Why take Wotherspoon off?

[macca70]

Totally lost our shape and momentum.

Spoony and Zemmama were linking up well down the right.

All our attacks at the start of the 2nd half were created through Wotherspoon.

Thought Zouma was so much more effective with Wotherspoon on.

He gave the defence an out ball at the back, all that happened when he went off is the ball was given to Hogg to launch it forward.

Was a positive move to bring on a forward for a defender but would much preferred Deek to be hooked rather than Wotherspoon.

[Bayern Bru]

Totally lost our shape and momentum.

Spoony and Zemmama were linking up well down the right.

All our attacks at the start of the 2nd half were created through Wotherspoon.

Thought Zouma was so much more effective with Wotherspoon on.

He gave the defence an out ball at the back, all that happened when he went off is the ball was given to Hogg to launch it forward.

Was a positive move to bring on a forward for a defender but would much preferred Deek to be hooked rather than Wotherspoon.

I know tonight perhaps disproves this, but manager after manager (with the possible exception of Strapon at Celtc:greengrin) has pointed out that Riordan is "always likely to do something out of nothing." Maybe that's why he's consistently left on and not subbed?
Just my thoughts though.

[patlowe]

Totally lost our shape and momentum.

Spoony and Zemmama were linking up well down the right.

All our attacks at the start of the 2nd half were created through Wotherspoon.

Thought Zouma was so much more effective with Wotherspoon on.

He gave the defence an out ball at the back, all that happened when he went off is the ball was given to Hogg to launch it forward.

Was a positive move to bring on a forward for a defender but would much preferred Deek to be hooked rather than Wotherspoon.

100% agree. I can see why Hughes succumbed to the urge to throw on another forward but Spoony (a la Murphy back in the Mogga days) was the foundation of most of our attacks at the beginning of the second half.

[NadeAteMyLunch!]

:agree::agree: Not saying deeks should have come off but spoony should defo have stayed on. Everything was comin down that side, zouma was lost after DW was hooked imo which was a shame coz he had looked very lively after comin on.

[lucky]

If we were going 3 at the back then Hogg should have come off. Spoony was Hibs best player

[JoeT]

If we were going 3 at the back then Hogg should have come off. Spoony was Hibs best player

I agree, would have taken off Hogg or Bamba, Bamba on a yellow card with 3 at the back was a disater waiting to happen, thankfully he didn't have to lunge in too often

[patlowe]

In situations where one team is so much on the back foot, the importance of having attack minded full backs that are comfortable on the ball becomes obvious. When I think back to any game where we've had to chase it in the second half, Wotherspoon has been prominent in all our good attacking play. I reckon Hughes tried to combat McGhee's decision to bring on Ifil and it backfired.

[shamo9]

Definitely agree. Our team's shape basically became a line of 6 players attacking and 4 defending. All we did after the sub was hump it up the park, playing to Aberdeen's stengths of being a physical team.

Simply putting on more forwards doesn't always mean scoring more goals. We were more dominant when we had a balance, the sub allowed Aberdeen a way back in - the counter attack.

[I'm_cabbaged]

If we were going 3 at the back then Hogg should have come off. Spoony was Hibs best player

And leave Spoony as part of a back 3, are you insane? :bitchy:

[The_Horde]

The decision to bring off Wotherspoon and push Nid inside was a shocker IMO.

The full backs were where we were starting our attacks, i don't think Zouma touched the ball once Wotherspoon went off.

I felt if we had left them on we might just have WON the game.

Fantastic spirit to bring it back though, and the 2 goals conceded should NEVER have happened.

[keep the faith]

Definitely agree. Our team's shape basically became a line of 6 players attacking and 4 defending. All we did after the sub was hump it up the park, playing to Aberdeen's stengths of being a physical team.

Simply putting on more forwards doesn't always mean scoring more goals. We were more dominant when we had a balance, the sub allowed Aberdeen a way back in - the counter attack.

:top marks

[Jonnyboy]

I'd understand the question better if we lost but the subs worked and we still pinned them back even after young Spoony went off.

[davym7062]

coz yogi decided to use long ball tactics and get something out the game. we might as well had lost 4-1 as 2-1 but we ended up with a draw.

:notworthy:

[macca70]

I'd understand the question better if we lost but the subs worked and we still pinned them back even after young Spoony went off.

totally disagree, Spoony and Zemmama were ripping them up down the right, we totally lost our shape and played right into Aberdeens hands by launching the ball long after spoony went off.

Thought we looked a lot more threatening for 1st 25 mins of 2nd half when spoony was on rather than last 20 mins when he was off.

We had already scored from open play prior to him going off, we could only score from a pen when he was taken off.

[macca70]

coz yogi decided to use long ball tactics and get something out the game. we might as well had lost 4-1 as 2-1 but we ended up with a draw.

:notworthy:

but it was 2-1 when he took him off, not 2-0 and we were battering them down the right.

Zouma looked completely lost without spoony backing him up.

[Hibbie_Cameron]

I'd understand the question better if we lost but the subs worked and we still pinned them back even after young Spoony went off.

Spoony was playing very well but we equalised when he went off and the man who replaced him scored it. That to me was a great change by our manager (if not a risky one:greengrin)

[macca70]

Spoony was playing very well but we equalised when he went off and the man who replaced him scored it. That to me was a great change by our manager (if not a risky one:greengrin)

It was a penalty, Stevie Wonder would have scored it, had he came on for Spoony.

Benji hardly came on and changed the game, I just thought we looked a lot more effective and threatening with Spoony on.

[madabouthibs]

I reckon the penalty was Benji's first touch tonight! Wonder if Spoons would have taken it?:cool2:

[Hibbie_Cameron]

It was a penalty, Stevie Wonder would have scored it, had he came on for Spoony.

Benji hardly came on and changed the game, I just thought we looked a lot more effective and threatening with Spoony on.

I know, im teasing in a way as its the sort of thread i would expect to posted had we lost the match.

Spoony played very well but as Jonnyboy said, the pressure continued after he went off, just from different areas

[Littlest Hobo]

I know tonight perhaps disproves this, but manager after manager (with the possible exception of Strapon at Celtc:greengrin) has pointed out that Riordan is "always likely to do something out of nothing." Maybe that's why he's consistently left on and not subbed?
Just my thoughts though.



Yes but sometimes he's more likely to make nothing out of something :greengrin

[Littlest Hobo]

totally disagree, Spoony and Zemmama were ripping them up down the right, we totally lost our shape and played right into Aberdeens hands by launching the ball long after spoony went off.

Thought we looked a lot more threatening for 1st 25 mins of 2nd half when spoony was on rather than last 20 mins when he was off.

We had already scored from open play prior to him going off, we could only score from a pen when he was taken off.

:top marks:thumbsup:

[Bayern Bru]

Yes but sometimes he's more likely to make nothing out of something :greengrin

Touché...
:greengrin

[IWasThere2016]

totally disagree, Spoony and Zemmama were ripping them up down the right, we totally lost our shape and played right into Aberdeens hands by launching the ball long after spoony went off.

Thought we looked a lot more threatening for 1st 25 mins of 2nd half when spoony was on rather than last 20 mins when he was off.

We had already scored from open play prior to him going off, we could only score from a pen when he was taken off.

Alternatively, we lost TWO when he was on and NONE when he was off :wink:

[heretoday]

Well Yogi's got to protect his assets hasn't he? What was it - 4m for Wotherspoon?

[TonyStokeprano]

The substitution obviously worked. the player coming on for wotherspoon scored a goal and then played stokes through on the goalie with an excellent pass in the last minute, I could see the point in moaning if the we hadn't equalised after the substitution. How can you question a managers motives when he makes a sub at 2-1 down and the player coming on scores to make it 2-2? Yogi wanted to go with 3 centre halfs, obviously he wasnt going to put wotherspoon there, remember mccann at centre back v aberdeen? i think yogi's decision has been justified by the outcome.

[RyeSloan]

The substitution obviously worked. the player coming on for wotherspoon scored a goal and then played stokes through on the goalie with an excellent pass in the last minute, I could see the point in moaning if the we hadn't equalised after the substitution. How can you question a managers motives when he makes a sub at 2-1 down and the player coming on scores to make it 2-2? Yogi wanted to go with 3 centre halfs, obviously he wasnt going to put wotherspoon there, remember mccann at centre back v aberdeen? i think yogi's decision has been justified by the outcome.


You could say all's well that ends well(ish) but that doesn't remove the fact that Wotherspoon was probably our best player at the point he was hooked and that him and Zem were really starting to ask Aberdeen questions.

Of course Hughes will say that the decision was vindicated as we got the draw but I wasn't a fan of the move at the time and thought it made our efforts to get back level that bit more laboured.

All that aside though you have to look at Wotherspoon and admire...he seems to have everything..pace, touch, ability and a great pass. Sure he is young and still makes the odd mistake but for a guy that is still 19 or so I think he clearly has the potential to be a top top player.

[ahibby]

Disagree with the OP. Spoony was taken off to put another striker on and was the right decision. Of course it changed our shape but if you are going to have Spoony supporting the attack your more or less left with three at the back anyway. When it comes to going with three at the back I'd far prefer to have three out and out defenders such as Hogg Bamba and Murray. Maybe I'm in the minority but that's my view.

[hibbymac]

The substitution obviously worked. the player coming on for wotherspoon scored a goal and then played stokes through on the goalie with an excellent pass in the last minute, I could see the point in moaning if the we hadn't equalised after the substitution. How can you question a managers motives when he makes a sub at 2-1 down and the player coming on scores to make it 2-2? Yogi wanted to go with 3 centre halfs, obviously he wasnt going to put wotherspoon there, remember mccann at centre back v aberdeen? i think yogi's decision has been justified by the outcome.

:confused: Maybe be worth reading the original post again.