Boss Paul Lambert has defended his rotation policy, believing that it keeps more of his players up to speed and ready to play and also that it should prevent burnout towards the end what will be a long League One campaign.

Lambert dismissed the suggestion that the policy doesn’t allow on-field relationships and chemistry to develop.

“No, because I trust them,” he said. “The great thing for any footballer is a manager that will trust you. If the manager doesn’t trust you then you think your days are numbered.

“I trust every one of them to perform, trust every one of them to play and that’s the biggest compliment I can give them - that I trust them to perform.

“It’s unfair on them if I have some guy playing 15 games and another guy one and then the guy with one game to play the same as the guy with 15 has done. It’s unfair.

“So I won’t put that pressure on the player and say he must play the exact same way as the guy that’s played 15 games, that’s so unfair.

“That’s why we try and keep everybody’s game time [up to a level] where we can get most of them up at the same number of games and we’ll be a better team for it.

“That’s why we made a conscious decision to get lads up to speed whether it’s through cup games [or otherwise].

“But it’s because I trust them, that’s the great thing, I trust them to do that. It’s not as if I sit here and think we’re weakened.

“I think, ‘OK, this is the team we’ll play for this game and this is the one we’ll play for that one’ and I trust them to perform.”

Lambert hopes the policy will prevent players suffering from the effects of a long season and the club might feel the benefit towards the end of the campaign: “Hopefully, yes. That’s the objective.”

Photo: TWTD

sotd78 added 13:10 - Oct 25 Using lots of players in and of itself is not really the problem. But what we saw on Wednesday was a really weird formation with players falling over each other and a clear lack of cohesion. That's nothing to do with individuals and everything to do with the way the team is set up. Loads of examples. Everyone in the box and no one closing the shot down; no outball. Two players challenging for one ball, two left sided players virtually tripping over each other etc etc.

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Suffolkboy added 13:34 - Oct 25 Assessment re ‘confusion' certainly mirrors press comments,and the ‘highlights ‘ seemed to reveal unfortunate gaps in positioning and in understanding . Now is that solely the system ,OR is it that players are a bit rigid ,not thinking things through on the pitch ,OR as can and does happen the team almost collectively just don't function coherently ? We STILL lack resolve and steel ,either in one dominant character to settle things down ,or a small group even who can take hold of the game and effect significant change . It'd be too easy to highlight individuals ,and no real good would come from apportioning blame BUT it is plain that performance levels here and there are not up to the technical and professional standards expected . None of this will escape PL and the coaches who will be finding ways to make improvement . COYB

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RobbieBobson added 14:24 - Oct 25 I understand why he's doing it, but it IS creating confusion on the pitch. This is the problem with a large squad, you have to keep everyone happy. Paul just needs to find the balance. It worked well in the first 11 games, but the last 2 have ruthlessly exposed the disadvantages. I still believe that we should stick to a system and a core of players and let the opposition worry about us.

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cat added 14:32 - Oct 25 I completely get where Lambo is coming from but if you rest key players for a Sunday game in light that there is a tougher fixture on the Wednesday and you lose both games then the gamble clearly ain't payed off. We have one of the biggest squads in the league so it's anyones guess how others are gonna cope with the L1 fixture list. Momentum is key and this has been lost
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Nobbysnuts added 14:57 - Oct 25 In that case all we will be doing is rotating around the top 8. Simple
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herfie added 15:18 - Oct 25 Ultimately it will be results - and to a lesser extent performances - that will validate or otherwise PL's decisions and actions. The last two performances will certainly have provided him with plenty of food for thought. We're in a fairly unsophisticated but strong, physical, league - decisions need to be made accordingly. They may not necessarily be what fit exactly with PL's ideal principles.

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OwainG1992 added 15:26 - Oct 25 I know he has to be careful what he says and we dont want him slagging off players. That being said I felt like I was watching a politician talking about brexit! I just wanted him to speak his mind not be so nicey nice.
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ashleylewis10 added 15:29 - Oct 25 I think it's fair to say he trusts them. Quite a lot
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Brockleyblue added 15:46 - Oct 25 I respectfully disagree, Paul. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. That policy always worked well enough for great Ipswich, Liverpool, Man Utd etc teams of the past.
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LonE17Blue added 16:36 - Oct 25 No disrespect to PL, but he does come across as a classic "People Pleaser" However, there are lots of dangers with this approach, though I don't think it is deliberate.
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dukey44 added 17:04 - Oct 25 Seriously???? Playing your best 11 week in week helps them surely.. Instead of keep changing players 4 or 5 changes a week..? Top playing winning teams play same 11 depending on injuries? We aren't going up this season then 😒😒😒
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runningout added 17:06 - Oct 25 if team is successful rotating then it's fine. We haven't had success yet. Realise the likes of Man City rotate and have lost. But they have achieved loads of late and won't lose many
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ITFCsince73 added 18:03 - Oct 25 2 defeats in 14 tells me Lambo knows what he's doing. A big win tomorrow will confirm my thoughts. Although over past 2 games there's some who need a kick up the Jacksy. Which I'm sure he's done.
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DifferentGravy added 18:20 - Oct 25 Yep im with you Brockleyblue. Ok, we need players to be able to come in when we have injuries, suspensions. But i dont agree with his justification at all. There have been international breaks to rest players and a number of cup games for starting players to sit out and squad players to make a name for themselves. There are even U23 games for fitness. Despite their last scoreline, Southend will be no mugs. They were 1-0 up against Donny then had two sent off. New manager to boot. We start tinkering again with formations, midfielders playing defence, 1 up front, using first team games to try and get players up to speed etc....we WILL get mugged. if theyre fit, play the best team in the correct positions, not Skuse at CB or Edwards(oh dear oh dear) at wing back.

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Lathers added 21:02 - Oct 25 PR Paul hasn't got it right this season on a number of occasions but he got away with it... up until this past week. He has got the best squad in the league FACT but I'm not convinced he is anywhere near the best manager in the league. He might be really really happy with how things have gone but we look a long way off being the powerhouse in this poor quality league that we should be with the playing staff at his disposal. Losing back to back games in L1 without scoring and playing like a L2 team... how did that happen. That's progress? We were lucky to beat Wimbledon, lucky to draw at Posh, held on at Burton, Fleetwood, Gillingham... the 3 nil at home to Shrewsbury against 10 men was hard work. I'm not panicking, I love this club, but I don't think PL is doing the wonderful job most people seem to think he's doing. If he doesn't select and play a consistent starting 11 we will have zero momentum if we go up and have to endure another miserable Championship campaign.

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timkatieadamitfc added 21:02 - Oct 25 And I'm with you differentgravy. Teams like Wycombe/Fleetwood who are doing well and haven't got the luxury of rotating must be wondering what the fekin he'll we are playing at. How come woolfenden can go out on loan and pretty much play every game(in THIS division) yet has to be dropped here, despite being our best cb imo. SURELY you play your best 11 if you can as playing a player who is not as good as others just to keep them up to speed/keep squad fresh or whatever reason is ludicrous(bar injuries of course) I don't want to be critical because season has been great so far but if we're honest we haven't played REALLY well consistently a lot this season. The games I've seen Sunderland/Tranmere/Mk dons we've been great one half and pretty much lousy the next, Rotherham and Accrington we didn't muster 10 mins across both games let alone a half. PLAY BEST PLAYERS ALL THE TIME WHEN POSSIBLE, everyone else in this league does, can you imagine if Peterborough dropped one of there front 2

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ITFCsince73 added 21:17 - Oct 25 Tim. Totally agree. Woolf is the best CB at the club. He spent last season in L2 with Swindon. He was highly thought of. And Premiership bound imo. The 1st name on the team sheet if it was my choice.
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timkatieadamitfc added 21:29 - Oct 25 Yes itfc73 your right it was l2,and probably right about premier bound, just hope it's with us!
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ITFCsince73 added 21:44 - Oct 25 He just needs to hold tight 20 months until he gets there with us. Being heavily watched each time he plays this season no doubt....
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ITFCsince73 added 21:51 - Oct 25 Same problem I expect with Downes, just broken into the England u20,s. Getting rave reviews. And would currently slot nicely into a top Championship team. In the club, we have to have trust....
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