Last season we adopted a higher press and gained possession higher up the pitch, this season we seem to sit deeper and hope to keep possession and move forward albeit quite slowly at the minute. I have no problem with the possession style of play but feel we need to be more dynamic with our press as at the moment we have changed our style to a more defensive style of play and it is really not suiting our players or fans. I get that certain games may need this more defensive style but we have adopted that in games against teams at the bottom of the table like Rotherham and all it done was invite pressure when in truth we should have been more dynamic. I am waiting patiently to see the changes that MB will make as there have not been many noticeable apart from a few early crosses into the box. It is almost like Gareth Southgate has taken over our team and decided that the only way we can be successful is to play defensively. Like I have said earlier I think the direction we are taking is driven from the coaching and in particular Mike Dodds who proved that tactically against Leeds his choices were right but I am waiting to see if this is a long term plan as I believe we as supporters would like to see some of the attractive football which so nearly paid dividends las season played again with that high press and attacking flair just tweaked a bit to give us a more solid midfield but keep that attacking intent which we seem to have lost.
Yep,good post mate,completely agree. We seem more ponderous in possession and we've lost the rapid,quick-fire pass and move which characterised so much of our play last season. I just wonder how much the introduction of Jobe has contributed....he often wants more time on the ball,turns and rolling it before playing a pass,and that seems to be a change in Dan Neil's game too at times,and Luke does it often. I hate it when he puts his foot on the ball,looking around him, gives me the jitters. One of the reasons I like Ba is because he can play at a higher tempo,which is when I think we're at our best. Let's hope we can get back to that style of play.....much more exciting and more likely to produce results imo. We have players who excel at it....Pritch,Roberts. Amad was a master,but that's a different tale.
He has to change a few things you would imagine. I'd like to see Seelt, Mayenda and Rusyn start. Would be good to see Matete, Bennette and Rigg off the bench as well.
Must be demoralising for those in line , I know I would be, seeing him at the front of the queue game after game despite poor performances . .
Don’t mind jobe playing as I rate him but he needs to be played in One position and stick too it, none of this just shoehorned into the team at the expense of specialists in that position. and I do agree he could do with a little breather .
Hope you all get plenty to cheer to keep you warm. I have decided against the 5 hour round trip. Gave my cousins daughter the ticket because of the weather and she just called me a pathetic excuse for a mackem I have been in the tropical midlands for 30 odd years tbf.
We drove up from Mansfield one winter for a game at Roker. We called into a pub just off the A19 for a pint. Bob Wilson was on the football preview thing, on TV, and said, 'For all you Sunderland fans I can tell you to stay home by the fire, the match is off!' We looked through the paper and set off for a game at York. As we were getting out of the car someone came on the radio and said, 'Pitch inspection at Roker Park complete, the game is on.' We got into Roker fifteen minutes after kick off ... ... I hated Wikson from that day on
Each to their own. Whist the TV is tempting you can’t beat being there. 3 hr round trip for me and looking forward to it even though neither of the kids can make it. Just a bugger tomorrow when I need to be up at 5.45. And I hope I’m not grouchy by the time I leave. Nothing worse than having a **** journey, standing up n the cold to watch a poor loss. Think the roads will be fine tonight though.
If anything it just shows how cynical things have got, second and third guessing completely normal now. Just win games, nee one gives a fvck who plays then.
Good post mate. The analogy with Southgate is interesting. Really hoping to see us up the pace but very concerned this is how MB wants us to play. Still early days and time will tell
