1. If a player's carrying an injury, like Claudio Cacapa against Portsmouth, and you have a fully-fit option in reserve, play the reserve. Likewise, don't throw half-fit players straight into the team, especially if, like Joey Barton, they play as box-to-box midfielders.
2. Play the man in form, not the one with the superstar name.
3. Unless it's absolutely necessary, never play anyone out of position. This leaves your side unbalanced, and people playing against their instincts. In extreme cases, it results in moments of frustration like Joey Barton's yesterday (Stevie Gerrard used to do exactly the same, only TV pundits didn't draw attention to it half as often).
4. If a player is not putting enough effort in, name and shame him publicly. If, on the other hand, a player makes a genuine mistake in the course of a game, never criticise him in the media: keep everything in-house. All you end up with is a demoralised player, making even more mistakes.
5. Play to your strengths. If your best players are attackers, gear your side to giving them service. If you rely on the weak link in your team, and it buckles, then the blame lies with you alone.
6. When you move from one club to another, unless you bring your whole playing staff along with you, be prepared to adapt your tactics.
7. When the opposition is rocking, go for the jugular. It only takes a second's play in your penalty area - as happened at Reading, and almost again yesterday - for you to lose what you're trying to hang on to. Take advantage of the opposition's weakness; if you don't, they invariably end up taking advantage of yours.
8. If you play every away game looking for a draw, you'll lose more often than you win.
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