Gus Poyet has warned his Sunderland players that their places are at risk for next weekendâs Wear-Tyne derby. The new Black Cats boss was deeply disappointed at the way his side collapsed in the second half at Swansea City, which left him trying to explain away a 4-0 defeat in his first game in charge. Only goalkeeper Keiren Westwood â who made a series of magnificent saves to keep the score down to four â came out of the game with any credit. And, with Newcastle due on Wearside next Sunday for the derby, Poyet will consider making changes to the side that failed so dismally at the Liberty Stadium. âI thought I picked the right team in the first half (at Swansea),â said Poyet. âNow if you ask me, I am not so sure. âI ask the players to play for their positions, I ask them not to give me the chance to make changes and pick others. âUnfortunately, they gave me the chance to do whatever I like next week. âAnd what a game it is next week! âNow it is serious. It is a derby, we are at home and we have not won a game this season. âSo this is the time to start.â Sunderlandâs seventh defeat in eight games this season means they remain six points adrift at the foot of the Premier League, and Poyet insists he understands the urgency of the situation. He wants his side to replicate their recent first-half performances â against Swansea yesterday, and in interim boss Kevin Ballâs final game in charge against Manchester United a fortnight ago â over a full 90 minutes. He said: âThe only thing we can do is work and work to extend that (first-half) performance to 90 minutes as soon as possible, because time goes past, games pass by and we are still at the bottom. âSwansea couldnât get through against us in the first half, but they kept going. âAnd that is a style and a consistency that you need at any level, but we donât have that. âWe need to start getting it quickly â very quickly.â
“Unfortunately, they gave me the chance to do whatever I like next week." As opposed to what O'Shea, Ball, etc told him he should do. I've never liked to hate a Sunderland player, and always struggled even with the likes of Chopra .......... I'm finding it incredibly easy with O'Shea. To be fair I didn't trust him from day 1 and that feeling has increased with every game. I now have to keep my feelings to myself, at matches, as I know some people rate him highly.
It reads like the team picked itself yesterday somehow, maybe its down to time and international break, gus gets the benefit of doubt for me this time. Our season starts on sunday
In fairness to Poyet, that was the first time he's seen the team play and he admits to being shocked. Whereas we all know some of those players are shocking If we do go down I'm afraid the club will need a total rebuild from top to bottom including Kevin Ball. I've always admired & respected Ball but I'm beginning to suspect he's not good for new managers.
The line up was a huge disappointment for me when I read it..I really thought he would have stamped his authority on this squad from day1.......It did look like jobs ( or places) for the boys yesterday..sad to say.
“Unfortunately, they gave me the chance to do whatever I like next week." hope he [Poyet] does something about it ... though I'll believe it when I see it
Only three from yesterday's debacle can really guarantee their place. Westwood (don't rate him but done well yesterday) cattermole (excellent once again) and fletcher who won header after header in first half but lazy bastards like johnson, larrson et cetera just stood and looked at him oh and giaccherrini for past performances and he has some ability. The one name that spreads fear into me though is o shea. Finally, can anyone answer why do we never have a man on the posts from corners or direct free kicks?
Posted similar yesterday. I was optimistic until I seen the team sheet. The dressing room is split. Were down.
His problem is that he previously said that he wanted to stick with the same back four for several games. If O'Shea and Bardsley are in the team next week then we are in the ****e. Larsson, and Johnson have not put in a decent performance this season. Give Cabral and Karlson a run out. Colback has not let anyone down at left back while Diakite should provide the dominant presence in the back four that we were desparately missing yesterday. Altidore must also be given the chance to play alongside Fletcher. I hope that Poyet quickly realises that Di Canio only had time to complete half of the job in getting rid of a toxic element in this squad, and shows the gonads to complete the job (with less public controversy). No doubt if he does then the knives will be out for him amongst the overpaid piss-artist prima donnas that successive managers have had the misfortune to bring in to our club. O'Neill (a top class manager) found the task too much for him. Di Canio tried to take them on but was not given the support that he needed. If Gus has any chance then he needs the full backing of the supporters. We need to take our club back and ensure that it is a proper football club again - not a drinking and gambling club for overpaid has beens.
Congratulations on having the balls to say that ......... there's something rotten to the core at Sunderland. Are we a modern forward thinking club that accepts new ideas .......... or are we a whippet, cloth cap and drinking culture that attracts the likes of Bardsley, Johnson & O'Shea?
And that is part of our problem isn't it? The club needs someone with a ****ing big broom to sweep out decades of mediocrity and tedium ...... someone with courage and passion. That Di Canio bloke springs to mind.
We've got to scrap to stay up, Bardsley & Brown will he gone anyway, then if we sell Larsson or o Shea then the click group will be almost gone. It's going to take time to get rid of the players who have almost had us relegated every year.
Who would he have spoken to for pointers, having not seen the team play, O'Shea, Cattermole, Ball, etc? You'd think that speaking to the club Captain, ex-captain, long standing ex-player/coach would be constructive wouldn't you ....... ffs
