Bloody hell Cest you give your arse some stick! As for midfield we have a very good midfileder playing at RB. I for one can't wait to see Gardner get a run in MF, he is strong, is aware of what is going on around him and can pick a pass! (His shot isn't bad either. )
He might have been your best player against us. Made a few good tackles on Gerrard that he was unlucky to be pulled up for. However he does seem limited - not much going forward, struggled to get on the ball (not just his fault). Did his shot stay in the stadium? However, limited isn't necessarily 'bad' - he was neat, tidy and obviously very determined. Perhaps in a midfield diamond he'd be more effective? -------Sess-------- McClean-----Larsson ------Colback------ Of course that would mean leaving Cattermole out. I suppose he could partner Colback in a 4-2-3-1 with McClean, Sess, Larsson ahead and Fletcher as the lone striker. EDIT: On Joe Allen, he was quiet against you lot - but he was playing slightly out of position as the holding player of the midfield three (he's usually the second player that both attacks and defends). He had a, as I said, quiet, but pleasing game. He's been terrific in all of his other appearances however. NB: He had shingles the week leading up to the match and still played for Wales and ourselves. Might have been another factor. Never had it so I wouldn't know.
I like Cattermole in our midfield as he is the driving force behind us imo. Not as technically assured or as gifted as Gerrard but the same sort of overall influence and engine. He also has a huge will to win.
Only watching the majority of Sunderland that I see on MOTM I guess I only see the obvious fault he has - always looks like breaking an opponent's leg. That may be more of a problem with MOTM however, he does look like he gets his team going. Wouldn't fancy him shouting at me in the dressing room at half time.
He has calmed a helluva lot under MoN and is much better for it. However, he will always have the potential to blow up and that's part of his make up but his drive, ambition and will to win is priceless imo. We have some good flair players (once they are all fit of course) but for me, he is still key player who will allow them to play their fancy stuff
Cattermole is a great player for us. As has been said a driving force and, IMO, one of the first names on the team sheet. He's trhe best DM at the club bar none - I like Colback but he's nowhere near the players Cattermole is and Catts is improving week after week - his biggest problem is not, as you put it, trying to break legs, it's the reputation he has which gets him booked - he got 4 bookings last season for winning the ball and conceded a penalty against Everton by simply being somewhere near the player who fell over. If he got the same protection from refs as Gerrard then he'd be in the England squad
I'm not sure if Gerrard gets protection, I think he plays smart. If he knows he's losing the challenge he pulls up and has that 'come on ref what's all this then' look on his face. I've seen him sent off quite a few times and booked on many occasions for his slide tackling (not that he can do that much these days). I don't think Cattermole will ever play for England purely on reputation. To most fans he's Joey Barton without the off the pitch ****e.
From a neutral - it's good to hear that and I actually completely agree with you - he seems to have a reputation which was founded when he was 18 or 19 year old. Regardless of what he does, he seems to be tarred with that brush constantly - he only got sent off once last season and that was for foul and abusive language (I.e. he called the ref a cheating ****) - not for fouling - I honestly think he was trying to get himself a second yellow when he got the straight red as it would've meant a 1 match ban for the red card instead of a 2 match ban for his 10 yellows!! As for Gerrards protection - I have seen him get away with some pretty awful challenges - an elbow on Danny Welbeck when he played for us was terrible and he got no retribution. OTT challenges as well - Cattermole will never get away with them - I watch him get booked 4 or 5 times a season for simply being Lee Cattermole - I hold my havnds up and admit there are times he definitely deserves it - but when you compare what he gets cards for to what others (often in the same game) get no fouls or cards for, it's crazy
Cattermole is way better than Colback in the defensive side of midfield. However, when Colback plays alongside Catts he is mean't to be the more forward focused one ala Cabaye/Nolan etc but provides nothing like them. I can see Nolan, Diame and Taylor totally dominating Colback and Catts in the centre tomorrow. I'll say it again, centre mid a massive weak spot for us due to us having limited quality there. Yes it's well stocked, but it just doesn't have any kind of cutting edge!
I agree somewhat with the op. That said, he's only 21 so too early to pass final judgment. Right now, he's a weakness imo. Maybe one day, he can be a destitute man's Paul Scholes (that's good lol). As we struggle to attract substantially better, we have to take punts on guys like him and other cheaper options. Sad but true.
Sorry newton but how do you know this?? In your opinion he SHOULD be (as he should in mine) - but with 4-2-3-1 that means 2 defensive midfielders and 2 wingers with and attaking midfielder and a forward. The only person that knows if you are right in this is Martin O'Neill and I don't think he posts on here very much!
No problem. Gerrard does have a tendency to make tackles that you wince at - particularly recently, because he's lost his yard of pace. If Cattermole was as good as Scholes we'd all be calling him 'silly Lee, he never learned to tackle'.
Diame showed us what we are missing. Again cattermole and colback didn't work. Colback doesn't have the physique for centre mid and does nothing going forward. It's laughable people rate him there. Stick him at left back or the bench.
