Source: Team_Talk
Allardyce: Changes were necessary
Allardyce made 11 changes from the side narrowly beaten by Manchester United at the weekend for Tuesday night's fifth-round replay at Coventry.[LNB]And he paid the penalty as a Leon Best goal condemned them to a 1-0 defeat and earned the home side a quarter-final meeting with Chelsea.[LNB]But the former Newcastle manager admits he had to look at the bigger picture and a run of four league games in 13 days against Hull, Everton, Fulham and Arsenal.[LNB]Allardyce said: "If we had beaten Coventry, we would have had a run of Sunday-Wednesday-Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday games over the next fortnight with the Chelsea cup game in the middle.[LNB]"One group of 11 players cannot start and finish all those games in such a short time. Hence you've got to play your squad players when the opportunity comes around.[LNB]"Playing them in the cup and falling foul of the result is much easier to take than playing them in the Premier League and losing three points.[LNB]"Do I regret the changes? I have to think ahead. I have to be the man who looks at each individual game but then what is beyond that and then look at the position you are in in the Premier League.[LNB]"With the games that are now coming up for us, three points in the Premier League is much more important than a win against Coventry.[LNB]"The Hull game becomes one of our crucial games in the run-in. You have to think ahead."[LNB]Allardyce added: "Let's hope the good side out of this defeat is, after we get the rest period after playing next Wednesday night against Everton, we are able to show our physical attributes when we play Fulham away a week later.[LNB]"They have to play an FA Cup tie during that period and we have to try and take advantage of that. We do need to get something from the Hull, Everton and Fulham games - and then go onto Arsenal from there."[LNB]Allardyce was disappointed with his side's second half fade-out against Coventry and hopes it acts as a reality check for the fringe players given an opportunity.[LNB]He said: "These players need to overcome the disappointment and take a reality check in terms of what they need to do to get this club out of the position they are in.[LNB]"It is not about the football or the talent first. It is about the desire and battling qualities first and that allows them to then produce the talent. The talent just can't win a game on its own.[LNB]"What a lot of them have done for me is shown what they can or cannot do which means my selection process grows with experience every time a game goes by in terms of who I can trust the most.[LNB]"I need to trust the players from now on in terms of the performances they are going to give me. Unfortunately some of the second half performances at Coventry were well below par which has left me disappointed.[LNB]"I was disappointed they couldn't put the level of commitment in physically in the second half. Using your ability only comes after winning the battle.[LNB]"You can't win with your ability alone. Players have to realise it is about commitment and determination and physical attributes before ability. Ability only comes after that."[LNB][LNB]
