Poor Subs

[Evertonized]

Just wondered if everyone was a bit confused about Martinez this season.

Last year, he mastered substitutions, game in, game out! This season though is a completely different situation.

In at least four games I've seen, he's been very defensive or just plain right stupid with replacements coming on who do nothing or very little.

Has something changed, or has he just got a poor bench this season?

 

[ijjysmith]

He generally got it right last season.

This season not so much.

I'm not sure what else to say about it.

 

[Professor Toffee]

We had Deulofeu as an impact sub last season
We don't really have one this year

 

[roydo]

You tend to find them at the bottom of the sea. Ask Russia.

 

[Pienaar's gloves]

Substitutions are a bit of a lottery.

All there is to it really.

 

[Deleted member 28206]

He generally got it right last season.

This season not so much.

I'm not sure what else to say about it.

Great input m8

 

[ijjysmith]

Great input m8

Thanks mate.

Still considerably more insightful than your football posts.

 

[Boss_Blue]

Has something changed

Rotating players due to European commitments has limited his options.

It's a self imposed limitation and we will see at the end of the season if it's worked or not.

 

[Deleted member 28206]

Thanks mate.

Still considerably more insightful than your football posts.

thanks m8

 

[Philw]

Can't say for last season, or much of this year, but i didn't agree with his changes today. If Eto'o and Miralles had to come off, then Pienaar should have come on instead of Osman imo.

 

[Dithering Dougie]

Yeah last season our subs seemed more effective and reactive but you've got to consider that we also had very few injury problems, this season our squads been hit very hard at times besides having to consider the added work load.

In short best not judge until we've got a fuller squad with more varied options in my opinion.

 

[mrb85]

Can't say for last season, or much of this year, but i didn't agree with his changes today. If Eto'o and Miralles had to come off, then Pienaar should have come on instead of Osman imo.

Definitely. If not then, then surely some time before the end, since we only used two subs yet Pienaar and Baines linking up would at least have changed our attacking focal point.

 

[toffeestillidie]

I have distinct memories of Martinez making substitutions last season that I thought were baffling, only for the player to end of scoring or being directly involved in a goal. I also have memories of him making the substitutions that I think are sensible, but those substitutions don't work out.

Today was an example of him making a strange substitution that didn't work. It looks bad in isolation, but not when you consider the frequency of the two other types of events. At the end of the day, we just don't know the team or the game as well as he does.

 

[riddick]

He made changes at halftime more than a few times last season. This year it's essentially like clockwork, 60min.

 

[raib]

The starting line up for me was wrong. Eto should have been on the bench and used as a sub in the second half. I would have started with Osman.

Barkley last season played behind Lukaku, now he plays on the wing (this is not working). Barkley has a killer pass on him, and we need him to play behind Lukaku.

If we are going to pass pass pass, we need to play it much faster. At times we were running out of ideas.

Another game where take the lead and let the other team back in with very bad play (giving the ball away).
If our midfielder need to make sure they play the correct pass, because if they lose it Coleman and Baines are out of position, then we are likely to concede.

Spurs had a plan to press us, and make our midfielders lose the ball. Other teams will work on this more.