http://www.safc.com/news/20120606/seb-reflects-on-debut-season_2256213_2798792 Seb Larsson says Sunderland can take heart from their mid-season turnaround as he prepares for Euro 2012. The Swedish winger was left to reflect on a 13th-place finish as Sunderland missed out on a top-10 spot by two points. "We have to be pleased with the way we turned things around since before Christmas; we put a great run together and that shows what we can do," he said. "When I came I felt Sunderland were a club going places with good ambitions that matched mine. That feeling has only got stronger and I'm pleased I decided to come here. "In the early stages of the season we should have won quite a few of the games but didn't manage to. "Once we started turning it around, though, we started to show what we could do and how we should be playing. "That gives us confidence heading into next season." Larsson ended the season as Sunderland's leading goalscorer, finding the net eight times in 39 appearances. Stephane Sessegnon and Nicklas Bendtner also scored on eight occasions. "I was looking to get to double figures for Sunderland but didn't quite manage it," Larsson said. "With my goals at international level, though, I got up there for the first time in my career, which was nice. "I seemed to score the bigger part of my goals in the early part of the season when we were still struggling for points, which kind of gave me mixed feelings." That tally of eight domestic goals included possibly the most crucial strike of the season - the late winner against Blackburn in Martin O'Neill's first game in charge. Larsson sealed a 2-1 win with a last-gasp free-kick, curling the ball in off the post beyond a stranded Paul Robinson. "It's one of those games we look back on with fun memories," he said. "The last time I changed manager during the season I managed to get an injury-time winner too. "Like many games at that time, we were the better time but just couldn't score. "Vaughany [David Vaughan] popped up with a great equaliser and the win was a perfect start."
Larsson, vastly under rated, and doesn't seems to be in many peoples thoughts as to next season... Still has a huge part to play for SAFC next season imo.
We wait 10 years for someone who can take a free kick, get one and folk want shot! I'm no tactician or scholar of the game but in my simple world he's what we've been missing. If Seb could dribble at pace and get up and down like Bale then he'd be off to a champions league team tbh. Reckon he's a good winger for us
I rate him highly, he works extremely hard as well as having a great range of passing. He is in my plans for next season, for me only the signing of Adam Johnson would keep him out of our side. We have 1 pacy winger who stays out on the byline. I think Larson compliments McClean perfectly. Its the middle of the park we need to sort out IMO. We need 4 players their because of injuries and suspensions, out of the 4 we have at the moment I can only see Catts staying there. Colback will probably end up at LB and Vaughan and Gardner might go.
I like Seb a lot, and think he'd do a cracking job in the middle. He doesn't deliver a stack of balls on the run anyway, so we'd still have his set player prowess, and his lack of pace would be less of a drawback centrally. McLean - Colback - SEB - McGeady. Not bad that, but still lacks a bit of dynamism & creativity.
