Sunderland host Grimsby Town in the Leasing.com Trophy Although finalists last season, Sunderland are likely to use the EFL Trophy to give fringe players chances and maybe even test a youngster or two this time around. Now re-branded as the Leasing.com Trophy, Sunderland's campaign in the competition gets under way on Tuesday evening at the Stadium of Light when they host Grimsby Town. While the Black Cats went all the way to the final last term, Jack Ross did take a look at youngsters in last season's games, particularly in the early rounds. This season the competition will be low down on Ross' priorities - no doubt appreciating the negative effect it had on their later form as they played catch-up on league fixtures because of their progression in the competition. We're still likely to see first team players. In fact, competition rules will ensure that there's enough, but those players are more likely to be fringe players in need of game time, or those in need of building fitness after injury. Duncan Watmore, for example, is expected to return on Tuesday evening, but as with last season, the competition should offer Ross a chance to take a closer look at any academy players who are pushing hard for a chance in the first team. Jack Ross: “Tuesday for me at the moment is an irrelevance because the competition pales into insignificance compared to what we need to be concentrating and focusing on this year, and right now my thoughts are dominated by the fact that I’ve taken charge of a team that has produced that type of performance, so that’s what I reflect on right now, as disappointing as I’ve seen us, probably.” Squad: Burge, Mumba, Flanagan, Ozturk, Bainbridge, Leadbitter, Dobson, Sammut, Hackett, Conelly, Grigg, Watmore, Kimpioka, Patterson, Connolly, Hume My 2 pence: I can only see wholesale changes with lots of youngsters involved. Your guess is as good as mine. Hopefully Duncan Watmore gets some time on the pitch and stays injury free. Ha'way the Lads
Lots of changes and let's hope some performances from the yoof that push them into the first team and bring some freshness. Great to hear Watmore is back, can't cross my fingers for him any harder without shearing them off at the knuckle.
I went for an away win for once, simply 'cos I want us out of the competition ASAP. Last year I wanted us to get to Wembley, and was more hyped up for the final than any other game up to that point last season. And **** me, I was wrong. We've already got two games to catch up, and there'll be more during the winter due to crap third division pitches. Last thing we need is more fixture congestion at the end of the season. Play as many kids as possible and **** the result.
Have we ever played a more irrelevant football match as this one in the grand scheme of things considering our current situation. Play first eleven and win comfortably and no one will care, play first eleven and fail to win and JR and players get pelters from fans so this is a no win game for the club. I want us to win every week, who doesn't but we need to be out of this cup at our earliest opportunity, like I say no win scenario all round.
Im going a little bit of support doesnt go amiss and its only 3 quid ffs.. hope the young lads get a run out and we see a canny game of football... Im not overly arsed if we lose but Id actually prefer a win and allow the young lads to continue into the next round. 1st team dont need this as a distraction but it gives a bit of competetive football for those wanting to break into the 1st team...
Full Available Strength' means that the club has to ensure that at least four of its ten outfield players are classed as 'qualifying players'. There are no restrictions over the goalkeeper, meaning Jack Ross will be free to switch his choice between the sticks if he wishes. What is a 'qualifying player' in the leasing.com Trophy? Players can hit several criteria to ensure they qualify as one of the four players Sunderland must include in their leasing.com Trophy squad. Any player who started at Lincoln on Sunday - or goes on to start against Wycombe in a fortnight- is classed as a qualifying player. Furthermore, each of the Black Cats' top ten appearance makers during the season are also designated as qualifying players. Finally, any player who has made forty or more starting appearances in first team fixtures or international equivalents throughout their entire career also meets the criteria. That means there are plenty of ways for Sunderland stars to hit the qualifying criteria, which means it should be easy for Ross to ensure he names a suitable squad to satisfy these rules. Copied from the Echo Website
Just checked the clubs website and Robson ineligible for tonight's game so I've answered my own question.
I'd expect the back 4 from Saturday all to play to get them used to playing together and to get Lynch and De Bock some more minutes. Burge in for McLaughlin. Leadbitter and Dobson in for McGeoch and Power in the middle. Grigg and McNulty up front, again getting minutes.
I would use this game to try something different in the attacking third, the key would be to get our lazy eratic underperformers either out of the team altogether of played in new roles, by moving two of them into the centre of the pitch up front and picking the quickest of our rabble in midfield in some sort of order, I would not play Grigg, Maguire, McGouch, Wyke or Watmore in the starting eleven, and a couple of them are in the last chance saloon for me.
A blatantly obvious thing for me is our lack of pace going forward. We have struggled against teams in this league who get the ball forward quickly to wingers who then run at us and get balls into the box. Saturday was a prime example and Ipswich are having great success with this game plan. When we go forward our players are so slow, they check back, lay it off to the midfield and all of a sudden the defending team has 8 or 9 behind the ball. Maguire is a prime example of doing this. We need to get two quick wide players working for us.
Looking at Ross' comments I'm expecting an experimental team and not the usual suspects, he describes it as irrelevant so I can't see him risking many first teamers. Sounds like he's livid about the performance against Lincoln. Like you and Ned say some pace in the side is really lacking there must be some in the list of youth players with a bit of pace.
Totally agree, we do have problems all over the pitch, but non more pressing than the ones you mention, and I too would give the back four a game or two to settle in, simply because we have no alternatives who stand out, its our holding players in midfield and the wide players that give me more concern, and where I think changes should be made in this game, which is a total waste of time otherwise. My gamble would be to put two of our "wide" men into middle, at least they know where the goal is and can on occasion actually hit the target. can you say that about our so called strickers I cant. And supplement them with two holding players and two who can move the ball along the ground to the front mens feet. A radical change is needed and Ross has so far shown little signs of making any effort, but even he must be beginning to realise that time is runnig out and the next home game against Wycombe could be his last.
My stab in the dark at the line up based on the squad listed Burge Mumba Flanagan Ozturk Hume Leadbitter Dobson Watmore Kimpioka Connolly Grigg
