For 3 months we've told him 1 up front is not working. For 3 months if has persisted with the folly of playing it. We told him catts and elmo are liabilities but if wouldn't change it. Today at last the fool did what we wanted and we won. After a poor first 45 mins, we dominated the second half and deserted the win. Will daft lad learn and play the same team for next week? He should be flogged out of town if he changes course now but that's not to say he won't. Well done wickham. My man of the match today. Who said he wasn't ready? Some daft plank probably.
Sess was motm, Wickham had a good game. We were the better team in the first half and we dominated the game in the 2nd half.
thought colbeck was great today defence was solid and sess was great two up top worked a treat, but would have probs brought ji on with 10mins to go because wickham hasnt played a full match in ages! anyway well deserved 3 points bring on the villa
Not sure about man of match Cest but he had a great second half holds ball up well. He needs match time and grew in confidence over the90 mins. Remember he was up against Cahill supposedly off in January to big club . We need to stick with the front 2 and should have started the season with them . By the way how good was OSheas header at back post before we scored second . Saved the game.
SB view Sunderland manager Steve Bruce felt his troops fully deserved their late 2-0 away win over Bolton. The Black Cats dominated after half-time, but needed late goals from Stephane Sessegnon and Nicklas Bendtner to clinch the points. The visitors won 11 corners to Bolton's two and Bruce cannot remember the last time his side were so dominant away from home. Next up for Sunderland is Aston Villa and Bruce is keen for his troops to build on the win and make it back-to-back successes. Deserved "Today is one of those days that we've thoroughly deserved it," Bruce told Sky Sports. "We've rarely played badly all season. We've probably played badly once, which was Norwich. "We've not got the results that our performances have justified. Today, hopefully things have changed and turned around. "We had so much pressure. I can't remember being away from home and being so dominant against another Premier League team. "We had masses of corners, free-kicks and shots on target. We needed that killer touch and thankfully Sessegnon has popped up and we finished it off at the death. "We've got a big game now at home to Villa. We've given ourselves a nice platform. If you can go back-to-back it's a great thing." Youngster The Reebok encounter marked the first Premier League start for youngster Connor Wickham and Bruce feels he has a bright future. "I thought the longer the game went on the better he became," he continued. "I think everyone watching the game today could see the talent of the lad. "It was important that we protected him. It's important that he is ready. We've tried to bring him into the club and give him three or four months so he can assess what the North East is like and what it's like to play in the Premier League. "If that's anything to go by he's got a big future." .
Sessegnon was MOTM by some distance. Everybody else appears to think Wickham was great but I think he looked one paced and struggled to get away from the defenders however he also looks strong, confident and has a good touch. I think Bruce realised that he just doesn't have the time to protect Wickham and was forced to play 4-4-2 today (Although Bruce has had Ji at his disposal too). It worked and we look like a football team when we play two up and attack. 4-4-2, elmo dropped and a couple of lessons have been learned although we are 1/4 of the way through the season... I hope Meyler comes back strong. I would like to see him partner Vaughan in the middle.
I'm glad he finally saw sense and played Sess on the left and Larsson on the right. I think the idea of putting Seb on the left was so he could cut inside onto his best foot with Richardson overlapping. But that's asking an awful lot of running from Ricco. It's o.k. for a fully experienced full back who can run back into the right position instinctively. But Ricco isn't that experienced at full back and sometimes he's been making speedy decisions and getting them wrong. We can't fault the lad's effort - he'd run his socks off for us - but that tactic was just asking too much of him.
Cest, your posts are always thought provoking, well thought out, and without doubt full of genuine passion for the club that we all support. I recall that a few weeks ago, when Short took over from Quinny, you made a post about accepting that Bruce was staying and suggesting that we all get behind him in support of our club. Well, if referring to him as a fathead, and a daft plank that should be flogged out of town comes from someone who supports him I'd hate to think of what you'd brand him if you were not supporting him. I cannot deny that I have thought many times in the past few weeks that we should get rid of him but so long as he is manager of Sunderland he will get my total support. I don't think it's our job to decide when the manager goes or what team he puts on the pitch but I do think that to get the best out of the players we have we are there to show our support by means of encouragement and not insults and personal verbal attacks. We all have an opinion and a right to express it and I'd fight for that right to the bitter end in support of you or anyone else even if I disagree with that opinion. However, I'm reluctant to fight for someone to have the right to dish out personal abuse along with an opinion. You know Cest, I could quite easily brand you a "motor mouth" after some of your more acid personal attacks on Bruce. I refuse to do that simply because I agree with your views most of the time and I respect you for your passion and often quite eloquent articles but I wish you'd stop spoiling a good read with silly childish name calling. Please give this some thought if only to bring a little pleasure to an old codger who enjoys hearing what you have to say.
Why do SAFC persist in paying multi millionaire Bruce a fortune to manage our team when I'm sure Cest could do a far better job for a fraction of the price? Anyway it's interesting to note the unrest from our fans when as I rite tonight we sit 12th in the league. Yes we have been under par yet if the league finished tonight we'd still have one of our best finishes in the last fifty years. I read one post last week suggesting this season would be a repeat of the 15 point disaster!!! I mean, come on. lets get real. We ain't world beaters but we've unquestionably come a long way in the last few seasons.
Thanks Cyprus. I think I could too. As for insults towards Bruce he has fully earned every one. Yes we are 12th but how much better could and should we be? So fragile has Bruce got us though, that 2 defeats in the next 2 and We are back in the clarts. That's what happens when your manager has you with one foot in the bottom 4 or 5 after 8 games. Bruce has been forced to abandon his hapless strategy, this isn't a tactical masterstroke so let's not kid ourselves here. This is a very humiliating admission that most supporters could have managed the club better in recent weeks and months not a top manager performing well. Oh and syd, your the one who has been predicting wrong results all season, so I'll not be taking any shots from your cannon anytime soon. Well done lads for today but a long way to in yet.
"2 defeats in the next 2 and We are back in the clarts" Agreed (Nice to hear the word clarts. Not many use it down here) I love how positive our fans are. We just won a great away victory yet some just see negatives as usual. Well the "mighty" Liverpool have just been held by Norwich. Kenny out.
Come on, Cyprus, it's a bit early for gloating isn't it? We're 12th until tomorrow. If either Fulham or Everton win their game, they'll overtake us anyway. And to compare our current position to the last 50 years is nowt to write home about. I wish the season did end tonight - that way, we'd avoid the Bruce Spring! We flirted with the clarts last year when we were 6th in January, so 12th in October is anything but a comfort zone. I think talk about relegation on here was premature because the margin between league places has been 1 point up to 10th. But do you not think one win is also a little premature for gloating?
Oh please Cutey, inform me as to how I'm gloating? We just won. Away. Yet some of our fans immediately point out that a couple of defeats will knock us back down the league! Well hello Sherlock, I'm aware of that. Just as a couple of wins will kick us on. It's not rocket science.
