Rotation, Rotation, Rotation: The Premier League's Tinkermen
After Manchester United decided to rest the likes of Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez, Nani and Anderson in their fierce rival clash with Liverpool this weekend, WhoScored investigates the sides in the Premier League who are utilising their squad depth the most, and for very different reasons.
We look at the teams who have used the most players, including substitutes and starters, and those who have tinkered with their sides the least in the first two months of the season.
Arsenal & QPR - The Forced and Unforced Changes
The findings show that Arsenal and QPR have used more players than any other side (27), with the Gunners in particular, hampered by a long injury list that has seen some of their young prospects rack up significantly more game time than expected.
Of the number of players used to date, eleven have been under the age of 23, proving that Arsene Wenger has been fully stretched during the tough start to the Londoners campaign after a number of big name departures this summer. Only goalkeeper Szczesny and captain fantastic van Persie, who pulled off heroic displays at either end of the pitch in the victory over Sunderland on Sunday, have started every game for Arsenal this season, with the likes of Vermaelen and Wilshere both picking up long term injuries.
Neil Warnock has used more players from the start than any other manager (23), despite settling on a more consistent XI since a busy end to the transfer window. Prior to the rush for signings in September, QPR had adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation, ringing the changes in defence after defeats to Bolton and Wigan. Since the arrival of the likes of Joey Barton, Rangers seem a more settled side, with the new captain having a crucial part to play in a change in tactic that has seen Warnock opt for a 4-3-3 formation in the last 5 games.
Beaten Villa May Finally Look to Rotate
In terms of the team with the fewest players used thus far this season, new Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish has been the most reluctant to change, fielding just 19 players in his first 8 league games in charge. The Scot's persistence with the same side may have been justified, with Villa having gone unbeaten in their last 7 games, prior to a humbling 4-1 defeat at Man City last weekend.
The loss may see McLeish have a rethink, having started with 6 ever presents so far this season, including Stephen Warnock, who was dropped for 19 games in succession at the end of Gerard Houllier's regime. The former Birmingham manager has used very few players despite changing his tactics to use 3 different formations over the season, deploying two holding midfielders and a lone striker away from home and switching to two up front at Villa Park.
Newcastle - If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It
High-flying Newcastle United’s starting XI is arguably the hardest to break into right now, having used more players from the start in every game this season than any other side (8 ever presents). The joint meanest defence in the league has conceded just 6 goals, and just 4 prior to last weekend, which has seen manager Alan Pardew reward the back-four of Simpson, Coloccini and Steven and Ryan Taylor with starts in every game so far.
Of the Magpies midfield only Gabriel Overtan is not an ever present, though he has started every game since the opener, while Demba Ba and Leon Best have developed a good understanding up front. A super strike from Shola Ameobi against Spurs could see their partnership somewhat disrupted, but it is clear to see that Pardew has a good thing going at St James' Park right now, having settled on a traditional 4-4-2 formation in the last 7 games. The manager has only used 14 players from the start of matches this season - the least in the league despite using 23 players overall.
The Strength in Depth of Champions
Manchester United's bench at the weekend was full of quality and goals - 16 of the 24 they had scored prior to the Anfield trip to be precise. The fact that Alex Ferguson could afford to rest so many stars and still escape with a point is testament to the magnificent squad he has to work with and it may have been somewhat demoralising for their fierce rivals to witness.
The Red Devils are the only remaining side in the league not to have a player who has started every game this season, and even keeper David De Gea has sat one out at the expense of Anders Lindegaard. Their use of 21 starters is joint second most in the league with Arsenal, many of whose changes have been through necessity rather than an apparent ability to boast against a side of the calibre of Liverpool.
Average is Best for League Leaders City
Despite coming behind to pick up a point against Liverpool, United did surrender their league lead to bitter local rivals Manchester City, and a look at the aforementioned categories analysed (players used, started and ever presents) shows that City have the exact same totals as the overall Premier League averages. Mancini has used 22 players, 18 different starters and deployed 4 ever presents in the league to date, having clearly found a rate of rotation which is working, on home soil if not in Europe thus far. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 2 of their 4 mainstays this season, Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure, make our WhoScored Ever Present XI for the Premier League (below).
