All 10 Yorkshire managers are juggling squads through another three-game week in the relentless Football League but Hull City’s Liam Rosenior is looking forward to finding the right blend to beat Rotherham United, where Wayne Carlisle has had an early lesson in how difficult it might be getting some of his players to rest.
Both managers have decisions to make, the Tigers assessing Adama Traore’s fitness after Monday’s training, and Cyrus Christie and Jason Lokilo’s weekend cameos making strong cases to start.
“We were thinking about substitutions in the back line (on Friday) because of the players in there, their injury past, their age and everything else,” explained Carlisle, who was leading the team for the first time. “But actually, whenever those guys are in full swing it’s really hard to take them off the pitch.”
Having been given the squad depth he asked for in the summer, Rosenior has no complaints about a Saturday-Tuesday turnaround.
“It’s fine, it’s the Championship,” he said. “Playing on Tuesday gives you an extra day’s rest for the Saturday game (at home to Watford).
“I’m used to the Championship, that’s what makes it a really difficult league. It’s the same for every team. You have to travel, you have to be robust, you have to make sure you look after yourself right.
“I’ve got really good professionals in the dressing room who I know will look after themselves right.
“For me it’s about picking the right team for this game and then we’ll deal with Watford after that.”
Christie and Lokilo will be part of his thinking after their performances from the bench as the Tigers came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Swansea City.
PLAN: Caretaker manager Wayne Carlisle hopes Rotherham United can transfer the confidence from their draw with Leeds United to their away football
“Last week they gave me a dilemma whether they’d start (at Swansea),” said Rosenior, who expects to be without Ruben Vinagre for three to four weeks.
“Cyrus is a great professional and a great leader in the dressing room. He got two assists from right-back.
“Jason is someone I’ve wanted to use more but he’s picked up a few knocks and tweaks. He gives me the option to play with two wingers.”
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