Following on from the earlier article about which was the better of the 2 sides, i got to thinking about how good a side you could make by fusing the 2. Here's my effort, feel free to pick holes in it and lets see what we come up with. GK _ Sorensen - Biased for me due to giving me my finest moment as a Sunderland fan not only saving a penalty in the derby, but away fom home, in the last minute, from a brilliantly struck penalty. From Mary Poppins no less. Legend. RB _ Makin - Easy for me this, tackled like a mad man, grafted like a Polish fella on a job trial, shot like an archer with no fingers. SHOOOOOOOOT! CB_ Bould - Despite being 137 years old when we signed him, he was still just a superb organiser and tackler, and wonderful in the air. CB _ Mensah - Fit and on form, the best defender i could even dream of seeing in a Sunderland shirt, simple as that. LB _ Gray - Local lad, part of some of the finest interchange play we have seen, and an absolute hoot off the park. Can't believe he's not on soccer saturday yet! RM_ Summerbee - Never looked interested, barely moved for long stints, mugged more people than a Brixton street gang, and one of the finest crossers imaginable. I could have scored 10 a season when he was at his best. CM_ Hutchison - Simply the best all round player, and biggest influence we've had in my 30 years on the planet. CM_ Schwarz - This was tough, as Rae & McCann both had strong cases, Schwarz was elegant and unfussy, and a good passer to boot. I liked him a lot. LM_ Johnson - Easy this one, as our left hand side has historically been weaker than a drunken 3 month old. Magic by name and nature, ruined his own career by jumping ship too soon. A tragic waste. ATT - Quinn & Phillips - Named as one as neither would have been half as effective without the other. Quinn was not only a target man, but an elegant player with great control on the chest, good vision, and great feet for a big man. Phillips? I don't need to tell you, you already know. Should have had 80 caps for England, him alongside Shearer would have been a sensation to watch. Subs - Gordon - great keeper, simple as that. Craddock - Elegant and full of graft, still going strong in his 70's Rae - A much bigger influence than he ever got credit for. McCann - Quality, and one of the finest chants in Sunderland history! Gyan - Infuriating, unpredictible but undoubted class. Bent - Has to be in there, left under a cloud, but single handedly kept us up in his first season with us, limited as a player? maybe, limited as a striker? Not one bit. Potential to break into this side next few seasons? Sessegnon, Henderson, Cattermole, Meyler, Onouha, Noble, Colback.
the only problem is mensah, gots more injuries than eddie kidd, so i'll put craddock in and make it a full house.... good piece muffy....
I did specify fit and on form, but i totally see your standpoint. Funny how, going completely of first thought, 10 of the first 11 are from the Reid team, and several on the bench. Whether they'd have the same influence now is open to debate mind.
it's funny cos no doubt some of the older safc supporters will probably say they have seen better players, which no doubt they may well have, but have they seen them all together as a team? still reckon PR team would be far to much for todays squad. johnson and gray would murder henderson and elmo on that side
