Obviously the first teams transformation has been talked about loads, but remember under donald when the 21s and 18s basically lost every single game. Starting to build a conveyor belt of talent now. In pretty much no time at all.
I believe so, him among plenty of others. We were the ones punished because Donald couldn’t afford to run the club, but also a lot of them might not develop as well being at the major clubs who are massively stocked at youth level with home grown and foreign talent. A disgrace really
Don't be daft Hank, you have to accept that some people are just happier when they have an axe to grind. Sunderland will lose games this season and they'll be out saying 'Told you so' ... ... win the first three games, then lose one, and it'll be 'We were just papering over the cracks'. Just how things are mate.
We are starting to see what looks like a starting eleven, the cameos from our academy players give me a lot of confidence too , all in all its building for the real test starting next Saturday. Buzzin.
With just a week to go until our Premier League season gets under way, Sunderland were 1-0 winners against Bundesliga side Augsburg FC in their penultimate pre-season friendly at WWK Arena. Habib Diarra’s first goal in a Sunderland shirt was enough to hand the Lads victory in Germany whilst Robin Roefs denied the hosts with a penalty save. please log in to view this image Régis Le Bris made one change for the game with Jenson Seelt restored to the starting line-up in place of Harrison Jones. The Lads scored in the 14th minute of the game through Diarra with the Senegalese lashing a first-time shot from the edge of the box into the bottom left corner - his first goal in a Sunderland shirt. Eliezer Mayenda had the chance to double their lead when Reinildo was felled inside the box but the Spaniard sent his spotkick over the bar. He had the chance to make amends after some brilliant work from Jenson Seelt down the left. The Dutchman played a ball in behind for Mayenda but his angled shot was off-target. The hosts had a penalty of their own awarded just before the half-hour mark but Roefs made his first spotkick save in a Sunderland shirt, palming away Phillip Tietz effort low to his left. GET YOUR TICKETS TO SEE SAFC vs RAYO VALLECANO Mayenda did not have luck on his side in the first half. A lovely one-two between him and Diarra fed his run in behind but his deft finish was saved by Finn Dahmen. Minutes into the second half, a well-worked move which began from Roefs resulted in a slick passing move which sliced through the Augsburg defence, Adingra was on hand at the back post but Han-Noah Massengo made a vital intervention to deflect the shot over the bar. Roefs produced heroics again as Tietz glancing header was hooked away by his left hand before a combination of Trai Hume and Granit Xhaka prevented the ball from crossing the line. Mayenda turned away from his marker brilliantly in the attacking third and played a measured through ball to Chemsdine Talbi, whose first-time shot was palmed away by Finn Dahmen, who dived to his right. Xhaka handled the responsibility of free-kicks and he came within inches of scoring an outstanding goal, wrapping a ferocious shot off the underside of the crossbar. Substitute Timur Tuterov came close to getting in on the act teeing up Mayenda with his cutback, but he couldn't apply the finish. Le Bris’ side play their final pre-season friendly tomorrow afternoon when La Liga outfit Rayo Vallecano come to the Stadium of Light. SAFC XI: Roefs; Hume, Ballard, Seelt (J.Jones 83’), Reinildo; Xhaka ©, Sadiki (Tuterovi 86’, Diarra; Talbi, Adingra, Mayenda Subs: Moore; Nna Noukeu, Jones, Bainbridge, Middlemas, Aleksić, Ogunsuyi Augsburg FC XI: Dahmen, Massengo, Matsima, Gouweleeuw ©, Giannoulis, Jakić, Tietz, Saad, Wolf, Schlotterbeck, Kömür Subs: Klein, Pedersen, Essende, Maier, Mounié, Fellhauer, Dong, Banks, Dardari
Alright lads, missed it as I am hosting a get together outside today. Was hoping to watch it but alas no good. How we do ? How was Seelt ? As expected ELF didn't go.
Played really well. Should have scored 3 or 4. Mayenda skied a pen and looked rusty in front of goal but caused them problems. Diarra and Sadiki impressive. Seelt did well. Adingra and Talbi busy, but lacking end product Xhaka class Roefs looks a player Sadki went off at the end after taking a kick, but doesn't look serious
I like the look of all of them. You can tell Xhaka is at a different level to anyone else we have but there's signs that Diarra can more than replace Jobe, Sadiki is just like the duracell bunny but you can tell there's something there and he's quick enough to break up play and get on the front foot. Talbi is starting to show what he can do, the only 1 I have concerns about (that's not the right word but its all I can think of!) is Adingra, he's another that shows signs but I think he will be frustrating in equal measure at times as well. If he can quickly pick the right option whether its pass or take on rather than dwell on the ball and take too many on, we'll have another big threat. That leaves us with Enzo, going off when he's played there last season, I wouldn't mind seeing him playing deeper alongside Xhaka but with Diarra and Sadiki preferred there, I doubt I'll get that wish. And that's before we get to Dan Neil (hope he and the club come together and agree a contract). I also like the look of Reinildo, looks really solid from what I've seen. Can't wait for it all to click
Before the doom and gloom clan say “it’s his job” i know, he had 3 good chances, but overall i thought Mayenda played well, showed great strength and movement at times
