4 Subs - The true story.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

We'd have played flash netters.

Flying netters, shurely? (Although down here they call them "Rush goalies", which sounds MUCH more camp.)

[Lord Kangana]

Semantics aside, I reckon they should allow this in the Prem when a team is down to ten.

[boltonboris]

Semantics aside, I reckon they should allow this in the Prem when a team is down to ten.

Really?

[Lord Kangana]

That and added time multi-ball.

[bettyrasta]

Is it just me that thinks giving the kids a break over christmas is a good idea?
I guess there aren't the reserve or youth fixtures, pitches get snowed under/frozen and you don't want youngsters overdoing it and burning out.

Can't see the point of sticking 3 kids on a bus then a bench, for a game in which they know they don't stand a chance of playing. It might be different if Coyle felt 2 or 3 were really close to breaking through, bit of match day experience and all. But from what I've heard we don't seem to have kids at that stage yet, so I can't really see the issue.

Well no - OC seemed to agree with you as well. Point is, he can only use 3 so if he was happy he had it all covered with 4 then it's not a problem (although I suspect the message was "I haven't got it all covered with 4")

and more importantly it would be a curmodgeon who would deny them their little smiles on their faces as they unwrap their prezzies by making them sit on a merseyside bench instead.

[Prufrock]

If not having that none of the academy lads, or the likes of Connelly wouldn't be a better option at centre half than Blake, Klasnic, or Petrov?! Muamba, SKD? Jeeebus.

[Tombwfc]

I don't know the lad, but I'm fairly sure Connolly or any of the academy boys would've swapped missing a bit of Christmas dinner for training with the first team and potentially getting a game at Anfield. This wasn't a case of trying to find a token 7th sub, he would've been the only person on that bench who had ever done any defending in his entire life.

Isn't this pretty much what the academy is there for? If they are not good enough in these situations, why are we bothering?

[SonsOfThunder]

I don't know the lad, but I'm fairly sure Connolly or any of the academy boys would've swapped missing a bit of Christmas dinner for training with the first team and potentially getting a game at Anfield. This wasn't a case of trying to find a token 7th sub, he would've been the only person on that bench who had ever done any defending in his entire life.

Isn't this pretty much what the academy is there for? If they are not good enough in these situations, why are we bothering?

But what about the promotion in pay that has been mentioned in another thread? Our wage bill isn't a pretty picture as it is so perhaps this was taken into consideration as well.

[Tombwfc]

I think it's insignificant. Maybe I could see us doing it if we had 6 subs, but 4 and no defenders. I can't believe we're that hard up. 10,000 or so isn't really here or there when we're edging towards £100mil in debt.

[SonsOfThunder]

Perhaps Coyle was planning on pulling a reverse-Allardyce, with SKD moving back to defend.

[Prufrock]

I think it's insignificant. Maybe I could see us doing it if we had 6 subs, but 4 and no defenders. I can't believe we're that hard up. 10,000 or so isn't really here or there when we're edging towards £100mil in debt.

That's where I am, myself I'd have filled the bench with kids, but we only needed to name one defender, could have saved the 10k for two places! Also, either we are hoping he is going to be good enough one day, in which case we'll have to pay him, or he isn't so might as well pay him off now. Hasn't he already been on a bench under GM anyway? Thought he had. What if Cahill had got sent off and SKD hadn't quite been brilliant at CB and it was the difference between 0 and 1 points, or 1 and 3, that could be an extra 800k on places.

Seems a petty way of making a point. I don't have to think our Owen is perfect do I ?

[Lord Kangana]

Meh. We're 7th. If Coyle says he doesn't need the subs, well he doesn't need or want them.

If we were scraping about the bottom, then we might have an angle to criticise.

[Prufrock]

It's a forum innit. He's doing a belting job. I still get to sit here and use my glorious hindsight or even potentiometer to reckon what I could do better don't I? I do hope so, coz I'm gonna anyway .

[Hoboh]

I don't know the lad, but I'm fairly sure Connolly or any of the academy boys would've swapped missing a bit of Christmas dinner for training with the first team and potentially getting a game at Anfield. This wasn't a case of trying to find a token 7th sub, he would've been the only person on that bench who had ever done any defending in his entire life.

Isn't this pretty much what the academy is there for? If they are not good enough in these situations, why are we bothering?

Old chesnut here! If we get "a good player every ten years" seems to be argued for the place when I reckon it should be shut down and we just nick decent kids from lesser clubs

[t_o_molloy]

Questioned Odelusi (academy lad) about it on twitter and he has no idea why Coyle's been doing it as they're back in training now.

[bw@bw]

Still don't understand.

We have a squad of 25- the max allowed.

11 on pitch, 4 on bench = 15

I know why a few were missing - but 10????

What happened to the others.

Or was it just a message to the likes of JLS and Riga "You won't get in my team under ANY circs" - if so - why not pay them off - like Shittu, who now seems to be revitalised. It can't be good for morale to have time wasters around.

[thebish]

the senior squad: OURS IS 24-strong for some reason

Robbie Blake,
Adam Bogdan,
Gary Cahill,
Tamir Cohen (compassionate leave)
Kevin Davies,
Mark Davies,
Sean Davis, (knee-knacked)
Johan Elmander,
Ricardo Gardner, (broken)
Stuart Holden, (wounded)
Juusi Jaaskelainen,
Ivan Klasnic, (buggered)
Zatyiah Knight,
Chung Young Lee, (AWOL)
Fabrice Muamba,
Andrew O'Brien, (SOLD)
Joseph O'Brien, (perma-croc)
Martin Petrov,
Samuel Ricketts,
Paul Robinson,
Jlloyd Samuel, (broken)
Gretar Steinsson, (bust)
Matthew Taylor,
Ali Al-Habsi, (on loan)

So, of the senior squad - only 13 were available - not a team plus 7 subs


Under 21 players - of whom we can have as many as we like... - take your pick - you'd need 5 of these...

Marcos Alonso,
Nathan Battersby,
Rhys Bennett,
Adam Blakeman,
Andrew Burns,
Javlon Campbell,
James Caton,
Mark Connolly,
Elliott Dennis,
Raphael Duyile,
Thomas Eaves,
Thomas Eckersley,
Lewis Fielding,
Benjamin Hampson,
Liam Irwin,
Andrew Kellett,
Robert Lainton,
Jay Lynch,
Graeme MacGregor,
Maison McGeechan,
Alexander McQuade,
Moreno Machado,
Temitope Obadeyi,
Oluwasanmi Odelusi,
Michael O'Halloran,
John Popoola,
Lewis Proudfoot,
Joseph Riley,
Jack Sampson,
Samuel Sheridan,
Ryan Stayte,
Oscar Threlkeld,
Thomas Turner,
Joshua Vela,
Daniel Ward

[KeeeeeeeBaaaaaaab]

Hur! Popoola.

[thebish]

Hur! Popoola.

Maison McGeechan!

[officer_dibble]

yeah i think its daft not sticking a kid defender on there

and dont forget we have a 24 man squad with no room for riga

i know he's shite but thats a bit cutting your nose off to spite your face as well? or can we pay him less if he doesn't form part of the squad?