Substitution-itis

[VindePays2009]

I'm getting worried about Steve's instincts for game-changing substitutions. Or lack of.

Last night's script could have been written in advance. I predicted (not on the site) that Zoko would score early doors, as he's on fire at the moment, and also, he's all that Stevenage have got. He duly obliged (Ellis at fault?).

Still, no immediate worries with our recent good record for attacking and scoring away from home. Surely one goal would come, and keep us nine points clear? No need to be greedy.

But the goal didn't come, and they parked the bus. Time for a sharp substitution, methinks.

Oh, from only five. How did that happen? But anyway, Vadaine was on the bench, so since it was cow's backside and banjo time among the other forwards, why not have him on with twenty-five minutes to go?

He needed the show of confidence. He'd been a "plonker" in getting sent off in the Derby U21 game, it was said, but luckily a ban did not apply to League matches.

I think the stats said he came on i

[AstonAlex]

This is just of the commmandments that Dario brought down the mountain and handed on to his successors. As long suffering Alex fans know all too well these include:

The goalkeeper shall not leave his area to come for a cross;
The GK shall not throw the ball out but shall hold onto it and kick it long to the worst header of a ball in the side (maybe that's why Martin was released! - tongue firmly in cheek);
Only a full back shall take throw-ins;
No more than 2 players shall make a move for the ball at a throw-in;
Thou shalt not leave a player upfield when defending a corner;
Thou shalt not make a tactical substitution until it's too late, and preferably not until the 85th minute;

I could go on . . the only one that SD seems to have ignored is "Thou shalt not shoot from outside the box, but try to pass the ball into the net", although perhaps that's because Chuks wasn't brought up in our Academy. . . . .

[MikeSB]

Anyone that makes subs like that needs to think a bit more about what they are doing, especially when they need to get a goal. 30 mins is the minimum a player needs to get into the game.

The only reason for making late changes are injury and if you are leading and want to shore up the defence a bit. Otherwise its really pointless. What is wrong with making changes at HT anyway if its needed? Making subs in the last 5 or 10 mins is not fair on the subs themselves.

Steve needs to get back to thinking more about what is needed and why.

[AlexLeicester]

I'll try and be fair to Steve, but it's going to be difficult.
1. Throwing the ball rather than kicking it has, in fact, been quite common in recent months. It's a lot less of a problem now we have a proper goalkeeping coach.
2. Throw-ins: The inability to make a throw-in an advantage is, it seems, reserved for the First Team. At the U21s a day before almost every throw-in was taken quickly, positively and effectively.
3. We seem to have a rash of injuries at the moment and the five subs, rather than seven, may have been the reason.
4. Billy Waters played most of Monday afternoon's game, so maybe he was tired? That said, so did Nolan, and he started.

At heart, I agree that our 'policy' on substitutions has been, at times, woeful. Maybe last night SD felt that he still had the best 11 out there, even if they weren't scoring.

[itwasin]

Never known a team to have as many injuries as Crewe appears if they walk on to the pitch they get injured.
I get a little tired of also hearing about Players being tired! Tired 2 games in a week,if some of them dont shape up they will be tired getting up at 5am working for the Post Office as many have done before them.

[DGFG]

Substitutions continue to be hesitant and formulaic:

1. Took so long to get the clearly injured/out of sorts Inman off that we nearly conceded a goal when he failed to track the full back.

2. Nolan had no impact on the game and could/should have been replaced by Turton at half time. Harsh on a young lad, yes but no harsher than leaving Garratt out the other night.

3. He always changes the wide men and nearly always swaps the wide man that stays on to the other wing, two changes for the price of one but why?

4. When 1-0 down early in second half, could've dropped Aneke deeper, taken Nolan off and played Oliver alongside Pogba (I thought Pogba did quite well with limited service) - with our goal difference did n't matter at that stage if we lost 2-0,3-0.

Of course Steve is entitled to claim that the changes he did make changed the game - and he'd be right - but I just wish he'd be more proactive and positive with regard to substitutions.

On a positive note, did n't realize that Wat