Toshack -- Rotation Is Hurting Liverpool

[rushscored4]

That will happen at times.

But we'd certainly win more often WITH them in the side than without.

I'm not disagreeing Syd I'd be interested to see the stats on whether we really do win more games WITH Gerrard or Torres in the team or without.

[Pacman]

That will happen at times.

But we'd certainly win more often WITH them in the side than without.

In hindsight he should of played Torres against Brum but lets face it the team he put out should be beating them lot at home. Against Pompey well I think that's a good point however I know you think we should be turning them over but no-one knows if playing them would have made a difference I mean they have both been gash the past couple of games.

[CAD]

Did Tomkins - who's no genius himself - indicate which players were involved in the switches? As someone else said, the truth of each team's 'rotation' policies is more likely in the personnel involved than the actual number.

Frank.

Spot on! Too many people will throw the number 118 at you when you bring up rotation. YES, we rotated the same ammount as Scum and Chelski and NO Scum and Chelski didn't rest keyplayers in important matches like we did. Not to the same extent at all. Big, no HUGE ****ing difference! On top of that they had squads which cost two and three times more ei. better quality!!

The 118 argument is Tomkins way of licking Rafa's ass while giving him a reach around.

Propaganda for the masses:

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/a_NG156624070808-1304.shtml

[Woobus]

Check out how many games the spine of our squad played last year

Carragher 49
Agger 42
Finnan 44
Alonso 51
Gerrard 49
Pennant 43
Kuyt 51


The spine of the team played in the majority of the matches and would have played more if we had have still been going for the league. United's and Chelsea's spine probably played more, but that would be due to getting further in the FA Cup and still playing for the league until the end.

[fred_plasticine]

I think people are getting the wrong end of the stick re the rotation complaints.

It's not even so much the AMOUNT of rotation he does, it's the stupidity of some of the choices of players that he rotates for some of the games.

People go on about Ferguson and Mourinho, but the likes of Rooney, Ronaldo, Rio Ferdinand, Terry, Lampard and Drogba are rarely rotated.

It should be the same for us, with Carra, Gerrard and Torres.

tompkins compared the amount of games the spine of the team played and even if comes as a surprise there is not much difference. difference rafa rested players in the last few prem games due to fact that there was nothing to lose or gain but a cl final to win.

[AFII]

I think the difference is that Rafa last season rotated 3.11 players/game and this season he rotates 5.58 players/game.

That is a huge difference.

[bazza76]

Wales boss John Toshack says Rafa Benitez's rotation policy is hurting Liverpool's campaign.
Liverpool legend Toshack reckons the Kop chief's constant tinkering is angering the fans and testing the patience of the club's top brass.

He said: "I really hope Rafa knows what he's doing, as it's clear people at Liverpool are starting to get a bit nervous.


"His constant choice of rotating the squad is really angering the fans and, within the club, I think there is a good deal of confusion right now.

"Having spent a very significant amount of money on around 40 players in just over three years, I hope Rafa hasn't bitten off more than he can chew.

"The evident danger is that, with so many footballers now in the first-team squad at Liverpool, it's very tough indeed to keep everyone sufficiently happy.

"But, more importantly, it's the case that if you change the team so regularly then the players simply don't have time to gel together on the pitch."

The Reds' current form of only one win in their last six Premier and Champions League matches is not what the supporters want to see.

And Toshack added: "I guess by now Rafa must even be beginning to doubt the truth of the Liverpool anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.

"Two of his closest assistants, Pako Ayestaran and Jose Ochotorena, have left and things are not as they once were for him.

"It's a hard fact that there is a long way to go in the Premier League and the title looks like a three-way battle between Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool.

"Time will be the judge of what is happening right now."

I am disappointed by this kind of attitude, I am pretty sure Tosh would not like Rafa coming out picking apart his management style.

[fred_plasticine]

I think the difference is that Rafa last season rotated 3.11 players/game and this season he rotates 5.58 players/game.

That is a huge difference.

i reckon he rotated just as much at this stage last season. he seems to rotate much more at the beginning of a season.

[kris90210]

I personally dont see the problem in anything that Tosh has said there. The fact is Rafa has been rotating more at the beginning of this season than last so the whole Tomkins article has passed it sell by date.

He makes a very good point about keeping players happy - no one can argue with that aspect of rotation. And concerns about the team gelling are fair enough.

Guys, Rafa said himself that he doesnt like rotating! Why doesnt he like it?? Probably because of the drawbacks mentioned by Toshack.

Tosh's biggest problem is that he wears his heart on his sleave. He tells it how he sees it and I for one find that a very refreshing approach. Im sure he could have come up with some non-commital football cliche's that would have had no complaints from any of us, but whats the point in that?

He's a huge Liverpool fan. And its not as if he's written Rafa off. He says it looks like a three horse race between us, Arsenal and Man Utd - whats the problem?

As he says, time will be the judge

[Woobus]

I think the difference is that Rafa last season rotated 3.11 players/game and this season he rotates 5.58 players/game.

That is a huge difference.

Not think that is due to letting the new players settle in and the easy cup games we have had? I very much doubt it will be as high as that at the end of the season.

[AFII]

Not think that is due to letting the new players settle in and the easy cup games we have had? I very much doubt it will be as high as that at the end of the season.

I think it will more or less stay the same if Rafa keep the same number of players in the squad. He must rotate to keep them match fit and happy.

We have more good players now than last season and that means more rotation.

[alunevans]

All three had nightmares on Sunday though. It's all about opinions and there's only one that matters...

Yeah!!! Mine!!!!

[Red_Polo]

Totally agree with Woobus and fred_plasticine

[alunevans]

i reckon he rotated just as much at this stage last season. he seems to rotate much more at the beginning of a season.

i'd like to see that comparison too.

my feeling is that he rotates a lot at the beginning (where we tend to get bad results) and then beds down to a more settled side with less rotation later on (when we tend to get better results)

anyone got the stats on these?

[Woobus]

I think it will more or less stay the same if Rafa keep the same number of players in the squad. He must rotate to keep them match fit and happy.

We have more good players now than last season and that means more rotation.

Had a quick look and if you forget about the easy cup games against Reading and Toulouse then we only made 30 changes in 10 matches (I think). Some of those changes were down to injuries on Carra, Agger and Alonso as well.