"There has to have been someone out there in the footballing world"... No, there really really doesn't. it absolutely blows my mind how easy some people on here seem to think it is to find a decent, Championship-level striker. Let alone sign one in January. Honestly, do people think Speakman can just pop onto LinkedIn and there'll be a queue of strikers good enough to play in one of the most compeitive leagues in the world, just sat at home twiddling their thumbs?
This has been my argument all along. Having said that, maybe the club should have flexed the budget more once Stewart got injured and just took the short term pain of paying over the odds for a striker
Go on then, I'll bite this one time. Firstly, Hello there. You strategically missed out the part just before you quoted me taking my words and making them out of context where I said "I'm not for one second saying we should've went out and blew x amount on just anyone". Secondly, do you actually think I believe championship level players sit at home twiddling their thumbs waiting for Sunderland to come calling? Thirdly, Speakman did try hence me saying what I said, we bid for players, we tried hence me saying "There must be someone out there", ie will to take us up on an offer, you know, a throw away comment. https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/spo...speakman-insists-sunderlands-failure-26143128
Whatever the target at the beginning of the season, to only have 1 striker available at the club is ridiculous. IMO sunderland fans will give the club unbelievable support, until they feel they’ve been taken the piss out of. There is a model at the club, that’s fine. But when the only striker you have fit as a 19 year old on loan, you have to apply common sense. If we haven’t got 5-10 million to spend on a striker in much needed circumstances, then expect attendances to dwindle and the negativity to filter back in. The fans have been fantastic this season, and the club failed to repay that during the transfer window. Everybody knew what we needed and the fans, the manager and the players have been let down. Have a model by all means, but be realistic too. A championship club needs more than 1 striker.
Tone in the press this morning saying what lots of us have. Saying we need to address the lack of a plan B. Just someone to hold the ball up, hit long balls to, to beat an opposition press. Spot on that. I didn't want Tone in the first place but he has done a decent / good job and would have got more points if he wasn't left short of options.
I wasn't keen on Tone either,but I've warmed to him. However,this is where he needs to earn his corn. He has to coach these players into a way of coping with the shortcomings and into winning matches. No point in him throwing in the towel. He has to work with what he's got....heaven knows he has some talent there. If he hasn't got a plan B,then he needs to work one out.
Out of interest who would people like to see us in for in the summer? Personally if boro go up I’d be tempted to move for Colburn young lad 6ft 4 decent pace and has a decent record for his age *apologies if this has been discussed already on the thread I haven’t read through it all
Exactly! Mowbray needs to adapt the midfield to oppose the team we're playing, not continuously stick with Neil and Michut. Also the tactics need to change if he's going to persist with Gelhardt ie more balls through the channels and over the top for him to run on to, and less fannying about on the wings. Speed the attacks up and be more direct.
Agree. Gelhardt is a good player,but not strong enough to play hold up with his back to goal. So,we need to adapt and play balls into the channels in behind. We have talented players.....I'm sure Pritchard,Amad,Roberts ,Neil etc. can find a pass.....we've seen it for most of the season. Get some more steel in the CM.....Ekwah,O'Nien... and go from there.....also if we can get Cirkin back. We have options....I'd like to see Neil and Michut freed from defensive duties a bit and played a bit further up...both are very good players,creative and,I know Dan Neil isn't flavour of the month with some on here at the moment...but,he can find a through ball pass.
I don’t blame the manager in any way shape or form. No manager in the world would fancy themselves to get into the playoffs with 1 striker that has only 4 senior goals to his name.
