Owzat wrote:Let's be open minded about this, we've had times without key players before and struggled without so why not try something different? It's not as if we'd be throwing him in at the deep end against one of the big(ger) clubs
But doesn't this merely highlight the fact that, as mentioned in the criticism of not doing so earlier and spending £25m on TWO full-backs, Rafa doesn't seem keen to give youth a chance - even off the bench and even when it is a player he brought here?!?!? The problem with Rafa's substitutions goes much further than just timing, it is just so bad it makes me almost wish he didn't bother.
Bench options - largely defensive, having a GK, full-back, CB and Spearing on the bench out of seven is just wasteful. I think the idea of seven was to give more options, Rafa just puts an extra defender or two on the bench. When he had five options he'd have had only the GK and CB. So he then takes off Degen and brings on SKRTEL
Timing - too late, normally around minutes 66-70. It comes across as an afterthought, as if we are playing well. Doesn't matter when if you are 2-0 up or even 1-0 up and playing well, but when we're behind or not playing well he still dallies. Sometimes it takes a goal around the 65 minute mark before he changes anything. Some seem to be token substitutions serving no purpose other than to perhaps waste time. Maybe with no real big artillery on the bench Rafa knows what he does won't make any impact so gives his starting XI more time, in which case why make a change at all!?!??
Purpose - is it clear how some of his substitutions are going to change a game? Bringing on Dossena/Aurelio for instance, either at LB or LM, how is that going to make a difference? I guess there is always fresh legs, but then surely all players on the bench have fresh legs but not all the changes make sense
Predictability - I'd love to know how many times it has been LM for LM as the first (choice) change ie when it isn't an injury replacement. As I've said before, he doesn't want to take off his darlings so he's narrowed down the options straight away, not often is it a defender/keeper, Torres, Gerrard, Kuyt or Mascherano so that only leaves like Lucas and whoever is playing LM. (in case anyone ever wondered why it is often the LM, that is the only remotely logical reasoning I can come up with, it's who he doesn't want to take off more than who is having a bad game)
Formation - it isn't often he changes the formation with his substitutions, usually straight swaps, which doesn't help our cause if we're playing badly as you can only bring off three players and, even if Gerrard or Torres aren't playing well it won't be them, you know it isn't going to make that much difference. He likes to maintain the 4-3-3 / 4-2-3-1 / whatever you want to call it formation and some of that is the problem, the substitutions don't shake things up and pose different problems, it merely puts a player not deemed good enough to start onto the pitch and the limitations of the formation stay the same. Sometimes it isn't just the personnel not working, it can be the formation and how that 'works'. And we don't always need two DMs on the pitch, even if we played two behind the striker and one DM it would be SOMETHING DIFFERENT. For me taking Mascherano off would one of the first things I'd consider, he is the most defensive of the midfield and attacking starters and not exactly creative. That isn't to say you couldn't take off Lucas or go three at the back, but normally if you want to be more attacking you sacrifice one of your least attacking and most defensive options. I'm no fan of three at the back, not for us anyway, so that only leaves the deepest midfielders. I know plenty have reservations about taking him off, but if we're not winning and we want/NEED to score goals then how likely is it Mascherano will facilitate that? More likely he'll push up and fire wildly over than contribute a goal or to one
Logic - how often have we all sat watching and thought "WTF?!? Why is he taking off (eg) Benayoun when so and so is having such a stinker!?!? I know plenty on here don't like Kuyt much, perhaps if he got taken off when he is having a stinker (it happens, not as often as some make out but it does) then he'd get less stick.
Youre right
He is SO rigid it is insane
For such a student of the game who analyses and scrutinises every minute detail he is woefully predictable and boring. Its a pity he doesnt turn his beady eye on himself so he could understand how the shi'ttest of teams suss us out and know exactly what to do to beat us
Master tactician my a'rse
