See that's just it - I think most are good enough. Every game is like groundhog day - we play well (or OK) and are in the ascendency - opposition gets a corner or free kick and score with their first attack. Rinse and repeat as necessary
I think a lot of our squad is pretty poor when you look past a largely decent first team, we also can't defend set pieces or play a keeper who's anywhere near good enough. But yeah I'm not knocking the likes of Oviedo, Grabban, McGeady etc. They're all above par for this league.
Keeper and Defence are the issue. When Ruiter plays we're much better against crosses and corners - but he simply can;t save simple shots! When Steele plays he makes the easy saves you'd expect but is weak as piss from set piece crosses and every club in the league knows that now. Oviedo, Matthews (I thought he was canny on Saturday), Williams, Cattermole (I know that he's good enough even if he's not shown it this season), N'Dong, Grabban, McGeady, Watmore. Sort the defence and keeper out and we'll have no problems staying in this league and probably be a comfortable mid table side. If they were sorted before the season started, we'd probably be pushing for a play off spot now!!!!
I thought that he had a good game, too - but I didn't want the usual "You must be shagging Cattermole" response that I get for being the only one who notices the good things that he does!
I like the bold but CC says it may be tough and he only wants players here who want to be here and to me it is management style - he means it. Attack as a unit defend as a unit. I think he will get the elephant off the clubs backs that no one has identified - its not all Short as its been this way since I supported club in the early 60's.
Don't worry about any upset - its a forum of our (emotional) views all serious ones are needed - .... infact sensitive souls are not Sunderland fans for long
It's not always that it's not noticed . . . . sometimes it seems to be simply a refusal to acknowledge the good things Tel loves him, though
He also said its an honour to be here - he can see the potential and challenges and he seems to deliver against the odds. Good time ahead
I thought he was ok, it was one of his better performances but it probably had a lot to do with Millwall being very poor in attack and us being at them pretty much the whole second half. He did the basics well enough although there were a few times that they ran past him like he was standing still. That's the problem with the squad I'm referring to, if McNair gets injured which is quite possible then we're back to Ndong and Catts at best and against a half decent attacking side they get shagged. Most of the first team is ok but scratch the surface and we're struggling.
Only had one injury in his career though - OK it was a pretty bad one but he's not Injury prone historically. He was good at the weekend - looks every bit good enough to play this league. I think Cattermole may be a bench warmer once N'Dong gets back - have N'Dong and McNair in midfield as they're much more mobile than Cattermole
2nd presser fine and even more impressed. Family moving up this week he’s committed fully to it. Knows there’s no money January but interestingly ‘knows it will be different in summer’ Seems Bain for all his good work handicapped us not making them loan deals permanent, a suggestion in the ‘£40,000 per week free in summer’ that it’s the wage bill limit and maybe we are subsidising Lens/Khazri/Fabio. Loan links with Danny Ward and Ben Woodburn make great sense, although we’d have to send the 2 Everton lads back, no loss. I feel really good about this appointment, no mo eh in January is ok with a quick sale of Kone and a loan keeper, then we just need CB and a striker to back up Grabban and we are ok. I wonder if we put right to buy in Grabban cos we want him if we gonna try and push for promotion next year.
I'm sure I read that you're not allowed to add a "right to buy" deal into a domestic loan - only the international ones - can't find anything that confirms or denies it mind
Either way you’d hope we find a way to keep him, he’s a genuine goalscorer. Having seen his movement and runs first hand I’m surprised he’s not scored a lot more through his career before he’s come here.
Yeah he's deceptively quick too! The amount of times I've said "Stop being a lazy twat Grabban" as he's looked so disinterested. But he's scored 9 goals himself for a club bottom of the league - I remember last season that twitter was awash with "Dwight Gayle has scored more goals than Sunderland" - well Grabban is only one behind the mags and we're bottom of the league!!
Aye, he does sometimes just amble about but he’s always there when a chance pops up and that’ll do for now. To be on 9 and remember he’s missed 6 or so games, it’s ridiculous really. He’s been a massive plus in a season of very little.
Only thing I don't like about Grabban is his refusal to head the ball or to try and get to it first to hold it up. He's always the wrong side of the defender and I think he does it intentionally because he doesn't like the physical side of the game. He's scoring goals though so meh, not a big problem.
Amount of times I've said "If you had Vaughan's heart workrate and desire with Grabban's ability.... He wouldn't be playing for Sunderland!!!" Would truly be a Premier League player. Grabban is a goal machine when you look at this season. Long may it continue - but we are up **** creek without a paddle if he get's injured. As much as I like Vaughan and his workrate - that's all he has! He's just not good enough
He’s far from perfect, hence he’s here, but like we say he’s a goalscorer and we’d be in a real situation without him.
Yeah if he put himself about like Lukaku he'd probably be playing for United alongside him so in a way it's a good thing that he doesn't. I just don't like to see players hiding away from getting the ball.
