Steve against an Arsenal team thats main problem has been it's defence you need to attack them, this is what I was expecting Steve, to have a go at them and try and rattle them, not because I'm a over expectant Sunderland fan with top 4 ambitions Steve but because it was our best chance of success! Imagine my face when I saw the team sheet Steve, it was like I'd just opened a Christmas Present from my loved one and it was a steaming turd Steve! Imagine that. Nevermind Steve I put that behind me and thought Steve will have them fired up, with a stirling team talk to get in their faces, harry, first to the ball, win the 50/50's but no Steve we left gaping holes in the midfield and at the back. They scored in 30 seconds Steve! Did you see it, I know, I had to rub my eyes too. Anyone can make a bad start Steve but I knew we'd come back at them, but no Steve it didn't happen we sat back at 1-0 down, we defended poorly, the 6 midfielders you played didn't particularly mark anyone rather they stood 10 yards of them and allowed them to run the show, it was a horror show Steve, we were in for a right battering! We carried some luck though, despite our endless misplaced passes, our lack of running into space and supporting the 4 foot target man that Mig kept punting the ball up too. Arsenal missed chances and Seb smashed a beauty into the top corner to get us back in the game. Now Steve at this point I actually managed a cheer. Despite the turgid display that was ruining an otherwise peaceful Sunday. We had lucked out and were through no real effort or game plan back in the game. I thought now was the time Steve, Arsenal had gone to peices, they had lost confience we were creating chances, I thought Steves going to change this, he's seen we can go for this but no Steve I was kidding myself wasn't I, you had a different plan Steve a very different plan, more defending Steve, you know your players and they must love chasing a ball around Steve. I bet in training after a wild shot flies by the post (like in the live games Steve) all the players go chasing after the ball as they love chasing it so much! Steve you stated in your interview "when you don't put your big chances away just before half time your going to struggle". This is my biggest bug bear Steve so prick your lugs back, Had you not played with two holding midfielders, Cattermole who is ineffective in games at the moment and not played Colback who is equally as bad and had strikers in the box in Wi and Wickham (who are no doubt being paid handsomely ) perhaps they may have scored because that's what they are good at Steve! That is why they play up front because they score goals! Defensive midfielders rarely do Steve perhaps you could look up a few figure of goals to games ratios for say Gary Lineker and David Batty, it may help you understand Steve that we didn't go two up because we didn't have any goalscorers on the pitch. Nevermind Steve, it was half time, we were back in the game, we could have somehow been winning the game despite your inept management. I imagined your team talk Steve, "Lads these are there for the taking, I'm bringing a forward on" but no the lads most have revolted in the dressing room. No boss we need to defend more they must have said. We like booting the ball to their centre backs, it's fun watching the little fella getting out jumped by people twice his height. You must have pressed on Steve "Lad get around Sess' support him, get forward. Sess you ned a bit of help up there". Did Sess demand to be left upfront alone? What happened Steve why were we so negative again. Surely you didn't tell the lads to chase shadows for as long as possible in the second half Steve did you, you didn't say just keep it going lads..........you did didn't you Steve. So out we came for the second half and we went straight on the defensive Steve! I was so confident that Sunderland were not going to Score and Arsenal were that I had a shower during the second half Steve, A bloody shower Steve. I've never been so despondant Steve as a Sunderland supporter that during a Sunderland match I stopped watching it and had a shower. You can't imagine how happy I was Steve to see we were still drawing when I returned. A turn up for the books and no mistake! Elmo was struggling Steve, he always does away from home, Despite Arsenal changing fullbacks he managed to be in two players pockets!! I knew you'd cange it Steve and you didn't let me down. Dong was coming on, I honestly thought you were going for it Steve but no Steve you weren't going for it, you took Seb off, that's right our only real hope of getting a winner from a lucky free kick, you always taking him off Steve? Irrespective of how he or anyone else is playing? Why is that Steve. OK so who do you bring on you bring on Wi Steve (a striker - yes Steve this is good) but no Steve you have to go and play him on the left and leave the left winger up front Steve. Is this too difficult for you Steve? How about popping the striker up front. Finally our luck ran out Steve and Arsenal got a deserved winner for there ernest 80% possession thanks to our hapless passing. How long have you been in football Steve, didn't you used to play in teams that were attacking and won games. A team where players were played in the correct positions? Maybe you could try that Steve......Steve..............STEVE............STTTEEEEVVVEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
I despair now. HAVE A please log in to view this image -ING GO!!! That's how games are won yer dozy fat heed, tattie heed please log in to view this image Geordie ****.
I would rather have KK at the helm, even if he were crying all game having a breakdown, he would still play a more attacking style of football and only get beat half the times. I would rather go down with a plucking good fight than defend for 90 and STILL lose !! Owen Coyle will get Bruce the sack lads, ...........
A good article with questions that I think a lot of people are asking. The bizarre thing is, if he just went for it by playing Ji and Wickham & we got beat 4-0 away to Arsenal I dont think he would be getting as much stick as he is now.
Beat me to it - said EVERYTHING I was thinking on the way to work this morning. Every fan who PAYS our hard earned money to either the club (in the form of tickets and shirts) or to Sky for our subscription to watch the game could see that, after we scored, Arsenal didn't have another shot in the first half - yet we created a couple of golden opportunities... Then he goes back to the way it was. He probably bollocked the team for going forward and trying to score after we got the first and said "Settle for a draw" - I would've been happy with a draw TBH but I wanted us to play football and I could see from my sofa that we could've won that with the right mentality -0 which, Steve, you don't seem to be able to give the players. Completely agree with this statement
Our performance was ok imo, if not for RVP we would have got at least a point if not more from the game. If I was an Arsenal fan, my question would be "wtf will we do if RVP gets injured?" Not to say i dont question some of Bruces decisions yesterday, but I thought the performance was ok overall (minus the 1st goal, where Brown gave RVP all the space he needed).
Best article in weeks. Sums up my feelings entirely. I was feeling so optimistic on July 1st and now I know we are looking at a relegation fight ... again! I also know that changing your manager mid season is usually not a good plan and I was willing to give him time but now but I really feel that Bruce must be sacked. His pre-match statements show he has lost the plot and the fans, and while the players may still want to play for him, they must be as baffled as we are when the team sheet is announced and that shows in the performances and the results. All in all the stats and the league table show what we have all realised - that he is a really poor manager. Please Mr Short do the right thing, get rid and bring in Mark Hughes (not MON) who at least understands you have more chance of winning with a striker on the pitch!!
Concrete Tony - 100% spot on. Dans - haway kidda, open your eyes and have a good look at things mate. Its falling apart quicker than a fun fair toy and our 'manager' is ****ing clueless.
I thought our performance was OK, I didnt say the manager didnt make mistakes. 4-5-1 is an understandable formation for an away game. I didnt understand the "1" being Sess - should have been Ji (Wickham has had a groin injury). Larsson has a broken toe, so I understand him being taken off early. I dont understand Sess being taken off, Colback should have been subbed for Wickham instead (Sess was the one doing all the creating). However, I stand by my statement that the main difference between the teams was RVP - without him Arsenal would have done nothing.
Come on now, Bruce must be a good manager he got us to 10th last year if he hasnt told you yet. What he fails to see is that the reason we finished top half was because of 3 things that are no longer at the club. A Bent 8 goals A Welbeck 6 goals A Gyan 10 goals We only have 1 player (Bendtner) and a loan one at that capable of reaching any of those figures. If Bruce stays too long i think it'll be too late to save our season. I don't know if anyone agrees but we could have been relegated in both our last two seasons under Bruce, if not for; 2009/10 a home win at home to Bolton to end a woeful run of results that had seen us slip toward the trap door. 2010/11 a home win at home to Wigan to end a woeful run of results that had seen us slip toward the trap door. The signs are all there and the've been there way too long.
Fair points mate, I've only seen highlights so can't really comment on the game itself (not yet anyway). The difference as you say was RVP who is a recognised striker and is quite good as well, we had a recognised winger as a striker who is not very good at it.
Dan you can't say RVP was the only difference. Surely, Arsenal controlled most of the game due to our managers tactics. We sat back, our back four were struggling because the normal hoof the ball forward and hope someone gets one the end of it wasn't an option. So we ended up running into blind alleys and not getting near the final third. 1-1 at half time and I think most Sunderland fans wanted us to "have a go" but we didn't if you defend for 45 minutes and constantly give the ball back to Arsenal with the quality they have go they are going to score and it was only a matter of time, an this was an out of sorts Arsenal with no confidence. Looks like we've kick started another teams season! He subs are always the same no matter what the score line or how anyone is playing! Larrson may have a broken toe but if he's good enough to play 65 minutes with it I can't see the harm another 25 would do. I'm pinning my hopes on Meyler returning to full fitness and form to sort us out in the middle of the park otherwise I think we are doomed and for anyone stating Colback is better than Henderson..............(not saying you said that Dan) no way.
