I really liked the way we more or less kept going to the end yesterday and particularly liked our closing down, sometimes with three men surrounding the player in possession, thereby forcing him to pass backwards. To see Everton continually resorting to lofting the ball forward in desperation did my heart good. I hope the fitness training continues and the all too obvious coaching which is clearly bearing fruit. For sure there are many aspects of our game that need to be improved and will take time but the change in tactics and the way they are being carried out is a revelation. Prior to the Everton game there was only one other match I enjoyed watching at home this season (West Ham) and all the others I found painful. I had thought MON would be the man for us but the change has worked spectacularly well. Hats off to the Chairman and Directors for their boldness. ps anyone else found the hunting down of the ball reminiscent of really top teams?
Great post, yes i have been very overwhelmed by what i've seen since the first half at chelsea, against the nags it was plain to see and again yesterday, having watched it back colback was immense as were they all really, n'daiye, rose, graham, larsson all stick out for me. Very very pleasing to see
Have to agree pont. Its how Barcelona play the game when they don't have the ball. This isn't me comparing us to Barca, I'm saying that what Di Canio is instilling into them IDF the ball is that way of playing. Love it
I hesitated from mentioning Barcelona in my post but that is who I was thinking of with regard to the pressing. I hope in time we can begin to do it higher up the pitch as well.
We're nowhere near fit enough yet. DG and Sess were dead on their last 15 minutes and stopped pressing completely. but it's only been a few weeks so the improvement is fantastic, can't wait to see us with a full pre season behind us.
Did anyone else see young James McClean actually have a good game. I thought the young lad did well for once. I'm quick to hammer him for being pap....
i honestly cant grumble about anybody in the last two games, playing like a team, doing the simple things well, such an improvement its almost unreal.
That's a great post mate.. But the fitness thing, i find disturbing, these are so called top athletes, PDC has been here a few weeks, and the fitness will not have improved that much, if at all.. It's down to the ethics of the manager, the tactics and belief he is giving them. MoN was supposed to be this top notch manager, but hardly took training (i'm led to believe). PDC is very hands on, these players are like kids, they need to be mollycoddled and feel inportant. This is a rank average squad (at best) but PDC seems to have the Midas touch at present, and getting them to work as a team, which is the main factor. Simply put, these players are not the best, by no means, but the more attacking formation suits them better than the boring counter attack system employed by a dinosaur, who simply seems to have lost touch with modern day football.
McClean did play well...However, for me the man of the match was another young lad who has took some dogs abuse on here from one or two posters this season, and that's Jack Colback..
Will he be part of PDC plans? He has no fixed position, and hasn't made any of them his own, So he's a squad player and nowt more then?
a versatile utility player is hard to replace (richardson) I would keep him and improve him personally, he showed a very mature head on him on Saturday imo
I think everyone is ok with players been out on their fet because they put every ounce of effort in to the game. It will only take a cpl more weeks and they should be ok, then a hard pre season and see what next season brings. Once again apologies to DG and JC.
depends on how you look at it mate, he's still young, a local lad, bags of potential, not sure how many times he has played this season?? Position:MidfielderDOB:24/10/1989Origin:EnglandHeight(cm):176Weight(kg):70Join Date:20/11/2008 Sunderland fans love a home-grown player, and in Jack Colback they’ve got one of their best for years. Flame-haired Jack is quiet and unassuming off the pitch but he takes no prisoners in the middle of the park. Economical in possession with a superb tackle and range of passing, Colback has added a goal threat to his game and is rounding into a complete midfielder. Jack, from Killingworth, joined Sunderland at just 10 years of age and rose through the ranks. A key member of a successful youth team, Colback made his full debut on the final day of 2009-10 and followed up with two loan spells at Ipswich Town. Jack was so good during a season at Portman Road that he was named as the club’s players’ player of the year in May 2010. He returned for a second spell down south at the start of the following season, playing 54 games combined and bagging five goals. Having returned to the north east, the midfielder ended the 2010-11 campaign in the Sunderland team and didn’t give up his place. Only Stephane Sessegnon played more games than Jack’s 40 in 2011-12 as he firmly established himself as a first-team regular. Jack was rewarded with a new contract in January 2012 and is hungry to continue progressing in red and white
All well and good mate, but let's get serious here. Even as the squad stands now if it was all fully fit, (and this is without a summer seasons transfer window and who knows what class PDC will bring in) sorry to say young Jack is, and always will be a squad player, simply because he does not have an identifiable position, that he can make his own. Like you say, a utility player, of no fixed abode.
i would'nt let him go anywhere just yet tbh This season Apps As sub Goals Yellow Red Total (Club) 37 (6) 0 5 0 League 32 (5) 0 4 0 FA Cup 2 (1) 0 0 0 League Cup 3 (0) 0 1 0 all depends who we bring in, he's a better defender than he is a mid imo, his performance at RB on saturday was sublime, maybe he has found his position?
What after one game mate...he did well. But still you can't give me a position where he should play, and in place of who.
Your absolutely right mate, cant argue with you, however i wouldnt let him go is my opinion, he's played all over the shop this season and deserves a bit of praise for it
