Caley Thistle manager John Robertson says every player has an important role to play as he continues to rotate his squad during a busy spell of fixtures.
Inverness will play their fifth match in a fortnight when they host Queen of the South in the Championship on Saturday, with the chance to go level on points with the fourth-placed Doonhamers with a victory.
Robertson had enjoyed the luxury of being able to pick a largely settled side during the Highlanders’ seven-match unbeaten run earlier in the campaign, however he says the onset of fixtures has forced him to shuffle his pack.
Robertson made five changes to his side for Tuesday’s 4-1 victory over Falkirk, from the side that went down 1-0 at St Mirren on Saturday, and the Caley Jags boss said: “Looking at the run of 10 clean sheets in 12 games we had, we didn’t really change the team much at all.
“But we spoke to the players pre-Christmas, as we knew we had a really tough run. We had Morton on December 23, then Brechin which was the start of five games in 15 days.
“We told them to work hard – especially up front – because there was going to be rotation.
“We wanted to bring players in and bring players out, so they had to be ready to go and do it, and to be fair to them they have.
“They have taken it on board and they know that some are going to be sacrificed.”
Robertson says the impact of his substitutes on Tuesday has given him a selection dilemma for the visit of Queens at the weekend, with Aaron Doran setting up John Baird for the late fourth goal against the Bairns.
Robertson added: “Aaron was the perfect example on Tuesday. He had started the last two games and we said to him he wouldn’t start on Tuesday, and we will look at him again towards Saturday.
“He understood that, and John Baird has worked tirelessly all season for us, so he’s been having a rest. But he came on and showed the bite we’ve been after to go and get his goal.
“Big George has waited patiently for his chance and he has taken his chance now.
“That’s what we want – competition for places all over the park. We want everybody knowing they’ve got a job to do and everybody being prepared to do it when they get the chance.”