In a 'normal' month it wouldn't be an issue. But we are chocker this month with games and we need to use the squad carefully.
Assuming we play the kids again in FA Cup, we have plenty of recovery time between all other matches of EFL Cup and Premier League, to be honest.
We play S'oton tonight - 11th, Scums 15th, Swansea 21st, S'oton 2nd leg - 25th, Chelsea 31st, Hull 4th of Feb.
And considering we have a few 1st team players coming back from injuries who are more rested, I think the first team, bar any tactical change, are more than capable of coping with those fixtures, including tonight's match.
In fact I think it would be nice to go full strength tonight (Phil coming on from the bench) and use this match as kind of a momentum builder for Sunday (I think we will twat them
), as the last time we played against those scums after a longer break, bloody internationals, we didnt quite find the rhythm to break the triple-decker of The Paranoid One.