SHA Small Heath Alliance

Racelight

Both Bela and Sanchez are important players for us and with another game on Tuesday perhaps AK's thinking was to rest them both for the final 15 minutes and at the same time park the bus. I'm not a fan of his defensive style, but perhaps there is some logic in the substitutions looking at the bigger picture.

Yeah. As we are a team completely shot of any confidence I can see why he did it in hindsight. We had to win & nothing else mattered, and to be fair apart from the Rhodes chance they hardly put us under pressure. Personally I would have swapped Sanchez for Roberts only.

Bringing them off wasn’t really the problem, Bela was blowing out his arse when he was subbed.

We had Leko and Valery who could’ve been put on as direct replacements.

However people want to paint it his decision paid dividends. It wasn't in spite of him as some have claimed.

We didn't claim the points when opposing goalkeepers have made good saves.

Well yeah you can’t argue with the result. The subs were objectively poor though, there’s really no denying that.

The first one was offensive though and we scored after it.
Yes the others were defensive but we did win and keep a clean sheet. Being overly critical after a win is harsh

I disagree about it being harsh. His subs over the season have been worse than Peps, he should be called out regardless of the result.

If the Sheff Wed player could head a ball we’d have drawn the game, in similar scenarios against better teams he will do the same and we will pay the price.

If Gary Gardner had dinked over the keeper in the first half or buried an header we’d have won more easily.
We won and after going in front they had one chance which I’d have saved

Rab C Nesbitt

If Gary Gardner had dinked over the keeper in the first half or buried an header we’d have won more easily.
We won and after going in front they had one chance which I’d have saved

That’s not the point I’m making though.

Sheffield Wednesday had one chance which you would save I agree, that’s because they’re as shit as us in front of goal.

Better teams would bury that. If we somehow find ourselves 1-0 up against the 10 men of Norwich or QPR later in the week Pukki or whoever QPR have will bury it (and create far more chances than Sheff did).

They might. They might not.
He’s not going to change unfortunately. I get that. But yesterday and at other times hes judged on results. For once we won. Overall though we agree.
He is a Aldi Mourinho. Watching Spurs again today is turgid. He’s just got better players to bail him out more often. No pun intended

Rab C Nesbitt

If Gary Gardner had dinked over the keeper in the first half or buried an header we’d have won more easily.
We won and after going in front they had one chance which I’d have saved

I get this, but, we were comfortable as we were. They didn’t really get into our box after the first 20 minutes until he made those subs.
In my opinion the best way to win that game was to keep controlling the game with likes of our better footballers - the wingers, Harper, Al etc, and keep Weds stretched.
We didn’t even need to go for a 2nd goal - just play sensibly, and keep the 10 men at arms length.
After the changes we invited pressure, and although they only had one very clear chance - one is enough to score - we gave them loads of chances to sling the ball into our box, and there were certainly a few hairy moments.
He chose to make those changes, and he did it when we were comfortable against 10 men.
We looked FAR more likely to concede after the changes than before. Had we done so it would have been a disaster.
He gave that disaster a fighting chance.

I agree. I’d have pushed for a 2nd. But... we know we won despite not agreeing with his subs. We don’t know what would have happened if we’d have made attacking subs. So I’ll not judge him harshly

People missing the point that we created three great chances after making the subs and hitting on the break.

Criticise him for what he deserves to be criticised for but don’t go looking for it - just waters down the real issues.

Rab C Nesbitt

I agree. I’d have pushed for a 2nd. But... we know we won despite not agreeing with his subs. We don’t know what would have happened if we’d have made attacking subs. So I’ll not judge him harshly

As I say I’m not even talking about attacking subs, unless you mean like for like just to keep things as they were, and we certainly didn’t need to go all out for a 2nd goal.
What he did though was say”we’re going to sit back and give you a much better chance of scoring than you’ve had for the last hour”.
Madness

Yes and remember we also had the extra man

.......and what happened to subs upsetting the concentration? Surely worse implications if a newly introduced defender isn’t concentrating.
It’s fine though in his mind to make subs to bring defenders on in a game we’re winning against 10 men, just not make subs to try to win a game with attacking subs against the worst team in the league in case it disrupts concentration.
He’s a total coward