Jon Dahl Tomasson says Rovers’ stretched squad means he can’t make wholesale changes for Tuesday night’s FA Cup tie at Leicester City – but wouldn’t make any complaints about the scheduling with a quarter final spot up for grabs.
Rovers play their ninth game in the space of a month when they face the Foxes, with a crucial Championship game on the horizon as they host Sheffield United in the lunchtime game on Saturday.
Tomasson will be without Thomas Kaminski, Daniel Ayala, Scott Wharton and Bradley Dack because of injury, while Sorba Thomas is cup-tied and Ben Brereton suspended.
That will restrict the number of changes that Tomasson can make, but the likes of Ash Phillips, Tyler Morton, Jake Garrett, Ryan Hedges and Jack Vale will all be hoping for an opportunity at the King Power Stadium.
Rovers have based themselves in the Midlands, rather than returning to Brockhall, after the weekend win at QPR.
But the head coach said he hadn’t thought much of his selection for the Leicester tie before the QPR game had ended.
“First of all getting through (QPR), that was the main thing,” he said.
“It’s well known that we are a bit stretched, we have seen a lot of games and in the other cup we did a good job, got to the last 16 having beaten West Ham before losing to Nottingham Forest.
“I changed 11 players at the time, I can’t change 11 players at this time because we don’t have that many, so we need to find the right balance within the squad.”
Rovers reached the last 16 of the Carabao Cup before defeat to Nottingham Forest when Tomasson switched all 11 players.
That fixture took place ahead of the busy festive fixture list, while the Leicester tie comes after a packed schedule and with at least four more games still to play before the March international break.
Yet Tomasson said: “I would never complain about playing for a quarter final, never, because that shows the players have done an excellent job.
“I think in both cups the lads have done an excellent job, a big credit to the players.”
Rovers welcomed Harry Pickering and Brereton back into the squad at the weekend, but neither got on the pitch after their recent hamstring concerns.
Brereton won’t feature at Leicester as he serves an FA Cup suspension, while Tomasson will weigh up whether to include left back Pickering.
“It was good to have Harry and Ben back on the bench, but good not to have to use them,” he said.
“It was also happy that I could save Ben’s legs.
“Hopefully Harry can be involved but let’s wait and see. I need a couple more days to give a better answer.”
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