Do you put a GK on the bench?

It's the year 2021 and St. Albans City are battling against relegation in their first season in the Premier League. Playing Liverpool at Anfield, the mighty Saints find themselves level at 1-1 when their goalkeeper injuries himself and can no longer continue. Controversial manager, Crouchaldinho, does not have a substitute goalkeeper on the bench, and so instead decides to bring on a defender, with a goalkeeper rating of 2, to play in goal. He suffers humiliation after humiliation, as Liverpool go on to score four times in the second-half, all through goalkeeper mistakes. The final score is 5-1 to Liverpool. :o

This is the first time in all these years that my Warnock-esque policy of not putting a goalkeeper on my bench has cost my team a match. I've often preferred to have more attacking options instead but I may have to review my policy after this embarrassment!

So, do you put a GK on your bench? If not, has it ever cost you the three points?

I always have a GK on the bench. Habit, I guess.

Sub No. 1 is reserved for my goalkeeper always.

With 7 sub places how do you not have space for a keeper crouch?

I could understand if it was three subs but seven.

With 7 sub places how do you not have space for a keeper crouch?

I could understand if it was three subs but seven.

I tend to have:

1) Defender

2) Fullback

3) Midfielder

4) Wide player

5) Wide player

6) Attacking Midfielder

7) Striker

Plenty of attacking options to bring on.

I find having two wide players and a central midfielder are both particularly important because they can tend to tire quickly and bringing a replacement on can freshen things up. Attacking midfielders and Strikers are really important as potential impact players to come on and score goals. Then I always have a couple of defenders in case we're having a nightmare at the back.

I guess I need to find some more utility players!

Sub Nr 1 always GK - should make him my assistance manager as well!

Never put keeper on subs, the only exception - pre-season friendlies where I substitute the whole team after half-time.

It did cost me several wins/draws, but back in FM8 or earlier. Can't recall keeper being injured or sent-off in FM09 or FM10.

My main problem is using all 3 subs after first 45mins - quite often players get injured later on.

i used to not bother, but i got an injured player once years ago, now i never leave one out

There is also the fact that I've never had an injured goalkeeper during a game before until now!

It seems a risk worth taking if you never end up with an injured 'keeper. You can have better options to bring on.

I always do but in 6 seasons I have never had to take the keeper off.

I always have a keeper onthe bench due to the fact that knowing my luck if I didn't my keeper would get himself sent off in the first minute.

Always have it like this:

GK

DC

MC/DMC

AMC

SC

AML/R

DL/R

Totally covered, especially when you add the fact that many players can do a job in other positions. Goalkeeping is so specialist that you'd be mad not to put one on the bench when you have seven subs.

1. GK

2. D(L/R)

3. DC

4. DMC

5. AMC

6. Wild card depending on formation.

7. ST

Always.

Usually have..

Sub1: Goalkeeper

Sub2: Defensive midfielder (Ideally can play both defence and Midfield)

Sub3: Striker

Sub4: Defender Centre

Sub5: Striker

Sub6: Winger Left or Right

Sub7: Attacking Midfielder or Centre

Sub No. 1 is reserved for my goalkeeper always.

This 10char

nope if i get only 5 places for subs as i think it pays off in the long run to have more options on the bench. however i normally do get one if i get 7 or more

I have: Goalkeeper

Defender

Defender

Midfielder

Winger

Striker

obviously the players can play in several places, the 2 defenders will normally be DRC and DLC etc...

i used to not bother, but i got an injured player once years ago, now i never leave one out

Snap, got burnt before never again, always a keeper on the bench, when there are subs, I tend not to bother. When I can have seven sub no1 is always a keeper.

Normally never use to, since FM11 my keeper has been injured twice, both times without having one of the bench. I then had to use a player in net, this was at 3-0 up. It ended up 3-3.

Never. Ive probably lost 3 or 4 games over the last few years through not having one. So no big deal. With my substitutes I like to have a CB, FB, MC, Winger and a Striker and 2 youngsters. If I need to change things I'll obviously use the first 5 subs, but if the game is beyond doubt I'll bring on the kids

Always, I wouldn't risk it!

Never bothered, I have probably lost the odd game over the years from having no 'keeper, but I have probably won just as many by having a wealth of outfield options.

The only exception is if I'm playing an easy opponent, I will put a promising youngster on the bench and bring him on at HT if its all going to plan.

Like most said sub No.1 is for the GK...Always and forever!

I always keep a GK on the bench, don't want to risk it

Never have a keeper on the bench!

Good thread Crouchy, reminds me of this one from a few months back: clicky

Thanks for posting that up Edgar555. Must have missed it at the time.

There's no point having a load of attacking player's on the bench if your GK gets injured and you have a defender in goal

Always do.

Always have a keep in sub 2 position, have used him on several occasions when I conceed a few in a short space of time. Never seen my No 1 get injusred though.

Thanks for posting that up Edgar555. Must have missed it at the time.

Tbf its from January, so you'd have done well to find it.

No. I have had 2 in-game goalkeeper injuries/red cards in 50+ seasons across FM08 and FM10, so it's simply not worth it.

I did once stick John O'Shea accidentally in goal though (kept a clean sheet, too! ), and didn't realise until after the game (where I saw in the post-match stuff that the commentator was struggling to understand why I had put O'Shea in goal).

Very rarely do i have a keeper on the bench, only time is when i have injuries and need to fill the empty space, i'm sure one day this will come back to haunt me.

I never put a keeper on my bench. You may face a keeper crisis of a match once every 5 seasons or something equally remote and, for me, it's a risk worth taking for the extra sub options and impact players you can take into your match day squad with you.

Last year it happened to me twice in a 36 season game. Worth it every time.

Never put a keeper on the bench unless it's for friendlies.

From FM10 I have never had a keeper on the bench. Pointless IMO. Until the keeper gets sent off and I get beat in a big game!!! Then my feelings may change.

I never used to have a sub goalie, its cost me once and it was in a massive game. Man City V Man Utd in the Champions League Quarter final - I was 2-1 up after 60 minutes of the second leg and Hart got injured. Micah Richards stepped up and went in goal and I lost 5-3. Gutted!

Now I always have a goalie on the bench in major cup competitions in the knockout stages but still don't bother in the league. The extra striker on the bench to give me another option if i'm chasing the game is far more useful than for the very rare situations where I need a sub goalie.

I tend not to but if it comes to a game that i know will be difficult: Geordies v Mackems, then it is worth putting a keeper on the bench.

I must admit when we had only 5 subs I always had a keeper on the bench, now we got 7 players on the bench I have gone gung-ho. I am sure I will rue the day and get a ritual humiliating defeat - wonder if the press pick up on that fact that your not carrying a goalie when you sub an outfielder?

"Kazza suffers total tactical breakdown when he finds himself without a substitute goalkeeper in a game against their deadlieast rivals the Black Cats and sees his team hammered 5-1 (ouch )

K

Yes.

Always be prepared for the unexpected.

Nope, I never have a GK on the bench.

My subs are usually:

Sub 1: Full Back

Sub 2: Centre Back

Sub 3: Central Mid

Sub 4: Central Mid

Sub 5: Striker

2 central mids as in my 4-1-3-2 formation the mids get knackered, plus there are 4 of them

No. I have had 2 in-game goalkeeper injuries/red cards in 50+ seasons across FM08 and FM10, so it's simply not worth it.

I did once stick John O'Shea accidentally in goal though (kept a clean sheet, too! ), and didn't realise until after the game (where I saw in the post-match stuff that the commentator was struggling to understand why I had put O'Shea in goal).

FM2011 is a different beast. Injuries are a little more realistic and GK now get injured.

FM2011 is a different beast. Injuries are a little more realistic and GK now get injured.

Iv gotten luck i think, at the end of season 2 and my number 1 keeper hasnt picked up a knock yet

I'm from the Neil Warnock school of no goalkeeper on the bench. It hasn't cost me points yet.

goalkeeper is always my first sub

I never put a keeper on the bench!

You peeps who dont use a GKing sub understand and acknowledge that you are simply exploiting a bug/flaw in the program?

You peeps who dont use a GKing sub understand and acknowledge that you are simply exploiting a bug/flaw in the program?

Ahh not looked at the rules do you have to have keeper on the bench then! Ooops

K

Always have a keeper on the bench. While keeper injuries are rare both in the game and irl they do happen and I think its better to be safe than sorry. Perhaps other nations should adopt the Scottish rule which says one of your subs HAS to be a goalkeeper. A good rule I think.

You peeps who dont use a GKing sub understand and acknowledge that you are simply exploiting a bug/flaw in the program?

With 5 subs it just makes good sense to have as many alternatives on your bench as possible. Especially in the BSN/BSS where fitness is shocking and i often have to finish games with a few players below 60% fitness even with make strategic subs (which are almost always for fitness over performance)

Ahh not looked at the rules do you have to have keeper on the bench then! Ooops

K

Please educate me the last time an EPL club did put a GK on the subs bench?

With 5 subs it just makes good sense to have as many alternatives on your bench as possible. Especially in the BSN/BSS where fitness is shocking and i often have to finish games with a few players below 60% fitness even with make strategic subs (which are almost always for fitness over performance)

In the case of a 5 sub limit, it makes more sense.

But the bigger issue is that GKers arent getting injured enough in-game.