Right now I'd probably agree with you. I'd genuinely try out a Hughes and Burns partnership, see how that works. It might sound suicidal but the other CBs seem very stuck in Rosieball mode so it couldnt hurt to try it. Coyle's stepped up in moments, big moments to be fair, but in terms of passing forwards, not as much. Drameh looks willing to move the ball forwards but then we'd lose a true captain figure if he replaced Coyle. Giles would keep his place for me, unless someone well suited to the system was brought in. The one area we've not really upgraded since League 1 is defence. Now we need ball playing defenders.
No you're right about Rosenior moaning about the ref a lot too. I think a couple of times he did it when he was actually wrong and he spent too much energy on it, like the Norwich winner first game of last season.
I actually thought the back line were at the best they’ve played this season today. Upping the tempo is the easy part. The rotations and mistakes were done well and I can’t recall any mistakes from them leading to a chance? For me the weak area today was Omur. Was passing backwards way too much and losing the ball cheaply. Jarvis came on and we looked miles better. If he and Slater could cross better we’d have won. Giles also didn’t help Millar enough. Too static which lead to Millar becoming predictable
You can spot a decent gaffer a mile off, they get the best out of what they have and improve players already here. Slater, Omur and Alfie look shadows of their former selves. I think performances are way more important than results at this stage, and I'd have been massively upbeat about Tim if the performances were very good but the results didn't match. If you play well consistently, you get the results. We've been fortunate so far, we deserved to lose the first 2 but earned the point today. It was similar under Shota, the performances were poor but we got some undeserved results. That luck runs out. The most glaring concern under TW is that the performances have been consistently poor. The results of the next 2 don't matter, we just need a good performance. I still think we'll have a decent season though.
That’s an opinion. We were well worth a point against Bristol. Jones has been good so far this season so that’s bollocks. Coyle has been excellent, Slater looked back to his best today too. All bollocks from you yet again because you’re not convinced by the gaffer (which is fine) but your claims are baseless and nonsensical. We’ve been well worth the point in every game so far. We were the only team trying to win in the second half against Bristol, we were good after the subs. You’re just fabricating things to suit your narrative. It’s boring and transparent
You can’t spot anything after 3 games other than short term form. Good managers have had bad starts, bad managers have had good starts. Same with players.
You are the deflection king I’ll give you that. Also the irony to say this after claiming “Omur looks a shadow of himself” after slagging him off saying he doesn’t do enough in the final third. That’s the same as last season he just has worse players around him
He’s not a winger. He’s operated far better centrally. Jarvis is far from the finished article but we look a lot better when he’s on stretching that side of the pitch.
I think a few need to figure out their best role in this new system. Thought Slater found his today, back to his usual self. Driving forward more, arriving in the box. Mehlem/Omur were both disappointing today, Omur for me has to be rotating with Mehlem in that central role. He looked excellent centrally in pre season
Sunderland's new manager has them top of the table and they just beat Burnley with Clarke out of the side. I don't think - at least from what I've seen - anyone wants Walter to fail, they're just disappointed with what we're producing on the pitch. That's either down to Walter not getting his message across or the hierarchy for getting players in slowly AT THIS STAGE. Yes in 6 weeks we might be a lot better but that means this season is a write off. Conversely I think some are desperate to spin the games so far as better than they actuqlly have been so that they feel vindicated in supporting the managerial change. Seen comments on FB and Twitter saying this was better than anything under Rosenior and I wonder if I've watched the same game.
It’s the combo of new manager and a gutting of the squad. Sunderland haven’t had a lot of turnover. I’m normally a glass half full person and want Walter to work because who wouldn’t. We’ve been ok in the first two games but today was proper crap. I don’t think it’s all on the system. Millwall came to just play long balls and ****house a result. That with a crap ref and it is what it is. That being said we didn’t help ourselves at points. Generally being a bit weak in midfield with not being potent up front and you end up with 0-0. Hopefully he starts making changes soon both in personnel and slight tweaks.
Firstly Omur is not a winger and is wasted there, as you say he much more effective in the 10 role. Slater as you say is better going forward driving at defences, rather than sitting deeper. When Jarvis came on, he made a difference, and also took the emphasis of the marking on Millar, gave them something else to deal with. Both Jones and McLoughlin were good defensively, put particularly in the first half Zambrano was moving into space ahead of them, but they didn't look up to find him. Everything was sideways or went wide to the wings. They need to work on that, hopefully Hughes will help with this when he comes in. I thought both Bedia and Burstow did okay, just need time to settle and get more game time.
Sunderland have lost key contributors, brought in a new manager and have gone from mid table nothingness to top of the table, keeping three clean sheets including one against a relegated club who had 9 in their first two games. The point I'm making is that either Walter hasn't got the team performing how he wants and it's his fault or recruitments fault. We've played three very middling teams so far.
Just to put the Omur thing to bed Acun has said we're bringing in "2 right wingers". Omur will then be fighting it out with Mehlem for the 10 position. We've only seen Omur out wide due to lack of options, a bit like Giles did on the left before Millar was brought in.
I don’t think it can underestimated how poor our attack is at present. We saw performances like yesterday with the attackers who scored 64/68 of our goals, if we play the same way without them we wouldn’t have scored in another 90 minutes.
To be fair though, it’s also common for teams to get good starts even if they aren’t great and vice versa. For example, Phelan won our first two games of a season (against the champions as well) and he and that squad turned out awful. Im reminded of Middlesbrough and Coventry last season who had disappointing starts and eventually their smaller rebuilds started coming together, Im with you that performances to date have been disappointing, but sadly with the way the transfer window closes after the start of the season (and with an early international break too) I think we really need to just hold our horses until mid - end Sept. When the games start coming thick and fast over a longer period we’ll really start to see how the team develops.
