Like it or not but......................

[PSR]

Billy Davies seems to have this rotation system right.

I have read plenty on here who says they don't like it and fair enough, but let's look at some of the facts..........

Not counting Bennett because he's been out all season but we only have The Moose down lame at the moment and so we go into January and this weekends Cup match with virtually a full squad.

I've been going around all the other OS Sites in this division and looking at what players are out at the moment for other clubs and to be honest we are head and shoulders better off than many of them.

By resting players in rotation means players are keeping fitter longer - Tyson & Earnshaw who are generally on the treatment table at this time of year are actually FIT. Earnies recent injury that kept him out for a while was picked up whilst with Wales so that wasn't actually down to us.

Sometimes I get to the match and when I see the side announced I get a bit disappointed because he might have dropped Anderson/Earnshaw or Blackstock to the bench but at 5 O'clock when the result has gone for us once again I wonder why I was concerned.

For those who are still not sure about Billies rotation system just look at where we are and the players we have at our disposal every match - It seems to me he knows his job and I think things will improve even more within this next couple of month.

In Billy I Trust.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

The thing with it is it's selective roatation. The back four, the keeper and McKenna are all set as they are (fitness and suspension allowing) it's only attacking wise we've seen players rotated.

What will worry me is if we do bring in defensive options and then rotate them as the defensive side has been so solid thus far and I'd venture it was from playing together and moulding into a defensive unit as opposed to 6 good defensive players.

Billy Davies sides traditionally get stronger towards then end of the year and I'm really struggling to refrain from getting carried away as we'll have plenty of fresh legs using the system we currently do and as I said at the start of the year the best thing about our rotation is the variety we have going forward. We can pick from a huge number of possible variations to suit the team we are coming up against, some think the best two should always start but somethings Adebola and McGoldrick might be more effective than Blackstock and Earnshaw and so far Billy has mostly got it right and this is because the man does his homework brilliantly.

 

[winnits]

I don't think it's ever rotation for rotation's sake with Billy - he picks his sides very carefully based on our opponents.

 

[PSR]

The thing with it is it's selective roatation. The back four, the keeper and McKenna are all set as they are (fitness and suspension allowing) it's only attacking wise we've seen players rotated.

What will worry me is if we do bring in defensive options and then rotate them as the defensive side has been so solid thus far and I'd venture it was from playing together and moulding into a defensive unit as opposed to 6 good defensive players.

Billy Davies sides traditionally get stronger towards then end of the year and I'm really struggling to refrain from getting carried away as we'll have plenty of fresh legs using the system we currently do and as I said at the start of the year the best thing about our rotation is the variety we have going forward. We can pick from a huge number of possible variations to suit the team we are coming up against, some think the best two should always start but somethings Adebola and McGoldrick might be more effective than Blackstock and Earnshaw and so far Billy has mostly got it right and this is because the man does his homework brilliantly.

Our back four are solid so we don't need to rotate in that area, plus the fact it's not defenders so much that get injured (they're the ones dishing it out)

Your front men and the midfielders are the ones that generally pick up the knocks from the cloggers at the back within the oppositions side.

Our 2 fullbacks are more vulnerable because of their speed down the wings than our 2 central defenders. Tyson/Anderson/Earnshaw & Majewski are all quick players that would get tackled and injured the most, so it is these four that has seen to have been rotated more than the others.

McKenna & Cohen are more steady than speedy and that is why they haven't come into this rotation system.

The rotation up front between Earnie/Blackstock/McGoldrick & Adebola is not so much 'who can he rest' but Billies choice of who will do the best job against the opposition they face.

Either way - wether it's tactics or resting players it seems to be working for me (or should I say for Billy and NFFC).

 

[garrilla]

I don't think it's ever rotation for rotation's sake with Billy - he picks his sides very carefully based on our opponents.

I guess this is largely true, but I feel that he is rotating the 'pace' players - Ando, Tys, Earnie. Because they really do need to recover after their exertions.

The interesting thing that your comment generates, which is pertinent to PSR's origianl question, is in the past there was a lot of critism of previous managers, Colin especially, for taking too much notice of the opposition. You will recall many people chanting the mantra 'think of your own game, not the oppositions'. Billy clearly considers the opposition in much depth and rotates in this light.

So its very interesting that people are not moaning about this much 'respect' for the opposition.

 

[winnits]

I suppose they will moan when the results don't follow.

Whilst I agree you should play your own game - we've seen that Forest have a few different faces this season, there's no harm in tweaking your own game to better suit the team you're facing (or rather, to not suit them!).

 

[Benchwarmer]

In Billy I We Trust.

 

[PSR]

I guess this is largely true, but I feel that he is rotating the 'pace' players - Ando, Tys, Earnie. Because they really do need to recover after their exertions.

The interesting thing that your comment generates, which is pertinent to PSR's origianl question, is in the past there was a lot of critism of previous managers, Colin especially, for taking too much notice of the opposition. You will recall many people chanting the mantra 'think of your own game, not the oppositions'. Billy clearly considers the opposition in much depth and rotates in this light.

So its very interesting that people are not moaning about this much 'respect' for the opposition.

Very true.

In Calderwoods case he could only go with what he'd got. He had a small squad and on many occasions played with square pegs or the walking wounded. At the end of our promotion season from Div.1 all of our players were that knackered they needed all summer to rest up for the next campaign in the Championship.

I remember Holt & Tyson coming back for the start of that season still injured from the previous one.

Wether we like Billies rotation stratergies or not, our team is were it is today because of it and to have players ready to jump into an injured or suspended shirt is a great bonus compared to the bad old days under Calderwood.

 

[PSR]

I Trust - We Trust. ]

No: I trust - It's up to you and the others who you trust. ;D

 

[Benchwarmer]

No: I trust - It's up to you and the others who you trust. ;D

:nowink: I and you = we.

 

[PSR]

:nowink: I and you = we.

Stop it......................... :leacock: You'll have everyone talking. ;D

 

[goatboy]

You will recall many people chanting the mantra 'think of your own game, not the oppositions'. Billy clearly considers the opposition in much depth and rotates in this light.

Calderwood at first principles did think of his own game - he had a thin squad that on its day could play a certain way and be good, all the pieces fitted together but only one way - and that's where opposition tactics could neuter us so often. When it occasionally came together his side was sound enough - there's not enough respect to the opposition there for my liking. No system is foolproof, Alex Ferguson has his best eleven and preferred formations but he alters things, drops talent as he needs to. Paul Hart similarly had a team who wouldn't adapt to the low punches in a scrap with, say, Sheffield Utd and it cost us a crack at promotion. Attacking xmas tree formation - lovely, again on its day. Clough in the relegation season had his 1977 hat on and ploughing your own footballing furrow worked back then but in later yers Alan Hill and Archie Gemmil were sneaking tactics to Pearce so he could tell the boys - because football is as much chess now as it is pick your eleven in a 4-4-2 and play to your principals.

Davies then will only sign players who play in the Forest way, but principles established he then ensures he's got the cover to rotate according to the opposition and venue. In the modern game it's how you succeed and we've proved this by succeeding. It's the first time the club has ever had a modern approach and we're showing our size and potential now we're playing the game. But even after Clough, Clarke's team lost its bollocks after Collymore went... again the focus was on one way, one target man and it's been a long decline, coma and recovery since. Davies has it both ways - and that's why we are where we are. Kelvin Wilson is no Michael Dawson but we're not missing him right now, are we?

 

[Kier]

The thing with it is it's selective roatation. The back four, the keeper and McKenna are all set as they are (fitness and suspension allowing) it's only attacking wise we've seen players rotated.

What will worry me is if we do bring in defensive options and then rotate them as the defensive side has been so solid thus far and I'd venture it was from playing together and moulding into a defensive unit as opposed to 6 good defensive players.

Billy Davies sides traditionally get stronger towards then end of the year and I'm really struggling to refrain from getting carried away as we'll have plenty of fresh legs using the system we currently do and as I said at the start of the year the best thing about our rotation is the variety we have going forward. We can pick from a huge number of possible variations to suit the team we are coming up against, some think the best two should always start but somethings Adebola and McGoldrick might be more effective than Blackstock and Earnshaw and so far Billy has mostly got it right and this is because the man does his homework brilliantly.

There's no need to rotate the back four and keeper when they have gelled so well and have such a fantastoc defensive record. Wes and Wilson work so well together at the back that Billy will always pair them together when fit.

Gunter and Shorey are also probably the best pair of full backs in the league at the present time. With such a solid unit, it will not be tinkered with.