I don't post on here too often, but I am an avid reader, and tonight I felt inclined to pitch in with my own thoughts even if they are not earth shattering, or anything new for that matter - As for the game: I am bitterly disappointed just as everyone else is. Going into any game you always hope for a win and any time you play a team you consider to be below you, you expect a win. This is just simple expectations of any fan, anywhere and I feel we are more than entitled to this. Tonight's game underlined a huge problem we have which is a very weak central midfield that lets play simply run through us. I think pretty much everyone here is in agreement when saying Larsson and Vaughan do not cut it at that position, and for the style we are trying to incorporate. We lacked a real shape because of this, and there was simply no threat for the opposition coming down the middle. I think a lot of people on here give Adam Johnson a hard time and although times he deserves it, but on tonights performance I can't fault him (except for the corners). The simple truth is that we do not have a 'give and go' option so all the defenders will happily double up and show him into the middle where we get squeezed out. Any slight chance that we had tonight either came down the wings or from an unintended clearance or 'hoof' down the pitch. I don't think there was one single instance when a central midfielder simply tried to 'slip' the ball in through the gaps and thus the opponent can play a high line because there is no fear of being played in behind. As for Dicanio and going forward: This is where I may differ with others on this forum. I am big fan of the movement Dicanio and Sunderland as a whole are making. I think they have identified the issues that we are facing, and are slowly starting to address this matters. Ki from Swansea is a great player, I have had the pleasure of watching many of his matches for Korea and he can give us a little bit of presence down the middle and a calm head when on the ball. There was no way we were ever going to go from Relegation candidates to world beaters over one offseason and the beginning to this campaign has been a harsh reminder. However with that being said I honestly do believe there is room for optimism. From a mere observers standpoint, we press the opponent much better than we did before and have a little bit more bite than we did under Bruce or Oneil. Even though Dicanio has been portrayed to not like cattermole, I think this is the type of player he is craving and will help him when trying to further cement his ethos into the club. Passionate, has a presence and will play a simple ball. He has his faults as a player, but so did Dicanio and every other player in the world (granted his may be more concerning the most others with injuries and suspensions). I think the return of him and any added quality to our central midfield and we will see a completely different team. If we can play balls down the middle, and have this added threat, the other players such as Johnson will be given more room and defenders will have more to cope with when playing against us. Lastly, I think that we are going to be with Dicanio for a at least a few good years as long as we dont completely mess it up until christmas. Ellis short has brought in a entire front staff to accommodate Dicanio and there is no way he will do that again in six months time. I think its best we all just move on from this particular game, complain about England for the next week instead of Sunderland and hope that right pieces are brought in to really 'complete' all the work we have done over the summer.
Great post mate. Well reasoned. I was asking where the midfield was in the match string. Its non-existent. PDC is here for the long term for the reasons you give. People just gotta get used to it. My biggest concern is theres just 2 days to go before the window closes and we NEED some quality signings at left back.central midfield (Ki aint enough?) and another striker
I'm not sure PDC is as safe as you say. Ellis has set up a back room staff and operation into which any new manager could be drafted into. I think he has been very clever and used his friendship with di Fanti to construct the machinery of success and be able to swap coaches as required. Someone like Poyet or di Mateo for instance could be brought in quickly and easily into our new set up. If we are bottom 3 after 15 or 20 games I think he will be peddled.
well said mate. objective and well reasoned piece as opposed to personal knife sticking. no doubt that will follow from some, (if it hasn't already - i ain't gone through all the feedback) but at least a good few of us are with you on this. patience is a virtue and all that.
Its a cut throat business this football management but I think Ellis will stick by is man . We gotta have some stability sometime . I think even if we went down (god forbid ) Pdc will still be there . Cant see ellis take the gamble again if we are in the dog **** come xmass . Don't think we will be in the bottom 3 at xmass but close to it .It will be his first full season in charge we cant expect miracles but we can expect a lot of **** results and performances .All we can do is live in hope again and again and a ****ing again WHY the **** was I born a Sunderland fan
