Superb weekend down there. Proud of the lads yesterday, really dug in. Met Mowbray on the way back. What a lovely bloke. He couldn’t thank the supporters enough. He said Diallo will be fine just needs a little rest. please log in to view this image
That's the challenge. The recruitment team have a massive job on their hands To answer your question - no I don't just want "anyone" but with 7 months until the summer window (slams) shut I think there is sufficient time to identify players and have contingencies. There has to be some middle ground between Ross Stewart and Chris Martin
That was a really strong, professional performance yesterday with a patched up side, which really shows the depth of our squad. This seasons injuries have not been out and back in 3 weeks. Stewart, Alese, Evans, Gooch, Embleton and Cirkin have all been out for very long periods. Even a concussion injury which normally means a spell on the sidelines for a week or two, has been more complicated and prolonged. This makes our points tally and league position all the more remarkable and the people who have come in have done extremely well. For me, the first summer signing has to be Michut. He is settling in very well and starting to impose himself more and more. So much so, that if big money comes in for Neil in the summer that we feel we can't turn down, I wouldn't be too concerned. Michut and Evans are a good pairing and we have Matete coming back after a successful loan spell. The hardest thing in the summer will be to hold on to some of the talent we have got and deciding who to release in order to strengthen the squad over all. Cirkin, Stewart and Alese's injury records have probably done us a favour, as other clubs may not be so sure about how much game time they will get for their money. As for O'Nien - many doubted he could make the step up, but he's done so with consummate ease. The future looks extremely bright and I'm sure that the squad will be much stronger next season. Well done to all at the club!
summer 'fast' approaching, while the lads have done some wonderful stuff i honestly hope the recruitment squad have been out and about and getting a 'few irons' into place. the obvious one could be the easiest, get LND sorted then find a couple of strikers as the club should not be left in this situation again, having to rely on a young lad on loan. hope the current defence can be held onto but cover for evans i think is a must, once again the young lads have done well but the lack of experience shows at times, the rest of the squad is pretty much ok. gelhardt miss, on the replay you can see (think it was hanley) kick at his legs, if the lad was not as desperate to score and just went over i think it would have been a pen, overall though i think he is doing well, Hume has just settled into his role nicely and i think we do tend to forget that he and the other young lads had really not played at this level before, they look natural.
Sam...think your the first one to mention Jolly getting a knock just as he was setting himself up making it look a horrible miss. Still think he'll come good but is running out of games.
Just watched the highlights back on Sky. At 1:11 it shows Gelhardts chance, shows Hanley booting the back of his leg with zero intent to play the ball. Wonder if that might have put him off. He’s literally kicked the leg he’s about to shoot with. Didn’t see that yesterday https://www.skysports.com/watch/vid...h-city-0-1-sunderland-championship-highlights
That’s what I thought. No intent on the ball. Kicked the man. You see the ref give 4 free kicks to them for dives with zero contact, but he misses that one.
The commentators mentioned it yesterday that he took a kick to the back of the legs as he was shooting. I think he isn't a natural finisher either but maybe it was enough to put him off. The lad puts a shift in every week for me, isn't his fault he is being asked to do more than he is ready for and isn't his natural game anyway!
Interesting about Amad needing a rest as he has looked poor in recent weeks and it has been suggested he needed a rest. So hopefully it will do him good.
I thought he was good on Saturday. Big IF, but if he gets on the end of one or two in the next couple of games I would look back on this one as turning point. I said after the last run of games that we would find out how serious our hope for playoffs are after them. It turned out 'not very' . But if we get two surprises like the one on Saturday, and have found the 11 that works, then you never know. All big if's of course but I'm enjoying the renewed hope at least until Wednesday!
i hope he does, no one can doubt the lad is putting decent shifts in but coming into a side he does not know, to play a role he does not know, especially striker...if it does not come off here i hope he gets the chance he deserves, he can hold his head high after his time here i reckon.
If they cannot get the players they want, they should have a relook at the model as are they must be looking at a young top prem striker when they should be looking at young champ/ lower prem striker.
Not sure if anybodies noticed regarding Gelhardts miss soon after our goal. He gets kicked on his shooting leg just as he's releasing his shot. (replay from behind shows it more clearly). Could have been a penalty, which would have been arguable, but it may excuse the glaring chance being missed. Would have been a definite pen and a sending off if he hadnt been able to release the shot and/or threw himself to the ground.
Sounds like very unfair criticism of our scouting team? I've no idea of your background, but given their performance so far I'm tempted to back their judgement rather than yours.
In fact the more I look at it the more it was a penalty. The defender had no way in getting the ball and kicked the player in order to disrupt his shot, it impeded him from getting a better shot off. The fact he released his shot should have no bearing on the decision really. Cant blame the ref though for missing it mind. The fact he got his shot away probably gave the ref no decision to make in his eyes. If he'd have gone down the ref probably wouldnt have given it anyway knowing our luck with refs.
They highlighted it on Sky at the time. Not sure it was enough to have an impact personally but who knows. For me he was excellent overall on Saturday. Really set the tempo for our press and it was the best we have been at that since Stewart was injured so credit to him and the coaches. He gets into the positions to score, so that is the first part. Just seems a little too rushed to me when finishing. It will come I think.
