there isn't much between the 2 squads ? ......... really ........ both had their best players sold and had to replace them, pardew did. bruce didn't ........... really ........ bruce bought twice as many players but they were just below average quality that is the difference between the 2 teams
They are there on merit, hard working team combined with a pretty savvy manager...(who don't forget is working under the restraints of a dick of a boss) They got rid of chicken wings and jail bird etc. and brought in some French lads (i for one laughed at the time). They took the gamble with Ba,,, Combined them with Tiote etc, and hey presto...Pardew found the right recipe..
Good piece Poolie, and all very fair and correct in my eyes. We knew cabaye was a good player, french player of the year in a double winning side containing the outrageously special Eden Hazard, but he settled immediately, and is such an effortless user of the ball, and not scared of the physical to boot. If we had Cabaye, we would be in the top 10, let alone adding Ben Arfa and Tiote. We should have kept Ned or brought back Hutts, at least they gave something, we should have been in for Cabaye, he cost less than Gardner, we should have been in for Tiote , he cost about 4 pence.... We have a problem with the scouting network at the club, the fact Tiote and Cabaye were unknown to the club highlights this. We also have, of course, a completely tactically inept manager , with no clue as to his players best positions, who is so negative that he clearly cannot inspire the players. The lack of pace in our side is the biggest problem, and the thing which makes me worried about us still being a Premier League club in May. Seriously, I am at this point now, I cannot honestly say i'm sure we'll stay up. I predicted top 10 in June....
Even on paper Sunderland suck to be honest. I don't understand what Bruce sees in his signings at all.
I couldnt disagree more. Westwood,Bendtner, Larsson, Vaughan, Gardener, Wickham, Brown and O Shea are not below average quality at all. They are good players wioth fine pedigrees and lots of experience. Elmo and Ji are the only ones that are suspect. If we had a manager with the ability to form a decent tactical plan and play them in their correct positions week in week out, we could be doing a whole lot better imo. Thats the real difference between the 2 teams. Your biggest asset is Ba. Without his goals, where would you be?
Our biggest asset is our work rate, organisation and team spirit. How many of Ba's goals have been a one man effort or a screamer?
Aye whatever you say. After all youre the new Barcelona arent you? The return of the deluded barcodes. 13 canny games and all of a sudden they are world beaters again and start to tell all of us mortals where we are going wrong.
Thats not the point though. We worked hard in the opening 20 mins and created a hatful of chances. What we lack is a Demba Ba to put them in. After 30 mins you can see our players thinking **** me, what do we have to do and they drain in confidence. When we had Bent, we always had a threat. We could be playing ****e but still win games or rescue points becasue give him a chance and it was a goal. We lack that this season and thats Bruces fault. For all your hard work, team spirit, endeavour etc if you didnt have a Ba to score the vital goals, youre season wouldnt be the one you are having. You must be able to see that surely?
No you have a goal threat in the likes of Ba. We dont. If we did, the Bruce out campaign would never have survived.
I think we have better players in all positions other than perhaps right wing. I'm not even joking about when I say I doubt any of your squad would get into our first 11. Our scouting network and reputation in France has allowed is to steal a march on your idiot manager. I'll be very worried in January though because we could lose Krul, Tiote, Colocini and Cabaye knowing Ashley. In all honesty your ****ed this season already though.
Maybe so, he's a similar type of player to Bent - clinical and composed - and he's doing the business at the minute, but at the same time who's to say if we didn't sign Ba we wouldn't have signed someone else of the same calibre? If he gets injured I can see us definitely missing out on points we would have got with him in the team - but fact of the matter is he IS in our team and apparently we've got a new signing already agreed for January to cover his ACN leave. I think you're lacking more than a good finisher tbh. Very little pace throughout the team, not much creative spark barring Sessegnon and sometimes Larsson. Bruce's signings have been pants.
Thats my argument about getting shot of Bruce. He DIDNT plan and recruit a a striker and now its too late. If we had signed a Ba or someone similar, I am absolutley convinced that we wouldnt even be discussing Bruce leaving, as we would be comfortably mid table with at least another 7 or 8 points. Pardew planned and gambled on Ba's fitness and it has paid off. Bruce didnt go for an experienced goal scorer and he is now paying for that mistake with his job probably. Thats said, without Ba's goals and the points he has brought, Pardew would be in a lot more bother now as well with your fans and the media.
I'm sure you were saying you had a better squad than last season a few months ago???? Ba was not a gamble look at his record at West Ham and to be honest Ben Arfa will get back to getting goals soon, Maiga is in the bag and Best gets a few.
didn't plan or recruit a striker? .... connor wickam 9 million pound| ba struggled to get a game or any kind of form for the first half dozen games. you's had kenwyn jones, darren bent and gyan and were saying a creative midfielder would put you's amongst the elite a while back. face it bruce is clueless and has let go the half decent players and replaced them with dross. everybody knows that when sir alex lets his squad players go, ie wheres brown and o'shea, that they are finished and on a downward spiral
