Has anyone else noticed.

[The Relic]

Sunderland wouldn't miss Stanley Matthews and Paul Gascoigne at the end of April. They always play like world-beaters when 40% of their wages are at risk. Look at Seb Coates at the end of last season. Four months later, he wasn't a shadow of what he had been in April - and that went for a lot of them. I'll judge how much we miss Johnson towards the end of September, not now. We've seen this all before. World-beaters when it might hit their pockets. Can't be bothered any other time.

 

[clockstander]

Sunderland wouldn't miss Stanley Matthews and Paul Gascoigne at the end of April. They always play like world-beaters when 40% of their wages are at risk. Look at Seb Coates at the end of last season. Four months later, he wasn't a shadow of what he had been in April - and that went for a lot of them. I'll judge how much we miss Johnson towards the end of September, not now. We've seen this all before. World-beaters when it might hit their pockets. Can't be bothered any other time.

And you can include AJ as one of the culprits, he only turned up when he felt like it. We can only hope that the team can effect the escape one more time and give Sam a chance to mould the squad in his image .

 

[Blind Corner]

Don't know about him being immature and a bad influence but in my opinion he was our best player.
If it's true about him being bad for the dressing room then he's better off gone.

 

[marcusblackcat]

Agree, Lens is a talent, no doubt. Just look at the goal he scored against West Ham. Just seems his attitude is not what Sam is keen on.

I reckon they were promised to be automatic starters with Dick. Toivonen played under him before and he and Lens had common ground being Dutch. Sam comes in and changes things and they've taken the hump. Fair enough not to play them I say.

Nail... Head... Hit!
Sam has dropped Cattermole who reacted exactly as any dropped player should! Can you imagine if everyone had Catts' attitude and it literally be about playing football? Toivonen and Lens are both very good footballers - but they don;t want to have to work hard for it and want it on a plate. No good for us.

 

[red&white wanderer]

Dont know about that mind.

I quite liked AJ as a player. Even though its really uncool to admit that.

Exactly - past tense - the majority of fans liked him as a footballer - not so many now though.
I think many of the team were uneasy and edgy about his behaviour - a dark cloud now gone - we move on

 

[Nads]

Lens is a ****ing shame.

I back the gaffer is he's a pure prick and not prepared to graft, but he has such ability and could/should have been idolised here.

Cock sucker.