Alex Neil admits selecting his substitutes will be as tough a decision as picking his starting XI as he prepares to lead Sunderland out at Wembley in the League One play-off final this weekend. Barring just a couple of long-term absentees, the Black Cats boss has virtually a full-strength squad to choose from, and that means he has options as far as personnel and therefore systems are concerned as he looks to find a winning formula against Wycombe Wanderers.
It also means he has flexibility when deciding who to include on the bench, with the Scot looking to strike a balance between cover for injuries and fatigue along with players who can change games and make an impact if called upon. But Neil says it can also throw up a dilemma if a player who narrowly misses out on the starting line-up then finds themselves left off the teamsheet altogether because they do not fit his criteria for subs.
"It can be as hard to pick who is on the bench as who starts," said Neil. "The reason is that the bench is a different kettle of fish.
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"When I think about the bench, I'm thinking about the players that are going to impact the game, why they might need to impact the game, and what variations they can give me if I need to change things. There can be somebody who is particularly close to starting a game that then sometimes might not make the bench because, if I need to change it, they are not the person to change it, if that makes sense.
"That can be difficult to work out logically in your own head, and not only that to then explain to that player that he was really close to starting but that instead he is not involved. That's tough to hear.
"What the bench is used for, in my opinion, is to alter the way a match is going to go, and also to make sure you have all your bases covered - if you lose your centre-back or your goalkeeper, there's somebody there to come in and be an adequate replacement. Equally, when the game is not going your way, you need people who can impact the game in a positive way.
"Sometimes it boils down to two or three players, and which one you feel is going to do it for you."
Versatile defender Carl Winchester is potentially in the running to be involved in the final after returning to training this week after missing the last two league games of the campaign plus the two play-off semi-final games against Sheffield Wednesday due to a groin injury. And both Aiden McGeady and Leon Dajaku are also in contention, despite McGeady having been out since November with knee ligament damage and Dajaku having been out for two months through illness.
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