I have seen a lot of nonsense written today (before the game!) about Cotterill getting it wrong in his team selection, well its easy in hindsight with the result we got for me to say he got it spot on, but, He got it spot on.. Seriously anyone with half a brain could see that Luke Freeman was running on fumes against Gillingham, I sometimes wonder if our fans can appreciate the high tempo, pressing game we play? It is the whole basis for our success. some of the boys are knackered and Cotts knows this and is desperate to get a break in for them. Ayling has been outstanding this season and has played all but an hour of every game this season, his work rate is phenomenal I don't know how he continues to do it. and don't be saying,"yea but they get paid so much money" it's absolutely irrelevant. Next week these same fans will be saying it was genius to give our better players a blow with the upcoming MK game being a week away. Trust the squad and see the result at least before moaning..
Luke ayling has been exceptional,it is a fine divide cotts has us top so he is doing something right.
I must admit I was pleased when Saville was subbed - I can't honestly think of anything that he brought to our game, but if it gave Freeman a rest then so be it. On a different note; did anyone think that Smith looked actually angry when JET scored?
Cotterill got it right,again, today. Listened with interest with his comments afterwards about Agard, how he'll get better with games. I hope he does as I thought he looked exactly the same today as he did in the games leading up to his injury. Ok he covered some miles again but seems nothing ever sticks. Cotterill will get it right again at MK and the game after and the game............. Bloody hell, I'm sounding like BJA.
Every time a famous player from a long time ago dies aged 80 years or more such as Tom Finney, those who saw them sing their praises. But for every one such player, there were a dozen or more who did not live to even get their state pension. Their bodies worn out by the physical exertions of a fifteen year football career. So today, the medical staff and sports scientists are a necessity for all sportsmen/women. To ensure correct diet, training methods and it appears, the most important factor, tiredness and rest. Thus those like the City's wing backs are covering so much ground every match. Probably double what the back three do. Midfielders like Freeman with a roving role are also expending large amounts of energy. They need more rest than others. Someone behind me yesterday said "Why has he dropped Freeman? Bloody stupid." So rotation is an absolute necessity when the team is involved in three matches. It's not that as young fit athletes, they cannot play three games in seven days. It is about keeping the individuals performance levels high, minimising the strain on the body, and reducing the risks of injury due to mistimed tackles. It is clear from comments made by SC, that changing the personnel in the team is a decision made only in conjunction with the medical and scientific staff and rarely his sole responsibility. How they manage this aspect of modern football over the next three months, will decide whether City get automatic promotion or end up in the playoff lottery. PS. In view of the above, there could be a powerful argument presented, to allow four or even five subs per game?
There are some absolute idiots watching City. This guy was at a guess aged late fifties. He was also ranting on late in the game about City playing keep ball. Especially when Aden Flint kept putting the ball back to Fielding just to waste time and not let Fleetwood have the ball. He wanted Flint to launch it forward at every opportunity. Total brain dead twerp!
'So rotation is an absolute necessity when the team is involved in three matches. It's not that as young fit athletes, they cannot play three games in seven days. It is about keeping the individuals performance levels high, minimising the strain on the body, and reducing the risks of injury due to mistimed tackles Wise words.
rotation rest result.. just made that up The 3 R's ( not the 3 r's comment) was going to start with rotation and rest is when added the result.... but it is exactly right. Like work rest and play if you do something repetitively you get bored lose concentration or parts or all of you get knackered. Little the other day, WAS TOTALLY KNACKED, and one laboured run back to do his job, just, and SC had him off..spot on. I still do not believe in SC 100%, maybe 90% but we have 7 games in Feb and at end of play against Crawley we will have played 9 in 36 days that's 27 points worth of effort. Goal keeper aside that's 8100 mins of football with 19 players about 50 mins each, OK, it does not work like that but that is shared effort. Players like our midfield and defence WILL be doing most of the work, expect Freeman Little Ayling Williams Ksmith and JET to have less starts than the rest, even a game without featuring...given a ticket to a local Rovers GAME TO CHEER THEM UP !..LOL or subbed early like 60 -65 mins. HOWEVER that is the simple part, actually getting it right is the hard part..do you sit down and say well we need the best team for these 5 games, a good team for these 2 and other 2 should be easy! or go game by game starting with strongest against MKD, see how we stand then ............
