Gus Poyet believes Will Buckley’scontinuing absence has hamperedSunderland’s Premier League progress. Winger Buckley has been out of action for almost two months due to a knee injury, and remains sidelined for this weekend’s crucial game against fellow strugglers Aston Villa at the Stadium of Light. Poyet is convinced that Buckley - who played under him at Brighton, before joining the Black Cats last summer in a £2.5m deal - has a big part to play on Wearside, but so far injuries have restricted the 25-year-old to just eight Premier League starts. Buckley’s last outing came against Fulham in the FA Cup at the end of January, but he has not started a game since New Year’s Day and has played a total of less than 80 minutes’ league action in 2015. And Poyet has signalled that he is ready to promote a youngster from the U21 ranks to offer a similar option, with 21-year-old wideman Duncan Watmore - who has impressed in the development squad - the most likely candidate. “Unfortunately I don’t think Bucka [Buckley] will be back this weekend,” said Poyet. “You have different players in your squad because you’re looking for certain abilities in certain games, and Bucka in particular is the quickest player we have got and the most direct on the ball. “There are games when you have to defend for long periods and you’re a little bit deeper than you would like, so you need players who can take you up the pitch on their own and Bucka is that player. “He has been out for a while now so we haven’t been able to use him and it is typical that when a player is not available you miss him a lot, but he has something we don’t have now and if it continues we will have to look at the U21s and bring in a young player to help us. “Without giving names we know that there are three or four players closer to the first team and they need to be ready, because if we lose a player for whatever reason one of them is going to Buckley is not Sunderland’s only long-term casualty, with an ankle injury cuttingEmanuele Giaccherini’s season short. And influential midfielder Lee Cattermolewill also miss out against Villa, and on next weekend’s trip to West Ham, due to suspension after accumulating ten yellow cards. But right-back Billy Jones will be available against the Midlanders. Poyet confirmed: “Billy Jones is fully-fit and he will be available. “We also have the suspension of Lee Cattermole and of course Emanuele Giaccherini is out, so let’s hope the rest are all right because we’re a small group now and we need everybody fit.”
What he says makes perfect sense to me but whether Buckley proves to have the quality remains to be seen. Like most players making a step up, or coming here from abroad, he will need time to get up to the speed required in the EPL and when we survive he may come good next season. That said, I don't think he will make the grade. Time for Watmore to shine?
He looked better coming on as a SUB. The Jurys still out for me whether he will succeed in the Prem. Hes got pace and height which is a big plus in this league once he adapts, hes still only 25 aswell. P.s: what the fecks Bucka all about?? Why do footballers call eachother shyte nicknames. Why not just call him Will?
I saw him against Man United and thought "We've got a player here - fast, direct and can deliver" - and, other than against the mags, he's failed to impress on every other appearance - he obviously is capable - just not sure how to get the best out of him! Impact sub?
Why is Gus singling him out as an excuse for poor displays? We have AJ etc and still failed! PVA looks like he could make a winger, Rev covers his spot and frees him up farther up the park, people out of position is the biggest part alongside no service and s;:te strikeforce
That's like saying that a lack of a healthy supply of reliable thermal underpants were the reason the Germans were defeated at Stalingrad!
It'll make perfect sense if he plays Watmore who has everything Buckley has and more. If he doesn't then it's just Gus talking the press office to sleep again with his boring ****e irrelevant patter. We'll see.
He's not really, he's saying not having him available has prevented us from playing a certain way in certain games. Does smell of the latest excuse, before Buckley got inured he was ****e and used sparingly while Gus stuck to his lazy philosophy. Agree with everything you say though BTW I'd play PVA and Watmore each wing tomorrow, their defence is ****ed, last thing they want is two fast direct players running at them.
I think it's the best way to develop PVA. He's weak defensively, not as bad as made out when he signed like I have to say but still the weakest part of his game. Bale moved further up the pitch because of his defensive frailties and never looked back. As for Watmore? If Gus really believes what he's saying in the op then we'll be seeing a lot more of Watmore in the next five games. But I get the feeling he's just talking the press to death as per. My team again because I think it looks dangerous as ****, none of that Wickham on the left bollocks. Pants O'Shea----------Brown Jones----------------------------------------------Rev Larrson-------------Rodwell Watmore-----------Alverez------------- PVA Defoe
He is only bigging him up because AJ is out of action for the forseeable future. If we end up playing a left back at left wing and a young untried albeit promising lad at right wing I am worried about our safety. On the other hand the tried and tested options have been sh!t.
Think he might go for it. He's been talking the boy up over the week so could be pencilled in for a run out, maybe off the bench given he's just back from a broken leg.
You're not concerned now? Who else have we got to bring the things we lack so badly? Lets just put Connor back out on one wing and a central player on the other while playing a DM in more advanced role... Again. Players out of position everywhere, same old ****, same old ****e performances, lets go down with a whimper playing crap football. Edit, not nagging at you fella, just bitching about Gus
That's your opinion and you are entitled to it - I'll wait a bit yet before I write him off to see if he can get up to scratch by end of August after pre-season. Hope he can but if not, ship him out.
