With Aston Villa’s Play-Off place for the campaign of 2018/19 already secured, plenty of fans have their own opinions about what kind of team selection head coach Dean Smith should make given we bring the regular Championship season to a close this coming Sunday as we welcome likely title winners Norwich City to Villa Park.
The early kick-off (all games begin at 12.30 for the final day) certainly isn’t a dead rubber affair from Daniel Farke’s point of view – there’s a three-point gap (only two on goal difference) between them and Sheffield United – so the title is all to play for.
From our side, it’s about momentum and remaining unbeaten for the season extension.
We already know John McGinn given his suspension situation won’t be risked, but with obvious wriggle room available in the EFL Rules when it comes to enforced absences, Smith must select ten players who were in the matchday 18 from Leeds.
So even if he wanted to, he’s unable to make wholesale changes unless we wish to invite at least a fine from the EFL for a breach of Regulation 24. A Regulation brought in after David Wagner’s Huddersfield side (2017) stuck two fingers up to the expectation of fielding your ‘strongest side’ as they made ten changes for the game against Birmingham, who took full relegation advantage with the three points.
“For any league match played on or after the fourth Thursday in March, any team sheet for a league game should include at least 10 outfield players who featured on the team sheet for the league match before.”
The Rule adds.
“In the event any club breaches the threshold, they may be charged with a breach of Regulation 24 and the matter will be referred to a disciplinary commission.”
The expectation is, it would only be a fine I believe, but there’s no precedent here that I’m aware of, and given the summer we had, and Financial Fair Play concerns, I really wouldn’t want to upset Steve Gibson (even though it would entertain me) again or push our luck further – if luck has in fact been pushed.
The poor bloke has got enough to worry about on Sunday as it is.
Add that to the fact that I can’t see DS taking any game lightly, mass changes simply won’t happen – especially as Norwich won’t have their feet up with the title still in play.
