance Of The Team?

By Gary Field

http://www.cardiffcityforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=147355
I know it’s early in the season but I ask the question because OGS has, and continues, at every press conference or statement he makes talks about the absolute need to rotate because of the relentness nature of the Championship.

The thing about this League is that the Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday fixtures are the same for all teams so are other clubs, even at this stage of the season, rotating thier starting 11 like we are.

Here are details of the number of players who have completed 90 minutes or more on the pitch for thier clubs this season. The lowest number of players used by any club so far this season is 13 and the most is 21, we have so far used 17 players.

There are 3 clubs who have used only 13 players with 90 minutes or more playing time and they are, Forest (Currently Top), Norwich ( Currently 2nd) and Charlton (Currently 5th). This demonstrates 2 things in my opinion that clubs definately benefit from a settled team and that thier managers know exactly who thier best team is.

There are 2 clubs who have so far used 21 players Fulham(Currently 23rd) and Huddersfield (Currently 21st), the next lowest number is 19 players where there are 3 clubs, Bolton (Currently 22nd), Leeds (Currently 19th) and Brighton (Currently 17th). In my opinion this suggests thier manager doesn’t know his best team and he is changing the team to find a winning formula.

There are 2 clubs next in line who have used 17 players ourselves (Currently 15th) and Watford (Currently 4th). In the case of Watford wins over Bolton, Rotherham, Leeds and Huddersfield have no doubt helped them to thier current position. Given our inept performance against Fulham anyone confident that we would win all games against those 4 😕

It is clear to me that there are clubs coping with the Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday fixtures and still playing settled teams and they are benefiting by thier League position. OGS pre-occupation with rotation has, in my opinion, had a negative effect on our performances and constantly swapping and changing the team must stop.