Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has always been a big advocate of squad rotation, making good use of every single man in his 25-strong squad.
He has shown this to great affect this season, rotating the team heavily for each game around the hectic Christmas schedule.
The best example of this is comparing the Everton game to the Bournemouth match at Wembley.
Spurs smashed Everton 6-2 at Goodison Park, before making four changes to the side and still winning 5-0 on Boxing Day against Bournemouth.
What this does is makes every player feel involved in the team, as well as keep the key players fresh for each time they start.
Some of the guys have been playing more than others though, for example, Harry Kane, Moussa Sissoko, Harry Winks, and Toby Alderweireld, who have all played near enough every game due to a lack of other options.
Poch was asked in his press conference whether anyone has asked for a rest.
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He said (Football London): “You know very well that the players always want to play. When they’re tired, the same. They try to manipulate you and convince you that they’re ready. Sometimes for us it’s so tough to discover the real state and level of the players.
“But of course that is a very good signal for us, that all the players want to play, no-one wants to rest.
“Dele yesterday was involved in the squad but after was out of the 18. But this morning he said to me, ‘Gaffer I’m going to be ready.’ I said, ‘Relax, you need to train this morning and then we’ll see tomorrow and assess you’.
“But that is a very good signal, that all the players want to be involved. That increases the level, the competitive level in the squad and for sure helps to get good results.
You know very well that it’s so important. Like yesterday, Kyle Walker-Peters had three assists after 20 minutes and it was his first start of the season in the Premier League. It’s important to believe in all the players and for them all to be ready to compete.
“All the players can be decisive, maybe if they play one game or two games or three games. That is so important. That is why if you want to achieve big things or win a trophy you need the whole squad and always we believe in that and we’re going to believe always in that way to work.”
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