Do you put a GK on the bench?

Yes or No?

Of course! The moment I don't, my 'keeper will get injured in a match. I just know it!

My answer was no, (and in Serie A I get 12 subs).

I will explain why next week.

No if I'm playing in a league with only 5 or less subs, my only exceptions being important cup games/finals.

Yes if I'm playing in a league with 7 subs.

always do

I always do. Better safe than sorry is my thinking there.

Never. Its pointless. Have played this game for upwards 20 seasons and have never had a match injury for a keeper. I need the extra bench spot for outfield players.

Nah, I'll just stick my fattest player in net if the keeper gets injured...

Always. I might only lose my keeper 1 match out of 500, but I never want the guaranteed loss that not having one on the bench would mean.

Although I also am certain that the day I don't have one on the bench is the day he gets injured. In the same way that 99% of your injuries happen just after you've made all three subs.

Never. I've yet to see mine or another keeper injured.

Always. I aim to get versatile outfield players to cover all other positions to use up fewer spaces..

The last few FM's have taught me that you don't need to, since keepers never get injured or commit fouls, so no chance of a sending off.

In this FM however, I did have a keeper pick up a knock in a game, but he was able to continue without being forced off.

I always have a 'keeper on the bench. I don't usually need him, and the one time my 'keeper got injured - thigh strain, so he could have done with being replaced - I'd already used my 3 for the match (tactical switches with between 15 and 20 mins to go, staged over a 5 minute period, while chasing a single goal deficit).

aside from Denmark, where they require a GK as one of five bench players, no. The few times I've lost my GK to an injury, I've been lucky enough to stick one of my "utility defenders" (DC/DM/MC) in goal and keep it to maybe one goal conceded.

Amazed at how many people dont.

Amazed at how many people do!

99% of the time i have no GK on the bench, only time i do is when i have loads of injuries the spare keeper gets on the bench to fill an empty slot.

Ok. I'm quite surprised by the results, so perhaps we could expand on what we do/don't do.

I am in the no GK on bench camp.

When I started playing the demo I didn't used to have a GK on the bench and it cost me, with my GK being sent off twice, (in successive matches I think). (Does anyone remember the bug where GK momentum would see him come out to claim a through ball, collect it inside the box, but his momentum take him outside the box and then be shown a straight red?)

Since I have started my San Marino save I have never had a GK on the bench and after managing over 1,000 matches, my GK has been sent off 0 times and my GK has received a red injury 0 times. On 1 single occasion, (last season actually), my GK received a green injury and was able to continue with seemingly little/no impact on his performance.

Just a little note for those of you who do put a GK on the bench, it should not be deemed "worthwhile" just because you have need of a GK. You actually need to benefit from having the GK on the bench. In real terms that means collecting points that you might not otherwise have done. Having your GK sent off and then his replacement perform heroics in an unlucky 1-0 win with 10 men still gets you 0 points and you have not benefited from having the GK there.

So how many of you have.....

(A) Had cause to use a GK? (Was it injury or dismissal?)

(B) Benefited from having the GK there, (in terms of the result).

© On how many occasions did this happen out of how many games you have played?

[Edit]

Apologies. I have obviously had a GK on the bench in INT matches, but I have never had cause to use them.

A) I've used my GK due to injury and dismissal.

B) Based on that note about it being worthwhile i wouldn't know, as, because of my choice to put a GK from the bench in goal, i have no idea how it would end up with it being an outfield player in goal instead.

As that's a potential "reality" that never happened.

Either way i honestly can't remember either.

C) As mentioned in B, i really can't remember. A very, very rough estimate would be about 10 times. But that, as mentioned, is a very rough estimate.

I have no idea at this moment how many games that is but we're talking about 35-36 years?! I'm in 2048 or 2049 at the moment. Somewhere around there.

So one can safely say that it doesn't happen often in my save. But it does happen. And i'd much rather have a GK on the bench instead of none.

What would happen if i put an outfield player in goal instead? No idea, and i don't want to find out either.

If i don't need a GK then i don't specifically need a defender, midfielder nor an attacker either. I could just fill the bench up with whoever as it wouldn't make much difference anyway. I hope you get my thinking here.

And i do remember that bug with the GK momentum. It was annoying. It's still there but (and it was there before as well) now the GK brings it over the line for a corner instead.

If the GK gets close to the 18-yard line, on the sides, the GK will most of the time control the ball with his legs instead of picking it up. Which is kind of ridiculous in quite a few situations.

But that is for a different thread.

My answer was no, (and in Serie A I get 12 subs).

I will explain why next week.

I manage in Serie A and usually have less than 12 subs. I have had 3 keepers on the bench and still had less than 12 subs. Is this strange? I have a rather streamlined squad and prefer to not have "no hope" youngsters from my u19 squad crowding the main team.

Yes. Mainly because I know the 1 time I don't, my keeper will get injured in the first minute...

Yup with more then 5 subs - I've subbed a keeper having a 'mare on more then one occasion.

I always do. Because I've had keepers get injured in the past.

Yes. Fabianski went off injured in an FA Cup game I played last night. First time I've had it happen but had I not had a keeper on the bench it could of seen me crash out the cup.

Just don't see any point. I mean i am willing to take the punt. That extra slot is invaluable to me and wasting it on a ***** back up keeper? No thanks

If I have more than five subs for a match, I put a goalie on the bench yes.

Always, at my 7th season I was about forgot to buy another goalie but realised the mistake in mid august.

Never have and never will. The one time that I've had to replace a keeper mid-match, (in FM12) I threw Alex Song in net and he proceeded to save a pen and record a man of the match.

With five subs no, with seven, yes.

In an ordinary match, it's there as a precaution, but otherwise, it'll generally be a young keeper who I'll bring on if we're comfortably ahead on 70 minutes. 20 minutes of experience here and there doesn't hurt.

No. I rather have more 7 options than a GK that will be useful once every 200 games.

I once used to have a GK on the sub bench until I started a thread here not too long ago on how you guys pick your 7 subs, it generated more 'no's to having a GK than 'yes' from gamers. I have not picked one since. And I am lucky enough not to have injury to the GK during matches thus far. Seemed that most of the time my GK got injured was during training

No, I want 7 outfield players sat waiting to come on. If I can't fill the 7 spots with outfield players due to injurys/suspensions then my backup keeper will have the privilage of sitting on the bench.

I always have one, but I ususally play in competitions with at least 7 subs.

A question to those of you who don't: if you have 7+ subs, how much extra flexibility do you get out of that 7th or even 12th outfield player? You must have very deep squads, a lot of different formations to pick from, and/or unversatile players?

Never have, and it's burned me maybe once in 50+ seasons.

Always, had keepers take knocks, and get sent off once in a blue moon.

Also, seems "right" to have one.

I always name a sub keeper, tbh I very rarely use all 3 subs in a match anyway so having an extra outfield players isn't going to be all that beneficial.

One thing that is apparent from this thread is that we probably need to take a look at the frequency of keeper injuries in matches & we certainly need to have keepers committing more fouls as they hardly ever get sent off.

Hope any tweaks by SI to this would be moderate. Frankly I am fine with it now. I do not want my keeper to get injured during matches every other week, just like my outfield players. Injury frequency to outfield players seems to be high in Fm14, at least in my save. Well .. probably its due to my high-tempo tactics, but I still think its rather high

I always name a sub keeper, tbh I very rarely use all 3 subs in a match anyway so having an extra outfield players isn't going to be all that beneficial.

One thing that is apparent from this thread is that we probably need to take a look at the frequency of keeper injuries in matches & we certainly need to have keepers committing more fouls as they hardly ever get sent off.

Fantastic news, injury frequency across the board needs to go up, especially little knocks/niggles and goalies finally being sent off for professional fouls in particular is well overdue.

I always have a goalie on the bench, although very rarely use them. I doubt I would use the 5th outfield sub much more though, only 3 can come on the pitch anyway.

Never. Its pointless. Have played this game for upwards 20 seasons and have never had a match injury for a keeper. I need the extra bench spot for outfield players.

See, I don't get that logic. You need that extra bench spot for a player who won't even play?

No. Except for in cup finals. Just in case. That said I've never had cause to use one.

Its more options if you need to change things, doesnt matter if they will all play, you need different options for different scenario's.

The only time i ever put a keeper on the bench is when im playing in Scotland and you have no choice, otherwise i never waste a sub on a keeper, your keeper almost never goes off injured anyway, its a waste of time. For the 1 in a million time that he does go off, i just put a player in there and get onto the next game.

Ok. I'm quite surprised by the results, so perhaps we could expand on what we do/don't do.

I am in the no GK on bench camp.

When I started playing the demo I didn't used to have a GK on the bench and it cost me, with my GK being sent off twice, (in successive matches I think). (Does anyone remember the bug where GK momentum would see him come out to claim a through ball, collect it inside the box, but his momentum take him outside the box and then be shown a straight red?)

Since I have started my San Marino save I have never had a GK on the bench and after managing over 1,000 matches, my GK has been sent off 0 times and my GK has received a red injury 0 times. On 1 single occasion, (last season actually), my GK received a green injury and was able to continue with seemingly little/no impact on his performance.

Just a little note for those of you who do put a GK on the bench, it should not be deemed "worthwhile" just because you have need of a GK. You actually need to benefit from having the GK on the bench. In real terms that means collecting points that you might not otherwise have done. Having your GK sent off and then his replacement perform heroics in an unlucky 1-0 win with 10 men still gets you 0 points and you have not benefited from having the GK there.

So how many of you have.....

(A) Had cause to use a GK? (Was it injury or dismissal?)

(B) Benefited from having the GK there, (in terms of the result).

© On how many occasions did this happen out of how many games you have played?

[Edit]

Apologies. I have obviously had a GK on the bench in INT matches, but I have never had cause to use them.

A: Very few times, admittedly. Maybe once or twice - but I'm not afraid to bring a keeper on if my number one choice is having a shocking game, as I would with any player. Damage limitation style.

B: I dont recall the results of games where I've used my second choice keeper, but I'd much rather have the security of having an actual GK on the bench if my keeper gets injured or sent off early in the game.

C: I've played loads of matches, and admittedly only needed to use my keeper a couple of times - though, as said in A, I have used him a few more times when my main keeper is having a rubbish game.

I think the poll is a little simplistic.

For me it's

IF subs = 7 (or more) then GK goes on bench

IF subs = 5 (or less) then no GK on bench.

I think when you have 7 subs there is plenty of room for a GK on there too, especially if your plays have *any* versatility at all.

Apologies if the poll was too simplistic. I wasn't entirely sure that I could create a poll at all, so didn't want to overcomplicate things. You are completely correct that more answer options would have been much better.

I use 12 subs, but never a GK.

Sub1. Big centre-half sub, (plays DLC).

Sub2. MC player, (usually a younger player).

Sub3. AML player.

Sub4. AMR player.

Sub5. Striker.

Sub6. Striker. (I only play with 1 up front, but if I want to change to 2 then I might need 2).

Sub7. MC player, (usually a rotated senior player).

Sub8. Centre-half who plays DRC, (usually smaller and quicker than partner and better on ball).

Sub9. DMC.

Sub10. Left back sub.

Sub11. Right back sub.

Sub 12. AMC player.

My team instructions lead to lots of cards. I'm prepared to collect yellows and what I usually do is warn player to be careful, (HT teamtalk), if they were booked in the 1st half. If they have given away lots of fouls or are performing poorly then I will sub them at HT, but usually I will try and wait until 60mins(ish) in an attempt to have a bigger difference in condition come the closing stages of the game. I always always always always use all 3 subs and usually before 75mins. If a player gets injured in the last 15 mins then I finish the game with 10 men. Despite everyone saying that you get an injury as soon as you make your 3rd sub, (I used to dread that too), in actual fact I find it happens very very very very rarely. The benefit that my young players get from 1st team exposure, not forgetting the benefit to the team as a whole in terms of condition and of course the rest given to my starters, is of significant benefit.

In my experience, the players who we/you/me are likely to do without on the bench are specialist full-backs. Instead we will use a centre-half who can play at full back, but often his strengths are very much those of a centre half and not so much of an attacking full back. Strangely, these are the very players that I have found that I can't really do without on the bench. Certainly with my tactical instructions, I find that my full-backs collect yellow cards at an alarming rate, (even in a team that did the domestic double last season, so certainly not being dominated/pressured in most matches).

I could probably do without 1 centre-half, 1 MC or 1 ST, (or possibly even 1 winger at a push too), but fielding these 12 outfield players on the bench gives me a wealth of options to change things. It also, (and this is really where I use it more), gives me the ability to alter the ability of the player that I am bringing on. If we are dominating and the game is won then I can bring on a weaker player and give him 1st team exposure. If the game is close then I can bring on a stronger player. As I am looking to develop HG Sammarinese players, this is important to me.

I am still waiting to be burnt for the 1st time in over 1,000 games, (although I am sure it is just around the corner now I have posted this).

Never had a goalkeeper sent off or injured in a match. Not since the edition when they would be sent off for handling outside of the box as mentioned above.

When Neil Warnock was the manager of Sheffield United he very rarely had a keeper on the bench and Phil Jagielka had a talent for goalkeeping so was the stand in keeper if anything ever happened to Paddy Kenny. I can remember Jagielka keeping a clean sheet against Arsenal!

With the 7 subs rule it makes it alot easier to add a keeper to the bench and still gives me more tactical options than when we had the 5 subs rule. You can guarantee that the day I don't have a keeper on the bench my main keeper will get injured!

It's a YES from me.

Yeah. Warnock has always been a fan of having extra strikers on the bench. I have a feeling that before he had Jagielka that Peschisolido used to do it, (despite him being small).

Usually not but depends on match and league/cup position.

Will not risk it in knock-out/finals.

Rarely a keeper does get sent off/injured and have to scramble a player with a high GK rating.

End up playing safely with a GK sub for a few matches after.

I always name a keeper on the bench, but I'm in the same boat as others - I can't remember an injury for a keeper in a match in 20+ years of playing (I'm sure it must have happened at least once or twice!).

I can remember the occasional sending off, and that's why I always have one on the bench.

I don't think I've ever put a keeper on the bench in FM14.