Nottingham Forest boss Chris Hughton has explained his decision to make just one substitution in his team’s 2-0 defeat to Barnsley.
Beginning this weekend, Football League clubs are permitted up to five changes in a game, from a nine-man bench - as was the case following the restart last season.
Hughton, though, only opted to make one at Oakwell, with Luke Freeman replacing Miguel Angel Guerrero in the 72nd minute.
The score was still 0-0 at the time, with the Reds largely on top against their opponents. And Hughton says it was for that reason he didn’t make many alterations.
“It was because I was generally happy with the performance,” he said.
“You’ve never got complete control of a game, because you’re up against very good teams.
“But in terms of my games so far, we were as much in control against Barnsley as we have been in any other game.
“For me, there wasn't the necessity.
"Anthony (Knockaert) looked like he could produce something, and I thought Joe (Lolley) did okay.
"Lyle (Taylor), along with Guerrero, hasn't played too many 90 minutes. I thought he just got to the stage where, with his ball retention, he was just losing it a little bit.
"But overall, I thought he played well.”
In addition to Freeman, Forest had Sammy Ameobi, Cafu, Harry Arter, Loic Mbe Soh, Gaetan Bong, Carl Jenkinson and Nicholas Ioannou on the bench, as well as reserve shot-stopper Jordan Smith.
The Tykes struck the crossbar three times in the match, while the visitors spurned some golden chances.
However, a super strike from Callum Styles broke the deadlock five minutes from the end and Cauley Woodrow wrapped up the points with a close-range finish a few minutes later.
"It is very frustrating,” Hughton said. "When they scored their goal, I thought we were in really good control of the game at that stage.
"But they have got quality and players who can produce.
"I just thought in general play we were in good control.
"That's what's most disappointing - to concede at that moment. Anybody watching the game in that period, would probably have felt we were most likely to score.”
