We have beaten Leeds 4-0. We are just sobering up. Regis, Speakman, KLD and co are sitting down to commit to their plan on a premier league campaign. You have won a willy wonka golden ticket and are part of planning team. What are you saying? Sorry, bit of a ramble post, but seeing it debated here and there on different threads. Lets do it here, and bollocks to tempting fate
Very much unneeded advice for them from me but this post is more along the lines of what I would do in their situations. I guess the first one is for all three of them but mainly KLD. Don't panic! You are going to lose games, some quite heavily, as the PL is a very good league. 70% of the teams would finish in the top 8 of the majority of leagues around the world. Losing 4-0 away at Brighton is not the end of the world. For KS my advice would be to increase the physical level of the squad. I feel like a lot of teams get promoted and think they can outplay teams but end up getting ran all over and dominated. Take Nottingham Forest this season for example, their squad is filled with very good footballers but they all have one thing in common, a high level of physical attributes. Whether that's stamina, pace, strength or in some cases all of the above. You can develop your technical levels over the course of 2-3 seasons (like Brentford) but first things first is to not get bullied. For RLB it would be to set a style of play early and stick with it. You can't get away with overhauling a style between games, you will be eaten alive by teams and be as good as down before the style is implemented.
I'd be asking for cheaper Season Cards, better concourse, better food and beer, and move the away fans.
5 year deals for Chris Rigg and Dan Neil would be priority 1. Then my focus would be on three quality centre backs and, unfortunately, a new goalkeeper, to get the defence in order. O'Nien would stay in the squad, but I'd be loaning out Seelt to get regular football. Realistically we then also need to consider both full back positions, ideally two players who can start or be back ups to Hume and Cirkin. Moving into midfield I think we need a defensive midfielder (to essentially replace Samed) and another central midfielder to replace Browne, who will be available for transfer for a low fee back to championship. We then need two new quality wingers, one on each side. Maybe even two right wingers if I'm being harsh on Roberts, who for me is never going to be a premier league player. I think we will need a new left winger as I reckon Watson goes to Brighton even if we go up. And then we need a single new striker to compete with Isidor and Mayenda. SIMPLE
Brilliant mate. I particularly love the physical dominance bit. That of course comes in many forms, but I would set my stall out to be the hardest running team in the league. I would want what the best Fergie sides had, which is forever on the front foot and in your face. We have a basis of hard running players in Hume, Cirkin, Neil, Jobe, Rigg, Mundle and Mayenda.
Maybe pessimistic of me but I don't think we'd stand much of a chance of staying up without most of that!!
Yeah it's probably why we've been in every game this season apart from the Coventry one. But the PL is a whole different ball game. It sounds simple but you are always going to lose the technical battle to the likes of Man City, just don't let them do it too easily.
My own two penneth would be as follows. I would want to commit to the hardest pre season. I would want players able to run more than any other team in the league. I would ask for trust on that, but massive pre season effort so we can run and run against a lot of sides with dominant possession. I would really reward players who have earned it. I would double regis contract too. Contracts for the likes of Neil and Jobe and Hume that match what we are prepared to pay new incomings. I wouldnt go mad on incomings personally. 4 or 5 quality additions would be my limit. Focus on the spine. An elite CB to play alongside what we have. A really creative 8 or 10. A right winger, as much as I love Roberts, he wouldnt be a starter in my mind. Mundle could be down to pace and agression alone. Then a 9. I am big on Mayenda, but someone to really give us that focal point when under pressure. Think Chris Wood type at Forest. Scatter a couple of new young lads in to supplement. I will fancy our chance. My last ask would be for Regis to make our home a horrible place for opposition. Every game send them out with a 20 minute start where we try to turn sides around, press like mad, and get them off the bridle to use a horse racing phrase. The great 12th man we have, that say Ipswich or Southampton dont, is 40k lunatics who will make a noise like no other. If Henry though it was the toughest place to play, we have to leverage that. Give us 20 mins and we wont stop urging you on.
Reward the young lads with big new contracts. I would love to see the majority get a crack but we need to be ruthless too. Sign a couple young stars from abroad and use the championship to loan some of the fringe youngsters to. Bring in pace and power and have a go, the prem money would be a game changer for us.
1) Trust the core of the squad. They got us there, they are very young and have untapped potential. 2) surround the core with players who have 3 characteristics. Pace, Power and persistence. 1 or 2 of those characteristics is not enough. 3) keep an eye on the future. Most newly promoted teams are in a relegation fight for a few years. Don't bet the farm on survival . 4) Don't panic. 5) Enjoy it.
That Forest team is the one that most resembles the kind of team Sunderland fans want imo. A hard as nails defence, underrated footballers in midfield, rapid wingers and a target man who can hold up the ball and know where the net is. Very effective and not overplaying in defence or in the final third.
I'm someone who loves possession based football but you have to earn the right to do so. Need some physical presences in the team
I'll be asking for tickets to the following away games: Tottenham Arsenal Chelsea Fulham West Ham Palace Brentford Bournemouth Brighton Villa
