Resting players

[The Rational Fan]

I wouldn't make wholesale changes in either game, but would give a rest to some players in one of the two games.

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I'd rest Rodak, Ream and Reed, they have played every minute of the last few weeks and there cover doesn't have much game time especially Betts, Mawson and Stefjo. A good 90 minutes for those players could ever create a selection dilemma, that is often a good thing.

[Asotosyios]

I wouldn't make wholesale changes in either game, but would give a rest to some players in one of the two games.

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I'd rest Rodak, Ream and Reed, they have played every minute of the last few weeks and there cover doesn't have much game time especially Betts, Mawson and Stefjo. A good 90 minutes for those players could ever create a selection dilemma, that is often a good thing.

I doubt Rodak needs any rest, but agree re Ream and Reed. Hector and Reid could be rested too.

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[Statto]

I'd keep Rodak in. Keepers don't get fatigued and are rarely injured, touch wood. Better to keep him playing to maintain his match sharpness IMO.

[Denver Fulham]

We're still (barely) alive for second. Play the best lineup on Saturday, and then assuming we're playoff-bound (WBA OR Brentford win ends autopromotion; Brentford win locks us in fourth), play reserves vs Wigan. Then the starters will be back on "normal" rest for the first playoff match. We're still trying to find our best. I don't want them to have 11 days off now before do-or-die matches.

The more interesting question is what to do with the injured guys if they're healthy enough to go before the playoffs.

[Brawn]

Whilst it is unlikely, automatic promotion is still a possibility.  Us winning twice, while WBA lose both, and Brentford draw one and lose one would be far from the strangest thing ever to have happened in football.  It would be hard to justify leaving out a stack of players on Saturday if both WBA and Brentford have failed to win on Friday evening and Saturday lunchtime respectively. If/when we are definitely unable to reach second place, we could leave out anyone in danger of suspension or anyone who really needs a rest. However, "resting" players is no guarantee of them performing better in future games, and if you read comments from successful teams, some players say they found playing a twice a week contributed to their success in terms of maintaining rhythm than having a full week between games.  There are arguments for and against.

I agree with this. It's not over until the politically-correct plus-size female yodels.

[The Rational Fan]

I'd keep Rodak in. Keepers don't get fatigued and are rarely injured, touch wood. Better to keep him playing to maintain his match sharpness IMO.

I'd hate to put Betts on the bench for the playoff final when he hasn't played in 8 months. In some ways, Goalkeeping is possibly the hardest position to train because it's so much more pressure. If Betts is required to play, then he would be required to make at least one match-winning save.

I thought we were decent against Brentford, Leeds, and WBA, but I don't think we didn't end any of those matches well. If can get our injured players back and more of the bench in-form, I think we could edge Brentford over 120 minutes. Brentford players are fit, but their bench is a little thin.

Fulham's bench may also seem thin, but if they get in form Betts, Christie, Mawson, KMac, Stefjo, Cairney (or Arter), Reid (or Cav), Kamara, and Kebano would be the best bench in the championship. I doubt Brentford could match five subs from that bench playing from the 75th to 120th minute.

[filham]

There used to be a league rule about having to field your strongest team in any match. This was to ensure that teams in our position right now didn't enjoy an advantage by resting players.
I assume this rule no longer exists.

[Brawn]

There used to be a league rule about having to field your strongest team in any match. This was to ensure that teams in our position right now didn't enjoy an advantage by resting players.
I assume this rule no longer exists.

I thought it still does, but like all rules of this type breaking it is no more than a slap on the wrist. I believe, to be precise, you're not allowed to make more than 6 (or 7?) unenforced changes from your last league game.

[rebel]

Parker must rest a few players for the last two games in readiness for the playoffs. Reed, Hector being the obvious two.

Why? Yes they've played quite a few matches in a short period of time, but the normal Championship schedule is like that anyway, they normally play Saturday, Wednesday and Saturday. They have just had a 3 month break. So I'm not sure they need the rest or would want the rest.

[Jeroen]

We can rest a few players like Ream, however I think it's more important to get our front 3 scoring again.
I goal for BDR or Knocky is more important than some rest as we are going to need them scoring in the playoffs.

Also the 5 subs will help us - get some key players of after 60 min - they still keep match rhythm, but don't push themselves

[Whitestone]

Whilst there is still a chance of automatic promotion it would foolish to rest players or pick a weakened team. We'll have a clearer idea after tonight's match between Huddersfield and West Brom. Can you imagine the outrage if, as unlikely as it might seem, both West Brom and Brentford lost this weekend and we played a weakened team against Sheffield Wednesday and also lost. We must take every opportunity until it's not mathematically possible and I'm sure that's the way the manager will see it.

[toshes mate]

Momentum, confidence, self–belief, good form, unity, are all ways we may feel when we get on top of things and everything goes right.  But history tells us that character is never better developed than when things go wrong.   Are we in a totally different situation now than immediately before the WBA game?

I mentioned that Parker's after game message on Tuesday was a humble recognition that the team's intention to seek automatic promotion had failed and that now they have (potentially) five games in which to prove they are good enough to reach the PL.  Parker has admitted that the game has changed and new measures must be found to create a completely different set of vibes going into those matches.  In essence the games against Wednesday and Wigan are not going to change anything other than, perhaps, the opponent we face in the semi-final.  I say 'perhaps' because other results are going to change that as well and so it isn't just within our gift.   It seems a unique situation but, strangely, that is true of every game ever played.  And that means it will be true of each of the games played in the next sequence.   It's an opportunity to find and prove that character in defeat exists loudly and strongly.

You do not have change anything if team spirit and belief is still strong.   And, if it isn't still strong, then perhaps we are going to defeat ourselves before a ball is kicked.    We need to play the next two games to the best conclusions we can.   The semi-final will be a tough nut to crack even if the second game is at Craven Cottage since there will be no crowd willing the team on.   Parker needs to do much the same as he has always done to ensure that the team is readily equipped to deal with something that is newer to him than some of the players in his squad.   Perhaps people like Denis Odoi (and all those who got to Wembley) can foster whatever it was in 2017/18 that made FFC so resilient in that Derby tie, but to talk of resting other than through the needs of SAR-CoV-2 player management care, would IMO, be a mistake.  The squad needs to know that FFC players have been there and done this before and they have tales to tell which will lift spirits and focus minds on the need to play as a team throughout however many games we get to play.

[Andy S]

Players do not need a rest. However players who haven't played need game time. It is about keeping the whole squad sharp