PALACE assistant manager Keith Millen says the club's squad players that aren't getting too much game-time at the moment need to be on their toes ready to step in throughout the Christmas period coming up.
Millen said he and manager Ian Holloway decided to give the squad a rest at the start of the week but wants every single player to be ready to take their chance if presented.
"We gave the lads an extra day of rest on Monday after a lot of travelling recently, but the important thing from my point of view is, because we haven't changed the team very often on the back of doing so well, the fringe players start missing out on game-time," he told Advertiser Sport.
"We need to make sure they're really fit and ready for when their chance comes, because in the Christmas period coming up you're going to need the whole squad to be match-fit.
"Quite often when you've had a lot of travelling, the subs have been there and you want to look after them, so we just want to make sure their fitness levels are topped up.
"We've just got to monitor each individual as to who needs a rest and who needs extra work, but they understand that and the reasons why.
"They have got to be ready when their chance comes."
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Millen said he and manager Ian Holloway decided to give the squad a rest at the start of the week but wants every single player to be ready to take their chance if presented.
"We gave the lads an extra day of rest on Monday after a lot of travelling recently, but the important thing from my point of view is, because we haven't changed the team very often on the back of doing so well, the fringe players start missing out on game-time," he told Advertiser Sport.
"We need to make sure they're really fit and ready for when their chance comes, because in the Christmas period coming up you're going to need the whole squad to be match-fit.
"Quite often when you've had a lot of travelling, the subs have been there and you want to look after them, so we just want to make sure their fitness levels are topped up.
"We've just got to monitor each individual as to who needs a rest and who needs extra work, but they understand that and the reasons why.
"They have got to be ready when their chance comes."
The contents of this article must not be reproduced without the permission of the Croydon Advertiser.
Follow me on Twitter for the latest news, exclusives and live match updates @AdvertiserSport
If you're on Facebook, please 'Like' our page at www.facebook.com/AdvertiserSport
And now you can watch our exclusive away video clips on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/AdvertiserSport