We keep getting told that Sunderland need time to Gel, ok then how much time do they need? Considering most of our signings arrived before pre season training, they have trained all pre season, played pre season friendlies, played six league games a cup game and countless training sessions. I must admit that due to work commitments I don't attend the training sessions but I would like to think that time was put aside for players to work together and "gel". Work out how each other play etc. I think that a big part of the problem is that Bruce has got his signings totally wrong. I do not accept that he signed Larrson to play on the left. Pre season he played on the right until the last game. I'm not sure who he had down as left back Richardson or Bardsley, I'm guessing we'll find out soon enough. Also the Gyan thing hasn't helped but Gyan comments of the club being disorganised do ring true. So back to the "gelling" Richardson and Larrson - for me they have no understanding together at all, either defencively or going forward. I've noticed this season that the fullback seem unwilling to overlap? Is this a tactic? These have not gelled IMO OShea and Elmo - getting there but neither player has been consistant yet. Oshea seems to like to go to the strikers with a pass however the strikers don't seem to be expecting it? Centre half - Brown and Ferdinand - looked good together, so sell him, Brown has now played with 3 different partners in 6 games - we all know the key is to get a settled back four. Bruce can't be held to blame for TITUS though. Bendtner and Sess' - well let's be honest it's awful, neither player seems to have any understanding of the other. Passes missed, runs missed making the same runs, I also think the midfield is struggling to know where to put the ball for the forwards. For Me I don't think Sess knows what he's going to do so Bendtner has no chance. Sess' shouldn't be playing in that role and I firmly believe Richardson would do a better job there and add much needed pace up front. So Bruce how much time do you give for gelling and when do you know it's not working and they won't gel, for me there are no signs of the pair on the left gelling or the front two. Bardsley to left back for me Sess to the left and Richardson in the hole. Centre midfield - Looks weaker than I thought it would be no pairing has been a sucess and there does seem to be little understanding between any of them?
Different players click in different time frames. we are having a good season so far that is just down to how all the lads have settled down. it something that you cannot predict really, you could say its all luck how they have come together as well as they have. sometimes it can take a whole season for a team to get going and understand each other, you have some quality in your side so once things do finally fall into place i dont think you guys will have much to worry about
I think Bruce has no clue as to his strongest team and this has a negative effect on the team, plus i think results build confidence, but watch the game yesterday you can see when we go foward we are hesitant and we have no flow. Looking at what I've seen of Newcastle they look like a team, good back four playing as a unit and good partnerships and understaning.
think a big problem is settled. bardo and larsson looked like they could gel on the right, noe larsson is on the left. we, or bruce, needs to get a team and stick with it.
Sorry lads, I stopped posting, just to do replys, for as long as Bruce is in charge. how long do we gel? UNTIL BRUCE GETS RID OF GORDON. the last vestige of someone elses time on watch, then he can have his own team, and just look at BRUM.
These players, Bendtner apart, have been together since June/July and have had a full pre-season and 8 games of the new campaign. Call it 14 games. However because Bruce shuffles his hand more often a professional croupier with a severe ****ing addiction, we have seen every combination in each one of those 14 games and he STILL hasn't got a friggin clue who his best team are or indeed the best formation to play them in. Considering that Larsson and Gardener are hardly strangers to him and neither will Brown or O Shea be with his Man Utd connections, it baffles the **** out of me how it all looks so clueless every game.
The whole season. Atleast we know Nosworthy is proven at championship level if we are relegated. Although having said that, I'm not so sure many Sheff Utd fans would agree.
These people are professional footballers FFS lads they should be able to move to a club and be half way there already. This gelling thing is yet another in the long line of excuses that are being trotted out by SAFC not just Bruce if, they spent the same amount of time trying to get it right as they do thinking up excuses we'd all be BIBs and very happy teddy bears.
At times on Saturday I'd swear they had never played together before! I think it has to bring into question what is being done in training? We are conceeding really poor goals and we play ok to the final third but as soon as we get anywhere near the box the players seem to want to bringit back to the halfway line. 1 point from Norwich and West Brom is a very poor return. I do hope Quinny is behind the scenes gelling a new manager......
