It's simple to see why Sunderland are heading towards the Championship... By ADRIAN DURHAM PUBLISHED: 22:52 GMT, 12 April 2014 | UPDATED: 07:52 GMT, 13 April 2014 The 'Gus Bus' is on its way to the Championship⦠because he's tried to be clever, when Sunderland needed simple. His programme notes baffled me. He wrote that Sunderland look 'more compact' when they play five at the back (were they written before the Spurs game?), and then added: 'From what I've been seeing and what I've learned from talking to them, the players do feel more confident and secure by playing five at the back.' Player power at Sunderland created chaos earlier in the season, so I'm not entirely convinced letting the players pick the tactics is Poyet's best way forward. It borders on him being guilty of a dereliction of duty. It was a load of nonsense anyway because Poyet chose to play a 4-4-2 which became a 4-5-1 with Connor Wickham being asked to drop deep to help deal with Everton's far superior midfield. 4-4-2 at home, 4-5-1 away â that's what Sunderland needed. Not 5 at the back. Why? Because five at the back basically gives defenders an excuse to pass the buck and blame each other. It's an excuse for full backs to be lazy and then blame a centre half for not covering him. Let's be honest, the players at Sunderland aren't the greatest so Poyet shouldn't be asking them what system they want to play. They need telling what to do Football management is easy⦠There is this myth that being a football manager is so tough, there's all this pressure, and only the elite few can handle it at the top level. Garbage. Most managers create their own problems by making stupid decisions. Look at Poyet. Sunderland put in a solid performance and probably deserved a point against Everton, they certainly looked better than they have in recent weeks. They played well for these reasons. He put Jack Colback, a good passer of the ball who keeps possession and moves Sunderland forward, in midfield. He started Adam Johnson, Sunderland's best player, on the wing. He had their two most reliable defenders, John O'Shea and Wes Brown at centre half; and he played Connor Wickham and Fabio Borini up front, their two best (available) strikers. Why has he been failing to do this basic stuff in recent weeks? Sunderland lost to a good side but they came out of the game with a lot of credit. Because the manager kept it simple. What will happen to Connor Wickham?... A young English talent well on his way to a successful top level international career â and then he went to Sunderland. Since the move in summer 2011 Wickham has had nine different managers, including loan spells. Throw in a couple of different bosses at England level and it's hard to see how this kid can develop with any great consistency and continuity. I first saw Wickham play when he was a 17-year-old for Ipswich at Watford. His touch was good, he was clever and quick, he looked a class above everyone else on the pitch that night. When he made the move to Sunderland I couldn't help thinking it was a bad decision. They change managers so often he doesn't get time to be nurtured and developed properly. I can imagine more than one of his many managers since he arrived at The Stadium of Light have taken one look at him and thought: 'He's English so he can't play, he's big so I'll throw him on as a target man if we need to go route one. Pathetic coaching standards. Wickham was key when England won the Under 17 European Championship final four years ago against Spain. He can play, he's got talent. What he needs is man-management, proper coaching, and a run of games. Otherwise he will level out and disappear. Which would be a shame. Everton round up⦠Seven straight wins for Everton is impressive in the Premier League, and it took the Toffees up to fourth in the table. Lucky Everton?⦠No doubt they've had a bit of luck in this winning run, the winner against Cardiff was a miskick and the only goal at Sunderland was scored by Wes Brown. Having said that Everton were desperately unlucky to lose at home to Sunderland earlier in the season so I guess the luck evened itself out
I said at the time that Di Canio should've been allowed to sort the club out. I took a lot of stick at the time and expect to take some now. He was right all along and the club needed to be sorted out from the rotten core outwards. I'm not sure what Kevin Ball is producing either.
I totally agree with you, as the seasons progressed I think we've all started to see the Spineless parasites that unfortunatley wear our shirts, for what they really are. PDC saw what they were from day 1 and tried to make big changes. Unfortunatley player power drove him out!
please log in to view this image What a ****ing idiot. The standard of football from the majority of the league has been shocking. If management was so easy why hasn't the ****er done his coaching badges? Arm Chair know all and a Complete bell end.
pdc had the right idea he just went about it the wrong way. the club has needed a complete overhaul for years and he knew what needed to happen but he didnt have the man management skills to keep the players happy. i know they are well paid but a happy workplace is a productive workplace and if he wasnt such a nutter it could have worked out for him
Although I agree Smug 100% regarding Paolo, there's **** all he could have done about it. It's the contracts that keep these ****ers running the show. Those who aren't poison, either aren't good enough or aren't consistent enough. There's no balance, no versatility, no pace. We don't even have the players to play a single formation effectively. There's only Vito I really want to keep out of the players we own, the rest I can't say I'd be bothered about.
yes it is simple ,nothing complicated about it ,cannot score,cannot defend very well,players not up to the demands of the job description ,yep simple
The squad needed to be cleared out in the summer, when you're into the season you need to accept your hand. He didn't and it cost him his job. Also Adrian Durham is a knob
Is there a point when you are allowed to boo your team, i have never booed them but i dont think i have ever watched such a shower of idol ****e in all the years I have watched them, if we are relegated before the last game of the season i would love to see them get booed for the whole 90 minutes and then stop in the ground for an hour after the match and still boo the ****ers but sing the names of anyone not to blame ( only manone I can think of and maybe Catts ) that way hopefully when they **** off to another club they will always be remembered as idol useless twats or am i just bitter, or do we just carry on singing there names like ****ing knobheads.
Don't be silly you mug. I been having ago at gus for weeks but it does take mugs like you & Durham weeks to click on about footy like.
