To say it has been a stunningly hectic summer on Roker Report would be a ludicrous understatement. Even since before the last ball of last season had been kicked it feels like we have been sourcing transfer stories and researching footballers we hadn't even heard of the week before. It has perhaps been a curious quirk, then, that the most important and probably best piece of business Sunderland have done this summer has mostly slipped in beneath the radar - Ki Sung-Yeung. Okay, so 'signed on loan from Swansea' doesn't really scream glitz, and the fact 24-year-old Korean was announced amid the hustle and bustle of pre-match preparations meant it probably was never going to command much attention. Still, it has all been remarkably quiet. At the time of writing, there has been nothing in the way of fanfare at all; no interviews, no gallery of pictures. Just a couple of comments from Paolo Di Canio and a solitary tweet from the club's official account containing one photo. Fans are talking, as we do, but even that has been a little lost in the deadline day furore and outrages of losing the Crystal Palace game and selling Stephane Sessegnon. What little chatter there has seen appears to be expressing a sense of general indifference, though much of it seems to be based upon myth and general irrelevances. They say what good is a player to Sunderland when he can't get anywhere near the Swansea team, but Ki started 27 games for the Swans and featured in all but seven of their games last season following his arrival. They say he has been a flop and his fall down the pecking order at the Liberty Stadium provides evidence of it, yet it is quite widely reported in Korea that he has had a falling out with Michael Laudrup. They say 'look what happened the last time we signed someone from Swansea' in reference to Danny Graham, but that is just plain silly. But cut through the myths, indifference, and general bewilderment at the uninspiring start to the season and the truth is that Ki is the kind of player that has been missing from the Sunderland midfield for far too long. For starters, he can pass a ball. He boasted a 92% success rate last season as well as posting some impressive numbers with regard chance creation. Statistics, however, will only ever be an aid to debate, nothing more. At the end of the day the only thing we need to know about Ki Sung-Yeung is that he is, quite simply, a quality footballer. He isn't going to stomp around the pitch flying into tackles and physically imposing himself. He just isn't that kind of player so shouldn't be judged as such. But give him a football at his feet and he'll spot something constructive to do with it. He is a player who can gather a ball and release it accurately and incisively in the same amount of time that a Seb Larsson or Craig Gardner take to control it. In a team like Sunderland's where the strength lies in the individual talent of the forward players, someone who can get good possession to them quickly can be a real game-changer. That may be a lot of pressure. It may be a lot to ask of one player. But as separate departments, Sunderland are generally performing. The goals being conceded are soft set pieces and individual errors - annoying, but far preferable to being repeatedly carved open and played through. Further forward individuals are impressing, but too often snuffed out by weight of numbers. All that is really needed is that man between both to knit it all together. To command the ball to help push the defence away from their own box when pressure is building, and provide forwards with good possession in attacking areas quicker than the opposition can get defenders back in defensive positions. There is no doubt that Ki can be that man. If he will only time will tell, but if he produces what he is capable of, he will unquestionably be the best piece of business Sunderland have done all summer.
For me the odd thing about Ki is how little I know about him considering how successful Swansea were last season and how many of their players were lauded about the place. Genuinely had to wiki him to find out who you had signed, looks a god player though and if he's getting regular games it also reflects positively on the style of play PDC is looking to implement with yourselves. There must be wheels within wheels here though considering how much he played for them last year to suddenly be surplus to requirements. Oh well, worth a punt.
Heard of him but not as a Swansea player used to play for Celtic and had a couple of good seasons there, just checked his stats 66 games and 9 goals about the same as Sess not bad for the playmaker/keyholder whatever they want to call it mate. Happy with this signing will hold on the other two just yet, heard good things about Borini from Scousers on here and down there (got a City fan mate who works with a few of them), the same lads weren't too compilimentary about Dosena mind but, we'll see.
I was looking forward to seeing him play and after reading that I'm looking forward to it even more so. I also hope that we have a fee agreed in case he does turn out to be just what we need - and it might be more likely that we do if the rumours about him falling out with Laudrup are true. Trying to temper my hope with a bit of realism as well though. Let's not expect too much of him immediately. We can tear apart a promising player on the basis of two or three bad games and we might need to give him a bit of time to gel with the others. Especially relevant if his key attribute is playing the ball very quickly to where he knows our forwards will be.
I've no idea why but Ki, Dossena and Borini have arrived without much interest which I can't believe. With the players we already have I reckon these three will be a real boost to Sunderland ....... just look at their experience and ability. I'll say now that I believe Borini & Fletcher will be sensational together.
I hate articles where the term "they say" is used often. Without identifying who "they" are. Three consecutive paragraphs in this piece start with the phrase "they say". Other than that, it was good! KI!!!!!!
Reckon Borini will start against Arsenal mate who he partners though is anyones guess, will Altidore be fit (he recovered enough to go to the USA) or will PDC risk Fletcher? or maybe play Borini on his own not sure he's played that role before mind.
Desperately needed a ball playing centre mid.....Ki is just that. His signing will add the balance that we need and will give us more of a cutting edge. He has to be a vast improvement on Seb in that position, who was only ever filling in. Now that we don't have the conundrum of where to fit Sess in(up front, in the hole, wide, etc) and having bought in players who have defined roles and positions in which they play, I feel that the balance of the team will improve. I wish the lad all the best and hope he is holds the Ki (sorry) that we have been looking for.
Thanks Bri. Call me out of date or old school, but I can't see the true benefit of a loan signing to us. Evans. Wellbeck. Rose. Etc. Would have loved them all, but all we did was give them good experience for their true clubs. Sticking my neck out here, but have Villa / Everton / even Swansea made any loan signings? It's wrong. For the amount of benefit we get, we lose out on establishing our own squad. x
It's not Ideal but needs must, the way I see it is it's better than bringing in no midfielder at all. Everton loaned Gerard Deulofeu, Romelu Lukaku and Gareth Barry. Swansea have loaned Jonathan De Guzman and Alvaro Vazquez
But lets be honest... the loans of Welbeck, Rose, and Evans all benefited us and ensured our Survival. Loan benefits cannot be overlooked - but the pro's always get overlooked for the con's when they do expeptionally well like the trio listed did. Look at Muntari, Megane, etc... aren't we glad theyb were just loans and not buys? Works both ways. I do however wish we would put in to buy clauses at teh end of contract. Absolutely no skin off our back doing so, and will save potential heartache like we experienced with Welbeck and Rose.
I'd much rather be taking a player on loan than bringing someone, for a large fee, as a panic measure. We did that with Danny Graham. I'll be happy to see us in this division and with 2 more transfer windows under our belt this time next year. It'll take time but I love fact we actually seem to have a plan for a change.
Im not a fan of over reliance on loans but like they say needs must. PDC inherited a terrible squad with a couple of gems in it. A major overhaul was needed so a couple of loans were always on the cards. Im looking forward to seeing Ki but have a feeling its who plays next to him that will be just as Key, he's basically our new quarter back so he needs a cabral or cattermole to protect him
If the rumours are true about him and Laudrup falling out then it shouldnt be too dificult to agree a permanant deal. He also only has 1 year left on his contract after this season, so that will also help secure him permanatly. Ki is a complete different loan signing to Wellbeck, Evans and Rose. We were given these players off potential top 4 teams who wanted to give their highly rated youngsters some Premiership experience. We had no chance in buying any of them 3 permanantly.
