Latest odds Sunderland to go down 12/1 Despite most observers expecting a mid-table finish or better for Sunderland, the 12/1 betting odds currently available on the Black Cats going down at bwin.com could soon be far shorter. And here’s why. Sunderland is a club with a history of overspending leading to big regrets and this latest transfer window has done nothing to deter that philosophy. In a transfer league table ranging from 2003 to 2011, Sunderland sit seventh, having spent just over £151 million. And most of it seems to go on the definition of ‘average’ players – a tactic which has continued this summer with the recruitments of Connor Wickham, Seb Larsson, Wes Brown, John O’Shea and Craig Gardner. The worry for Sunderland fans will be where the goals will come from this term. After all, their main marksman, Asamoah Gyan, is 66-1 on bwin.com to be top Premier League goalscorer. Darren Bent made up half of the 48 goals Sunderland scored in the 2009-10 season and they will now undergo their first full campaign without him. Gyan is a great player but he simply can’t be deployed as a lone striker like he was at Liverpool in their opening fixture last weekend. He needs a partner. Which brings me on to Wickham. An exciting young player, but, and excuse the cliché, the step up to the Premier League is huge and terrorising any centre-back in this division isn’t going to be easy. Whoever boss Steve Bruce decides to lead the line with, they need service and creativity is not one of Sunderland’s fortes. They were unable to get one player in the top 20 assists league table last season. The players brought in to address this do not inspire confidence. Stephane Sessegnon shows talent right up until the opposition’s penalty area, where he does his best to spoil a good move with a terrible final ball. Admittedly, this is not a problem shared by Larsson, but his ability to completely let games pass him by must be a worry for Bruce. Gardner and Lee Cattermole couldn’t create a breeze in a wind turbine, let a lone dominate a midfield, so the signing of a playmaker such as Niko Kranjcar from Tottenham is desperately required in this area, in my opinion. They will encounter problems defensively too. Brown’s excellent display at Anfield will be the exception rather than the rule, if his error-strewn final couple of seasons at Manchester United are anything to go by. He could be partnered by one of Michael Turner, Anton Ferdinand and Titus Bramble – none of whom inspire confidence that the Black Cats will be tight at the back this term. Sunderland will not do as well as some pundits are making out. If they struggle to find goals, the Stadium of Light faithful will get on the back of Bruce and a slide down the table will inevitably come at some point. Whether that leads to relegation remains to be seen, but they certainly seem too long at their current price.
I'm not worried about relegation in the slightest. I don't think we've signed the quality to make a proper push for Europe mind.
Where's this article from? I like to think I look at the club through quite unbiased eyes, but this is probably the biggest sack of ****e I've ever read. And most of it seems to go on the definition of ‘average’ players – a tactic which has continued this summer with the recruitments of Connor Wickham, Seb Larsson, Wes Brown, John O’Shea and Craig Gardner. Wickham - everyone knows he's not the finished article, but he is undoubtedly one of the most exciting young English prospects. Bet they wouldn't be calling him the 'definition of average' if Liverpool or Spurs had signed him instead of us. Tell the Kop that Larsson is average personified, see what they have to say about it. Totally outshone our last RM, who is one of the best prospects in the British game and recently went for £20m. Gardner - was it 10 league goals from CM in a struggling team? Show me another player who did that? (Adam aside- pens and fks) And my favourite point.. Wes Brown and John O'Shea. Call them average all you want you journalistic nonce. All they have to do to prove you wrong is crack out the incredibly vast collection of silverware they've won, across every club competition going. A collection any player in the world would love to have. And 93 senior international appearances between them? Darren Bent made up half of the 48 goals Sunderland scored in the 2009-10 season and they will now undergo their first full campaign without him. Irrelevant when discussing Gyan since he wasn't at the club then. Stephane Sessegnon shows talent right up until the opposition’s penalty area, where he does his best to spoil a good move with a terrible final ball. Or a goal. He's scored a fair amount recently. Maybe you had a point in mid-February. Brown’s excellent display at Anfield will be the exception rather than the rule, if his error-strewn final couple of seasons at Manchester United are anything to go by. It will be the exception, will it? You got next week's lottery numbers as well? I think you've got Wes confused with Gary Nev. And as for Gardner and Lee Cattermole couldn’t create a breeze in a wind turbine - do you he realises that wind turbines don't actually make wind?! What a load of bollocks.
I was feeling so good and now I am sitting here alone, Osca in his bed, blinds drawn and crying because my worl is ended. I looked forward to our first home game, cant see the point now. In our new signings I saw hope and improvement, I am now educated, more dross from Bruce. Its time for Bruce, Quinn and Short to pack their bags and go, enough of this premiership mid table crap, lets get back to those exciting times. The thril of knowing that every second year we would be challenging for a top 6 place and play offs at least. Bring back Wilkinson, Bret Angle, Murphy and all those real players. I will go and die now, thaks for the OP and happiness
What a load of ****. This is the best team we've had in my lifetime (32). No fear of relegation, optimism for Europe but would be happy with 9th & a half decent cup run. Progress is the name if the game each season for me. That & to spank the mags...but will be difficult to do once they get relegated with the fatman in charge...never know we might meet them in a cup.
this is only his second ever post, both of which have slated the club...Even his username tells you that he is nothing but a dopey Mag having a futile attempt at humour on the eve of the derby... What a plonker...
Well that it lads may as well get the money on now to pay for the trips to Barnsley et all next season. We have been told. Now if the odds to stay up are 1/12 how much would I get if I bet my house on that to pay for trips to Europe next season?
It just goes to show if you look hard enough you can make a lottery win sound like ****. It's interesting he quotes how much we have spent on "average" players yet totally omits to mention how much we have brought in by making a profit on most of them.
