egg

To start a game, RL every day. That's not the issue though, its whether the sub was wrong and cost us three points. There's a difference of opinion on here. My personal view is that JR offered more in the 2nd half, that RL was off the pace, that we needs someone to drop even deeper, and that Guly for RL was the correct choice.

agreed!

The point is that he didn't look like scoring this afternoon, and his work rate seemed to drop. We needed fresh legs and somebody to get on the ball a bit more.

what's Jr starting games on the left, in front of a lb (in a 433 or 451) got to do with Mayuka coming on as a sub, whilst 1-0 up, in front of a struggling out of position rb in a 442? That's like comparing an apple to a sausage roll.

Generally I agree, play a defensive midfielder ahead of an attacking fb. Today Yoshida was struggling hence the need for protection. I agree we had no attacking threat down the right but rather that than an exposed out of position lb.

So Mayuka isn't a striker? Yoshida didn't need cover?

Different opinions etc.

It's not conjecture though. Mayuka is a striker and Yoshida was having a mare. He needed a minder, not Mayuka.

Er, my post was in reply to one that started with a moan about taking off our best players! I said that they weren't our best players You said you didn't agree with me.

Mayuka drifts into the inside right position. How would that have offered protection to Yoshida? I have no doubt that we would be screaming at NA for tactical suicide ir he put Mayuka out there today. Damned if you do or don't! Chappers has played many, many times for us out wide in a Marsden esque role.

Yep, he's a forward. We needed a right sided midfielder with the discipline to hold his position. Yoshida, on a yellow, with Riise and another running at him = goals and/or a red card.

You said that you couldn't agree with a post in which I took issue with someone saying that we took off our best players.

Mayuka on the right would have been a square peg in a round hole and left Yoshida horribly exposed. He needed protection more than we needed ab attacking outlet down that side. The tactic of shoring up that side was a given imo.

So you think that Punch and Ricky were our best players? I agree that AL left Fox exposed but at the time Punch went off he thought he was marginally worse than AL. On the last point, the subs didn't lead to us going 2-1 down. Chappers tightened up the right and Guly helped us in the middle and up front leading to us getting back into the game.

I agree about lallana. The goals today were partly attributable to lallana. He isn't a natural winger so tends to drift infield. I thought he was marginally better than punch today (up to the point he went off). The problem is who would you have replaced him with?

The voice of reason

So players only contribute if they score? How about being available to receive the ball? Keeping the ball? Running at defenders, earning free kicks, adding energy and something different? Would you be moaning about RL going off if Gulys 20 yarder snuck in the corner?

But Punch and Ricky weren't our best players. Morgan, Fonte, Gazza, Davis were. He took off two underperforming players, one of who was tiring. He bought on two players who helped the team more than the players they replaced and ultimately those players helped salvage a point.

Mayuka and Yoshida as our right side? Not for me. JR wasn't great but had more energy than RL so stayed on by default really. We needed height and power on the pitch for set pieces at both ends so Guly was an obvious choice over Mayuka for whichever of the strikers came off.

This is down to the discipline of players, and a lack of on pitch leadership. Guly had a link role so that didn't affect the general shape. Chappers was a like for like positional change. AL isn't a leader or organizer and it doesn't help that for all his qualities, he gets into awful positions.

Guly was more involved than RL had been in the 2nd half and solidified the middle whilst offering something going forward. People moaning about RL going off are judging him on his goalscoring ability rather than his 2nd half performance. The team benefited from Guly being on the pitch. I can't believe anyone honestly believes that Puncheon should have stayed on. He left Yoshida exposed and offered no threat going forward. Chappers tightened up the right side. Does anyone really feel that Chappers for Punch hindered the team? Was RL really more effective 2nd half than Guly was? None of the moaners have said what subs they feel should have been made. I'm as frustrated as anyone that we didn't win but I don't think that was down to NA.

Absolutely. Obvious change. Mayuka was the only other choice but we needed someone to track Riise, and support the middle. Chaplow was the only option.

Disagree. Chaplow for Punch was the right move at the right time. JR was much more involved so had to stay on, and Guly was very effective in influencing the comeback. What changes should have been made instead?

What does that prove? Injuries can happen after interviews.

I wouldn't start him. If Ramirez is out I'd like to see RL played a little deeper and JR up top. Like you I would like to see him used as an impact sub.