Keep them

Or send them packing?


MANAGERS earn their corn when presented with those daunting decisions which us mere mortals um and aah over.

Formation, selection and rotation are all buzz words in those bar-room debates that reach inevitably indecisive conclusions and ultimately count for nought as the man in the dug-out trusts his own wisdom rather than the opinion of the masses.

But Martin O’Neill has one of the easiest decisions to make of his three-and-a-half month reign at the Stadium of Light on Saturday when Stephane Sessegnon becomes available having served the time for his Tyneside crime.

Up until last night, Sunderland had coped admirably without their pivotal suspended duo of Sessegnon and Lee Cattermole, but when the spine of the side was further weakened by the loss of hamstring injury victim John O’Shea, it proved an absentee too far.

Sessegnon will surely return to the starting line-up for the second of two successive meetings with relegation strugglers and at an opportune moment, too, with Sunderland’s attack at its most powder-puff since Steve Bruce was ousted and joined the ex-managers’ media circuit.

While the poser of Sessegnon’s inclusion won’t trouble O’Neill’s grey cells, the former Celtic boss does have a decision to make on Sunderland’s trio of loanees come the end of the season.

It would be harsh and inaccurate to single out Wayne Bridge, Nicklas Bendtner and Sotirios Kyrgiakos for Sunderland’s failure to trouble the Premier League’s second worst defence last night.

Almost all of those on show in red and white lacked the intensity to emerge victorious as the Black Cats showed an alarming flatness after the determination and courage which characterised their draw at Goodison Park three days earlier.

But with Kyrgiakos becoming the third loan player to feature for Sunderland this season after being handed his first start as O’Shea’s replacement, it prompts the question over whether the short-term stop-gaps have long-term futures on Wearside.

As the most high-profile, Bendtner will consume the most column inches, particularly with the Dane almost certain to leave Arsenal and benefiting from the summer’s shop window in Poland and Ukraine.

Wages have always been the most prohibitive factor towards Bendtner converting his season-long loan into a permanent deal, regardless of the 24-year-old’s Champions League ambitions or increasing empathy towards Sunderland’s cause.

But Bendtner must also show some consistency if O’Neill is to even shortlist him in Sunderland’s summer search for a centre-forward.

Despite scoring in each of the previous two games, Bendtner toiled with his hold-up play at Goodison Park on Saturday and he was even more languid last night.

Bendtner and strike partner Fraizer Campbell, looking as if his 17-month absence is now beginning to take its toll, never remotely troubled a Blackburn defence who have conceded an average of two goals a game this season.

The pair have not necessarily convinced as a double act in Sessegnon’s absence and the Benin international’s ability to link the midfield and forward line is a precious commodity which has been starkly highlighted in its absence.

Bridge and Kyrgiakos have not benefited from the first-team minutes of Bendtner, even though neither were any more convincing than the on-loan Arsenal man last night.

On his third start, Bridge continues to look a solid prospect defensively – Blackburn’s second goal tellingly coming from a right-wing cross when the former England international had left the field.

But, going forward, the 31-year-old understandably lacks the threat of Kieran Richardson and struggled to link up with James McClean – arguably the one Sunderland player who did himself justice at Ewood Park.

Considering his Sunderland foray is Bridge’s first sustained exposure to competitive football since his spell at relegated West Ham ended in May, the Manchester City defender inevitably needs more minutes before he can be judged properly.

But, like Bendtner, wages are the major barrier towards any permanent move and Bridge needs to demonstrate an ability to re-capture former glories if he is to persuade O’Neill to loosen Ellis Short’s purse strings.

Kyrgiakos has been an even lesser-seen creature, not even granted a substitute’s outing prior to last night’s dismal entertainment.

The opening 20 minutes didn’t bode well for the Greek – badly exposed in the early exchanges when Junior Hoilett and Yakubu ripped apart the Sunderland defence, only for Phil Bardsley to spare the visitors’ blushes with a stunning goal-line clearance.

Kyrgiakos looked similarly wide-eyed in his surroundings when Blackburn centre-half Grant Hanley escaped from his grasp, much to the chagrin of Bardsley, before sending a free-header over the bar.

But the Stuttgart man gradually improved, only for Sunderland to be undone by the most elementary of attacking methods.

O’Neill could be forgiven for wanting to see Kyrgiakos in a match situation after watching the former Liverpool defender kick his heels on the bench for the last two-and-a-half months.

But Matt Kilgallon has cause to feel aggrieved at not replacing O’Shea, even if he is similarly short on match fitness.

Kyrgiakos cannot be singled out on one performance and, unlike the bulk of his team-mates, at least had some mitigation for what was horrifyingly uncharacteristic of the side O’Neill has rejuvenated.

But with only nine Premier League games and a maximum of three cup ties to go, time is running out for Sunderland’s loanees to force O’Neill’s

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Get rid of Bendy keep the Greek and Bridge frees up Ricardo for a roaming midfield role which is his best postion.

 

Keep Bridge wages permitting, lose the other 2 - they're ****e

 

keep Bridge as I feel Man City will want him off the books so I would imagine we could get him for a couple of million if not free and I would imagine they would pay a percentage of his wages to fit into our wage structure at the club. Would be good to have competition between him and Richardson for the left back spot next season.

As for the other two I would not sign them as we can improve on them