Qwiss What does "hedge our bets" even mean in this context? We play Bayern on Wednesday, we'll obviously put out as strong a side as we can field.
Exactly. We'll obviously throw the kitchen sink at a CL semifinal, if we get there. If we get past Bayern, then we've got Wolves away this weekend, Chelsea midweek at the Emirates, then Spurs away in the fortnight before it arrives.
"Hedging our bets" is either irrelevant because we don't get a win in Munich, or it means something like Arteta choosing to squib the NLD when we may have our first league title in two decades still to play for.
Best and only policy is gonna remain what it has been of necessity: rotate in the handful of positions where we can pray it's not going to hammer our performances, and pray to wrap up league matches early and rest key players.
Can't see a change in that unless we drop points in two out of three of our next three league fixtures, in which case sure, if we're 6â7 points behind City with three left to play, send the reserves out for the second leg.
Let's say we're set to visit Spurs 4 points back from City and still in the CL. You'd have to despair if Arteta's thought process was "Ooh, I should start Vieira over Ădegaard"âthe sort of change that would risks a demoralising performance just as likely to knock our next efforts as Ăde not having fresh legs would be.
A better question would be who it might be sane to bench for a match âŚ
