Any of you lot going? RYAN Noble is set to play a leading role for Sunderland against Hartlepool United tonight â the club the striker starred for on loan last season. Black Cats boss Martin OâNeill was impressed with the 19-year-oldâs efforts on the recent trip to South Korea â in particular the match-turning display he produced as a substitute against Groningen. And the teenager can expect the reward of a place in Sunderlandâs starting line-up for tonightâs friendly â the first against English opposition of the pre-season at Victoria Park (kick-off 7.30pm). OâNeill told the Echo: âRyan had a really good tour and Iâm seriously thinking about starting him in the Hartlepool game. âI think the 20-minute cameo he produced against Groningen is worthy of him getting the nod. âHe didnât have much in the way of playing time when we were out in South Korea, but what impressed me was that when he did come on against Groningen he was really up for it and totally changed the complexion of the game. âHe held the ball up well when he needed to, which is a part of his game heâs trying to develop. âAnd right there at the end he was there to score a superb goal to win the game for us.â Noble is hoping to make this his breakthrough season after years of impressive goalscoring displays for Sunderlandâs youth and reserve teams. Two loan spells at Championship clubs failed to work out as the Milllfield-born striker would have hoped, with a troublesome back injury causing most of the problems in spells at Watford and Derby County. But he thoroughly enjoyed his spell at Hartlepool between March and May of this year and won rich praise from boss Neale Cooper for his efforts in nine games for the League One club, during which he scored two goals. Cooper is hoping he might get Noble back on loan this season, but the striker himself is keeping his options open. âIâm just trying to have as good a pre-season as I possibly can and hope to catch the managerâs eye,â he said. Noble certainly did that against Groningen with a special winner â advancing from near the half-way line, wrong-footing defenders before unleashing a spectacular shot from 18 yards. And he is set to get another chance to catch the eye this evening.
I think the system Mon will employ will be 4-2-3-1 with a new striker being the 1 so I still think noble will end up out on loan and we'll go in with Campbell, Wickham, Ji and the new boy whoever that may be. Hartlepool is ideal for his development
I'm with Syd, theres something about this lad as soon as people write him off he comes back stronger, if he continues scoring in the remaining preseason games who knows where he might be on August 18th.
Wishful thinking I think guys. Would love a local lad to come good but if he was anywhere near ready he'd have been getting game time last season when we where desperate. His goal the other day was stunning but 2 goals in 9 league 1 games tells a story. Id say he's miles behind Wickham Ji and Campbell and none of those guys are good enough to lead the line and score the goals. He may be good enough at some point down the line but I don't think it will be this season
not wishful thinking Parker just opinions, we all have them.Being ready can be in the head, I think that was his problem and maybe he has grown up
The premier league is a different animal to a pre season He doesn't have the strength to be a hit in the prem yet and needs a full season out on loan, he has never been outstanding in any of his loan spells so I don't see how he will in the best league in the world. A full season at a championship side were he is going to play 90% of the games would be a good move for everyone concerned.
He could be loaned to the Boro, he would be playing in the same weather, conditions etc and decent league and he might get them promoted so we can have 6 derbies 2013-14 season.
Can you pay at the door? I'm off tonight and if and I can get someone to watch my daughter I was thinking of going down with one of my sons...
Well she is ten now, and although she doesn't like going to the games, she likes wearing the football tops and does describe herself as a Sunderland supporter, so I still have hopes to get her into the fold eventually..
Sorry guys disagree massively , the boy will never make a premiership player in fact I would even say he will struggle in the championship, it is the same old dream of local boy making the grade , will never happen for young Noble
Doubt it mate but here the team Simon Mignolet returns between the sticks for Sunderland as the Black Cats continue their pre-season with a short trip to Hartlepool United this evening. (KO 7.30pm) Defender Matt Kilgallon also returns to action in Sunderland's backline after missing out on the trip to Korea due to injury. Elswhere, Ryan Noble is handed a start after his super-sub display in Sunday's win over FC Groningen, he will spearhead Sunderland's attack alongside Fraizer Campbell and Connor Wickham. SAFC: Mignolet, Gardner, Richardson, Kilgallon, Bramble, Cattermole, Colback, Meyler, Noble, Campbell, Wickham Subs: Lynch, Reed, Knott, Deacon, Laing, Westwood
