Much has been discussed about last nights performance and I would be merely repeating alot of what has already been said if I were to give my opinion. But two things stand out for me last night...first and foremost the apparant attitude and demeanor or Quinny in the stands....the man was clearly not happy and Bruce;s inept tactical awareness (again).I can understand Davros's views that the players let him down to a certain extent, but ultimately he could see it wasnt working but the changes made were incorrect (LARSSON OFF !!!) and came too late. So given what I saw last night, could defeat against West Brom game be ' the straw that breaks the camels back ' for Mr Bruce..would love to hear your opinions my dear fellow forum members
Dont think it will be, only way i can see it being it, is if we capitulate and its 4-5 0 against us. I know I am no manager, and i am not even sure on this team, will probably change my mind 20 times before the match anyway, but as we dont have a left back why not play with 3 in defence. please log in to view this image
Don't get me wrong, I always want Sunderland to win whenever we play and this will be no different vs WBA However, I think a victory would simply paper over the cracks. I want Quinn to act decisively this week and if he won't the Short must.
Playing the same winning team for last nights game was the right decision. Dithering and fretting on the touchline along with the totally ineffective Black while it all just fell apart wasnt. After 30 mins it was ****ed and plans should have been discussed for a change at half time. Elmo was rubbish again and we are switching a natural right winger in Larsson to accommodate a player I would play for the Relton Workman's Club in Chester. We are persisting in keeping Richardson as a left back that he never will be; wasting the talents of a clever little player like Sess being used as a striker that EVERYONE knows he's not; We a have turned Sess from the little magician he was last season into Milton Nunez twin briother in 4 months; and then just stubbornly sticking with 1 up front until we were 2-0 down and 74 mins into the game was an error that a non league manager wouldnt make. What were Ji and Connor supposed to do with 16 mins and 2 goals to chase? Pathetic. Bruce has his game plan. Lets call it Plan A? If it works it can be effective. If it doesnt.................................? He doesnt have anything else to discuss after this. We are in a relegation scrap right now and the sooner everyone wakes up and sees that the sooner maybe something can be done. I think we are going to be that club that is going to have the label 'is much too good to go down' & 'have too many good players to be relegated'. Our players are much, much better than last nights flat and frankly embarrassing performance would suggest so something is very wrong behind the scenes for me. Quinny and Short at last nights game, with the longest and sternest faces I have seen in a while, tells its own tale. He will get Saturdays game to mange for sure and if we win with a good display and attacking flair he will win back some floating voters. If we sneak a poor 1-0 he will get another 2 or 3 games to limp along in. If we draw or play poorly he will get the crowd agitated. If we lose he will be sacked - surely to god. What it says is though, that even the BiB's are giving him a game to game run now which is even more limiting for the club. I have made my bed and see nothing to say I am wrong about this. Quinny and Short must come out this week and say that whatever happens, Bruce is in charge for the rest of the season and back their man. Or, they have to start to prepare for the big decision to be made this weekend. Back to the drawing board and maybe this time, its time to have someone else chose the next manager, as Quinn's 3 picks have all done OK but ultimately failed to different degrees.
its not a wing back formation though 5-3-2 5-4-1 would be a wing back formation. Cats can cover in front of the defence/drop back into defence with Brown if need be, and O`shea will cover the left side, Bramble the right side. This would be a wing back formation, if i was going for that (swap elmo and richardson around had a brain fart) please log in to view this image
That team would be walloped every game mate in the EPL. It might work on PC Manager but this is the real world. No full backs against a Man Utd or Man City and that team could lose 10 -0 at half time. Against the mediocre it would fall apart very quickly.
I'm not sure biffa, its hard to read Quinn, his body language was saying one thing but his words always seem to say something else. I'm not giving my opinion because its neither what you asked or of any real value, Quinns and Shorts are. I certanly think that despite words of support, or maybe no words at all right now, the pressure is on, I also feel it goes well beyond Bruce mind. Something is not right, dont know what but just feel the signs are there.
I dont play football manager, but why would it, and Richardson isnt working at left back anyway, and we dont have anyone else, i just dont see the appeal of a 4-4-2 all the time. tbh i used to love the sweeper system that AC Milan played in the late 80`s early 90`s but thats died of death, but it was a great formation, if you had the players to play there, but most defenders these days are big brutes who have very little skill, I think Brown would make a great sweeper, which means 3 or 5 at the back. It has worked in the past, and for the best sides in the world, so no idea why you can just dismiss it as ****e.
So let's assume Bruce is still in charge for the WBA game. Does he play the only person who has truly delivered nearly every time, in his preferred position? Richardson. What doesn't Bruce see... he's not a friggin left back, play O'Shea there if you have to. Tell that absolute donkey Sessegnon to play at left back if you have to because Richardson is the only player in that squad who will find the net for you when things are going bad. I think Bruce will be sacked this week though, even if he gets a result against West Brom, you've then got two fixtures which you'd be more than likely losing vs Arsenal and Bolton both away. After your spending spree this summer, it just adds more fuel the fire which is blowing up in Steve's face. The writing is all over the wall for him and I'd fully expect Martin O'Neill to be in the hot-seat in no time, although I wouldn't expect him to deliver without a £150m kitty.
When you saw SNQ and ES at the game last night they were clearly very concerned - SB has a clock ticking now whatever the utterances from the top. In that situation, rather than let the situation fester we (as I am also an American billionaire who has made his cash from running sporting teams - I wish!!) or they should act now. He is not a man for the future but Reid could do a job temporarily until the right man is found - PR is available and would probably give the players the lift they need. I would not go in-house even for an acting manager given the standard of performances recently.
Must admit Terry I think Martin ONeill is probably the natural successor, if there is to be one..just cant see Bruce surviving a defeat against West Brom
I worry a bit for Niall, and suspect, right now, he's a very troubled man. He's nailed his colours just a little too tightly to the principle of stability and to Steve Bruce. It's becoming obvious to him and everyone else that the team is not only losing games, but lying down in some of them. Sooner or later, Ellis's patience is going to break. I just hope Niall will know when to quit his ties with Bruce and realise that loyalty is earned - and Bruce hasn't deserved even as much as Niall's already given him. If Niall can't get his head round it, then he's weakening his own position with Short. The horrible thought is that Bruce might drag Quinn out with him !
Excellently put! So come on, Niall. Do what's necessary. Pull the plug on Bruce, get MON, Peter Reid or Mark Hughes in before the weekend and save your position in the club because we need you to make this carpet ride magic again.
When my son came back last night, and was worried about the future of Sunderland under Bruce. But was thinking what would happen if Bruce was sacked now, who could take over. I said the same thought as you, bring Reidy in as caretaker manager he got some good performances out of some very mediocre players. Plus he wouldn't stroke their egos but tell it like it was. That would give us time to sort out a long term manager. (Who knows Reidy may take us up the table, we do have some very good players!)
Still think he has the backing of the board, and will be here for some time yet... Unless he's invited to another game of golf by ES, at short notice!!!!!!With a minder stood behind him.. (see, iv'e just watched rock'n'rolla)
