Making tactical substitutions in the first half

Macern

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I just had a brilliant idea which makes me wonder why I’m not a professional football manager!

Making tactical substitutions early in the first half, think about it. I was watching Stephen Howson predicting we’re going to start with Fred against Chelsea which makes no sense to me as it would be a gamble we cannot affort since he can be really poor at times. It led me to the idea of actually starting him and then wait 15-20 minutes and see how he performs, and if he isn’t up for it then sub him off early.

Taking a punt on «risky» players or tactical setups could be very beneficial. Remember how vital Fred was against Barcelona in the CL match where we dominated the midfield and created chances consistently. He kept winning the ball back high up the pitch and getting it forward. He can have that impact when he’s in form.

After say 15-20 minutes you can quite often tell how a player is performing and if the gameplan is working or not. Yet, we rarely see any proper tactical adjustments so early on, especially substitutions.

There are obviously a few downsides. Taking a player off in the first half for tactical reasons would be written and discussed about and could have a negative effect on the confidence of the subbed player. The manager would also be criticized for starting the player. However, if a manager was to make it commonplace to make early substitutions and was to communicate to the players that he’d be doing it frequently it wouldn’t be taken that way.

You obviously get one less substitution to make in the second half, but by then it’s a lot harder to turn a game around. A lot is decided in the first 20 minutes and in many games you can predict the winner with a good success rate early on.

Good idea innit?:angel: Someone tell Solskjær.
 

POF

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Genius. Spend all week preparing for a game, with the "perfect game plan" and then give up on it after 15 minutes.

It really boggles the mind as to why managers don't do that more often.
 

Shiva87

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Brilliant message to send your team. I know what I am doing, so listen to me for the first 15 mins of every game! Tactical substitutions are necessary when a manager sees that his game plan isn't working, or the players are not being able to execute it properly.

Can you imagine the team talk where a manager has to say, I think this could work- but I'm not sure. If it fails, we'll change personnel in 15-20 mins. One or twice a season that may be fine, but players will write you off very quickly with such an approach.
 

finneh

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I've regularly thought this with Pogba. Within 20 minutes of a game you can generally predict whether he's in the mood and likely to win you the game, or whether he's not in the mood and more likely to cost you the game.

I think we'd be infinitely more successful if he were hooked after 20 mins in those games where early on he's dawdling on the ball, giving it away far too cheaply and generally waddling around without purpose.

Conversely if he were only playing 180 minutes out of every 360 mins of football he'd probably be more refreshed and more likely to be good Pogba rather than train-wreck Pogba.
 

WR10

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No better way of saying I have no fecking clue what I’m doing as a football manager
 

Mr PG

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I've regularly thought this with Pogba. Within 20 minutes of a game you can generally predict whether he's in the mood and likely to win you the game, or whether he's not in the mood and more likely to cost you the game.

I think we'd be infinitely more successful if he were hooked after 20 mins in those games where early on he's dawdling on the ball, giving it away far too cheaply and generally waddling around without purpose.

Conversely if he were only playing 180 minutes out of every 360 mins of football he'd probably be more refreshed and more likely to be good Pogba rather than train-wreck Pogba.
You can win the battle but lose the war. Sub Pogba in the first 20 mins and lose his commitment as well as your job for the rest of the season.
 

Kag

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I've regularly thought this with Pogba. Within 20 minutes of a game you can generally predict whether he's in the mood and likely to win you the game, or whether he's not in the mood and more likely to cost you the game.

I think we'd be infinitely more successful if he were hooked after 20 mins in those games where early on he's dawdling on the ball, giving it away far too cheaply and generally waddling around without purpose.

Conversely if he were only playing 180 minutes out of every 360 mins of football he'd probably be more refreshed and more likely to be good Pogba rather than train-wreck Pogba.
I’d keep Pogba on the field even if he were to turn up that day with one leg.
 

Kag

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I like the suggestion, for what it’s worth. Early changes are commonplace in many other sports and there’s no reason it couldn’t be a semi-regular go-to tactic for a manager in football.

Increasing the number of subs to four would make this more likely.
 

Canagel

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I've regularly thought this with Pogba. Within 20 minutes of a game you can generally predict whether he's in the mood and likely to win you the game, or whether he's not in the mood and more likely to cost you the game.

I think we'd be infinitely more successful if he were hooked after 20 mins in those games where early on he's dawdling on the ball, giving it away far too cheaply and generally waddling around without purpose.

Conversely if he were only playing 180 minutes out of every 360 mins of football he'd probably be more refreshed and more likely to be good Pogba rather than train-wreck Pogba.
:lol:
 

kouroux

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That would be bold to say the least and doing it often over the course of the season could complicate the relationship with the players subbed. You'd hurt the players confidence by doing it and we know they are very fragile.
 

SirAF

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Genius. Spend all week preparing for a game, with the "perfect game plan" and then give up on it after 15 minutes.

It really boggles the mind as to why managers don't do that more often.
:lol:
 

Grylte

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Written 5.20 saturday night :lol:
Probably sounded like a good idea at a 'nach'.
 

Macern

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No better way of saying I have no fecking clue what I’m doing as a football manager
If a manager was to do it frequently with success it wouldn’t.
Destroy a player's confidence! Great tactic.
Again, if it was common it wouldn’t be taken that way. It’d perhaps be similar to being taken off at half time or early in the second half for tactical reasons. What about those that doesn’t start, their confidence aren’t always destroyed.
 

Adisa

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I would prefer my manager admit he got it wrong quickly before it is too late.
 

Macern

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Written 5.20 saturday night :lol:
Probably sounded like a good idea at a 'nach'.
:lol: I admit I had a few beers, but I wasn’t out partying last night. Just couldn’t sleep, and I sometimes get crazy ideas like that when I’m lying in bed trying to sleep.
 
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ovoxo

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I've regularly thought this with Pogba. Within 20 minutes of a game you can generally predict whether he's in the mood and likely to win you the game, or whether he's not in the mood and more likely to cost you the game.

I think we'd be infinitely more successful if he were hooked after 20 mins in those games where early on he's dawdling on the ball, giving it away far too cheaply and generally waddling around without purpose.

Conversely if he were only playing 180 minutes out of every 360 mins of football he'd probably be more refreshed and more likely to be good Pogba rather than train-wreck Pogba.
He can still produce a moment from nothing. Even if he isn’t playing well, if the game is close, he can make a pass that a lot of our team can’t.
 

Ekeke

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Genius. Spend all week preparing for a game, with the "perfect game plan" and then give up on it after 15 minutes.

It really boggles the mind as to why managers don't do that more often.
Unless that is plan A all along.

Start out the game how you're expected to and how the opposition will have prepared for you, then 10 mins in you make a big tactical change that exploits the opponent's setup which you have been working on in training the whole time.