How much squad rotation is ideal?

[zuber123]

My question is as the title. How does squad rotation affect how the team plays in the game?

I guess the 'team blend' in the match preparation ensures the whole first team gels well (which includes the reserves), so not sure if it is affected much.

IRL, squad rotation affects your team alot, particular areas such as defense. However, in the game I do tend to chop and change CBs at times and not really noticed too much difference.

Basically, I want to understand if there are hidden attributes such as one CB having a better understanding with another in the game, and how squad rotation is generally delt with. Anyone know?

Thanks!

[njengamn]

i don't know if its just me but generally chopping and changing constantly has not yielded good results for me. I found sticking to the same 11 week in week out was best and only changing one or two at most or otherwise changing my options on the bench. Don't know if thats just me. Was it the same for you.

[DirtyACE]

Rotation should be used sparingly if possible, or not at all. Basically, the more your main starting eleven players play together, the better and more consistent the results will be. If you absolutely have to rotate within the regular eleven, then I'd recommend to rotate no more than 2 or 3 players. However, I've also found that rotating the entire starting eleven is also possible. For example, playing in a domestic cup. You could put out an entirely different set of eleven players, ones that are not part of your regular starting eleven.

[zuber123]

Hey guys, thanks for the replies.

It definitely does make sense for rotation to lead to inconsistency but I was wondering how this is dealt with in the game.

For example, CBs require alot more understanding with each other than say the CB and the ST. Are there hidden attributes and is it more linked with players playing similar positions?

Also, I sometimes rotate a whole 'line' e.g. the back 4. This is to give my first choice back 4 a rest in easier games, and also because I have a strong squad (i.e. Arsenal with Gibbs-Djourou-Squillaci-Eboue is still good enough to beat many teams at home). Is this better than rotating one or two at a time?

[karlyboy666]

It seems to take your players longer to get use to the tactic your using, if you are chopping and changing all the time.

[Miguel Lourinho]

Rotation should be used sparingly if possible, or not at all. Basically, the more your main starting eleven players play together, the better and more consistent the results will be. If you absolutely have to rotate within the regular eleven, then I'd recommend to rotate no more than 2 or 3 players. However, I've also found that rotating the entire starting eleven is also possible. For example, playing in a domestic cup. You could put out an entirely different set of eleven players, ones that are not part of your regular starting eleven.

You will be able to do that, if your reserves play with the same tactic as for your first team

[Coentrao]

I rotate a lot to be honest specially when you are in a league where you don't have much rest or when you are in a continental competition to keep the entire team fresh, but i don't go and change the entire eleven.. just swap one midfielder and a winger without changing too much at once.

My center backs though i very rarely rotate only on cup games against considerably weaker opponents.

[PeeKay]

I also rotate a lot; especially when playing 2 games a week with my tactic (high pressing). I try to avoid starting players with condition of 95% or less; it avoids injures and degrading performance towards the end of games. I have a first 11 and a replacement for each position. Ideally, the replacement is good enough to play in the type of games they will be facing. For example, replacing Torres with Ngog against Accrington Stanley will be fine but not against games with Chelsea.

I don't believe squad blending has much to do with inconsistancy when squad rotation, there are other factors.

First, consider that your squad trains for days together before a match but they they haven't blended; yet playing togther for 90mins makes them pals? More likely is the team blends over time.

Second, the tactic you create has specifc roles assign that your first 11 is better suited so your best 11 players play better in you tactic than your replacement players.

Third, players that are playing well will have a higher morale than the player that are not getting games. Of course, if you are playing badly rotating very poor morale with ok players may stop a losing streak

Lastly, fourth, and probably the most importantly, you are replacing a important player with an inferior rotation player. They are not going to give you the same performance.

I would suggest only undertaking rotation policy if you are going to play a lot of games and then rotate consistantly with players that are capable for the games they are coming into. Try and have like-for-like players interms of suitability to roles they are playing.

[zuber123]

PeeKay, thats very very similar to how I do it. I actually have 3 sets of 11 - my first eleven, a second replacement (ideally good enough against majority of teams) and a youth 11, i.e. those that could possibly progress into good players.

As I'm playing as Arsenal, I have Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup all to juggle so rotation is definitely needed. Its just difficult knowing how much is too much!

Karlyboy - "It seems to take your players longer to get use to the tactic your using, if you are chopping and changing all the time. " - I'm pretty sure this isn't the case. I seem to remember reading in another thread that in the Match Prep, this applies for all first team players, which also includes reserves. Therefore, they should all theoretically get used to the tactic together.

The one thing I have noticed that my team has struggled slightly with is not when I only make a few changes but when I also change their roles. e.g. I may change the front three of AML, ST, AMR from say, Arshavin, RVP, Nasri who's roles are Inside Forward, Deep Forward, Inside Forward to Vela, Chamack, Walcott who's roles are Winger, Complete Forward, Winger.

Maybe this has more to do with the tactic such that the team are not so familiar with it, so I intend to create these two tactics separately and train them both in the match prep window, and see if this affects results in the future. Will let you guys know if this works or not!

[Ponting]

Hello young man

[Kawee]

I actually change my starting 11 every game. Yep, you heard me right, I change my starting 11 every game. This is when I'm playing one of the top teams (your Arsenal and Juventus of this world,) where I'm able to assemble 25 world-class players.

First of all, it keeps all 25 players happy.

Second of all, I don't see what the problem is. They all get one game a week, which if you think about it, is equal to what the starting eleven of a weak team gets by playing week in week out. So my teams consistently walk into games all of them +98%.

Third, They get used to each other because they play with the exact same 11 players every week.

Fourth, it makes it very easy to accommodate new players, and youngsters, as they get plenty of playing time in a well established side.

Basically I have:

2 sets of 11 players + 3 utility players who are always on my bench. These would be the guys like a defender who can play across the board (DL/R/C) or the guy who can play inside winger and as striker.

It worked wonderfully for me as I just marched onto every single championships every year. It got really boring actually.

[zuber123]

Kawee I did something similar with Arsenal on FM10. Took a couple of seasons to establish a good enough squad to do it though. Was thinking of trying to play FM11 a bit more realisticall though, and not have a ridiculous 25-man squad!