Curle: Change to five subs has come too late

Keith Curle believes the recent rule change to five substitutions should have been introduced before the season started.

The decision to go to give subs was voted through by EFL clubs last week to help ensure players do not suffer from burnout during an unusually congested season. Cobblers are due to play eight games in a particularly busy December.

Curle made use of the new change for the first time when Cobblers won at Burton Albion on Saturday with Christopher Missilou, Chris Lines, Michael Harriman and Benny Ashley-Seal all introduced in the second-half.

However, it was at the start of the campaign when Curle could have done with being able to make more changes. Town at one point had 11 players injured.

"I think it's come after the horse has bolted to be honest," said Curle. "When we first came back and the season started, it should have been introduced then.

"Like many other clubs, we suffered a lot at the start of the season with fatigue injuries whereby the amount of games in a short space of time, without a proper pre-season, caused players to be exposed to game-time at a high level.

"That took its toll on us. Now, when the players are getting into the rhythm of playing Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Tuesday, and the workload that's involved with 90 minutes regularly, they're choosing to bring in the rule.

"I think it would have been better to introduce it when the season started."