When Steve Bruce reflects back on his time at Sunderland, 2 abiding memories will haunt him. Selling Darren Bent without a replacement and that last game against Wigan Athletic. When Martin O' Neill reflects back on his Sunderland career (in quite a few years time one hopes), perhaps he too will reflect on 2 abiding memories as well. David Vaughan's 25 yard absolute thunderbolt and Seb Larsson's clinical, precision guided missile. With less than 10 minutes remaining, we were 1-0 down and O'Neill was heading for a first defeat in his opening fixture with any club he has managed. Despite dominating possession, I honestly couldn't see us scoring against the man mountains of Dann and especially Samba - who was immense all afternoon. What would you give to have him in our defense? Then, as if it were written in the stars, up popped David 'Zico' Vaughan with the kind of shot and goal you score once in a career and then Seb Larsson with a text book (and trademark) free kick we have seen more than once already this campaign. 2-1 in a blistering, season changing 6 minutes of football. Season changing because it gives a massive shot in the arm for confidence and self belief. Is MoN a good manager? Who knows. Is he a Lucky manager? Who cares. He's a winning manager and thats all that counts tonight imo. In his must win game Bruce couldn't deliver. In his first and also must win game, MoN did and thats what history will write, despite the perilous nature with which it was actually delivered. Of the players I cant faulty any tonight. Some were better than others granted but then this is not a time for me to pick those out apart from 2 names. McClean and Colback. Colback has come in for some criticism on some posts here tonight but I'm not allowing that to go unchallenged. Zinedine Zidane coined the phrase 'water carrier' for Didier Deschamps in the World Cup winning team and by that he meant one who does all the work. With the likes of Wickham, Richardson, Sessegnon, Larsson and Vaughan all forward thinking players, someone had to stay home to watch the kids and I thought the work-rate and tackles that kid put in were incredible. If the OPTA stats can be found somewhere, I'd be interested to know if anyone pot in as many tackles or covered more ground or indeed offered himself for the easy pass as many times as he did. Unsung heroes will always be sung out loud for me and I had him down as mine today and he got my motm award personally. The other, McClean changed the game imo for us when he came on. His very first ever touch took him past 2 defenders and he whipped in the kind of ball that ignited the crowd in an instance. From that very moment, the crowd erupted and spurred in the whole team. His energy and desire to beat the man and attack the box gave new belief to all the other players and imo, was crucial to the end result. Bruce and Black would have played Elmo at that point and we would have lost the game no doubts in my mind. Well done to the team and especially to the manager for having some balls to try something different and having it pay off. Fine lines maybe but with massive outcomes. Roll on the Spuds & QPR and then the last 2 home games of the year v Everton and Man City and to the transfer window and a full half season to build on this momentous victory today.
Good post, really enjoyed the occasion. the last time I saw a winger go past a full back like McClean did today was ..... Dennis Tueart and before that a certain Mr Mulhall
I agree with you about Colback, Nothing overly spectacular from him, but put his head down and do his job. One of those quiet players. Mclean was great when he came on - brilliant to see him have such a good debut. Hope he can keep it up. Not sure if he should start next game maybe bring him on as an impact sub - start him into the premier league gently. I was pleased for Richardson tonight as well, could possibly have scored but otherwise he had a very good game.
Alreet keep yer hair on bonny lad. Its a bit of a semantic point but the moral of the story is the same. Colback had to stay home and wash the dishes, whilst everyone else got to party but without players like him, the likes of Vaughan and Larsson et al wouldnt be able to pile forward so easily and entertain us. I like Colback and think he could be a crucial part of a new look MoN team in the future.
Difference being Cest that Bruce had at least 3 must win games in my opinion at least and still couldn't deliver. Cracking game today and by the hour mark thought we wouldn't score if we played all night (got to admit the doubt was there) but, the lads knuckled down and did the biz. Whether this was all MON or not I couldn't give a toss 3 points is all that was required today and we got them, next up Spurs who will want to get their season back on track after this afternoons game.
Colback was okay. I think he can do better, sometimes he takes too long. But like you said he always gave people an option for an easy pass which is great! Even if O'Shea didn't acknowledge that at all.
Always a good read but for 75 minutes it was MON feeling his way into the league with quite a Brucie set up and it was the changes that made the difference, we wouldnt have scored in a month of Sundays the way we played. Colback did in indeed have a steady game and the stats will be good i have no doubt but its moments and exposing the other team which wins games. For 75 minutes we played like a good pressing team but the dynamics were wrong. Colback will be a great squad player and will grow into a fantastic premiership player and i wish him all the best i, just like a few others think the balance was a little wrong with him there but hey O'Shea had a terrible game. But we won and im sure MON will have learned a lot today. Opinions and arseholes we all have one
Neil, you mentioned George Mulhall. When Falkirk fans were starting their web-site last year, I sent an old interview by Alex Parker (probably the greatest player Falkirk ever produced) which I found in an annual for about 1957. This kid came on and asked if I'd heard of George Mulhall. I said sure, good winger, we signed him from Aberdeen, etc. It turned out this kid was George's grand-nephew. He'd just been up to Aberdeenshire to see him and said he was well. So I asked him to send Uncle George best wishes from SAFC fans. Nice to hear he's still doing well. Thought it might be of interest to those who remember him.
I remember George Mulhall from many years ago. Good to hear he's still around and OK. Another George in the same team was George Herd. Anybody else remember him ?
Substitutions changed everything. For the first 45, all we could do was lump the ball into the box knowing full well that Samab would eat them up all day - which he did. Bardsley and Richardson's crosses from the left were too predictable, although Ricco tried to inject a bit or pace and urgency into his play. Bramble was calm and steady but O'Shea was poor today. McLean was an absolute godsend and I hope MON keeps with him for some time yet. I would have liked to see Noble introduced - how many more times do we have to hear the 'he's not as strong as he'd like to be for the Premiership'. Bollocks, he's scored 10 goals in the last 3 games for the reserves and put four past Man U second string. If you're oold enough, you know where the goal is, and you can knock 'em in, you should be playing IMO - Ji got nowhere near the ball again, Whickham was in and out of it, Sess was superb, but I think Noble just might have got on the end of something. Just because you have a great big galoot like Samba in defence, doesn't mean you can't get past him just 'cos you're not 6ft 6. Come on MON, once you've settled in, give him a shot - you've seen what he can do. Brilliant result, great start.
McClean's debut reminded me of the once infamous Jamie Lawrence of years ago. Remember him? Came on played absolutely brilliant in his first game and then.........Well that was it really. Let's hope this Irish lads got a bit more staying power cause he looked very good yesterday.
Lumping balls up to a match-unfit Wickham was odd, especially with Samba and Dan there ....but - M C L E A N !!! what a performance!
