He's probably a nice bloke in person. That doesn't translate to being good at his job. I don't care what people say - we have some talented players in the squad and we aren't seeing the best of them. That is down to the manager and coaching staff ultimately.
He's probably a nice bloke in person. That doesn't translate to being good at his job. I don't care what people say - we have some talented players in the squad and we aren't seeing the best of them. That is down to the manager and coaching staff ultimately.
He's probably a nice bloke in person. That doesn't translate to being good at his job. I don't care what people say - we have some talented players in the squad and we aren't seeing the best of them. That is down to the manager and coaching staff ultimately.
I agree. I think he has delusions of grandeur for this squad, we seem woefully unaware of our limitations. For me, we need to just scrap whatever crap we're trying to achieve and go back to basics. I'd just go 4-4-2 for now and accept Wijnaldum is a 'better' player than we can currently use. He's a number 10, but number 10's only exist in the Champions League. We have a left back, Dummett, so he must play at left back. We have a commanding CB (or we did 10 years ago) in Steven Taylor, and one who is quick, smaller, good tackler and comfortable on the ball - Mbemba. They should play. Janmaat's our only RB. If Dummett is injured, Colback plays. If either CB is injured then Lascelles plays. Colo is fourth choice. If Janmaat is injured, Mbabu plays. That's it, no faffing, no Colo, no blind loyalty. In midfield, we go 4. End of story. We need stability and a platform to attack and defend. Townsend is LM come rain or shine. Injured? Aarons, please. CM is Shelvey and Tiote (if his head's right, Colback if not). Anita is on standby for both of these. RM is our only option, Sissoko. There's no replacement 'cos we don't do squads at Newcastle, and Sissoko's never injured anyway. Besides which 92% of our goals have come from the right, somehow. Up front, Mitrovic plays with Perez, or SDJ. I would consider Wijnaldum up there as well, depending if he is capable of being further up the field, but it's two up top however you look at it. We attack down the wings, Shelvey's the one spraying passes, Tiote/Colback sit to create three CB's when our full backs move upfield. We press up the field, but make sure we retain a rigid shape and defend from the halfway line.
McClaren needs to stop with his pseudo continental tactics. They didn't work with England, didn't work with Wolfsburg, didn't work with Notts Forest, didn't work with Derby and aren't working with us. He also needs to lose that ****ing grin when we lose. If we play ****, berate the players. If the opposing manager is giving an interview, I expect to hear raised voices. Coming out with crap like we 'won the game in the first 15 minutes last week and lost within this week' is just bollocks. Play 4-4-2 for crying out loud. Our best performances this season have been when Mitro has had a partner. Our midfielders look like they know what they are doing. Our defence has been reasonably solid. Stop ****ing sticking 5 in midfield with one up top. It doesn't work!
You have to admire his spirit though, even through all the adversity and each time his team are humiliated he manages to keep on on smiling, what a guy!
don't listen to him or any managers tbh all talk bollox..... Like it when Mickey comes on though.... Out of nowhere in his white shirt.
How are our two teams going to get out of the crap we are in. Nevermind the derby result we both need 5 or 6 wins can we do it. Tufty seems clueless he should have bought a couple of defenders we still need quality all over the pitch. It is going to be a tough few months for both of us
Sunderland are guaranteed survival mate, we all knew this the day big sam was appointed. It's between us Norwich, Swansea and Bournemouth for the final two relegation places.
" " Our defence has been reasonably solid. Stop ****ing sticking 5 in midfield with one up top. It doesn't work. " Not only does it not work, we are constantly out run and out fought in midfield.
I think his ego demands he play tactics like Van Gaal and Mourinho, regardless of how they fail. You'd think after Jose was sacked, LVG upset half of Manchester/London, and Leicester had been top of the pile for 3 months more managers like this idiot would think "hmm, maybe 4-4-2 isn't so bad". We seem to have a contractual obligation to play players regardless of performance or suitability. Gini, Sissoko, Colo - the undroppables. You then see others shunted around to fit, rather than just saying "right, 4-4-2 this week, sorry Gini you're on the bench".
I don't think you can leave Wijnaldum out of the team. He's our best player IMHO and we should find a way to get the best out of him. Personally, I think the debate about 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, etc, etc is a load of nonsense. If we have the ball the formation should be completely fluid and the focus should be on creating and using space on the pitch to break a team down. If we don't have the ball, I'm a fairly strong believer in a flat, tight, 4-5-1 kind of formation, irrespective if we are lining up with a supposed 4-4-2, 4-3-3, or whatever. I think talk of formations is largely a red herring. What I think the problem is with the team overall is a severe lack of confidence, a mostly inexcusably poor work rate in many games, and a lack of positivity. Now, if you think about it, all those things are in the players heads and they themselves should be responsible for sorting that out on an individual level, although the manager should certainly be creating a culture in the squad that promotes these things and he most certainly hasn't done that. Now, the personnel is what it is and it cannot be changed now. There are still few credible options selection-wise despite all the money spent, especially in defence but I would seriously think about dropping Colo when Mbemba comes back to fitness. I mean, enough is enough and I agree get him out of the team and that would help with getting some leadership on the pitch because I think out of the whole squad Colo is probably the worst choice for captain - he's ****ing awful at it. Aarons is getting crucified playing at LB so stop that silliness immediately. I would play Tiote for one more game and if I didn't see 100% effort from him for 90+ minutes he would not play another minute for the club. The games are running out thick and fast and we cannot afford to carry anyone.
McClaren's interviews make Pardew seem positively original and unclichéd. Post-match interviews are generally dull, but I actually liked Hughton's honesty and Carver's were worth watch due to his mix of brutal honesty and deranged nonsense. McClaren through, the same old wry smile, wrinkled forehead and guff about "need to defend better", "we'll work on that in training", "the first 20 minutes were key", having to show "fight and character", "we're about to get 4 or 5 back from injury", "every remaining game is a cup final", "we need to start collecting points", blah blah blah....it's always fun watching your team be absolute dross every week then listening to the thing masquarading as a manger to roll out his endless cliché list afterwards.
Err yes I know we have performed miracles in the final part of the season over the past few years but at some point our luck will run out. McClaren should play a LB at LB, even the ginger passback would be better than the poor kid he had there at the weekend, it was not on to expose him like that. Although both our defences are woeful, I think have not had a clean sheet for a dozen or so games, we usually like to give teams a goal or two in the first 20 or 30 minutes. When McClaren came to you lot I did think he was good manager and would produce a good team....that has not been the case especially away from home...to stick or twist with him is a big decision. For both NE teams to have had the owners spend the money on players that has happened and to have the fan base they have and to have such poor teams is a disgrace. The attitude of the players at times beggars belief (ignoring our ex-player the child molester) boozing, posing with their wealth lack of commitment to the cause etc. Lets hope we both stay up, although I want Sunderland to do it more!
