General Our Strongest Team...?

[Marked Ox]

My main concern for the bench is central midfield. Personally don't rate McEachran. Would also take out one of the defenders for Murphy - you rarely change or bring on 2 defenders, and most of our defenders are quite versatile so can change roles accordingly.

My bench would probably be: Eastwood, Negru, McEachran (not many other options), Murphy, Mills, Goodhram, Bodin

Agreed on McEachran.

 

[MustardYellow]

When you’ve got seven places on the bench and five substitutions to be made, compared to five places and three substitutions like it was back then, it makes not having a spare GK a bit needlessly kamikaze IMO. Six outfield players really should be enough to change things up, Shirley?

Perhaps a compromise would be putting Ed McGinty on the bench instead, given nobody is really sure what he is or where he might decide to wander during a game.

It would be interesting to know how often sub goalies are actually used. I've seen hundreds of live games and could probably count on one hand how many times I've seen a sub goalie come on.

Having all 7 subs as outfield players definitely gives you more options, and statistically probably isn't that much of a risk, but it just needs to happen once for it to potentially go terribly wrong

 

[gingerox]

It would be interesting to know how often sub goalies are actually used. I've seen hundreds of live games and could probably count on one hand how many times I've seen a sub goalie come on.

Having all 7 subs as outfield players definitely gives you more options, and statistically probably isn't that much of a risk, but it just needs to happen once for it to potentially go terribly wrong

The way I justify to myself on Football Manager is that I'll gain more points as a result of having an extra outfield sub available, than the very odd occasion a keeper sub is needed.

Surprised it hasn't been tried more in real life, although it I suppose could lead to cynical teams roughing up the sole keeper a bit more.

 

[Marked Ox]

The way I justify to myself on Football Manager is that I'll gain more points as a result of having an extra outfield sub available, than the very odd occasion a keeper sub is needed.

Surprised it hasn't been tried more in real life, although it I suppose could lead to cynical teams roughing up the sole keeper a bit more.

You need Mike Ford on the bench:

 

[MustardYellow]

The way I justify to myself on Football Manager is that I'll gain more points as a result of having an extra outfield sub available, than the very odd occasion a keeper sub is needed.

Surprised it hasn't been tried more in real life, although it I suppose could lead to cynical teams roughing up the sole keeper a bit more.

According to a BBC article from 2014 (a long time ago, I know) sub goalies were used just 9 times in 380 Premier League games, which is a 2.3% chance of a sub goalie being used.

Would take a manager with big cojones to do it but statistically not much of a risk!

 

[SteMerritt]

According to a BBC article from 2014 (a long time ago, I know) sub goalies were used just 9 times in 380 Premier League games, which is a 2.3% chance of a sub goalie being used.

Would take a manager with big cojones to do it but statistically not much of a risk!

You only have it go wrong once, cost you 2 points, and miss out on promotion or get relegated by that margin, to make it not worth even that small risk. If you can't cover the other 10 players with the 6 remaining subs then there is something wrong.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

Blimey I remember (I think!) when there was one sub allowed, for injury.

If we've got seven of them on the bench, having a keeper on there is surely sensible - If the other six can't cover possible substitutions of the other 10 players then I'm not sure a seventh is going to help you!

 

[CCYellow]

In our last game, Leyton Orient had 1 shot on target*, which our GK failed to save, and we still won. Forget leaving a GK off the bench, leave them out of the squad completely!

We could replace Beadle with a 20 goal a season striker in Clarke Harris, and that would mean we could play JCH and Harris in the same team. JCH scores the goals and Harris allows the goals to be shared around the team.


*Sky Sports

 

[neyo]

Totally get the comments about Bodin being a first 11 challenger, but in exchange for who and in what formation?

For me, he's not a '9' and Rodrigues surely operates best as the typical '10'. You're not gonna play Bodin out wide, so where does he fit? Feels to me it's Bodin or Rodrigues or some sort of fluid 4-5-1 with Bodin, Rodrigues, McGuane, Brannagan and Browne?

 

[warksox]

On a separate note it's annoying the EFL don't allow 9 subs to be named like the PL do.

They do. The EFL gave the clubs in each division a separate vote on whether to have 9 subs.
The Championship clubs voted it in. L1 and L2 both voted against.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66059634

 

[Whingit]

They do. The EFL gave the clubs in each division a separate vote on whether to have 9 subs.
The Championship clubs voted it in. L1 and L2 both voted against.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66059634

Boo. It makes it difficult to keep my wonderkids happy in FM.

 

[Nadi-]

No need for a GK on the bench imo. Was is Wilder who never bothered?

Long's usefulness is highlighted by your point, Negru is a good player capable of starting games, but his lack of versatility and the fact Long can do a job across the back line means it's a no-brainer.

I think your a little quick to point out Negru’s lack of versatility,
I’d take Trai Hume as an example, has become a very versatile defender along the back line for Sunderland.
Would have no doubt, if you’d ask Negru to do a job at right back in a four. He’d be more than capable, both like to defend and have the pace to cope.

 

[Nadi-]

Beadle
Negru Moore Brown Leigh
Browne McGaune Brannagan Edwards
Rodrigues Harris

 

[Nadi-]

Would be looking at bringing in someone like Andres Sondergard now before January.
A young keeper in the Beadle mould, and let one of Eastwood or Mcginty find a club.

 

[Foley]

Would be looking at bringing in someone like Andres Sondergard now before January.
A young keeper in the Beadle mould, and let one of Eastwood or Mcginty find a club.

Isn't McGinty injured?

 

[Joey]

I think your a little quick to point out Negru’s lack of versatility,
I’d take Trai Hume as an example, has become a very versatile defender along the back line for Sunderland.
Would have no doubt, if you’d ask Negru to do a job at right back in a four. He’d be more than capable, both like to defend and have the pace to cope.

Negru at full back would surely offer next to no attacking threat though, I'd imagine even less than Brown when he's left back. It makes it a whole lot harder to create when you've got no threat at all from full back, I wouldn't want to see Negru there when we've got Stevens on the bench, it would be madness.

 

[Nadi-]

Isn't McGinty injured?

No idea, how would be my next question.
Was always a mistake in my mind,
Maher and Talbot were better in my opinion, and said at the time,. Luke McNicholas who replaced him. May prove to be the better option

 

[Mad Dog]

Assuming everyone is fully fit and on form:


SUBS: Harris, Browne, Mills, McEachran, Negru, Thorniley, Eastwood

 

[Nadi-]

Negru at full back would surely offer next to no attacking threat though, I'd imagine even less than Brown when he's left back. It makes it a whole lot harder to create when you've got no threat at all from full back, I wouldn't want to see Negru there when we've got Stevens on the bench, it would be madness.

I’d ask why you’re adamant we need another attacker at full back.
We’ve been at our best this season when allowing Leigh license up the left and Long tucking in alongside Moore and Brown.
The line up I mentioned would allow the likes of Rodrigues, Browne and Edwards freedom to harass the last third in support of Harris. Whilst either McGuane or Brannagan and Leigh back up in support,

 

[Jimmycarterxi]

Assuming all players are fit, what is our strongest starting 11?

Obviously this depends on the system/formation we're playing, but for me it has to be...:

Beadle
Stevens - Moore - Brown - Leigh
Mcguane - Brannagan
Browne - Rodrigues - Edwards
Harris

This leaves players like Mills, Bodin, Goodrham etc who can all make a good impact from the bench.

Would be interested to know what others thinks?

Mills ahead of Browne for me is a no brainer