Start players with "high" injury risk?

[danej]

Should one start players with "high" injury risk?

I am not very at experienced at FM. So far my rule of thumb is to only start players with "increased” injury risk or better. Partially to lower injury risk in the given match. Partially in order to prevent players getting jaded.

 

But I wonder whether I am too careful. My approach means heavy rotating, at least whenever the schedule contains more than one match per week.

 

With my approach, players seem to almost always show with "high" injury risk if they took part in more than two matches over the last 14 days, at least if their recent game time included 1-2 starts.

 

Thus my approach during a packed schedule with two matches per week for several weeks in a row typically means that I can't start my best players much more than 50% of the time.

 

My approach works rather well by the way, probably because I usually have good strength in depth. But still. It is slightly annoying to rest my best players as much as I do. I wonder whether it is necessary. I wonder whether my heavy rotation regime is the best way to get through a season without too much injury risk and jadedness.

I play Gegenpress by the way. And usually play in leagues with many matches during a season, Championship or League One. So quite a bit of rotation and squad depth is obviously needed no matter what. But I still wonder whether I am too cautious and rotate much more than I need to.

 

In case I should rotate less, how little rotation can I get away with?

 

I know from experience that too little rotation works quite poorly, at least long term. The players get jaded. Possibly more injuries as well, but I don't know regarding the latter. I any case I don't want to end up in the opposite ditch like I did in my first few FM saves. I don't want to rotate too little with the effect that I have problems with jaded players further into the season.

 

Edit: I never start players whose fitness it excellent/tired or worse. For me, that is too much in the opposite ditch.

 

But I wonder whether I should loosen up a bit and start players with allegedly "high" injury risk if they otherwise seem in good shape, fitness excellent/match fit or better.

Edited July 15, 2022 by danej

[Draakon]

Yes, if they're otherwise match fit (recovered from the last game) and not jaded.

Having good physios and sports scientists also helps to avoid injuries even if the risks are noted by your medical team.

 

"High" injury risk is not the worst. It could be "very high" as well and then you should consider if the player should play all 90 minutes or could be rested for a match.