Down to the wire

Bruce: We’ll take it to the limit on deadline day
Published on Monday 29 August 2011 10:25


Sunderland will battle all the way to the transfer deadline to strengthen their squad this week, says manager Steve Bruce.


The transfer window close at 11pm on Wednesday and the Black Cats are looking at a host of options that could reinforce them up front.

Saturday’s goalless Premier League draw against Swansea City will only have re-emphasised to Bruce that he needs further options.

And Niall Quinn’s absence from the game at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday was taken as evidence that the chairman is trying to make it happen.

Manchester City’s Craig Bellamy, Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner and Wolfsburg’s Patrick Helmes are all players Sunderland are looking at, although all are looking long shots at the moment.

Bellamy has been linked with Spurs and Liverpool, while Bendtner has been mooted as a potential makeweight in Arsenal’s interest in Everton midfield star Mikel Arteta – though the Liverpool Echo today reported that the Toffees would not interested in such a deal.

The name of Spurs’ forward Peter Crouch has once again been thrown into the mix – possibly in a swap deal for Asamoah Gyan. Jermain Defoe is another Sunderland have been linked, too, though wages would be a sticking point.

But the one thing Bruce wants to do before the deadline expires is bring in a forward who can turn around Sunderland’s fortunes in front of goal – accepting that the lack of goals is a concern after just one in four games so far.

He said: “We’ve brought in Ji and Wickham as players for the future – we were delighted to have the opportunity to get players of their potential in – but we won’t see the best of them for a year to 18 months.

“In the meantime, we need a bit extra up front.

“If we’re honest, we’ve been lacking a bit in that department since Darren Bent left in January and we know that.

“So we’ll be doing all we can to bring someone in in the next few days – we just have to wait and see what happens and whether anything can be done.”

In the meantime, Bruce is having to put up with the frustration of seeing his team play well enough to win games but not be able to clinch them.

“We’ve had disappointments in the last three games, but we’ve created enough in all three to win every one of those games.

“All in all, it has been a frustrating and difficult and disappointing week.”

 

We are trying to shop in Harrods, but only when the sales start.

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Wonder if there's owt on hotukdeals.co.uk?

 

The deal for Bendtner is being held up because we want triple nectar points.

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Don't forget Quidco!

 

Good one Bobby!

 

Do SAFC have a Paypal account?
Get canny discounts the more you spend.

 

Wonder if Brucey has had a look on Ebay? Some cracking bargains to be had on there

......and some absolute tatt

 

Already been on the 'lazy africans' eBay store, we have picked a couple up from there over the last few years !

 

Now THIS boils my p*** more than anything!!!

So, having had 7, yes SEVEN months to assess the situation from when Bent left, AND prob 3 months since he knew DW would not be available for another season, knowing that Gyan WAS THE ONLY OUT AND OUT striker we had at the start of this season, he says ..."we need a bit extra up front".

CRAP, every single SAFC supporter knew that - and I bet NONE of us have a UEFA pro-licence - so WHY, WHY, WHY, was this not addressed before the 10 previous deals.

I'm sitting on the fence with SB, but this is tilting me firmly to one side.

 

Am I the only one who doesn't want Bendter

 

I picked up on that very same thing. Couldn't agree more marra

 

...or dodgy deals in the flea-market out the back.

 

You just about fell off that fence lad lol. Ha'way fall off it man and land on the right side of it with the rest of us BOBs...

 

Could it be we have not been looking?

 

Would it help you to make your mind if I mention that the BOB have badges?

 

Dorset, one of the reasons that I've been firmly in the wait and see camp was I truly believed SB was aware that the PRIORITY was to get someone to replace Bent. Knowing that SAFC play a very quiet hand in dealings, I put the lack of activity down to just that, but this statement makes it sound like he's just become aware of it!!

I honestly, 100% believed that we would have a top, big name striker in before the end of the window. Now??

I'm f****** gutted!!

 

"Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!"

 

What colour?

 

good one ... heh heh heh...
I wonder what's left on the Barclaycard!