If you're not going to start Tilley, it would be risky to bring him on when it's 0-0. If we lose with him starting, it's the whole team. If it's a tight 0-0, he comes on and we lose then what happens to him? He becomes the target. It was a nothing game we got a point from and look how much people are moaning over the choice of substitutions. There would be people who would take that as a strike against Tilley, and from his second appearance, which you'd expect to be more substantial, he'd be on the back foot. Some fans would be waiting for him to make a mistake. If he comes on and turns the game around people will forget how much of a nothing game it was and build him up to legend status, and his second appearance will be attempting to live up to unrealistic expectations (which I believe is a part of the problem with JFC).
I remember Poyet, when discussing the downside of the 5 man bench, mentioning how beneficial it can be for a young player just to be a part of the match day experience even if he doesn't get to play. Bringing Tilley along for the day will have done a lot more for him than I think people are acknowledging, and getting on the field, albeit for a minute, will have been a big plus for him in his development.
Of course, that's only as a substitute as the game goes along at 0-0. I imagine if we were winning, or losing, he may have had more time, but I don't know if I can offer much of an explanation as to why we didn't start with him.
I remember Poyet, when discussing the downside of the 5 man bench, mentioning how beneficial it can be for a young player just to be a part of the match day experience even if he doesn't get to play. Bringing Tilley along for the day will have done a lot more for him than I think people are acknowledging, and getting on the field, albeit for a minute, will have been a big plus for him in his development.
Of course, that's only as a substitute as the game goes along at 0-0. I imagine if we were winning, or losing, he may have had more time, but I don't know if I can offer much of an explanation as to why we didn't start with him.