09 is great, everyone loves him, including me. He should never play another championship game for Sunderland in any position other than CB, and for me, he shouldn't be in at CB if Mepham and Ballard are available. That's not a dig at him, he's just not as good a footballer as those 2 players. No time for sentiment at the top end of the table.
Skimmed through the arguments. Not getting involved. Disappointing result in the sense we could of won that game just like some of the draws. We'll go up automatically at the end of the season anyway so I'm not worried about it
Luke O'Nien on Sunderland's Sheffield United defeat https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/24762460.luke-onien-sunderlands-sheffield-united-defeat/ WHEN Sunderland's players returned to the away dressing room at Bramall Lane on Friday night, they could hear the victorious Sheffield United squad celebrating across the tunnel. And while the joy of the Blades added to the Sunderland pain, Luke O'Nien says the Black Cats will use their Sheffield United frustration as a "catalyst" to return to winning ways and get back on track in the Championship.... "We're close to being really, really good. We don't have to change too much, it's just fine details and we're just going to have to put a little more thought and care into it so we can turn these games our way. "We know we're a good team. We deserved three points more though of course having said that, we know we have to turn these performances into wins. But the performance was there and I think it has been for the last five or six games. "We know we're a good team but we've got to reference [the disappointment] of this game, training has got to have a bit of extra bite this week. "We've got to win a lot more games because of this loss today, you carry these performances with you and the disappointment, hearing them celebrating... we're going to use this as a catalyst to win more games because of it. "In the long run, consistency always wins. You stay consistent and keep doing the things that have served you well, you learn and move forward both individually and collectively." O'Nien thinks results have been harsh on the Black Cats in recent weeks. He said: "It's very similar to the last five or six games, where there's a fine line between dominating and winning and we haven't got the points the performances have merited. That's in our hands, we've come to Bramall Lane and put in a very good performance but haven't got the points. It's a hard one to take." O'Nien took responsibility for Chris Mepham's red card after cheaply conceding possession in his own half. He said: "I put my hands up for Meps getting sent off, I've got caught in the middle [of the pitch] there. "Like all the mistakes I've made in my career, I'll watch it back, learn from it and get better. We'll do that collectively as a team and individually. "That's how we've moved forward as a team in the last few years, we learn from our mistakes. Games like today will serve us for the better in the long run. We've just got to work harder and train harder, there's a very fine line between a good team and a very good team and it's our job to turn these tight games into wins."
In that Luke article it also mentions Sheff Utd celebrating. As I said before I thought the season was over and they had won the title the way they celebrated.
I still would like to see this team before Xmas Having Mundle Connolly Roberts Browne and Watson to tweak things before the 80th minute Patto Hume Mep Ballard Cirkin Rigg Dan O/9 Jobe Mayenda / Isidor OaU
I agree. I think that's the reason they celebrated so much it was a tough game that they could have easily lost, to get 3 points out of a match like that is what teams that win leagues do.
Disagree for me Onein and Mepham were the pairing when we went 10 games unbeaten and got a lot of clean sheets. I feel for Onien he done nothing wrong at Centre Back and was shifted out of necessity more than anything. I don't dislike Ballard but he's a very all or nothing defender. Look at his attempted block on Davies goal he went about 2 foot past the ball and it went through his legs. It's all about opinions tho but for me Mepham and Onien when both available for now anyway.
I have to disagree. They may be better at the defensive side (agree with that), but nobody in our squad gets us forward from there better than O’nien. The term “footballer” s very wide, as it’s not only about doing one thing. We will probably not concede as many with Ballard & Mepham, but I also don’t think we’ll be as good to watch.
I've been wondering about that too. I've posted on here before that Onien would be the one to drop out when everyone was fit. But he and Mepham did terrifically well. He's not been holding people in the box as obviously as he used to do, which was always a major concern I had about him.
O’Nien seems an easy target for some. I watched Gary Neville creaming over a pass From liiveool yesterday, it was a great pass, but it’s also a pass I’ve seen O’Nien do with both feet, regularly! 60-70 yards cross field! Right onto the wingers feet. Neville said “only a handful of full backs could do that in the world” O’Nien is playing centre half and can comfortably do that. He doesn’t have a weak foot. First on the team sheet for me even with everyone fit
With Mepham suspended, wouldn’t mind seeing L09 and Alese as the centre half pair against Stoke. They were great at the start of he season together. Offer a lot of pace to which allowed us to play a higher defensive line, and both good on the ball. Would require cirkin back to play LB.
If it's the Trent pass you're talking about, then 09 hasn't made one like that. 09 has made many class passes. Mostly straight diagonal, cross field ones. With both feet I agree. He is an excellent passer of the ball. That said, that Trent one was just ridiculous because it was a outside foot, faded pass that was hit straight down the line, to curve away from the defender into Salah run. Absolutely insane. Like a golfer hit a faded drive.
From a straight down the line, outside of the foot, faded to curve round the defender ? If he has, I would love for anyone to remind me, or show me this example. One example will do, if he has many times. I genuinely can not think of a single time he has, that fits the Trent profile of a pass.
To be fair he did say ' ... it’s also a pass I’ve seen O’Nien do with both feet, regularly! 60-70 yards cross field! Right onto the wingers feet.' Whether or not it was down the line or cross field O'Nien has hit some incredible passes. I pointed one out, on here, from a home match early in the season. He hit it left to right, towards the SE corner, and had to get it over the head of the full back onto Roberts foot. It may not have looked as good as the Trent pass but it was probably more difficult.
