I think first of all we need to become a proven top 10 side we have done well and gradually got a bit better every season since we came up under Keano but I think this season we will finish around 11th-14th. I think another couple of season's around the midtable mark then we can seriously look to get a europa league spot. I personally dont think Brucie is the man to get us there mind and I think our squad doesn't have enough stand out players to achieve this at the minute.
One thing for sure is that as time passes by the excuses for not performing will become more difficult to justify, eventually all but drying up altogether. Meanwhile let's just hope that we don't experience another relegation. Bruce has brought in some brilliant players, the problem is that these players tend to leave within 12 months shrouded under mysterious circumstances and he doesn't appear to be able to bring the best out of these great players as a team. I sense a fundamental problem.
Strange thing is this time last season we were in 7th had -1 gd and 16 pooints. and had only scored 12 goals with that trio. This season (same time) we're in 15th +1 gd and 10 points. scored 14 goals I just don't get it.
This time last season we had 15 points from 11 games losing only twice. The negative goal difference came from the result at Newcastle. This season we are losing the games we were drawing last season. Lost 5 out of 11 thus far, goal difference improved by the win against Stoke which appears to have been a one off as apart from 3 of the 4 goals being gifted, Stoke have went on to prove against Bolton that they arn't upto a game of football after travelling in Europe.
LOL Noticeable by their absence are a few of the regulars here... Perhaps they see no reason to further justify the obvious.
CV's don't bother me really. Just look at Pardew. He hasn't done much, but he currently has us flying high in 3rd. Hughton, with absolutely no managerial experience, got us out of the Championship in one go. Maybe we're just lucky in those respects, but I'd rather take a managers performance at face value and base a decision off that. Some managers without proven track records could do well, whereas managers with a proven CV could do ****.
this... I am highly unlikely to agree with cest, clockwork, newtonlee so why continually repeat the same argument again and again? i admit though, sometimes i cant help myself and have to comment anyway.
Assuming 7th place would be enough for a Europa League club then I can't see why not, although as a neutral I consider Everton, Aston Villa and Newcastle all bigger clubs than Sunderland. The thing Sunderland have over them is the fact you have quite a bit of money to spend. So if you have a tactically astute manager who can make the most out of the money he's got to spend, can build a solid, motivated squad then I don't see why you can't do what Everton have been doing over the past 5/6 years and consistently finishing in the top 7/8 and getting a couple of good runs in the League cup, FA cup and Europa league.
He has a better cv than Bruce: Pardew: Manager Reading Football League Second Division Runner-up 2002 West Ham United FA Cup Runner-up: 2006 Football League Championship Play-Offs Winner: 2005 Runner-up: 2004 Southampton Football League Trophy: 2010 Overall Win % 43.46 Bruce: Manager Club Birmingham City Football League Championship Runner-up: 2006â07 Play-off winner: 2002 Overall Win % 36.66 Just shows how bad Bruce is really when Pardew a man hated by Newcastle fans at first has a much better record than Bruce!!!
You're doing very well. But could your squad stand a season in Europe, or would you be another Stoke or Fulham?
I think the difference this season is goals scored from midfield. Larsson, Gardner, Sess, Vaughan are all more positive and attack minded than Catts, Meyler and Henderson. Bendtner, whilst nowhere near as prolific as Bent and Gyan, can play his natural game with that pressure off him, and looks a good addition to the squad whether he scores the requisite number of goals or not. Last year, the striker had to chase hoofballs and knew he had to score x number of goals because no one else would. I'd love to have seen Bent and Gyan in front of this midfield.
