Ricardo Pereira, Demarai Gray’s rest/rotation for Leicester City explained

Ricardo Pereira and Demarai Gray were dropped, or rested, for Leicester City’s visit to West London on Wednesday, in a 1-1 draw with Fulham. Is it just rotation or is there something more to it:

Employing a rotational policy is nothing new in the Premier League. Especially around the match-congested festive period of the season. In fact, clubs like Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City utilise the majority of their large, world-class squads regularly at anytime of the campaign. Generally, Leicester City, and the like, only rest important players in December and sometimes due mainly to injuries as well as fitness.

Claude Puel rested or dropped – depending on how you view it – Ricardo Pereira and Demarai Gray on Wednesday at Craven Cottage. Luckily, Gray came on for Fousseni Diabate with 35 minutes remaining and made an impact – supplying a key pass to Shinji Okazaki who assisted James Maddison’s equaliser. Full-time saw a point-a-piece for the Foxes and Fulham. The Cottagers’ latest manager, Claudio Ranieri, was at Leicester City in the premiership title-winning term as boss.

Recent results have featured a familiar theme: slow starts and goals in the second-half of games. Yes, Puel’s side are one point away from Everton in 6th, with the same goal difference. But some fans feel – despite tragedy only six weeks previously – that the Foxes have missed chances in games, are sluggish first-half and lack a killer instinct. This is, of course, completely understandable since some staff and players even received, or are receiving, grief counseling.

Impact substitutions for Leicester City

Most noteworthy about these scenarios not simply being rotational, is the fact that this season Leicester City constantly score post-interval and substitutes often make significant contributions when introduced into the last 3rd of a contest. Is Puel deflecting his ploy ingeniously so it stays deceptive? Probably not, but faith in the 57-year-old is here from Foxes of Leicester.

Puel’s statement on Ricardo and Gray on the bench:

"“I wanted to maintain all our players available.“We had some difficulties to prepare for this game with some injuries.“We have some difficulties, some pain with Jamie Vardy and Jonny Evans, with some other players and I wanted to keep all my players without problem playing all the games we can every three days in December.“I was happy to see again Simpson, again, for example.”– Claude PuelVia: Leicester Mercury"

So, it is a combination of two reasons; seemingly astutely. Not just to keep vital regulars of the team fit and healthy, but rustiness won’t be tolerated from the players whom come in to replace them. Therefore, a preemptive measure of integration is favoured by the Frenchman.

Questions arose as the team was announced the usual one hour before kick off for the Fulham clash; because the Portuguese and Englishman were absent, and are part of Puel’s preferred starting XI.

Tottenham Hotspur travel to the East Midlands to play Leicester City on Saturday at the King Power Stadium. Don’t expect Puel to rest any of his best side at all against Spurs; lesser teams need their foremost versus preeminent opposition. For example, Harry Maguire is available, but may not be risked to start following injury; if fully fit he would start. Rachid Ghezzal and Jonny Evans are also ready to return.