Like the rest of you on here I'm gutted with today's result. According to the sky sports commentators Leicester could have had a hatful. I know it's only one game and we have M'Vila to come into the team but haven't we all been here before? With our net spend of £6 million we appear, once again, to be trying to do it on the cheap. Some have a positive outlook and are defending the club saying we have done good business so far but the feeling is depressingly familiar to previous seasons. After today's performance I hope that Dick can persuade whoever needs persuading that we really do need at least two (more, to be honest) very good players who will go straight into the first team. Had we got a draw then maybe the powers that be would think we could get away with what we have but the reality is we will be facing yet another relegation dogfight, against the likes of Leicester, who played us off the park today. I know one game is very early to be worried about how the whole season will go but the signs are there, we are not good enough. Maybe Lens will be brilliant later on, maybe Kaboul will be a class defender, same for the rest of them but there are reasons why most of our players are in the £2-3 million bracket. We can laugh at the mags but with a £36 million spend, at least they are showing some ambition. I don't expect them to be in the relegation dogfight with us. So then, the defeat, and the manner of the defeat, today, may just be a blessing in disguise IF it wakes up those who can do something about it and gets them to bring in some real quality. We have a couple of weeks so there is time to do something but if we go the same way as usual then it's going to be a very tough season (again) for us. If anyone saw the game, were there any decent performances? Maybe Pantilimon.
both of us will be in a relegation fight, they are not interested in playing for us, but just picking the money up, Benno was saying today what has been going on season after season, the defence is useless no matter who is in there. At least Dick will not get sacked, but will take us down not down to his fault though. And we play Norwich next week by the way in another MUST win game, these first 6 matches better produce points, or Short will after leave. Borini and Austin must be signed just for starters, then the half wits in defence need to took out at 6am in the morning for training. We are no further on since Murray left.
I think you have to question the pre season preparation. We seemed streets behind Leicester in terms of fitness and sharpness.
Its not exactly 'must win' on its own but three points will take alot of early pressure off the players and supporters and give us hope over the next half a dozen games. A defeat and I can see the pressure getting to the players and supporters straight away making points less likely in the near future. But then again, we could beat Norwich, then follow that up with an utter mare in the next game. Thats the Sunderland way!
The first win always takes the pressure off to some extent. The thing is, the team we put out the week after the window has closed could be very different from today. Another 2-3 players to come in, plus M'Vila, and a few of the bench (eg Giacc) and things may be different. Who knows? May be. Maybe not. But it's just too early to press the panic button!
We never get off to a flyer though do we? Why cant we even get a sneaky undeserved win to get the ball rolling? There are 12 points at stake before the window closes. I'm anxiously hoping we sneak at least one win before then, otherwise we are almost playing catch up even at this early stage before any new signings arrive. I mean, could you imagine if we picked up 6-7 points before the window closes? Can you imagine the feel good factor around the place, points on the board and the 'promise' of two quality players as well? Why cant that happen? Just this once? Nope. Being a Sunderland supporter, yet again it is too much to ask for. There was a table on Sky Sports this morning showing how many points each Premier League team has accumilated on the opening game of the season over the past 23 years. We were second off bottom, That includes our seasons in the Championship as well. It doesnt matter who we play. I never expect an opening day victory......I'm always ecstatic with a draw.
Didn't know that mate! A shocking statistic! A few years ago we lost our first 3-4 games under Quinny. Roy came in, scared the bejeezus out of the squad and got us promoted! Early days mate, early days.
Was at the match today and my eternal optimist says that Dick knows what he is doing. He made no changes second half and I think he's sending a clear "this is my best team, look what happens" message to Short. He says clearly after the game that this was last year's team apart from 2 players and that he needs more in. Fingers crossed he gets it or I wouldn't blame him for walking citing broken promises. He is the man to sort it and the Championship beckons if he isn't backed
I'm hoping that this result and performance will shock the powers that be into going out and spending a few quid, it's obviously needed and there's no real excuse for not spending a few quid. Unfortunately I think we'll carry on with the penny pinching and be stuck with loans and cheaper signings which (I hope) might just keep us up but won't propel us up the league.
In sports there is winning and losing. Losing is never a blessing. You walk onto that field to win or to feel bloody awful. There are no other choices.
Given our history for the past ten throwing money at problems will have us bust in a couple of years. Watching the Chelsea v Swansea and given the cost of each team Swansea were the better TEAM. Better planning and getting players to fit a system would be the better approach but that will take time rather than money, and without the income from Europe we are in another world.
We were dreadful today and against a very average team it could have been 6 or 7. Next week IS a must win game against possibly the weakest team, at home. Draw or lose and the die is cast for the season. We need s minimum of 3 first team signings or else it's curtains.
I wish Lineker would feel like a dog with one dick and fancied playing the next three games for us - even at his age!
Could have been but wasn't!!! Why try and make it sound worse? It's one game ffs Jesus some people...
I know mate. I don't get the Giacc situation at all. If he's not fit for the first game of the season, against mighty Leicester, then whats he for? Everybody seems to rate him except the manager of the day. Why he's still here, is beyond me.
A blessing in disguise? Ffs a shambolic showing against Lester.. ****ing lester man. Made us look like still pissed sunday morning league. Thank **** we were not playing a good team.
