Manager Steve Bruce reflects after seeing Stephane Sessegnon score a late equaliser on Wearside. Sunderland boss Steve Bruce watched his side pull back from a goal behind on two occasions against Aston Villa at the Stadium of Light. Stiliyan Petrov put the visitors ahead in the first half, with Connor Wickham grabbing his first Barclays Premier League goal to cancel out the Bulgarian's effort. A Richard Dunne header put the Villans back in front in the second period, but a late Stephane Sessegnon goal ensured a share of the spoils for Bruce's men, nodding the ball home the ball from close range. Following the game, Bruce told safc.com: "I can't deny the spirit of the team. It's quite remarkable the way they didn't give up. "I do have to be honest and say that in the second half we didn't do enough. When you're 2-1 down with four or five minutes to play it was great get a wonderful set piece from [Sebastian] Larsson. "Fair play to the team because they stuck at it. "We didn't cause as many problems in the second half as we should have done, but I thought overall it was a decent game." The manager was delighted to see striker Wickham open his Barclays Premier League account in only his second start of the season. "Connor's goal will do him the world of good," Bruce added. "You can see the potential in the lad, he's got a wonderful strike with that left foot. "Larsson's delivery has been fantastic for us and it was again today - if there was a better free transfer this summer I'm yet to see it." Bruce was also pleased to see Sessegnon get his name on the scoresheet for the second time in two games. "Sessegnon's goal was quite incredible," he continued. He's only 5'6" and he scores from a free kick with his head with everybody around him over six feet tall. "It was a good game of football with plenty of goals. That seems to be the norm these days in the Premier League, it's quite incredible when you see all of the scores today as well as the four goals here. "It was a good spectacle." Suprised Gardner never got a run out against one of his former teams... But won't knock his first team selection, as its what most wanted, just wasn't to be.. Personally not dissapointed with a point as Villa have a decent team Sure the same team can pick up some points in the coming weeks, (if he sticks with it).
After Man U (only fancy us for a point down there mind) we have a run of games where we should imo pick up quite a few points, especially home wins. Having said that I was expecting to beat Swansea, Norwich WBA etc and we didn't. Team has had time to gel now and we have looked a lot better recently. Lets hope a few wins and onwards & upwards we go.
I was screaming blue murder at Bruce during that second half where we just sat back and invited them on, after Sebs free kick was saved by Given, we were on top at that point and just let it slip. Bruces inability to affect the course of a game from the sidelines is my most major gripe with the bloke, ****ing make a sub (anar we only had 1 left at that point but still) change something, do anything. A blind bloke could have sensed that Villa were going to score the second sooner or later.
Just pray that he doesn't think Sessegnon can cut it as a striker again and starts playing him up front.
strange thing is since Sess has moved from being a striker he has scored goals, how he scored with an header is beyond me.
SB is not a blind bloke though, he's either an idiot or a piss taker, let's see if he has the courage to say which one
