SIDELINED Emanuele Giaccherini will see a specialist this week, with Sunderland fearing the worst over the Italian international. Giaccherini has endured an injury-hit second season at the Stadium of Light after being limited to just four first-team starts, due to groin and ankle problems. The 29-year-old spent two months on the sidelines in the Autumn with an ankle injury and aggravated it again when he was the victim of a rash challenge in the closing stages of Sunderland’s FA Cup fourth round replay win at Fulham earlier this month. Giaccherini, again missing for Saturday’s stalemate against West Brom, continues to be troubled by the injury and will seek expert opinion this week in the hope that he can play a part in Sunderland’s survival bid. But Sunderland head coach Gus Poyet admitted: “It doesn’t look good. “It is the same injury he had before. I don’t want to go further, but it’s not good. “I hope the specialist opinion in the week is positive.” Fellow midfielder Jack Rodwell has also been sidelined for much of the last month, with Poyet confirming that the £10million summer signing was again missing on Saturday with a calf problem. However, Lee Cattermole returned from almost two months on the treatment table against the Baggies and came through the 90 minutes unscathed. Sunderland immediately looked more resilient with Cattermole back in the side after two damaging defeats to QPR and Bradford, and Poyet admits that having the Teessider back in the fold is a big boost. Poyet added: “Lee is also a big help in the dressing room. He is contagious. “Someone who runs as much as he does, and plays the game with such a high intensity, others follow. I think that brings a lot. “When he comes back he makes a difference.”
I'm gutted to be honest. Quality player with the ball at his feet. Can make things happen! Disappointed to say the least.
Agreed. He's a great little player, never had the time to adapt thanks to injuries but still clocked plenty of goals and key passes last season when he did get some game time. We've had one creative player fit for 90% of the season(AJ) and doesn't it show. Defo need more creative players in the summer if we stay up.
FIT-AGAIN Duncan Watmore took another step on the comeback trail with a second substitute’s outing against Manchester United last night. Watmore’s progress was halted by a broken fibula just before Christmas, when the promising winger had been edging closer to first-team contention after training with Gus Poyet’s squad. But after returning to the fold from the bench in last week’s defeat at Liverpool, Watmore played another half-hour last night in Sunderland Under-21s’ 1-1 draw against Manchester United.
We need to sign players with clean bills of health, not bring us your sick and wounded policy of recent years, it matters little if they are good players or not when they are constantly on the treatment table. I know it is sometimes bad luck, but we have signed quite a few suspect players hoping for the best, its a risky policy with such a small squad.
Watched the development squad last night. He got the last half an hour. Did some good running on the ball but holds onto it way too long. Gus was there like. The kids play the ball on the deck they play it forwards and they play with a high tempo. Definitely better than watching the seniors.
This idiot needs assassinating. Without doubt the worst Sunderland Journo ever. Emanuele Giaccherini has failed to make an impact at Sunderland during a disappointing spell at the club. View image | gettyimages.com Sunderland midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini is likely to have played his last game for the club after picking up a season-ending injury this week. Giaccherini has suffered an ankle problem which is due to keep him sidelined for the remainder of the campaign, as reported by the BBC, and it looks set to bring his time at the Stadium of Light to a close. The Italian international was brought to Sunderland back in 2013, but he has failed to live up to expectations, with his performances far short of the quality required to make him a success. The 29-year-old has struggled to cope with the physicality of English football and his addition has failed to push the side on. When Giaccherini arrived it was expected that he would become Sunderland's creative fulcrum, but he has simply never looked able to show his top form in the Premier League. It means that a summer move is on the cards, with Sunderland likely to try and cash-in on the Italian. Giaccherini is one of the highest profile players in Sunderland's squad and his departure would free up wages to allow Gus Poyet to bring in some much needed additions. It was reported in January by Sky Sports that he could have left the club and his lack of impact since then has surely sealed his transfer away from Wearside. Giaccherini has made just 10 appearances for the Black Cats this season and a move back to his homeland looks most likely in the summer. http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2015...profile-star-couldve-played-his-last-game-f/?
Hope to see him getting a run out for the last 15 Mins in some of these boring stalemates we end up in. His pace alone will bother people until he is sussed out. Worked with McClean for 10 games or so. Might be the lad to create the space for Defoe.
He's better than McClean already imo fella. He has more than pace, he has a decent touch, fantastic dribbler, much more than a hit and run Buckley/McClean type, he's comfortable running at defenders on the left, right and in the middle. It's just his awareness and vision and quality of the final ball that I think he he needs to work on. Only seen dribs and drabs of him like but I'm very impressed. Need to be careful with him though, he's got to build his leg back up.
Confirmed our worst - would have liked to see him and Defoe together this season, as I think they'll be on the same wavelength. Looks like we'll have to wait til next. From SAFC.com: "Midfielder set to miss the majority of the season. Gus Poyet has confirmed that Emanuele Giaccherini is set to miss the majority of the season through injury. The Italy international has endured a torrid season with injuries restricting him to just four starts in red and white. Speaking to safc.com the head coach provided the latest news, admitting that Giaccherini is unlikely to feature again during the current campaign. “Emanuele is going to be out for a while,” confirmed Poyet. “It is incredible that he had a big injury after the Burnley game and it took him a while to come back, and then when you think everything is good he had another knock in the same area on the same bone and now it is going to take a little bit longer. “He is practically going to be out right until the end of the season which is unfortunate for us, but we wish him well and I want to say a full recovery - not a quick one - so that we can count on him next year.” Poyet also explained that he will not rush the midfielder’s rehabilitation, insisting that he is more than happy to wait until next season to ensure the Italian is fully recovered. “He was like a new player in pre-season. “I was happily surprised and I was really thinking about somehow finding a place for him in the team, so that was my challenge.” He continued: “He showed it at the start of the season and when he came back it was a different way because it was from an injury, but at Fulham he also showed something special and then he got a kick." “Let’s say that it is a season to forget for Giaccherini, so we just need to make sure he feels perfect for next season.”
