da betway： The FA Cup is back this weekend!
da bet nacional： That means it’s time for montages, overuse of the words ‘magic’ and ‘fairytale’ and a lot of vastly disappointing football matches. The glory of the FA Cup is peddled across by television companies, but that does little to hide the fact that it is way down the list of priorities for many clubs and the majority of fans.
We may be treated to a cracking fixture or two, but the likelihood is most matches will go the way that we expect.
A lot of teams have used the FA Cup as a rotation opportunity this season. Southampton were thrashed after changing their team, Chelsea have played almost completely altered line-ups and various other clubs have opted to field their fringe players or youngsters.
Arsenal’s young guns impressed, while Liverpool changed fielded a team of players and were eliminated, and there has been widespread criticism of such decisions.
Is resting players all that bad? Here are FIVE reasons it makes perfect sense…
Deserved Rest
During the intensity of a long, arduous season, players deserve a rest. It reduces the risk of muscular injuries and will lengthen some careers. Playing every match throughout the course of a season is physically feasible, but it carries risks that many clubs would rather not take.
Those who are committed to European football have an extra burden physically, too. The first-team squad has another six matches at least through the course of their season and many have even more fixtures piled into their schedules over the next few weeks.
Youth Opportunities
As the Premier League clubs are continuously encouraged to give opportunities to the best players from their academies, criticising them when they do so seems bizarre. The FA Cup – rightly or wrongly – is now a testing ground for youngsters and is a competition that clubs feel they can give these stars of tomorrow a chance to prove themselves, which should not be complained about.
Whether it’s Jeff Reine-Adelaide or Nathaniel Chalobah finally getting a run of matches for Chelsea, the FA Cup is a great showcase for the best talents.
Perfect Quality
Ultimately, Premier League clubs have enough strength on their benches and in their academies to win the majority of their FA Cup ties. When they face one another it can become a little like a reserve clash, but managers know they should be able to get into the latter stages of the competition without even forcing their key players to break a sweat.
Keeping your best players fit and still winning matches is one of the luxuries of squad depth. That is not something that should be criticised, it should be applauded.
Time to tinker
As a natural consequence of a competition being less important, managers will see it as a time to tinker with their squad. Whether it be a new formation, a change of tactic or giving different players a chance to prove their worth, FA Cup ties – often against weaker opposition – are an ideal opening for managers to test their squad’s limits.
Clubs in midtable might be preparing for next season – and should really see the FA Cup as a golden opportunity to lift a trophy – but even their rotation can be excused if it helps the manager long-term.
Bigger Fish
As much as we like to think the FA Cup has some sort of Hogwarts-produced magic, it is ultimately the third or fourth most important competition for the Premier League’s top clubs. For the teams in a relegation fight it is a firm second to the riches of securing their top-flight future.
That makes it the obvious target for squad rotation. With clubs prioritising greater riches or glories, the FA Cup is the window for their star players to take to the bench during the chilly winter months in the second half of a long, exhausting season.