Moyes admits he’s in danger of breaking players

At last, at long, long last David Moyes has come close to honesty on squad tiredness by admitting if he’s going to keep flogging the same players all the time he is in danger of breaking them.

I say close to honest because the truth is – as so many fans agree that – has been the case  week in week out for nearly two seasons.

What he didn’t say after making nine changes for the game at Brentford today was that none of them did anything more than look like a cast of extras in a very poor piece of football theatre.

He explained that there was fatigue in the squad. He added that winning against Manchester United had given some breathing space,

So we assume that to be the justification. What can’t be justified was the lack of any real performance level from what was effectively a reserve team which included several if his new signings.

He said: “If I’m being honest, if I’m going to keep flogging the same players all the time then I’m going to break them and that’s wrong.

We had an injury to Mick [Antonio] today because I’m sure he’s been putting in the miles in the games and I just don’t want it to be anybody else. That was the risk [I didn’t want to take].

The three points against Manchester United gave us a little breathing space. We aren’t completely safe yet, but that gave us the opportunity to do it. We’ll now go into the semi-final, I’ll dust myself down today, get myself back on it tomorrow and we’ll go in there hoping to reach the final.”