Sunderland manager Gus Poyet has suggested that Vito Mannone's and Adam Johnson's places in the team could be under threat. The pair have been in poor form lately and there have been calls for them to be taken out of the starting line-up at the Stadium of Light. It seems that Poyet could be close to granting many of his supporters' wishes, too, but he does insist that any team-selection decision that is made will be his. "We can debate if Jonno (Adam Johnson) needs to play or doesnât need to play, or if Vito Mannone needs to play or doesnât need to play," he said to the Sunderland Echo. âThatâs my decision." The Black Cats' players are under increased scrutiny as they have made so many errors in their most recent fixtures. An 8-0 defeat to Southampton two weekends ago was humiliating, but their 2-0 loss to Arsenal last Saturday was also frustrating. The side had proved to be a match for the Gunners for much of the game, but two avoidable errors proved costly and the side dropped into the relegation Fears are now starting to emerge over what direction this season is heading in and the side are desperate to avoid a repeat of last season, where they required a miraculous recovery to avoid the drop. The side's next fixture comes against Crystal Palace on Monday night and they will be determined to get back to winning ways. I can understand Vito but Aj? Not for me, seems because buckley is a gus signing he can do no wrong.
Vito yes. Johnson no. AJ may not produce his best every week but he's our best player and one if not our best goal threat. Buckleyboffers very little at this level from what ive seen so far. Id go aj right wickham left Fletcher tnrough the middle with catts rodwell and Larsson behind.
No real debate is there, we'll need to be tough at Palace. If we play that way Wickham will have to put a shift in because Fletcher won't be tracking back. I'm very happy to have Buckley to bring on if we're losing with 20 minutes to go.
Absolutely if Fletcher isn't pulling his weight and we are struggling to make the ball stick up top then hook him off for Buckley and put Wickham up top. If we go one nil down and are struggling like we were on sat then id take Larsson off for Gomez to be the link up man in the middle of the park. God how we could do with Alvarez and Giaccherini back fit. Theyd go straight in for me.
That would completely change the team, take the play further up the field and relieve the pressure on the back five. Gomez, given time on the ball is a better passer than Larsson and would create more imo.
It's a strange interview that - Buckley seems to have avoided any wrath from the press but I though he was one of our worst performers for the last 2 weeks so, for me, he'd be benched And Johnson would start. As has been said - Johnno may not be playing the best but he is still capable and dangerous on the ball. If Poyet decides to drop Johnson and play Buckley it'd be the first time I've actually questioned him in the year he's been here. We'll see. Stupid thing is - I'm gigging in Shotton on Monday night so I can;t watch the game! GRRRR!!!
Fletcher is injured mate, giacc and alvarez due to return in November : http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/epl_injury_table.php
Am i the only one worried as **** about how much pressure our team are going to put Pants under with back passes? I was at Hartlepool and he's not comfortable on the ball let alone passing it out(which was a disaster). It's all very well dropping players but we need to stop seeing our goalkeepers as another outfield player to pass to. Last resort only.
I have no clue what he'll do, think fletcher is facing a fitness test from what i can gather, the only players names that would be on the team sheet for me at this point would be, pva, vergini & catts atm, reckon mavrias should get his shot anarl
For the moment I agree ..... any doubt and the defenders need to be launching it, out of the ground, in whichever direction they're facing. We can't cope with another underhit backpass or losing the ball in our half. We can restart the possession football as and when the confidence returns.
Row Z - there's never a striker waiting to take it off someone's foot in Row Z that's for certain! I like the possession football but it only works when the confidence is up. Some of our best "footballers" are injured (the likes of Giaccherini and Alvarez). Pantilimon let in a poor goal in the Stoke cup game IMO - OK it was hit hard but it was straight at him. Although I know he is a decent enough keeper. Mannone looks shot confidence wise. Pity really as his distribution (normally) is very good. One thing I hope doesn;t happen is that Poyet doesn;t leave Mannone in to "prove a point" to the papers saying he'll be dropped. If he is going to drop him, I hope he drops him. If he leaves him in now due to all of the paper repoerts, it could be a disaster
That's it mate. I love our new style, with the right squad it will be great, but this back passing to the keeper thing is one area we need to go back to basics with, it's biting us in the arse too often not to address it.
Alas no longer - had one until a few years ago but finance meant I had to sell it. Got a 2004 deluxe 50th anniversary strat now but will always be a gibson man!
One of the best later strats I hear, came close to winning 2 on Ebay but just missed both. Have you changed the bridge pup to a Jeff Beck? I put one on my first strat and coil tapped the volume knob, improved the sound no end and gave me the choice of HB or single coil sound, mind the original pup probs weren't as good as those on your guitar. Have you tried any of the other LP copies? I couldn't stretch to a Gibson so bought a Vintage Lemon Drop. The distressing is bloody awful but it has Trevor Wilkinson pups and sounds good. My mate is waiting on delivery of a "Chibson" from Ali Express but I don't think I wan to go down that route. I've only been playing for 3 1/2 years so haven't bought anything really special yet, if I do it'll probs be accoustic rather than electric
I've owned all sorts - LP Standard, 335 Dot Reissue - eve a Taylor Big Baby but have sold the lot. The 50th Anniversary Strat is a cracking guitar - although one of the pots on mine needs re-soldering. Bridge pup is standard with the model (SC - as are the others) but the S1 switch gives a number of different options such as out of phase pickup sound etc. I love my strat!!
