Just on the Pope point. How many times has a goalkeeper from Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City and Man Utd been ‘rested’ the game before a Champions League Final? Similar situation for them. I don’t know but I would guess none.
I'll go back to the collective impact of poor rotation and game management because this is the crux of it. The manager is responsible for the squad management as much as he is anything else.
The decision regarding Pope was merely an example of a decision that just might (we'll never know) have cost us our 1st pot in 67 years.
I personally think it was a poor decision.. other people are free to their own.