Which games would you rest players?

Our fixture list is pretty hectic. But that's the price of progressing in the cups. 

Playing 3 games in 8 days is fine. Playing 2 games in 2 or 3 days may not be.

So, which games could or should we rest players?

I'll start with the Palace game as we've got plenty of time between the Bournemouth and Newcastle games not to worry at all.

Palace (a) 31/12 12.00pm
Watford (h) 2/1 8.00pm
Burnley (h) 6/1 3.00pm
Bristol City (h) 9/1 7.45 pm
Liverpool (a) 14/1 4.00pm
Newcastle (h) 20/1 5.30pm
Bristol City (a) 23/1 7.45pm
FA CUP 4th round 27/1
WBA (h) 31/1 8.00pm
Burnley (a) 3/2 12.30pm
Leicester (h) 10/2 5.30pm

In all honesty, there's only two games that are close enough together to worry about. That's Palace away on new years eve and Watford at home 2 days later. 

We should be going into the Palace game with all our big guns on the pitch. Hopefully, Kompany will be fit by then. Fortunately for us, the Watford game is at home and, though we shouldn't take them lightly at all, we could rest a few players for the game if we need to. 

Delph could be rested for Zinchenko. Maybe rest Kompany or Otamendi for Mangala or Danilo. Rest Fernandinho for Yaya or Gundogan. 

Hopefully, we get a good enough lead in the CC semi final first eg to rest a few players again and play 2-3 kids. By then we may also have 1-2 new players who could also get a run out.

I think we are a little luckier than some hard done to teams.

Hard done to teams?
I don’t imagine they’ve had a whinge about it

The whole squad is gonna get plenty of game time in the next few weeks
Jesus & Sergio can play every other game
Gundogan & Bernardo can play instead of any of our MF
Danilo can play anywhere across the back or in MF
One or 2 of the kids should be getting more than a few minutes
Yaya can come on and do a job for 10-15 minutes before he tires
Hopefully Vinny & Stones can get a bit of game time as well
Maybe look at a couple of on loan defenders rather than buying
Can't see too many wanting to come with Vinny Stones & Mendy all waiting to come back

Paulpowersleftfoot wrote:Hard done to teams?
I don’t imagine they’ve had a whinge about it

that would just be bad sportsmanship

I wouldn't be rested anyone. PL is the 1st option for me.

CL isn't until Feb....by then, we could have the PL wrapped up.

I'd see where are come mid-Jan and the FA Cup can be another competition to rotate players.

ALL OUT PUSH FOR THE PL.......

Then we can go ALL OUT for the CL.

The Cup comps are bonuses IMO.

You've got to rest some between new years day and the next game which is only two days later.

Agree TD it’s not about the players being tired, it’s about accumulated fatigue increasing the risk of muscle injury. This season we have the players to rotate with little or no loss of quality so it’s a no brainier to use the full squad in the PL busy period.

Pep has rotated the squad...the likes of Silva, Aguero etc haven't played much football in the past 2 weeks. 
None of the big guns played midweek, so went into this weekend with a weeks rest.

I'm pretty sure the players are fully fit now and are just ticking over in training.

We’ll see but I expect a few changes for those two matches in two days at New Years unless we’re comfortable enough in the first game to sub some players and then coast the game. Can’t see it against Palace though.

I don't doubt he'll change a few players...but he's done that quite a bit already this season. 

Defenders rarely need swapping. Neither does the keeper. 

Sane and Sterling haven't started every game.

Neither has Aguero and Jesus.

That just leaves Silva, Ferdy and KDB. Ferdy's been looked after and Silva has played one match in 2 weeks.

The only one who will probably need looking after is KDB and he's been subbed a number of times lately.

I don’t think many players can retain a high level with only a two day break. Really depends how the apalace game pans out. 3-0 lead at HT or 60 mins and rest for those that may need. 

Team selection may depend on fitness coaches rather than the manager