Cjay wrote: ↑Sun Dec 07, 2025 1:41 pm
Awkward man, I was being nice
Ok, he makes his 1st subs one of the latest as well according to an Athletic article earlier this week (and would have been even later but was done after the City game).
So the man had made late largely irrelevant subs.
Up until this week only Wolves had had less impact with their subs.
We've earned nearly as many points 2nd half in the last 3 as we had in the entire season before (still only Wolves have done worse 2nd half).
But it's a significant improvement so credit where it's due.
Nope you were making an error after googling the time of Leeds susbtitutions and basically copying what AI put where they mixed up average time of all susbstitutions not average time of first substitution. Has always been around the midpoint of the second half where he looks to make subs.
The trouble with stats though is sorting out the relevance. So say Slot makes changes earlier well maybe that is to keep his squad of expensively assembled 'superstars' happy. Farke made changes late in the last 2 seasons - well maybe that was because in most matches we were leading so there was more risk invovled making changes early. Up until a few matches ago we'd not lost under Farke after going in front - as such his timing of substitutions shows we didn't f*ck it up because of changes.
You can also look at the players we have available. Easier to say make an earlier sub if you have £50m+ players on the bench than say a half fit Gnonto or Dan James, or a Byram that you don't want to risk too much.
Yes there are times where maybe Farke could have reacted earlier, equally though that is using the adage of saying that making the changes earlier would have worked. Could just as easily backfired such as when Tanaka was brought on as a sub earlier this season and lost the ball as he wasn't at the intensity of those around him and we conceded.
I would say making a change when leading or holding on to a point and we keep the result is not, as you put it, an irrelevant sub.
Easier for a sub to have an impact when you have a Salah or Cole Palmer on the bench than say a Piroe or Nmecha - and that is not being nasty to either of them but there is a gulf in class and ability to make something out of nothing. The reality of the situation is that most of the teams that we consider to be closer to our level still have players on their bench that on ability would start for us.
