Over the past few weeks, I have been involved in many a debate about the legitimacy of Bruce and Henderson's tenure at the club. I've got to say, the Wigan game has thrown both arguments in the air. Amsterdam, cutey (and other members of the Bruce Out Brigade): How do you feel about Bruce now? Still want him out, or has he turned it around for you? Did Saturday show you the light? Personally, Bruce got the tactics spot on when we were forced into changing the side around, and brought on the right players. Steed, Muntari and Anton all performed well on the day. On to Henderson, I was one of the vocal few, since christmas time, have voiced the opinion Henderson simply isn't good enough. He's not the one to take us forward etc etc.Watching the lad on saturday, it was watching a different player. First half, I thought, he continued his useless run. End of the half, he put it a decent ball, probably the best ball into the box all game, which wasn't converted. He also managed to beat the first man on corners and set pieces. Second half, he came alive. I'm pleased he got the two goals, the team needed it, and someone needed to step up after we lost our two strikers. Still can't tackle for **** though, he needs to improve this part of his game. If Bruce had dropped him when his form first dropped (after ENG game), could we have had this sort of player after a game or two on the bench, possibly avoiding our run of **** results? Still, I can't shake his poor form for the past five or six months, IMO, one good game doesn't make a good player. Not in the slightest. Consistency is the key Jordan, and thats the only way you're going to silence your critics. Thoughts and opinions?
Henderson alone has earned Sunderland 6 points this season (West Ham at home and Wigan) Thanks to him we are not relegated. You have slated Henderson for many months on here so it is good to hear you praise him but he also stuck it right back in your face after his second half display yesterday, get in Jordan lad!
Its fair to criticise Henderson and Bruce when things are going wrong and to praise when they get it right, dont see a problem with that. Saturday showed what both can achieve and I am with the OP, one game does not put it all right but its a step along the way. I'm looking for more of the same on Saturday then we move on, step by step.
while iv'e slated a few players, iv'e never had a go at jordan, and was quite isolated in that one. also i stuck with bruce, while many havn't, but i do understand what they mean, and maybe they may be proved right, too little too late, to save him. reckon he's got to win most of the games left to turn people around, also ellis short, time will tell. win the rest, top ten finish, and be above the skunks, not to much to ask????????????
Like DtAD, i have also criticised hendo and I am more than pleased that he responded in the way he did, however he does need more consistency with his performances. Hopefully his confidence is restored. Never wanted bruce out however there are aspects requiring investigation, eg training methods & playing players out of position.
"Still, I can't shake his poor form for the past five or six months, IMO, one good game doesn't make a good player. Not in the slightest." I feel the same way about Bruce. In fairness, Henderson - whilst he did deserve your criticism - has only dipped this once. Bruce has done it twice. Wherever we end the season now, I can't imagine Ellis is going to be a happy man.
Read on the BBC website only three more players have created more goal scoring chances than Henderson this year... I was shocked as I've been pretty underwhelmed by his performances but perhaps, with a proven goalscorer alongside Gyan, Henderson might show some class?
Since regaining our premiership status the only consistent thing about us has been our inconsistency.You just never know what to expect from one week to the next.Some will say it has always been the same. In these circumstances,OCA,signalling out Hendo for criticism seems to be extremely blinquered.If he stays with us and our current/new Manager can instill a win at all costs mental attitude into the team I believe Henderson can become one of the greatest players ever to don our Red&White stripes. I am not so positive about SB.Thankfully the slide towards relegation has been halted.It cannot however be ignored.Brucie had earned the right and I said this after the dreadful defeat to WBA to be given the opportunity to stay til the end of the season to see if we can achieve our main goal. Should the club back him then? Give him another ã30 million to take us to the next level.I Don't know.
Still Not sure about bruce. 2 seasons in a row this has happened. Jordan is a good lad, but every player has his price.
so we put in a good performance, and you were right all along about bruce, but henderson puts in a good performance, and you're still right about him being rubbish?? okay. "Still, I can't shake his poor form for the past five or six months, IMO, one good game doesn't make a good player. Not in the slightest. Consistency is the key Jordan, and thats the only way you're going to silence your critics." for this, you could put: "Still, I can't shake our poor form for the past two months, IMO, one good game doesn't make a good manager. Not in the slightest. Consistency is the key Bruce, and thats the only way you're going to silence your critics."
Reasoned comments from all posters, even cutey, who I've had my fair share of disagreements over the last week, then Billysmarts pops up and spouts his ****, looking for an argument as per. Cutey said basically what you're saying above with less attitude. Bruce and Henderson are two different parts of the team, which is why I discussed them as individuals, as much to discuss them in two seperate paragraphs in my OP.
I still say every manager should have 3-5 years but he must improve next year, if we take a step backwards next year then he must go. Bruce Quinn and Elliss have a lot of thinking and spending to do in the summer
Poor Jordan Henderson - poor kid has had to cover Cattermole for a large chunk of the season. Henderson will never be the midfield enforcer (posh for dirty get) that Cattermole is and he has suffered. Leave him on the wing where his pace and attacking instinct might just lead to great things. As for Bruce - he really needs a good start to next season and very probably a win over the mags. Otherwise....
The team played as well as they did the previous week at Birmingham, only this time were lucky enough to hit the back of the net four times. However, what we must all take note of, is that we played a very poor Wigan side last Saturday who defended worse than schoolboys. I believe that the Jury will be out until the end of the season as to whether SB takes us into the next campaign, or is shown the door. Steve Bruce himself hinted in the press the other day that Ellis Short is not a happy chappy at all, which doesn't bode well for his future as Sunderland Manager. I think we will always disagree on Henderson, who I rate as an excellent prospect for our club. He is by no means the finished article and I completely agree that he needs to gain some consistency and "man up" when it comes to heading and tackling. The lad had a cracking game at the weekend and I for one hope it continues.
i'm looking for an argument?? you listed names of people you'd disagreed with recently in your article, trying to rub their noses in it that they may be wrong about bruce after he gets us our first win in ten games!! if that wasn't looking for an argument, i don't know what is. you give henderson qualified praise, stating that he needs to perform like that consistently for you to feel he is a good player. fair enough, we all know you have an almost pathological disdain for the guy, but why not the same for bruce then?? what makes him above criticism?? in one post, you begrudgingly acknowledged henderson put in a stellar performance yesterday, saying he needs to be consistent, unable to bask in the glory of one of sunderland's own having a great game without getting your digs in, like you are always right, but then you say "na na, bruce out brigade are wrong, look we won a game!!" an argument which defies logic. what applies to henderson applies to bruce, or anyone else, no?? not in do the asamoah dance's world, bruce can do no wrong, and henderson can do nothing right. care to explain this train of thought then??
Young Mr Jordan Henderson is a class act who has been run into the ground and played out of position, he is not a defensive midfield player. He has been out of form and to to highlight him as the reason for Sunderland doing poorly is myopic in the extreme if not pig ignorant. SB on the other hand has had 2 seasons to improve the quality and balance of the team but has not. We have MacBardo playing left back (who is right footed and playing well), no real left wing and until Mr Henderson (who IMHO would be a better captain than Catts), no goal threat from midfield. Steed is obviously a class act, but has lost the ability to score, Rico has come up with a couple, but frankly we lack goals from midfield and that is one of the reason we are -10 GD atm. We sold Bent without bringing in a back-up, could a loan deal or otherwise not have been dome with Agonbanlahor or ano. Does anyone think we currently have a cutting edge and that was before Gyan and Welbeck did their hamstrings. So the number and quality of players we have is down to SB and we are lacking. Many of his signings are not working out and it shows. So yes compared with when he came in the quality of the squad is better but very unbalanced, too many loanees and too many buys not up to scratch. It looks as if we need 3 strikers and a left wing at least in the summer, not forgetting a left back and a right back (probably Onuhura), O, and a CB would can head the ball and is not injury prone e.g. Mensah. I had no problem with selling Jones a a striker but he was very good at defending set pieces and we have been too poor at winning defensive headers e,g, Stoke and the skunks. and little was done to meet this need. So leave off Hendo and play him as an attacking right midfield and get rid of SB as he has two seasons and yes there has been improvement but their has and is too many problems he has created and looked clueless to solve.
There you go again with your personal attacks on supporters, he gave an opinion and you slate him, you son have a serious problem, a persecution complex, if you read other peoples views instead of just your own it would help, I have not changed my view i want him out the sooner the better. and when people give me their views back, i will read and digest but never criticise. well except skunks of course.
my position on bruce has always been that he should be judged at the end of the season, and if at the end of this season we don't finish within the top ten, which was our aim, and something very achievable, then questions need to be asked. that's not to say bruce should go, but he certainly must come under scrutiny after our 14 game run last year and the one this year. managers who are given time tend to do better, moyes' first two years with everton always tends to crop up as an example, but bruce has been handsomely backed by the owner, so if i were him i would want answers. i'd like nothing more than to see us succeed with bruce for the record, apart from his occasional whinges at refs i think he comes across as a genuine guy who seems very keen to do well with us, whenever we lose the hurt is written all over his face, he's a north-east native, and when we play well we play some lovely football.
