That's the problem with the new format, though. There's no way for players to be up to full fitness after the summer break, and there's no other option for pre-season games before the league starts.
So what's the answer?
For a squad our size, the only answer is to walk the tightrope between winning games and getting players minutes. I'm sure if there was a better way a lot of clubs would be delighted to hear it, as you can see from the group results, it's a common issue. Unless we do well enough to come in at a later stage of the competition, we are going to have the same problem every year.