Everyone happy with that pairing again for the new season? http://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport...-up-well-for-sunderland-says-o-shea-1-6761704
I will state the obvious. If they start the season like they ended the last then I am fine with it. Need qulaity back up and support though.
To my amazement, yes I'm happy. I've changed my views on O'Shea, to some degree, and think he improved as the season progressed. Having 2 quick full backs should help if they can all learn to play together. I'd like to see Vergini tried at Centre Back in certain games.
not for me, if we're to utilize our fullbacks like wing backs then we need a centre-back with pace to get across and cover. Both are too slow, Brown with new pacey long term centre-back would be my option. Then we have a season to find Brown's replacement. For example when Arnie is caught out attacking and someone like Sterling is pelting up the wing, I just don't fancy the two old fellas to get across let alone getting near him.
I'm still hoping we can get Dick van Dyke from Celtic ..... bit of a weird accent but he could be supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
I'd be happy very with that. A new centreback is an absolute bare necessity [video=youtube;_Vr6H6UiFUw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Vr6H6UiFUw[/video] I'll get me coat DICK VAN DYKE RULES!!!!!! please log in to view this image
I think this is the season we start to phase Oshea out. He's getting on a bit and players are gaining more than a yard him in pace. I expect some business either now or in January that starts to bring about a new central partnership. Whether that includes Brown at the core, I dont know, although his injury record suggests not.
I've got major concerns about O'Shea, as I think people have gathered, and they will continue. His reaction time is incredibly slow and that is what leads to many of his errors, as in the numerous penalties and own goals. He is a decent captain I feel, and he is decent in the air or when we are holding a deep line, but can we play a deep line constantly with wing backs? No, no we can't. We need a centre back with pace to compliment Brown's outstanding reading of the game, I'm not sure why Diakite isn't given a chance as he is quicker than the rest, and he's a big lad to boot. Seems Gus sees this conundrum hence the attempt to get Zouma on loan, CB's with pace are a very rare beast though and we will struggle to find one. I'm not massively worried about the 2 CB's, if you take away the individual errors from last season the defensive record would have been pretty sharp in reality, I'm just not filled with confidence by that pair either. Would hope that Vergini can gradually be bedded in, still not quick but a lot more than either of those 2, we also have to be prepared for an injury to Wes, probably 3.5 mins into the WBA game.
Agreed fella, although a centreback with pace is rare, a centerback with more pace than JOS is as common as dog ****. You look at JOS and Brown and it's hard to believe that Brown is older. John is a spent hen.
van Dijk , he's my number one target for us. I don't think people realise just how outstanding a player he is. I've watched him a good few times and he ticks all the boxes. He's young, big lad, great in the air, quick, comfortable on the ball, good passer and also bags a few goals every season. I wouldn't even blink at 10 million for him.
I've not seen any of the lad, the SPL I avoid like the plague it's absolutely shocking to watch. I'm not in a position to judge, other than he was woeful the other night, and the last big money CB from Scotland who was 'great on the ball, and gets a few goals' was Cuellar. I'll make sure I catch the second leg next week to try and form an opinion.
He's nothing like Cuellar, he's a proper modern day footballer mate. His head might have already been turned because Southampton have been sniffing around him for a while now. The Uni lad that gets on here who's based in Aberdeen.... He's seen a lot of him and also regards him as a magnificent talent.
Not for me. Both are great squad players to have and are still very useful to the team but we need at least one new CB for JOS or Brown to play with. IMO We need to look at the likes of Vlaar, Dawson (Spurs) or Zouma (Loan)
This is my major concern about playing O'Shea. If we had a side that was likely to score 2 to 3 goals every game then we could probably live with one of his mistakes every other game for the value of his captaincy. In reality, we are likely to average little over a goal per game, so each mistake will cost points.
Dawson is no quicker than what we've got really. We do need pace of some description - a Micah Richards type (so Van Dijk, Richards or one you've mentioned other than Dawson!)
Fair mate, as I stated, I haven't seen him to judge, bar 50 mins of the game the other night when in fairness the whole team was all over the place. I'll watch the second leg, for sure Celtic won't sell him before that, and it's highly likely they will sell to cover the loss of revenue after, no way are they winning by 3 against a better side, regardless of the incredible atmosphere at Celtic Park on those nights.
