The House that Bruce built?

After what everyone surely agrees has been a turbulent 6 months and a helluva lot of pressure on the managers head, resulting from a disastrous slump in form from January to April, that effectively cost us the chance of our best ever finish in the EPL, the transformation of the SAFC squad in the past few weeks is nothing short of incredible.

I for one lost my belief in the manager and did not think he had what it took to carry this off but carry it off he has. 7 new faces signed on permanent deals plus the permanent signing of Muhammady, makes 8 signings in 3 to 4 weeks. Every single one will bring something to the party and in Wickham, we have one of the hottest young properties in English Football. Incredible indeed.

From my early fears of us looking like a selling club when Jordan was sold to Liverpool, we actually now look more like the club to be and I'm sure the future plans of both SNQ and SB have been the deciding factor in attracting these players.

Westwood, Brown, O Shea, Muhammady, Larsson, Gardener, Won & Wickham (none of them seemingly good enough for some clubs fans of course) are great signings for us a as club right now. Defensive experience, midfield goals, creativity and set pieces have all been addressed. Vaughan looks like he could be next and then perhaps the cream on the cake?

I reckon we are still looking for that marquee signing or even 2? N'Zogbia IS still on the radar IMO and a replacement for Judas has still to be found. I think the signings made so far will be a huge plus in attracting those final pieces of the jigsaw and then we will be ready for the pre season and August 14th kick off.

All on all, this has been the summer of Bruce's life and he has ticked 90% of the boxes I had earmarked back in May. N'Zogbia and a striker and this could well be described as the best summer recruitment at SAFC in our lifetime, considering the immense pressure that SB was under back in May.

Luckily for SAFC, we have a very level headed chairman and not a hot headed fan in charge of proceedings at the SOL.

 

Can we have another Kevin Phillips, Mr Bruce? sure theres another one in his mould out there, and eye Cest, Zogbia could be ours, especially if he looks at the possible woes of Villa, not a safe or happy ship by the sounds of it, and remember Poolie recons He was at Seaburn hall or Somewhere, other lads recon he was with Elvis, dont know who to believe, so ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,WAIT FOR IT,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Going with Poolie, and Zogbias signing for us. Howzat?

 

Bill - you seem to be a happier chap as well mate?

Its remarkable how a few top signings can change our moods mate. I'm a very happy chappy today but didnt feel like this 6 weeks ago.

Well done Bruce and Quinn?

 

Please don't shoot the messenger but the same lad who told me about Connor Wickham has said that Jermaine Defoe stopped in the same hotel as John O'Shea last night.

 

The more this story has been talked about the more I think there may be to it.

Defoe is certainly in the Judas mould as a penalty box striker but I just hope he isn't washed up if it is true. He has been a shadow of his former self in the last 18 months and he would be a pretty expensive flop if he wasnt right in his own mind for this move. A London lad in Sunderland?

We shall see but if it does come off and he can regain that Spurs form of 2 years ago, we will be in seventh heaven alright.

Bring on Liverpool.....................and whoever is next? Lo

 

Ive got a mate down here on Merseyside who is a EPL referee who works in the same occupation as myself..and whilst he goes to great lengths not to speculate,he too was claiming yesterday that Defoe was heading to the North East....wouldnt say where mind

 

****in hell Cest didnt feel like this a week ago, make that two days. being won over, bit by bit, but remember mate my glass is always half empty, actually its half empty now, so very shortly a refill, was against a massive ammount of transfers, as I recon it loses the dressing room, but now It all comes down to the players who want it the most, and for me the Derby days I expect our honarary citizens to show some Iron, give em a quick course in ship building and pit yackin, cos those folks were men of iron. let them learn about the city and roots, Charley Hurley and Kevin Ball embraced our culture and history, and that helped make them legends.

 

Defoe, yes please.

Would be our buy of the season...

 

Well its not Boro and its not Sid James as they are reported on SSN to have tabled a £7m plus Leon Best offer for Shane Long?


Bill - its our prerogative as fans to blow hot and cold as we see fit. So long as the club are doing well, I'm happy to look like a prize tit every day?

 

Defoe - happy to see him join provided it doesn`t signal a Gyan departure given the various comments yesterday (eg Hutton/Defoe/anor + £3m for Gyan...) - let`s see

 

Messenger shot, I said another Phillips, not midget.

 

Sounds like Bill and Cest are getting soft to me ;-)

 

Another good too the point article cest.

I think Bruce will have his prayer beads out on the night before the Newcastle game as we really do have too play well for him too win back some of the fans who walked out after the wolves game shouting for his head.

 

and we do mate, we do.

 

Sounds like hard ons to me.

 

Defoe isn't that strike partner for gyan though.

 

I know for a FACT that Defoe was in the North-East last Friday, as i posted here, of course he could have been here for many reasons....

On the original post, well, i was with you Cest, it was after the Fulham game at home that felt like the final straw for me with Bruce.

I was sick of hearing about injuries, i was sick of disjointed and unbalanced teams, and i was mortified that 1 home defeat in the first half of the season became such a mess, along with a magnificent defensive record.

There are 2 key points for me.

First, he has head on faced the strength in depth issue, an issue which coupled with the injury nightmare we had, was the main driver in the fall last season, and he's done it by playing safe really, and buying players who we know can cut it in the top tier of English football.

This is the correct way forward in my opinion, and i applaud Bruce for this.

Second point is still one of uncertainty.

The left side of the team has no balance, and if we're honest hasn't had for the duration of Bruce's tenure.

Vaughan is left sided, but i don't think he's suited to a role on the wing, so it is essential that either an out and out left footed wing back, or winger is brought in, if this happens, he's done a magnificent job

The striker issue i won't refer to, as we all know Bruce is working on this, and any one of Defoe, Welbeck, Pobregnyak, Pavlyuchenko, the likely suspects, would solve this, and would be great additions, he's on the ball with this.

The question of his tactical naivety, which we are pretty unanimous in agreeing he needs to work on, could just as easily be that he hasn't had the correct players to change things due to the lack of a left footed player in the side, time will tell.

My faith in Bruce, which was sky high this time last right through to March, even during the early stages of the slump, is back to around 80%, i've always gone on record as saying i like the fella, and i hope a strong start to the season and a few goals from midfield will give me back that 20% that's still AWOL.

It's been a great window so far, with Brown, O'Shea and Vaughan, we are literally 2 players away from having it right in all aspects, we have never been that close in my 31 years as an SAFC fan.

 

Wait till the first friendly, sure I can find a gripe, Like Brucie not getting a round in for the travelling fans, or Gyan ignoring my ppissed up Phone calls at 0515.
can always find a whinge,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ENTER THE MAGS STAGE LEFT. WUMMERS WELCOME, makes for a longer article.

 

Great post Bill

 

"How man am git hard a furk me like"

Cant vouch for Billy like. Lol