In modern football, nothing is unadjustable, not even the substitutions of the team.
Since last season, the Premier League has allowed five substitutions per team in a single game, and the new rules are designed to protect players. Two years ago, Barcelona and the Spanish national team used Pedri as a donkey; Later, the young player suffered from injuries.
The 5-change rule was initially questioned, with fears that only big clubs with good squad depth would benefit, but this was not the case.
Let's take a look at the overall data first, more substitutions are allowed, and there are naturally more substitutions for each team. Last season, the Premier League teams made a total of 2,985 substitutions, an increase of 40 compared to the previous three seasons5%。
Let's look at advanced data. City have made the fewest unforced substitutions of any team this season, with Pep Guardiola the only manager to have made a single non-substitution and twice – a 1-0 win over Newcastle in August and a 1-1 draw with Liverpool in November.
West Ham, Manchester City, Ever, and Crystal Palace are the four teams that average fewer than three substitutions per game. It corresponds to 4 "old-fashioned" coaches, David Moyes, Dyche, Hodgson...and Pep Guardiola.
'I've had the opportunity to make five substitutions, but I'm the manager and I'll make changes if I want to,' Pep Guardiola said last season, "and having five substitutions doesn't mean I have to fill them up. ”
In the game against Newcastle, a fan asked him for a substitution. "For whom? Guardiola responded. "Come down and command. ”Pep Guardiola also considered the ability of the substitutes to adapt to the tempo on the pitch. "Sometimes, it's hard to get into the rhythm. He said.
Pep Guardiola is rarely affected by the scoreline. City have rarely fallen behind in games, having only trailed by 205 minutes this season, while Pep Guardiola has made just four substitutions when they have been behind. In the game against Newcastle in January, Kevin De Bruyne came on when he was 2-1 down and it worked very well.
De Zerbi is at the other extreme, with Brighton adapting the best to the new rules, averaging nearly five substitutions per game, playing 98 of 22 games this season, using up five substitutions in 16 games.
This has something to do with Brighton's multi-front play this season.
What's even more unique is that De Zerbi likes to make early substitutions, adjusting tactics and lineups by the way. He made two substitutions against Burnley last month, the first in midfield and the second in the 59th minute.
Brighton's average bench minutes played 66Nine minutes, the first 15 minutes of the second half accounted for the largest proportion of substitutions of any team in the Premier League, and the proportion of substitutions after the 75th minute was the smallest.
In short, De Zerbi likes to give his substitutes plenty of time to make a difference.
Crystal Palace are the only team that hasn't made any substitutions in midfield. Hodgson likes to make late substitutions, with 51 substitutions in the final 15 minutes1%, the highest among any team in the Premier League.
Due to the lack of depth in the squad, Crystal Palace was reluctant to make substitutions and adjustments in the game, and it was not easy for Huo Taigong.
West Ham also like to make late substitutions, with 17 substitutions after 90 minutes0%。
At the top of the list is Chelsea, who have made a total of 11 substitutions in stoppage time this season – all when the score is leading – and Pochettino likes to save one or two substitutions to kill time.
There are many ways to assess the impact of substitutions, the simplest being to look at the number of goals and assists scored by substitutes.
Brighton are averaging 4 substitutions per gameSeven times, naturally the team with the most goals scored by a Premier League substitute this season (12). If assists are counted, Arsenal are the team where substitutes are involved in scoring goals (16).
Of course, if the team is 3-0 ahead, you go up and make up for it, and you go up to score a goal as a substitute, and the gold content is very different.
Liverpool can now lead the way, and Klopp's substitution adjustment period has played a big role. Nunez's goal away at Newcastle, Diaz's equaliser against Luton Town and Elliott's winner against Crystal Palace were all crucial. The players who came off the bench grabbed a total of 11 points for Liverpool, the highest in the Premier League.
Wolves boss O'Neill turned three draws into victories on the bench. Karadzic came off the bench twice to score the winner against Everton and Bournemouth, before Saravia scored from the second to lead the comeback victory over Tottenham.
Substitutes don't necessarily have to score or assist themselves when they come on the pitch, and the tactical and formation adjustments they bring can also affect the outcome of the game.
In Liverpool's win over Wolves last September, Jurgen Klopp brought on Dias for McAllister in midfield (Klopp has made just three substitutions in midfield this season), and Liverpool made a 4-2-4 change, with wing-backs Gomes and Robertson widening. After that, they fought back to win 3-1 with three goals in a row, with Dias not directly involved in the goal.
There are many factors that affect the adjustment of substitutions in a football match: match form, player fitness, squad depth, player performance and tactics, etc. All of this is taken into account when the manager and coaching staff make a decision.
Even in the era of 5 substitutions in a single game, there are very few coaches who make substitutions for the sake of substitutions.