The Seven Subs Rule

[DannyMan2006]

Is it me or does anyone else think that the chance to exploit this is being wasted?

It seems to me that everytime we name a bench we have seven first teamers on it. That's all well and good as it provides Rafa with options, but surely he could manage on six:

GKP, CB, FB, CM, AM, ST.

Example

Cavlieri, Hyypia, Aurelio, Alonso, Benayoun, Babel.

Of course that bench could change depending on who actually starts in the first XI. But that leaves us with plenty of options I think you'll agree. So that would leave us with one extra spot. My solution?

My idea is to give the seventh and final spot to the player who is man of the match for the reserves. For a start this would motivate players that little bit extra who may start to feel that there efforts are being ignored. This would also give them the required experience for the future.

Then let's say we are cruising at 3-0 up with 15 minutes to go, put them on the pitch and see how they do.

I do expect 100% commitment from the reserves in every game they play, but can sometimes see how standards can drop. They won the league last year and only one of them is even considered as a possible first teamer, Plessis. I know El Zhar has had a few chances but he was not really that involved last year due to injury. Surely the likes of Darby, Spearing and Insua are not to far away. It seems every time I watch or read about the reserves those three in particular are producing good performances.

Not to mention Nemeth. It's painfully obvious the reserves are struggling without a goal scorer this term. But a little extra motivation could easily get them back on track, and I see no reason why the above idea could not be implemented.

By the seasons end we could easily have a number of youngsters who have racked up an impressive amount of appearances. Even if the youngsters fail to progress, at least it shows youngsters in the Academy that if they fight for a place in the reserves they have a decent chance of getting a run out in a first team game. I am of course reffering to Nathan Ecclestone here. This in term would attract other youngsters to the club.

Thoughts????

[-V-]

Recently we have been naming both Agger and Hyppia on the bench. I don't think we needed 2 CB's on the bench however it has been a sensitive situation and i guess Rafa has been trying to keep them both involved. Leaving Hyppia out of the squad altogether may have been damaging. Now that Skrtle is out we will see Agger step in and Hyypia named as our only sub CB

[El Jefecito]

To be honest I'm disappointed that Rafa hasn't used these two extra slots as a tool to develop players. I realize it's tricky given the size of the squad, but like Danny said the chance of getting on the bench regularly would do the young lads a world of good.

[DannyMan2006]

To be honest I'm disappointed that Rafa hasn't used these two extra slots as a tool to develop players. I realize it's tricky given the size of the squad, but like Danny said the chance of getting on the bench regularly would do the young lads a world of good.

Especially as the reason this was introduced was to give young lads a chance of some decent playing time, other than the usual League Cup bollocks, in which no doubt the likes of Hyypia, Degen and Pennant will play in anyway, freezing out the likes of Darby and Spearing.

I mean for ****s sake, Heigheway said Spearing was ready two years back, and yet he can't even get a game against Crewe, despite being one of the best and most concistant performers in the Reserves.

If the only the lad was Six foot tall.............

[Dalglish]

Some folk will find anything to moan about wont they? What if our youngsters arent good enough to make the step up yet? What if having them on the bench would reduce our options in games we have to win?

[Resu]

Some folk will find anything to moan about wont they? What if our youngsters arent good enough to make the step up yet? What if having them on the bench would reduce our options in games we have to win?

It`s all about taking some small risks IMO. You don`t really need both Sami and Agger on the bench, swap one of them with Nemeth/Spearing/Another youngster. It`s a small risk to take, but if the result is right it gives you the opportunity to give youngsters a few minutes.
Mellor was never good enough for LFC, but came on to score a couple of big goals for us.

[Pablo]

Our bench for our Premiership games so far:

Sunderland: Daniel Agger, Xabi Alonso, Fabio Aurelio, Diego Cavalieri, Nabil El Zhar, David Ngog, Martin Skrtel

Boro: Daniel Agger, Fabio Aurelio, Ryan Babel, Diego Cavalieri, Nabil El Zhar, David Ngog, Damien Plessis

Villa: Daniel Agger, Fabio Aurelio, Ryan Babel, Yossi Benayoun, Diego Cavalieri, Nabil El Zhar, David Ngog

Scum: Ryan Babel, Diego Cavalieri, Andrea Dossena, Steven Gerrard, Sami Hyypia
David Ngog, Fernando Torres

Stoke: Daniel Agger, Ryan Babel, Yossi Benayoun, Diego Cavalieri, Philipp Degen, Lucas Leiva, Javier Mascherano

Bitters: Daniel Agger, Fabio Aurelio, Ryan Babel, Diego Cavalieri, Sami Hyypia, Lucas Leiva, Jermaine Pennant

Citeh: Daniel Agger, Ryan Babel, Yossi Benayoun, Diego Cavalieri, Andrea Dossena, Robbie Keane, Lucas Leiva

-----------------------------------------------------

I think it shows we started off giving the young players a chance (El Zhar, Plessis, N'Gog) but that seems to have become less common over the past few games. In fairness our reserves have not produced last seasons form yet. Nemeth may have got the odd place on the bench had he been fit, and N'Gog looks like he needs reserve games.

[dww]

I think that the rule should have enforced the two extra places as being for young players. As it is you have to go with your strongest bench. At times though I think chucking a young player capable of playing on the flanks for example and letting Agger cover both CB and LB would be a valid option.

The thing you have to question is the purchase of the likes of N'Gog if he is not intended to challenge for the first team. I guess he might get a bench spot with Torres out, we shall see. He obviously needs games to develop though and we aren't giving him them. Much the same can be said of Lucas who I thought was developing but he will be hindered if he is always on the bench.

Plessis and Spearing should be looking for loan moves IMO.

[Mike]

We should give the youth a chance.

[El Jefecito]

Some folk will find anything to moan about wont they? What if our youngsters arent good enough to make the step up yet? What if having them on the bench would reduce our options in games we have to win?

Having a different opinion doesn't mean you are moaning. Can you not see that?

[Rich]

Is it me or does anyone else think that the chance to exploit this is being wasted?

It seems to me that everytime we name a bench we have seven first teamers on it. That's all well and good as it provides Rafa with options, but surely he could manage on six:

GKP, CB, FB, CM, AM, ST.

Example

Cavlieri, Hyypia, Aurelio, Alonso, Benayoun, Babel.

Of course that bench could change depending on who actually starts in the first XI. But that leaves us with plenty of options I think you'll agree. So that would leave us with one extra spot. My solution?

My idea is to give the seventh and final spot to the player who is man of the match for the reserves. For a start this would motivate players that little bit extra who may start to feel that there efforts are being ignored. This would also give them the required experience for the future.

Then let's say we are cruising at 3-0 up with 15 minutes to go, put them on the pitch and see how they do.

I do expect 100% commitment from the reserves in every game they play, but can sometimes see how standards can drop. They won the league last year and only one of them is even considered as a possible first teamer, Plessis. I know El Zhar has had a few chances but he was not really that involved last year due to injury. Surely the likes of Darby, Spearing and Insua are not to far away. It seems every time I watch or read about the reserves those three in particular are producing good performances.

Not to mention Nemeth. It's painfully obvious the reserves are struggling without a goal scorer this term. But a little extra motivation could easily get them back on track, and I see no reason why the above idea could not be implemented.

By the seasons end we could easily have a number of youngsters who have racked up an impressive amount of appearances. Even if the youngsters fail to progress, at least it shows youngsters in the Academy that if they fight for a place in the reserves they have a decent chance of getting a run out in a first team game. I am of course reffering to Nathan Ecclestone here. This in term would attract other youngsters to the club.

Thoughts????

Nice idea actually; would give that little extra motivation to perform in the reserves.

Ideally as Dave says the two extra subs should have an age/academy restriction on them.

[Darth Marty]

I agree, its a nice idea. Bit what if that nice idea had cost us a few points this season already? If we are playing well and nothing is broken, leave the **** alone.

[Exiled_red]

I think given the fact there are no rules governing the additional places on the bench, and the fact that we have a big squad I think we are always going to put first team players rather than reserves on the bench in an attempt to keep everyone happy.

Personally I would like to see at least one youth player on the bench, although I don't like the idea of a reserve man of the match making it on to the bench, I think it has to be based on ability/potential rather than the someone who could have just had one good reserve game but is unlikely to make it

[El Jefecito]

I agree, its a nice idea. Bit what if that nice idea had cost us a few points this season already? If we are playing well and nothing is broken, leave the **** alone.

Seriously though. How likely are we to lose a game because we only have 1 CH on the bench? I can't ever remember a team losing a game due to that let alone having to use two CH subs.

In the real world you have to take risk to get reward and If we lose one game in 7 gazillion because we managed to get Nemeth for example 15 sub appearances I think that is a risk well worth taking. How many points would a Nemeth developed to his potential be worth over 10 years vs. the points saved by having 2 CHs?