An honest opinion from a Sunderland fan, last season and before I would hope to beat Arsenal but expect to lose. Now I was not frightened and expected to win, to me thats how far you have dropped but you know that you cant sell the players you have and replace them with who you have and not see a big step backwards.
I think that just about sums it up. Credit to Sunderland, you did well yesterday and despite us playing 3 times away in a week and on some pretty bad pitches, we just haven't been good enough. Big test coming up against Spurs. We're at home and on a decent pitch, it might make some difference if we can get our passing game going. Plus Arsenal will be unleashing their secret weapon next weekend
I'm not sure that we're doing anything else very well at the moment though, so getting our passing game going is probably the one thing, if we get it right, that will give us a decent game.
We don't have a passing game - unless you consider 5 yard passes sideways and backwards as a passing game. In fact, we are one of the worst teams in the league at effective passing. Every time we pass it forward our players are easily knocked off the ball or it goes to the opposition.
our 'passing game' has descended to late panicky passing between our CBs - letting their forwards chase and hassle us into making mistakes. The passing game we once had pinned their defenders and midfield down into protecting their penalty area. How times have changed.