The tide already changed before the sub. Berna was dead and wasn't able to cover his position anymore leaving Cuads in constant trouble. The "right sub" imo would have been to put on a right back instead of Berna while pushing Cuads higher. Sadly we didn't have any RBs on the bench.
But this is where you are wrong.
He could've moved de ligt to RB and moved cuads in front of him and still keep shape.
De Ligt has played there before.
He obviously switched to turtle mode, because after that sub there were 10 to 15 minutes of constant pressure until the farcical penalty.
It proved again a mistake, which Max somehow always does especially in his latest years in charge.
He doesn't seem to grasp that we don't have wc barza and Chiello on the field, but potential brainfarters at every turn.
I would like to see, starting from next year that he at least goes down in a blaze of glory instead of defending leads with poor defenders.