This Could Be a Massive Week for Mr Bruce

[Steven Royston O'Neill]

With the never ending speculation about his future and the wish of Short to want to keep him this could be a massive week for Bruce on two fronts.

A win against Villa will give further ammunition for Short in his backing of Bruce and will buy a little more time from the fans, well most of the fans.

Other results going our way could lift us into the top 10 taking more pressure off.

O’Neil going to Leicester, if he does, will remove one of the main names in the frame to take his job.

For me that would be a very good week because I would love Bruce to turn it round and I have never seen the attraction in O’Neil, his record to me says he spits his dummy out to quickly but that’s just me.

Bruce can do little about O’Neil but surely the significance of Saturdays game is not lost on him and even the most stubborn of men must see why both Bendy and Wickham must start, indeed all 11 starters from the Bolton team must start.

I would have thought that everyone at Sunderland would have that extra determination to win on Saturday in front of a home crowd, and there is my only concern.

Do you remember the last time everyone was so determined to win like that, do you remember the derby games?

So the question for me is a simple one, do we now have the team to handle the pressure? Saturday gone would suggest yes providing we stick with that team.

I always get excited before a home game but must admit that of late that excitement has waned a little, I feel it returning.

Please don’t screw it up Mr Bruce and Co.

 

[CyprusMackem]

Spoken like a true fan Syd.
Trouble is this is Sunderland and this is the Premiership.
We all know what happens with Sunderland in the Premiership when we start to feel that nervous/excited optimism return...

 

[InBruceWeTrusted]

Main thing for this weekend is to consistancey, lets keep the same team although Ricco went off injured didnt he so not sure on his status.

Villa are there for the taking I think, they havent been terriffic but do have players in Bent/Agbonlahor/N'Zogbia that can hurt us.

 

[Apone]

We have to win on Saturday. I hope for once Sunderland don't let us down

 

[Cest Advocaat]

I don't have any confidence in Bruce to deliver back to back wins at all. As much as I want it, Bruce won't deliver it. The temptation for him to revert back to 1 up front now sessegnon has scored will be torturing him this week. His mindset for this weekends game will be don't lose, it not let's win it.

You're wrong about the players bottling big games syd, they don't but rather I think its Bruce who bottles them. I blame Bruce 100% for losing or not winning the derby games and we can argue the reasons at another time but you already know my thoughts and Bruce is simply a frightened little sheep as a manager.

I desperately want us to win on Saturday but I can't see anything better than a draw. I can see Bruce ****ing up the team selection and the tactics now.

We shall see come kick off.

 

[MrRAWhite]

I'm confident that Bruce will play with two up front on Saturday; I would be very disappointed if he didn't...

 

[Steven Royston O'Neill]

Main thing for this weekend is to consistancey, lets keep the same team although Ricco went off injured didnt he so not sure on his status.

Villa are there for the taking I think, they havent been terriffic but do have players in Bent/Agbonlahor/N'Zogbia that can hurt us.

If we had to replace Richardson with Bardo through injury that would not weaken us IMO

We have to win on Saturday. I hope for once Sunderland don't let us down

And those 5 words are what worries us all

I'm confident that Bruce will play with two up front on Saturday; I would be very disappointed if he didn't...

He must stay with the same team and I see no reason to think he wont

 

[Steven Royston O'Neill]

I don't have any confidence in Bruce to deliver back to back wins at all. As much as I want it, Bruce won't deliver it. The temptation for him to revert back to 1 up front now sessegnon has scored will be torturing him this week. His mindset for this weekends game will be don't lose, it not let's win it.

You're wrong about the players bottling big games syd, they don't but rather I think its Bruce who bottles them. I blame Bruce 100% for losing or not winning the derby games and we can argue the reasons at another time but you already know my thoughts and Bruce is simply a frightened little sheep as a manager.

I desperately want us to win on Saturday but I can't see anything better than a draw. I can see Bruce ****ing up the team selection and the tactics now.

We shall see come kick off.

I have every confidence we will win and will play the same team and formation. How you can say its Bruces fault about the players freezing Cest is beyond me. My memory fails me at times but I'm sure he played the team we would have, in particular the 5-1 game and it was the players who did not perform. Blame Bruce for many things but please dont lets blame him for the players failings.

 

[Commachio]

Boxing gloves required...


Don't expect Wigan boss Steve Bruce to be signing Nicklas Bendtner again soon.

Bruce took the Danish striker on a season-long loan in 2006-2007 when in charge at Birmingham.

As well as firing City to promotion, the striker scored with Bruce's daughter Amy, 21.

But Bendtner has now reportedly dumped a distraught Miss Bruce and her dad spent much of a recent break in Marbella with his wife on the phone trying to cheer her up


Hero v Villan.. Special guest referee Lee Hendrie..

 

[Steven Royston O'Neill]

Boxing gloves required...


Don't expect Wigan boss Steve Bruce to be signing Nicklas Bendtner again soon.

Bruce took the Danish striker on a season-long loan in 2006-2007 when in charge at Birmingham.

As well as firing City to promotion, the striker scored with Bruce's daughter Amy, 21.

But Bendtner has now reportedly dumped a distraught Miss Bruce and her dad spent much of a recent break in Marbella with his wife on the phone trying to cheer her up


Hero v Villan.. Special guest referee Lee Hendrie..

Old news mate so will have no affect.

 

[Commachio]

Old news mate so will have no affect.

Maybe but what will have an effect is Bruce's team selection, as we he have the balls to play the same team again? Let's hope so, but i have a sneaky feeling changes will be made.

 

[Cest Advocaat]

I have every confidence we will win and will play the same team and formation. How you can say its Bruces fault about the players freezing Cest is beyond me. My memory fails me at times but I'm sure he played the team we would have, in particular the 5-1 game and it was the players who did not perform. Blame Bruce for many things but please dont lets blame him for the players failings.

On the contrary Syd, it is absolutely the manager that dictates training, team discussions, tactics and motivation. He is the one working with the players all week in the run up to games and what he is saying or doing to them made them tense or nervous or both. If management isn't to blame then why have one in the first place?

In all 3 derby games and lets not forget that our form running up to the 5-1 game was pretty darn good, as was 45 mins v Liverpool for the last one, during the game and right form the off, we were like rabbits caught in the headlights. My only conclusion is Bruce either purposely ****ed it up by making players do something different, or against the plan or he just confused the issue by his incompetent small minded management. Either way the manager gets the full bullet from me. If we had won the derby games then he would have received the plaudits for setting the team up right and getting the tactics right, so in losing them he gets shot with ****. Had it just been a one off game then all is forgiven but he has engineered 3 poor performances and 3 unacceptable results, 2 of them at home.

Its very admirable that many fans still cling to the vain hope that Bruce will get it right at Sunderland but the evidence for him getting it wrong is overwhelming imo and will only lead to more ultimate heartbreak at a later point in his stewardship of our club.

I would love to be wrong and you be right Syd but wanting it to be so wont make it so. Bruce isn't capable of lifting SAFC beyond the yo-yo years, despite having everything in his favour and if its not this one then you all know in your heart of hearts, that we will be no better than a bottom half to relegation dog fight club under him for the rest of his reign here. He cant keep good players happy as they can see through his limitations; he cant motivate poorer ones; cant pick a suitable team for important games; is **** in cup games; will **** up every derby game he is in control of either on purpose or through sheer inability; and worse of all, he still thinks he is doing a good job and there is no realisation that he simply isn't.

There are only hugely depressing times ahead with Bruce as manager imo and absolutely no light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel.

PS - like Comm, I have the feeling he cant wait to go back to a 5-4-1 formation as soon as he thinks we are not looking, especially as Sess has now scored a goal. Watch this space for another Brucie **** up soon.

 

[yogi2409]

For me the Bolton game restored some form of faith in the club in general, not for the result solely but more the all round performance. Bruce finally wilting to play 4-4-2 and have a bit of a go, reverting Sess back to his more natural position, the increased creativity and unwillingness to sit back and settle for a point and without wanting to pick out an individual I cudnt help but be proud seeing a ginger blur busting a gut in the dying minutes to attract both defenders.

As for Villa, apart from the certainty that the mercenary will score id prefer to hope for the best and try and deal with the worst if it does happen.

3-1 (Sess, Bendy, Turner) (He who shall not be named)

KTF!

 

[Commachio]

3-1 (Sess, Bendy, Turner) (He who shall not be named)

Charlie boy?

 

[adz_safc]

He cant keep good players happy as they can see through his limitations; he cant motivate poorer ones;

Well he's turned round the careers of two players who I thought were absolutely shocking... Titus Bramble who turned himself into Franz Beckanbauer under Bruce and Phil Bardsley who was probably heading to a championship team.

The only players I know about him having problems with were Danny Collins and Dean the Supremo Whitehead, not what I'd call good footballers.

I don't think Bent or Gyan leaving had anything to do with Bruce's management style, perhaps just his daughter in Bent's case.

 

[Commachio]

Titus Bramble who turned himself into Franz Beckanbauer

Good idea, and a new passport will help.

 

[Sunderpitt]

I really do want us to win on Saturday, but do I feel confident that we will turn-up? Well with Derby games and other 'big games' we have be known to MIA. I used to go to with games and my thoughts were about 'hope to win or expect to win'. I doubt we are even on that page yet.

Will SB go with the same team? TBH we did not play that well 1st half and frankly Bolton were shocking and we actually did not create that many chances. Sess was better 2nd half but poor 1st, I doubt he is that 'stardust' that SB goes on about.

IF SB has Elmo or Catts near the team I think we will have problems, and as regards team tactics and motivational abilities. our manager has proved deficient. So I will go to the match hoping for a win but not expecting one. Listening to the team selection in the car on the way there will be one indication of the result, we could be great or we could be very poor. Then there is the return of the pantomime villain....I just hope he bottles playing and discovers an injury.

 

[Wease555]

If we keep the same team I believe we can win the game. If he ****s about and changes it and goes 1 up top again the man is a total tool but I don't believe he will. Connor did enough to justify another start and if Bruce has gone 2 up front away from home he must do the same at home, dosen't he, who knows but I certainly hope so.

 

[Steven Royston O'Neill]

If we keep the same team I believe we can win the game. If he ****s about and changes it and goes 1 up top again the man is a total tool but I don't believe he will. Connor did enough to justify another start and if Bruce has gone 2 up front away from home he must do the same at home, dosen't he, who knows but I certainly hope so.

It would seem so, but, always a but