A squad affair

"It is very much about a squad affair" - said Hurst on MP.

He's clearly living in the real world - even if it's very early days now and some changes will be forced later, you realistically you can't always stick with the same team in every single game until the end of the season.
If you can get to a stage that you're rotating things and still winning regardless, you're laughing !  

"You don't change a winning team" is a phrase rightly often used but how long can you continue to play the same 11 whilst others who are also keen to impress and help contribute sit on the sidelines ?

Any manager has a tough job balancing a winning formula against other players "chomping at the bit" like Churchy and as he said, those that played vs Donny also staked their claim with a good performance.

Hurst said we will look at the opposition - makes sense.
Does Green keep his place for tomorrow ? If he does and plays well, then should Ridley return on Tuesday or not ?
What about Elding ? Do you keep playing Duffy every game ?
Makofo and Eagle share a game each ?
Kenny Arthur ? Andi Thanoj ? Charlie I'Anson ? If not now then when ?

If we keep winning every game great !
But we could end up with players eventually feeling fatigued or those out of action lacking 1st team matches "not up to speed" or lacking an understanding when they return - so should we try to rotate the squad and still win or not ?

Personally I'm really not sure - looks a pen and paper job.

I doubt we'll see huge changes tomorrow as we'll be keen to extend our winning run, but with 2 games in 4 days and Kettering being the arguably easier one, there's also an argument that says it might be worth giving the fringe players a run out.

So 2 questions....

1) What changes (if any) will we see tomorow ?
2) What would YOU do ? (see poll)

I don't no how Stockport or Kettering play so I don't know the best teams to play against them but I would start with Eagle and use Makofo as an late sub, but I doubt that will happen, so I'd imagine there will be no changes, but maybe a few changes for Kettering such as Church starting.

Try to keep a winning nucleus and rotate those that appear to need it.

I think the only time we'll 'rotate bigstyle' will be for Trophy matches.

I can't see us making mass changes for league games unless we've lost heavily (a la Braintree), in which case players will have been dropped rather than rotated.

One or two changes now and then would be my guess.

This is what I might do.

TEAM 1

....................McKeown
Wood.....Pearson.....Kempson....Green
......Church...Disley....Thanoj
.............Elding.....Hearn......Eagle

i.e see if Thanoj and Green can cover and defend and put Eagle on left side of a formation that interchanges between 4-3-3 and 4-4-2.
Maybe even allow Eagle a "free role" to play behind the front two !
Pack the bench with impact players like Artus, Coulson & Makofo.

TEAM 2

.....................Arthur
Wood.....???????.....I'Anson....Ridley
Coulson....Disley......Artus.....Makofo
...............Hearn.......Duffy

As for which team plays who, still not sure...
I like rotation but I really want another win for our momentum tommorow.

One thing I'm fairly certain of - if we're gonna play full strength then let's really go for the 3 points cos I don't see the point in setting up at full strength to sit back.

After Hurst's comment:
""They have shown they are hard to beat and in front of their own fans the emphasis will be on them to attack us.
"We are prepared for that...."

If that means we're counter-attacking they might stick with Serge but maybe not.

I think we'll see 1 or 2 changes tomorrow - Church to start is my bet.

Think we will start with same team tomorrow as last Week, and will see one or two changes on Tuesday regardless of results.