I don't like starting threads, preferring to respond to others' opinions. However, I'm off now on my real hols, having just got back from a German weekend to take in the lads at Mönchengladbach. We're off to a place in Northern Spain where I'll have no access to internet so I just thought I'd leave my reflexions on what I saw on Saturday at MGB. Sorry if this had already been done but I haven't had time to look back at the other threads. The match itself I thought was absolute ****e, played out by two teams who just couldn't get going, ruled by a referee who just didn't know that tackles are legal. As a general remark, if Saturday is anything to go by, either we've got a lot to do to start looking like a Premier League team or we are in trouble. We were generally rubbish and MGB were not much better. Thank God they didn't have their shooting boots on. They created quite a few openings and I think we were lucky to come away with a clean sheet. That said, Mignolet had nothing to do so even if they had put a shot on target, he'd have dealt with it. In defence, Titus was mountainous. A rock! His tackle for the first yellow card was perfection, everything you are trained to do when tackling. Then the idiot with the whistle got to work. For his second booking, he was getting out of the way of their forward when he saw that he was not going to stop him. Their player jumped at Bramble to make it look like a foul and the referee fell for it. All credit for Titus for just walking, not making a fuss but from Bruce's reaction, I thought he was going to take the team off - and I would have applauded the decision. Absolute shambles of a ref. The defence was fine, though Turner wasn't up to pace. Will he be able to get back to last year's standard? Fortunately we have O'Shea and Brown (and maybe Ferdinand) to stand in. Richardson had a good game. If he could only do that every week but we all know Kieron, don't we? He could really solve a lot of problems for us if he could just be consistent. Midfield was a bit "headless chicken", lots of effort but nothing really constructive. Lots of new lads in there, I suppose, but nobody stood out. Well, the only one that stood out for me was Cattermole, for all the wrong reasons. I remember him doing three good things all game (interceptions and tackles) but the rest of the time was just intimidation and generally being a yard off the pace. He does his captain's bit, running around shouting his mouth off but others (well, one other for me - Bardsley) could do that. He doesn't seem to have learnt from his red cards last year. Up front, Dong was our best player, principally because he looked the fittest man on the park. Some of his turns and first touches were excellent and though he didn't get much service, he was always a threat. Whickham was less effective but looks a canny prospect. Things got better in the second half when Sessegnon, Steed and the ginger-headed lad (can't remember his name) but it generally was a pretty poor match. Other things that struck me. Gyan had a good training session, as did Brown, before kick-off so I don't think it will be long before they're back in action. We certainly need Gyan and Seesgnon up front. Bardsley only played the last 10 minutes or so but what impressed me most about him was his attitude during warm-up before the match. He was the one going round everyone, geeing them up, joking with the trainers etc, generally playing the elder statesman role, or what I would call the captain's role. He seemed tp me to represent Sunderland AFC on the field. Gyan made a point of coming over to our corner of the field to salute us before he started his training session, which I greatly appreciated, but from that point of view, the fella that impressed me was Anton Ferdinand. As soon as he came out of the tunnel, he came straight over towards us, applauding us sincerely, and he did the same thing after the match, though others did too, of course. It is nice to know that we supporters are appreciated. The supporters, especially those in the standing area, were great. Who's the bloke in the hat (see his picture on the SAFC site)? He seemed to be central to a lot of what was going on there. There was another bloke, I don't know what he's got for vocal chords but he must have frighteneing the supporteres in the far corner of the ground! Anyway, as I said at the beginning, I'm off until August 20th (that day!) and won't have any contact with you till then. I will badly miss my daily doses of you lot. So, have a great few weeks and look forward to finding you/us at the top of the table on August 21st after two mighty wins. Turrah.
Good thread, but after that chilling assessment of our performance i am worried for next season. If we know what is needed, why don't the club? x
Ferdinand, in my opinion always shows the greatest respect to fans of any of our players. During the ninety minutes the lads are playing he is, however, found wanting.
I like ferdinand. he tries 100%. Thought he did better at full back than center defence. Tell you what lads and lasses. Let's keep him. He is a trier. x
