Another thoroughly enjoyable game of football at the SoL yesterday. Two fantastic goals, some lovely football played to a very high quality. Around this time last year we were watching paint dry against Stoke and Fulham wondering if we would be playing in Championship this season.
"...this time last year we were watching paint dry..." Many thanks YWG, there were several blank gaps in my memory from last year where I fell into a stupor and for the life of me couldn't recall anything. I must be getting better as there were even more the previous year. Next year I may have a complete set of memories to look back on - heres hoping
Why all the doom and gloom? We are still seventh and are playing some great football even though we still have key players out injured. I still think we will finish in the top 8 this season. We have 2 weeks off to recover and I am sure Bruce will be sorting out the defence of set pieces during the break.
I thought we were brilliant yesterday. The midfield, which has looked lightweight, was completely dominant. Gyan was motm for me, another excellent performance. Sessegnon was exciting. We look very good going forward. It's just frustrating that we're leaking all of these goals. If we'd won 1/0 it'd have been a fair result. This is the best Sunderland team I've seen.
Well said loveshack,too many doom & gloom merchants already we have lost three games on the bounce so what. We are not fighting relegation,people forget we are building for the future. I watched the game in spain last night and got talking to the locals and they said we played some great stuff,they also said the keeper was not at fault (gordon) as gallas blocked his view and that it took a deflection from him. People forget how many times gordon has saved us precious points this season,ie at blackpool. Keep up the good work Mr Bruce,Quinn and the saviour Mr Short. And yes this is the best sunderland team i have seen for years and years,and can only get better.
It really is therapeutic this site, especially reading a thread such as this one. I watched the match yesterday and ended up really quite down. Yes, we play some very good football but we leak goals from set pieces, we've lost three on the trot, are we going into a slump like last year? etc... But then I read the fruits of wiser heads and start to think, yes, we do play some very good football. And that is quite a statement when you think of some of the 90-minute stuff served up by Sunderland teams of the not-too-distant past. Yes, we were 5th, living with the "in" clubs and are now 7th and under pressure from the less fashionable teams. But yes, we are 7th. Yes, 7TH!! Not 17th! We have 37 points in February. Not 33 points in MAY!! We have international-class players who expect to be playing in top-six, Europe-chasing teams and there's nothing to stop us thinking that they will be such players WITH US!! We've lost three matches on the trot, yes, but we all know that this is just a superficial glitch when you look at everything that's going on deep down behind the scenes within this club. I, like us all, would want us to win every game but this scenario is not going to happen. As long as we continue to play football, we will start to develop a more consistent identity where the non-performances against Newcastle will become a thing of the past, though freak Blackpool-at-home results will inevitably take place, and where Chelsea-away performances become more frequent. We have two weeks off now. Let's just keep looking at our league position, at the players we've got, at those coming back, at the management we've got, at the club we support. Ah, I'm feeling much better already.
Disagree about the midfield, i thought we did look a little bit lightweight yesterday, brilliant going forward but when we lost the ball we seemed slow to recover which put our defence under pressure. I must admit i came away feeling a little bit despondant at the result but chuffed to bits that i'd witnessed some amazing attacking football, that first 10 minutes was simply electric and i had to ask my son if we were in the right stadium. Could easily have been watching Arsenal we were that good but then in typical Sunderland fashion we took our foot of the gas as we did against Stoke. Can't wait for the next match now though. Exciting times ahead for sure.
I'm telling you lads, the only thing missing from our midfield is Catts. It's often understated how much he gives us, he is the bite and the man, he wins balls, he drives forward and he leads. He's not the best footballer at the club, but he is possibly the biggest influence. He's our captain and leader, he rallies and harries, he tackles and he fights. He's not flash, but results speak for themselves, Catts makes the team tick, not only by what he does, but by what he directs others to do, he's always shouting and pointing. Best thing? He'll not miss many more games. We lack something at centre back, we need a dominant defender, good in the air and brave as a lion. Best thing? Michael Turner is nearly fit, limited as a footballer? Yep. Limited as a defender? Absolutely not. We're flapping over nowt, the players we need are already at the club, and they will be back soon. Those 2 players are our captain, and likely our second choice for captain. We've lacked a bit of leadership, well it's coming soon. We will finish 7th, that's a great season.
Your right all the way. After years of being a yoyo and the but of many jokes the future thats being built looks great
Fully agree, if Catts had played on Saturday we'd have gone on to win that match, no question, he gives us that bit of steel in the middle of the park. Once Muntari is up to speed and we have Catts back in the team we'll have one of the best midfields in the league.
Reckon 5-1 to Spurs if they had their regular midfield playing Huddlestone Modric Bale Lennon plus VDV and Hutton
Totally agree about Catts. And once Muntari gets up to speed I reckon we will start motoring. The only way is up.. well mebbe!
Durham,there is no mebbe about it....the only way is up!!Get our injured players back and we will fly.The last few weeks have shown how much we miss Catts and Turner,and how we need Jordan in his rightful position.
Watched your game and agrebeak-with a real tackler like Cattermole you could have bossed the midfield Also Gyan looks like a Real player- Next year he WILLget 20 goals-a real find.
