GH plans rotation to keep players fit

[PaulTheVillan]

Mirror Football

Gerard Houllier has stressed the importance of every member of Aston Villa's first-team squad and insists they all have a key role to play.

Houllier is keen to ensure his players stay fresh and sharp by making use of all of the talent at his disposal.

He has been impressed by the attitude of his players to improve during his month in charge ahead of Saturday evening's home clash with champions Chelsea.

Houllier said: "We have a squad of 20 to 25 players so not everyone is involved every week.

"But in football, we know we need everybody and everyone contributes to the final success.

"Some may not be called up for this game or that game but could appear in two weeks' time and be the hero.

"There are injuries, suspensions, lack of form. Sometimes the tactical approach to a specific game is different so you need different players.

"It is not my view to use the same 11 all the time because I think some players can get tired and you don't want to ruin their confidence.

"Sometimes you have to rest them because quite a number of players here are developing their game."

Houllier slowly but surely intends to make Villa into more of a passing side and has been using double training sessions to improve the fitness and technical levels.

He said: "We have a squad of good lads. They show a lot of application and a lot of professionalism.

"They have a good attitude and a liking to work, which is very important.

"They are eager too to learn, improve and progress."

[PaulTheVillan]

I very much like this line

Sometimes the tactical approach to a specific game is different so you need different players.

Doubt MON ever thought of that.

[wink]

[Namaste]

Encouraging comments...all hail King Houllier!

But seriously I like this statement -

Mirror Football

"It is not my view to use the same 11 all the time because I think some players can get tired and you don't want to ruin their confidence.

A dig at the previous deluded incumbent?

[adrenachrome]

We have a squad of good lads.

That sounds vaguely familiar.

[darren woolley]

I like gerard's way of thinking mon would never have thought of doing anything like this.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Good hopefully we'll see some of Ireland soon then

Maybe that's why Cuellar wasn't played against Spuds he was rested and not dropped, A concept that I think we weren't used to.

[Toronto Villa]

which is why it's important not too get carried away when players like Cuellar are dropped for Dunne. GH may have seen something tactically that would have led him to this decision. The fact that it didn't go quite as planned is going to happen from time to time, just as I would hope the great majority of the time, this type of planning brings us the desired results.

[ktvillan]

We have a squad of good lads.

That sounds vaguely familiar.

I thought that too.

It sounds a very different philosophy to the previous manager and one some of us have long been advocating.  Let's hope it works.

[mshurst]

I like this conference. It seems very promising.

A similar post has now been published on SkySports.

He's got his head screwed on, hasn't he!

[supertom]

Pretty much everything the fans have been griping about under O Neill's regime, Houllier seems to be attempting to address. I'm pleased that he's at least seen what we can all see and can try to address those matters.

I don't think we'll see Houlliers true team until next season mind. A lot of dross needs to be sold, and he needs a couple of windows to really get the team he wants. Not much can happen in Jan normally.

[hipkiss92]

About Fucking Time.

[freakypete]

mon had no plan b ,couldnt even use substituites correctly,houlliers tactically astuite,

[Confusious says]

We have a squad of good lads.

That sounds vaguely familiar.

I thought that too.

It sounds a very different philosophy to the previous manager and one some of us have long been advocating.  Let's hope it works.

as long as he did not say "a honest bunch of lads"

We have a squad of good lads.

That sounds vaguely familiar.

I thought that too.

It sounds a very different philosophy to the previous manager and one some of us have long been advocating.  Let's hope it works.

As long as he did noy say "a honest bunch of lads"!

[The Man With A Stick]

So we might actually get some points next April then?

The lack of rotation was the most frustrating thing about MON, for me.  It just made no sense whatsoever.

[not3bad]

I don't think we'll see Houlliers true team until next season mind. A lot of dross needs to be sold

I think we've got a pretty decent squad myself.  A bit thin maybe, but not much dross really.