Our subs at 60 minutes: A good thing or bad thing?

I was thinking about this a few weeks ago, but the game against Madrid cemented my opinion on it..

Are the triple/quadruple substitutions at 60 minutes hampering our fitness levels of those starting games in the long term? I believe they are.

Now I know last year when the squad was running on fumes domestically they worked excellently. Even this season so far, having the option to freshen things up and bring on players to maintain the intensity works in Scotland. This is because our squad is generally very good and the subs don't affect how we play too much.

However, despite our intense style of play, shouldn't Ange be improving the endurance of players like Hatate, O'Riley etc. by letting them see more games out? I ask this because I remember a quote from someone last season (I think Ryan McGowan) talking about Tom Rogic's lack of fitness levels over a 90 minutes. Then suddenly last season he was competing 90 minutes or close to it more than any other season previously. I reckon this is because we had no choice but to play him over the whole game, and as a result his fitness/endurance improved over time.

The other day vs Madrid we went toe-to-toe with them physically for a good 55/60 minutes then burnt ourselves out dramatically. I know Ange's style of play is demanding but I think changing too many players, particularly in Europe, will see us lose momentum like it did the other night. Even before they went off, they were visibly *, leaving us with no choice but to change things.

I can't help but feel we need to improve the fitness of our midfielders/wingers so that they can play longer in games still finish strongly. The 5 sub rule allows us to rotate and maintain squad harmony by giving others a chance, but if we burn ourselves out every game in the CL/EL after 60 minutes then we may get picked off regularly like we did the other night.

Thoughts?

 

I think they are a necessity. Ange is asking them to play at full pelt for an hour, rather than at 80% for longer. Then he wants the subs to come in and do the same for half an hour. If we were playing everyone until later on there would be a natural dip right across the team, we saw it last season where we didn't have replacements to come in, so for this style I think it pretty much needs to happen. I'm just glad we are still allowed the 5 subs.

 

We have more than just matches available to us in order to improve cardiovascular fitness. The subs are protecting our players as we play a huge amount of games every season, and so often over the past ten years you've had fans bemoaning our lack of rotation as players become burned out.

 

Last year it was matches that we used for fitness. I'm sure Ange came out and said that.

 

The players that get subbed are running harder for the 60mins, it’s good tactics with the 5 subs at use and we have plenty quality to bring on.

It was more mental fatigue that set in plus the 2 quick goals took the wind out our sails quickly.

We ran over 10km more than Madrid and that was down to being able to make the subs and use the fresh legs.

 

I honestly think it’s a must due to our system. Also if we can use 5 subs then we should do.

We have a big enough team now to rotate and keep players fresh, our system makes it that our players are giving 100% all the time.

 

Of course we will as match fitness is different, but that's not all that's available to us. Our intense style of play requires squad depth, in my opinion.

 

Not disagreeing just pointing out things look to have changed or need changed because we've moved away from that approach.

Possibly partly why @Lewis Kerr is asking the question.

 

Agreed. Substituting players early is necessary when the system demands high-intensity running from them. I was furious with Deila and Rodgers when they'd wait so long with subs.

 

There's an interview with Ryan McGowan were he was asked about Tom Rogic fitness and his "only being able to last 60 mins" and he responded that it wasn't Tom's fault, if you are only allowed to play 60 mins every game then that's what your body is conditioned for. I had never thought of it that way before.

 

Should’ve been done at 50 mins instead of 60 on Tuesday, it cost us imo.

 

Multiple subs at once is almost always bad, disrupts the team too much IMO.

 

Normally, I'd agree but not Celtic under Ange.

We are unrelenting and (in most cases) take it up a gear with fresh legs. Especially when Mooy comes on to control the game and strangle the life out of the enemy.

I read with amusement on some other forum (of a team we'd just beaten) where fans were complaining that: "there's no point trying to outlast Celtic... they'll go like * for an hour then bring on five internationals!"

 

Ange hasn’t a clue

 

With the amount of games and our style it's vital to sub off the players that start most of the time and do the most running. We saw what happened with all the hamstring injuries last year.

 

Been saying it all along. The performance just drops off after it happens usually. Team loses its rhythm. But if we are 3-0 up who cares as it gives players a rest and other game time. Wouldn’t fancy us doing it at 0-0 or that.

 

Coming back to this, I still think its killing us.

I see us only having 2 options going forward:

1) We need to play with less intensity throughout the game so that we preserve energy/fitness levels of the starting eleven. We look laggy and jaded every game after half time and this has been happening since last season.

2) We replace those on the bench with drastically better players. The likes of Turnbull, Mooy, McCarthy etc just aren't cutting it. The drop off from an inform Hatate/O'Riley/McGregor is massive. Even then, those three have been patchy in Europe imo.

Something needs to change.

 

We comment about our subs but we don’t have a midfield 2 able to play high intensity football for more than 60mins.

Hatate and Oriley while talented footballers aren’t particularly athletic. Against better opposition when we are chasing the ball, they are shown up. A player with the energy of Christie is badly needed if we want to be more competitive deep into tough fixtures.

 

The plays that come off are *. So we absolutely need to do them.

 

That's what I'm saying. Unless we dramatically improve their fitness levels so that they maintain the intensity for 90 minutes, they need to be replaced with guys who can, as well as upgrading those on the bench with similar quality.

Its probably unrealistic to ask them to go at it for 90 minutes. So I think we need to pick and choose when we go full throttle, rather than burning ourselves out.