Doha, Qatar – We’re not even through the group stage yet, but more goals have already been scored by the substitute 2022 world cup Compared to the previous entire tournament.
With one match day remaining, the group stage in Qatar has seen players come off the bench to find the net on 22 separate occasions, six more than in Russia 2018. This is already the third highest total in World Cup history, though still short of the all-time record of 32 from 2014 when, appropriately, the substitute Mario Gotze scored the winner in extra time Germany defeat Argentina 1-0 at Maracana Stadium.
The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is a different matter – the sub scored eight more goals than the second highest (24) in Germany 2006 – yet this World Cup potentially stands to break that record. Some 19% (171) of total goals in Brazil were scored by a substitute. 22 in Qatar, out of a total of 106, yielding 1% more so far.
So what is going on?
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five substitute rule
This is the obvious place to start. This summer, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) introduced a temporary measure that allowed teams to have five substitutes instead of the three permanent legislation. “The decision has been taken following a global analysis of the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on football,” said an IFAB statement.
As a result, the bureau of the FIFA Council increased the maximum World Cup squad size from 23 to 26 players. Teams are allowed to use five substitutes instead of three in the regulation 90 minutes, plus one additional sub should the game go to extra time; In case of any concussion substitute, both the teams will get one more.
This apparently enables managers to more easily make double or triple changes to chase down games or rest key players. They are also less likely to take risks with safe injured players because they can still make several changes.
In 44 matches so far, teams have used all five substitutes on 51 occasions (including one match in which Iran made six due to a concussion substitute.) Teams have used four substitutes a further 27 times. , so it’s 78 times out of a possible 88. that teams have used at least four.
26 man squad
Qatar has more players than any previous World Cup. And that brings its own problems for managers presiding over an orderly, unified camp.
England Manager Gareth Southgate has previously expressed doubts about expanded squads, believing that there is more “skill” involved in selecting 23 and also that the extra number could leave unused players feeling isolated. He struck a more strident tone when addressing the issue ahead of England’s 3-0 win wales on Monday.
“It is always a challenge but we are in a big tournament and it is not about giving cap outs,” he added. “We are here to try to go as far as possible. We have a great group, they support each other but of course the players will be disappointed when they are not playing.
“At other camps throughout the year, we try to give guys game time where we can, but when you’re at the World Cup, you can’t think that way unless you’ve already qualified. And there’s a game with a game. Different approach. We’re lucky we have a number of professionals who get on with it. I’ve done that myself by going to a tournament without minutes.”
Wholesale changes are not uncommon. France Manager Didier Deschamps made six changes for his team’s final group match in 2018 – a 0-0 draw Denmark – And this time scored nine in Wednesday’s 1-0 shock defeat Tunisia, Using all five substitutes is clearly another gesture to include the players that each team will be hoping for in a seven-match run.
added time
FIFA is often criticized for getting more bang for its buck – the 48-team World Cup in 2026 being the most obvious example – and the push to effectively make matches last longer is no different. However, the desire to discourage time wastage and ensure greater accuracy in compensating for breaks in play is certainly seen as a positive, even if it has led to a fundamental change in our expectations of overtime.
Speaking on Wednesday, Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the refereeing committee, said an average of 10 minutes of time was added during the first 32 matches in Qatar, compared to an average of six and a half minutes across all games at Russia 2018.
There have been outliers. England’s victory against Iran saw a remarkable 23 minutes added on in each half – although 14 minutes were due to injuries; 11 To treat the goalkeeper of Iran Alireza Baronvand For the concussion – while there were eight goals scored, one delay of play for a VAR check and another stoppage for an on-field review.
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“People want to see more football and we as FIFA, together with IFAB, have requested to try to do something to get more playing time during matches,” said Colina. “Already in Russia, we have done something in this direction: asking referees to more accurately calculate the stoppage time given at the end of each half. This recommendation was reiterated here ahead of Qatar 2022, so as to offer more active time.matching.
“We have given referees some specific incidents that should be considered, in particular time spent for injuries to players which was already calculated but more on standardized time: one minute each intervention. We have seen That there are many injuries that require more. A minute for treatment. Replacement, it’s worth considering. In the past, a sub: 30 seconds, that was the instruction.
“With 10 substitutions and multiple substitutions within one slot, we cannot say that three subs in one slot means one and a half [minutes] Because it is probably less but more than 30 seconds. So they have to do accurate calculations.”
Collina said if Russia’s figures had been adapted to include 10 substitutions per game instead of six, the average would have risen to seven minutes and 30 seconds in 2018. That’s why matches in Qatar are not very long.
Tournament timing and mindset change
The first Northern Hemisphere winter will be a factor in deciding the World Cup, with some players pushed further than others during the early part of the domestic season. For example, it is theoretically possible that a top Premier League star could play 78 matches in the 2022-23 season with a three-week break throughout the year.
Player welfare is a more prominent factor in top-level football these days and the lack of preparation time, combined with the condensed group stage schedule in Qatar, makes the use of substitutes all the more important.
The thinking about alternatives has also changed. Instead of replacing the likes within a tactical setup or due to injury, players designed to exploit tiring defenses are an essential strategic element for some teams. The five substitutes only increase the options for more tactical changes.
List of Goal Scoring Subs in Qatar 2022 So Far
marcus rashford: England vs Iran
Jack Grealish: England vs Iran
Davy Klassen: Netherlands Vs. Senegal
ritsu don: Japan vs Germany
takuma asano: Japan vs Germany
carlos solar: Spain v. Costa Rica
alvaro morata: Spain vs Costa Rica
rafael leo: Portugal v. Ghana
Usman Bukhari: Ghana v. portugal
Mohd Muntari: Qatar vs Senegal
Bamba Deng Senegal vs Qatar
Rouzbeh Cheshmi: Iran vs Wales
Vincent AbubakarCameron v. Serbia
alvaro morata: Spain vs Germany
Niklas Fulkrug: Germany v. spain
Zakaria Abukhlal: Morocco v. belgium
lovro major: Croatia Vs. Canada
enzo fernandez: Argentina v. Mexico
Kai Havertz: Germany vs Japan (2)
Niklas Fulkrug: Germany vs Japan
ritsu don: Japan vs Spain
