Is it just me or...

18 conceded with Colo in the team and he's only missed 2 games which means we've conceded 7 in 2 games without him which show's his importance and how good he is. He's on another level to Brown no matter how many medals he won on the bench, by your logic Nicky Butt is better than all of your midfielders?

 

Haha this. Kieran Richardson has won a Premier League medal must make him better than Fabregas.

 

Would agree that medals count for nowt unless the player is a regular starter.

IMHO Colo is contender for best CB in the league amongst say, 3 others. I genuinely don't think the same could be said for Brown. With Steven Taylor at his side they are unstoppable, but make no mistake, it's Colo that's the difference, despite Tayls being a local lad.

I'm not knocking brown, I'm sure he's great. But Colo really is on another level. He's had all the best players in the league in his back pocket.

Our defencive record was the best in the league until a few weeks ago when we were stuck with full backs and perch to hold the whole back line. A quick CB can easily cover full-back, but the same can rarely be said the other way round.

Alas, the problem lies, as ever, with our ever paper thin squad being hit by injuries.

 

To be fair, most Sunderland supporters were saying Brown was ****, injury prone and past it before we bought him (I wasnt one of them though), and he has proven a lot wrong.

No doubt Colo has been outstanding this season, but for the first XX number of games you had a pretty settled back 4, even if your RB/LB are not the best, your keeper helps as well, we had to chop and change, We have only ever been beaten by 1 goal this season (same as Man City) the problem is, thats happened 8 times already, which for me is where the difference lies.

We do have a good defence, so does Newcastle, but i ws looking at the table yesterday.

Liverpool have only scored 22 goals, and they have suarez, bellamy, Carroll. +6 GD
Newcastle 29 goals, Ba has 14 of those (i think) +4 GD
Stoke 22 goals Jones/Crouch up front but a -9 GD
Norwich 30 Goals -5 GD
Sunderland 27 goals (with no oustanding goalscorer) +4 GD
the rest 20 goals ish Bolton have 25, but all have - GD and some a lot in the -

I know GD doesnt = points, but it we are on the same points as another team, but with a better GD thats one place above them, which could be the difference between Europe or not (i dont think we will get Europe, but it could mean that) relegation or not (I also dont think we will get relegated either) or an extra £750,000 and a place higher in the top 10/mid table.

 

I do agree with the above, I rate Taylor very highly.

I guess we will just have to agree to disagree re Brown and Colo.

 

Fair enough mate

RE: blackcatsteve - we were unbeaten at all in the first 11 games. Opposition certainly had plenty of attacks in every game, but Colo and Tayls fixed it. Spent long periods defending heavily at times and lead to people saying we were "lucky" - I say we just had a **** hot defence.

 

This.

 

I remember Wolves you were a touch fortunate, but other than that I cant remember if you were lucky or not tbh.

My point though in a round about way was, not many teams have scored a lot of goals, most have scored about once a game, unless you look at the top 5 then us, and Norwich.

Man City 56 (and we kept a clean sheet)
Man United 49 (Brown OG )
Spurs 36 (1 goal Against us)
Chelsea 39
Arsenal 36
Liverpool 24 (sure it was 22 when i looked yesterday, obviously not though)
Newcastle 29
Stoke 22
Norwich 30
Sunderland 27
Everton 20 (only played 19 though)
Swansea 20 (goal per game)
Aston Villa 22
Fulham 22
WBA 19
Wolves 22
QPR 19
Bolton 25
Wigan 18
Blackburn 29

So a hell of a lot of teams have been struggling to find the back of the net this season, not saying thats why you went unbeaten for 11 games and had a really good defensive record, but other teams do as well (they just didnt go 11 unbeaten like you did).

its definately been a strange season so far though, but like i have said on other threads, that why we love this silly game.

 

Fair enough. Pretty sure we'd conceded the least until that point (or a game before) as well though.

 

you tell me i havnt a clue when Taylor and Colo were out but this will tell you if you know the date, looking at it though Man City had the best defence.

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/...ate=1322933400000&tableView=CURRENT_STANDINGS

 

And don't forget: the Mag goal against us came from a free kick that was awarded for nowt so shouldn't really count...

 

Lol, after Larsson hand balled on the line

 

and we are better looking, well I am

 

Can't say that I noticed that one...