Substitutions (or lack thereof)

Mr_Miscellaneous

Well-Known Member
For some unknown reason, we seem to be holding off on making substitutions until their effect on the game is completely negligible. If anything, our lack of substitutions in recent games has lead to us giving away the initiative and become incredibly reactive in games, like the second half of todays game.

Aside from Hagi's injury in the first game of the season, every single substitution we have made in League games this season has been after 65 minutes.

In the last three league games, our earliest substitution was on the 73rd minute.

We seem to be leaving it later and later in games to make changes even when our team are playing more games and accruing more minutes on the pitch than our opponents due to our team's involvement in internationals, European competition and Cup ties.

I simply cannot understand why we are still refusing to make substitutions in games even when it is clear the game is starting to change due to fatigue drawing mistakes from our team. I know Gerrard has "never been good with subs" but I thought this "leave it to the 80th minute and maybe change it" attitude went away last season. If anything it's getting worse and we're holding onto subs like they're a valuable commodity to our own detriment.
 
I fear that they don't actually know how to change a game.

Have yet to see a change made that effected the game because of the tactical change or formation tweak.

Too close to the players ? - not got the cold steel needed to take a guy off after 30mins if playing shyte ?

Has been a weakness since day 1 and doesn't seem to be going away
 
For some unknown reason, we seem to be holding off on making substitutions until their effect on the game is completely negligible. If anything, our lack of substitutions in recent games has lead to us giving away the initiative and become incredibly reactive in games, like the second half of todays game.

Aside from Hagi's injury in the first game of the season, every single substitution we have made in League games this season has been after 65 minutes.

In the last three league games, our earliest substitution was on the 73rd minute.

We seem to be leaving it later and later in games to make changes even when our team are playing more games and accruing more minutes on the pitch than our opponents due to our team's involvement in internationals, European competition and Cup ties.

I simply cannot understand why we are still refusing to make substitutions in games even when it is clear the game is starting to change due to fatigue drawing mistakes from our team. I know Gerrard has "never been good with subs" but I thought this "leave it to the 80th minute and maybe change it" attitude went away last season. If anything it's getting worse and we're holding onto subs like they're a valuable commodity to our own detriment.
I agree wholeheartedly but I also question the subs. Bringing in too late is one thing but zero impact is a bigger problem. Mind you the two go hand in hand, time to settle is key and 10 minutes don't cut it
 
I fear that they don't actually know how to change a game.

Have yet to see a change made that effected the game because of the tactical change or formation tweak.

Too close to the players ? - not got the cold steel needed to take a guy off after 30mins if playing shyte ?

Has been a weakness since day 1 and doesn't seem to be going away
It's more the "30 minutes to go, some guys are flagging because of playing too much football and some because they haven't played enough football" and then nothing changes for another 15 minutes that's the problem in my eyes.

After 60 minutes; Davis looked done for the day and was making loads of errors, Wright had stopped making an impact on the game completely and Simpson was starting to get over-run and started making errors.

I'm not saying "Triple substitution!" or anything like that, but everyone could see that we stopped winning 50/50's, people were getting caught out of position and the game was getting stretched when we only had a 1-0 lead. It was time for at least one change and we just did nothing.

If we switch Davis and Simpson for Lundstram and Balogun, do we make the tired errors that high up the pitch that cost us the win? It's a hypothetical but I don't think we do.
 
A large percentage of the time there is basically no point in bringing on a sub at 80 minutes to try and change a game.

If at 60 odd minutes nothing has changed, get folk hooked and change the system don't just watch more of the same.
 
Leaves the subs far too late, giving the subs little to no time to make an impact.

How many times did we see Itten come on and crosses into the box stop ?

We just aren't the same team without Morelos, that's no dig at Sakala who had a decent enough game but what Morelos brings to our team there's no other player in the squad that can replicate that. The problem is we play the exact same way regardless of personal and, at times, it doesn't work and isn't pleasant viewing.
 
Leaves the subs far too late, giving the subs little to no time to make an impact.

How many times did we see Itten come on and crosses into the box stop ?

We just aren't the same team without Morelos, that's no dig at Sakala who had a decent enough game but what Morelos brings to our team there's no other player in the squad that can replicate that. The problem is we play the exact same way regardless of personal and, at times, it doesn't work and isn't pleasant viewing.
One of the most frustrating things I'd ever seen was that St Mirren Cup game last season.

70 minutes of trying to tippy-tap the ball into the box for a tap in with Itten against a wall of bodies and then lumping the ball from deep to Defoe.

Madness.
 
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