By Cap'n Scarlet
September 11 2006

Now the dust has settled on the Merseyside derby defeat, I was wondering what your views on rotation systems are. I personally hate them. We all know Rafa is a great manager, tactically aware and a great motivator but along with many foreign managers likes to rotate his players each week. Before I go on this is not a blame Rafa article, he's done a superb job in the time he has been here and I don't think there is anyone better for the job.

I've always believed that you pick your best starting line up and if things are going well week in week out, you stick with that. A bit like the old days.
If players are injured or suffer a drop in form over a period, they lose their place to a player keen to grab it with both hands. They then have to fight to get it back.
This may lead to a few unhappy and frustrated players sitting on the bench each week, but also, hopefully, a consistent winning team.

I've heard the "players get tired" and "its a long season" quotes before but during our many triumphant years we always played a strong team, and our best run of form last season saw less changes during that time.

Saturday saw several changes to our line up and the reasons I'm against it are:
1. Players are not tired yet after just 3 matches.
2. Players gelling together will take longer
3. Consistency is lost
4. Players may be "dropped" after doing well.
5. Our best players are not always on the pitch.

Also in a rotation system, why aren’t all players rotated. Reina wasn't rotated and neither were Carra or Sami last season.
I personally feel that’s why we drop points at times to the "lower" teams, because they have fielded a similar starting line up every week where as we have disrupted our rhythm.

As I said, not a knock at Rafa at all or sour grapes over this weekend, just interested to see if fellow reds felt the same way.