Shouldn't be to long till everyone is back, (apart from PVA). Which is good, cos as it stands, just what is our best 11 with all players fit? Giacc has to be in there, SUNDERLANDâS list of injury absentees will have lightened significantly after the fortnightâs international break. The Black Cats will be without SIX members of the first-team squad for tomorrowâs visit of Everton with the suspended Lee Cattermole joining the crocked quintet of Patrick van Aanholt, Emanuele Giaccherini, Ricky Alvarez, Sebastian Coates and Billy Jones in the Stadium of Light stands. Left-back Van Aanholt could be sidelined for a couple of months with the shoulder injury he suffered at Crystal Palace on Monday night, if he requires an operation. But there is better news on the rest, with Coates and Alvarez expected to be in contention when Sunderland return to Premier League action at Leicester after the break, and Jones and Giaccherini not far behind. Poyet told the Echo: âI am 100 per cent sure Alvarez and Coates will be training the week before the Leicester game. âAnd Billy and Giacchy, if not that week then the week after. âThatâs great news for us and itâs why, for me, this game (tomorrow) is so important. âWe need to get a result from this game and that will give us a massive lift because after that things will get better as players come back.â Jack Rodwell will be back in the squad tomorrow after returning to training yesterday, following a minor calf strain which kept him out at Palace. Poyet will decide between the £10million summer signing and Liam Bridcutt to fill the void left by Cattermole against Rodwellâs former club Everton. But the injuries have had a major impact on Sunderlandâs small squad, with at least one member of the Under-21 squad taking a place on the bench tomorrow. âI donât know if it is bad luck or what,â said Poyet. âLast season it was completely the opposite â I was training with 20-plus players every week. âNow we have so many injuries and every one is different. âWe have one thigh (Coates), one bone (Giaccherini), one knee cartilage (Alvarez), one hamstring (Jones), one shoulder (van Aanholt)... âBut we need to cope with it because thatâs football. âImagine how much more difficult it is for the teams who are in Europa League and the squads that they need!â Sunderland were due to discover last night whether van Aanholt required surgery or not â a scenario which would add several weeks to the Dutch internationalâs spell on the sidelines. âI donât know exactly how long he will be out, but it could be a couple of months,â added Poyet. âWe are trying to avoid that of course, but we will have to see.â
With ALL fit: ------------Pants Rev-----JOS-----Wes------PVA --------------Catts -------Larsson------ Rodwell AJ-----------------------------Alvarez ---------------Fletcher Not sure where I'd fit Giacch in. The RB and GK positions are toss-ups really. Gomez pushing Rod for a place.
If everyone was fit was right now (although its too attacking to play against Everton) but when the Burnley's Leicester's etc come to town. -------------------Pantilimon------------------ Réveillère----Vergini-----Oshea----Van Aanholt -------------Rodwell----Cattermole------------ Johnson----------Alvarez-----------Giaccherini -------------------Fletcher--------------------- If that 3 behind Fletcher clicked we'd hurt teams. They can all interchange positions but I think Giaccherini would link up best dragging defenders inside allowing Pva to bomb down the wing .
Fully fit I'd go- Pants Vergini-----Brown Jones--------------------------------Aanholt Catts Alvarez------Rodwell Johnson---------------Giacc Fletcher
Nobody picking Larsson except me? Our last 4 managers disagree with you. I think he has the odd anonymous game but generally he's worth his place
It's nowt against him but what sort of midfielder is he? What does he bring? Defensive duties are covered in my team with Catts and Rodwell going box to box, Seb isn't a great attacking midfielder at all, he takes way too long to make a decisions. I want us to create on all fronts, and because of that I've simply picked who I think will bring that.
Well he keeps the ball well and tactically he is pretty good. Presses well when they have the ball. I've seen nothing from Rodwell to say he'd get the nod. I'd have both in if it's 3 man midfield. Alvarez and Giacch are better further up the pitch I think. Gomez probably too much of a luxury player to full that role too
Rodwell is our only real box to box player, a role I feel vital to how we want to play. I'm not impressed with his start neither but we can only work with the squad we've got. Rodwell will come good imo. Too good not to. Opinions though isn't it. If Seb shifted the ball a bit quicker he'd get the nod from me, but he gives opponents all the time in the world to get organised.
Overall if the injured players we have get fit the squad looks very good imo,nice and steady outfit i dont think we will pull too many trees up but solid enough i believe. Forwards not scoring is an age old problem for most teams its a confidence thing which it looks as though fletch has recaptured with his fitness thank goodness
