Photo:  If a player is badly injured, he must be substituted [PlessPix]

No player likes being substituted.

But, sometimes it is necessary because of injury or tactical reasons.

Or, a player who is not performing can be substituted.

It's usually forwards or midfielders who are substituted.  Defenders are substituted less frequently, while goalkeepers are almost never substituted, except because of injury.

Photo:  Luke Brattan (left) started for Brisbane but Thomas Broich missed again through injury [PlessPix]

(A-League, Suncorp Stadium, Saturday, 31 December 2011)

Brisbane Roar 3 (Nichols 44, Visconte 50, I Franjic 53)

Melbourne Victory 1 (Kewell 3)

HT: 1-1   Att: 14,852   Ref: M Gillett

Brisbane Roar: Theoklitos  -  Adnan, Smith, Jurman  -  I Franjic, Brattan (Nakajima-Farran 69), Paartalu, Stefanutto (Hingert 80)  -  Nichols (Murdocca 56), Berisha, Visconte  (Sub not used:  Redmayne)

Melbourne Victory: Covic  -  Foschini, P Franjic, Vargas, Fabio  -  Ferreira (Brebner 65), Broxham, Celeski (Cernak 76)  -  Thompson, Hernandez (Allsopp 65), Kewell  (Sub not used:  Thomas)

Photo:  Mariners coach Graham Arnold deep in thought [PlessPix]

(A-League, Bluetongue Stadium, Saturday, 31 December 2011)

Central Coast Mariners 0

Gold Coast United 0

HT: 0-0   Att: 14,838   Ref: R Shepheard

Central Coast Mariners: Ryan  -  Bojic, Wilkinson, Zwaanswijk, Rose  -  McGlinchey, Hutchinson, Amini (McBreen 65). Bozanic  -  Simon, Ibini-Isei (Hearfield 71)  (Subs not used:  Sainsbury, Passfield)

Gold Coast United: Tyson  -  McGowan, Anderson, Rozic, Traore  -  Salley, Thwaite, Jungschlager  -  Brown, Rigters, Halloran  (Subs:  Mebrahtu, Harold, Bowles, O’Connor)

Photo:  Jets grounded again, like this redundant brand [PlessPix]

(A-League, Ausgrid Stadium, Saturday, 31 December 2011)

Newcastle Jets 1 (Jeffers 62)

Perth Glory 1 (Mehemt 9)

HT: 0-1   Att: 10,439   Ref: S Delovski

Newcastle Jets: Kennedy  -  Elrich, Regan, Calvano, Byun  -  Zadkovich, Wehrman, Kantarovski [(Jeffers 56) Haliti 69]  -  Brockie, Bridges, Griffiths  (Subs not used:  Topor-Stanley, Nash)

Perth Glory: Vukovic  -  Risdon, Ven Den Brink, Pantelidis, Howarth  -  Miller, Burns  -  Dodd, McGarry, Sterjovski (Berger 69)  -  Mehmet  (Subs not used:  Hughes, Taggart, Italiano)