![]() ![]() That pattern extends - to an even greater degree - when considering both the defensive third and the middle third, indicating that more teams are retreating into a deeper block, rather than engaging their opponents in midfield. The Athletic’s Tom Worville has found that, across Europe’s major leagues, a smaller percentage of touches in a side’s defensive third are being pressured than last season, with the pattern particularly obvious in the Premier League and Bundesliga, leagues often considered to be about tempo and energy. Tiredness has inevitably also had an impact upon playing style - and, in particular, pressing. Of course, extra substitutes are permitted because of concerns over the packed fixture list, and the increasing risk of injuries as a result of fatigue. We knew they weren’t as strong penalty takers.” And this was an individual example of a manager making the most of six changes - two players as “fresh legs” specialists, two more as penalty-taking specialists, and two more (Gavin Whyte and Kyle Lafferty) as conventional substitutes. “The two lads that had come on as subs earlier were selfless. “We were desperate for the ball to go out of play to get Boycie and Conor on the pitch,“ chuckled Baraclough afterwards. Thompson and Jones departed after around half an hour on the pitch apiece, and Baraclough introduced his fifth and sixth substitutes, Conor Washington and Liam Boyce, who slammed home the fourth and fifth penalties respectively, to clinch victory in Northern Ireland’s first-ever penalty shootout. Then, in the closing stages of extra-time, he then substituted his substitutes. In normal time, manager Ian Baraclough introduced Jordan Thompson and Jordan Jones in place of Paddy McNair and goalscorer Niall McGinn, as well as making two other changes. Managers are even allowed to make a sixth change once matches go into extra time, which was most decisive in Northern Ireland’s crucial penalty shootout victory over Bosnia in October. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made a quintuple substitution against Sheffield United (Photo: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images) ![]()
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