From the 22/23 season onwards, premier league teams will be allowed to make five substitutions per game. The issue was voted on three times in the 21/22 season and was never passed. 14 votes from the 20 Premier League teams were required to amend the 3 substitute rule.
Eventually, the quorum was achieved, and from the 22/23 season onwards, teams can make 5 substitutes in-game, and a total of nine substitutes can be named on the team sheet. These subs can be made on three occasions during a match, with an additional opportunity at half-time.
The rule was temporarily introduced during the Corona Virus pandemic due to the unpredictability of infection and the added uncertainty it laid on teams starting line-ups. Other leagues across Europe integrate the rule after the pandemic.
The Premier League hesitated, lower ranked teams stating that it handed an unfair advantage to the 'top 6', and the larger teams complaining over fixture congestion and the need for more substitutions per game to give overworked players a rest. Fans were divided too, some claiming that the premier league would lose its competitive edge. Team Managers such as Liverpool's Klopp and Burnley's Sean Dyche almost came to blows. Klopp stated, “When our players play three games, they [Burnley] have no game". Sean on the other hand rejected the changes claiming they gave richer teams an unfair advantage. Honestly, all opinions are correct and it further complicates the argument. Is Football a players' game, a managers' game, or a fans' game? And whose interests should supersede another? Anyway, that's a conversation for another day.
Here's how the Five substitute rule will change the premier League.
An opportunity for youth and Academy team players to showcase their talent
With the introduction of the five substitutes rule, there is a greater opportunity for youth team players within teams to showcase their ability. Breaking into the first team of any Premier League team is no easy feat. For the Youth, an opportunity is all they really need. We can use the transfer sanctions on Chelsea F.C. as a relatable example. The transfer sanctions placed upon Chelsea in the 2019/20 Premier League season saw youth players like Recce James, Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham break into the first team. First-team football for the younger players will add to their experience and put in them in the footballing spotlight. This might be the traction they need to kick-start their careers.
A Decreased Risk of Injury for players in Multiple Competitions
Professional footballers in the Premier League play too many matches across overlapping competitions. Drawing an example from Liverpool's Mo Salah and Ex player Sadio Mane, having played in the Africa Cup of Nations and for a Liverpool side that completed every possible fixture last season, Salah and Mane averaged 90,000 kilometres of travel between them. Including the Champions League final, Mo and mane played their 70th game of the season at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France. They have each played 60% of their games back-to-back. According to FIFPRO, the worldwide representative organization for 65,000 professional footballers. The accumulated exposure puts players at risk, it can reduce performance and may also shorten many players' careers. Players need time to recover if fans regularly want to see them at their highest quality. In light of the five substitution changes, players in international and league competitions will get a much-needed break.
The Competitive Edge of The Premier League in Danger, or is it?
The major argument brought forth by 'lower' ranked teams in the League during the 21/22 season was that the five-substitute rule would ruin the competitive nature of the Premier League. In the last five seasons, Manchester City has won the Premier League four times. Will five substitutions create an imbalance within the Premier League? I would argue an imbalance already exists. On the contrary, lower-ranking teams could use this opportunity to weaponize their substitutions.
Substitutions as a Tactic
Replacing close to half of a first team has a colossal impact on the game. Five substitutions can be used to overhaul the attacking and midfield set-up completely. If the managers and coaches get the tactics of a game wrong, there is a chance to switch up the entire game and in eventuality, the result. The ball is on managers and tacticians half to make an impact with this opportunity.
To say I can't wait for the 2022/23 Season to begin is an understatement. The drama begins yet again on the 5th of August, and the changes to the substitutes rules add to the theatre. Who will make the most of this opportunity? and which team will be caught flat-footed by the opposition's substitution tactics? Let the games begin!
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