We are currently the worst team in the EPL, despite Reading, QPR and Soton being below us, Villa also, but they beat us at home last week. MON has us playing a 4-5-1 formation that obviously isn't working after 9 games. Was it 13 shots on target this season? We are playing a brand of football that is negative and boring to watch, I won't be watching us play Everton or Fulham, no point. I am regularly on the Sunderland AFC website on FB, most fans agree with me, but a few keep saying KTF and we will get better eventually under MON. This was before the Boro debacle and even after the Villa game. Most fans believe our defence is reasonably solid, Mig has been outstanding, our midfield needs some creativity, and only Fletch has kept us from total humiliation, when he gets given the chance, which is a rarity considering he is always up against 2 or 3 defenders when we attack. However, back to my orginal title. After watching Wigan outplay Spurs at WHL on the weekend, I noticed similarities between our style of play and Spurs. Mainly the managers stubborness to not change the 4-5-1 formation despite being 0-1 down after 60 minutes or so. AVB even took Defoe of and replaced him with Adebayor, instead of playing both up front and taking off a midfielder/defender, much to the disgust of all Spurs fans. It amazes me to watch both MON and AVB just do their own thing, despite the obvious and persist with this one up front tactic. If it isn't working, change it around. at least the fans can then see your trying to do something about it. Roberto Martinez is a revelation at Wigan, he has to be one of the best managers going around at the moment, he is young and modern and up to date with the game nowadays. He has the respect of the players, fans and chairman in the way he approaches his football. Unfortunately, from the 9 games I have seen this season, we have been outplayed by all the teams, maybe except Villa, our style of play is embarassing to watch, playing 9 players behind the ball and soaking up the pressure and possession, is just unacceptable. I can't see any hope up until the New Year (Liverpool away, not a chance), we have maybe one or two potential wins coming up in the next 8 games, QPR(h), Norwich(a) and Soton(a), the rest we can put down as definite losses on our current form. I have played semi pro football as an attacking midfielder here in Oz, represented my state South Australia at all junior levels, and played for Australia at youth and mens national level in 5-a-side. So I believe I know how to play the beautiful game. The problem I have is that I have never been as disappointed with SAFC. We have a billionaire owner, a so-called top manager?, a decent squad, top stadium and 40,000+ loyal fans. Yet it still isn't happening, I am at a loss
I understand all the grief going the teams way and, I understand the total apathy and negativity from most of us. However we can't keep changing managers after a year in charge.
A manager always needs time. I'm a big believer that you should give people three years to really get their stamp on a club unless you are awash with cash to try a quick fix. Then said manager has set himself up for a fall because you have to accept expectation comes with mountains of cash. I don't think O'Neill has had such a limitless budget and he wants gradual change to build something to last. The only other time I think its justified to change a manager is when they are just a bad fit for the club. We had one in Fat Sam. He was just the wrong guy because of his style of football. He could have had us 4th in the league and I'd have still wanted him gone. He took the enjoyment out of my Saturday afternoon by playing football in a way I just couldn't bear to watch and believe is wrong. O'Neill will slowly adjust his style, to get the likes of Johnson and Sessegnon more involved and providing entertainment. What he won't change completely is his style of football. His teams will always be based around working their socks off, high tempo, direct counter attack football with pace on the wings. His teams are never going to be massively entertaining but they may reach a stage like Villa, where they are pragmatic with little bits of flair. His style isn't going to change and what the fans probably need to ask themselves, is it that style that pisses them off or the current execution of it? If it's the latter then he needs time, if its the former then its likely they'll never take to him.
Who's going to come instead? And why? We'll have got rid of Bruce, got rid of O'Neill, so how long will they get? The only likely candidate is Redknapp and the old porridge-dodger lives 350 miles away!
Sid, if you read my article then you would see I am a huge fan of Martinez, even a DiCanio, but not Harry. If your happy with our efforts, then fine, everyone is entitled to their opinion. I can't stand the style of football we are playing, it is utter crap, read my stats and facts. We will get worse theie is no doubt. MON is still living in the 80's. Nowadays its about possesion football, with skillful players.
If we are the worst team in the EPL why are there teams below us? Get s ****ing grip Di Canio is a Fascist **** Martinez has no proven track record wise up you muppet .
Everyone says this "4-5-1" isn;t working - we played a rigid 4-4-2 against Boro ands that didn't work either so what formation should we play?? The manager tried to change things against Boro and it failed - we looked better when he went 4-5-1 in that game - So if the manager is changing things and it's still not working then surely it's not the manager's fault? it must be the players? If it's the players fault then it's the managers fault for playing them. The one positive I saw at the weekend gone was lee Cattermole - That was by far his best performance in a SAFC shirt - he looked devastated at the end - he was awesome in every department - both going forward and at the back. Playhing like that every week would see him at a much bigger club than us in the very near future
Each to their own mate, we haven't played any of the teams below us yet, on our current form we wont beat them. Froggy can you honestly say we are a decent team? I refuse to watch any more games as we are boring to watch, don't shoot at goal, don't score. Did u watch Wigan against Spurs, martinez may not have won anything yet, but the style of football Wigan play, with the minimum budget to use in the transfer windows, is nothing short of exceptional, attacking, skilful and confident, the complete opposite of us. We will be close to the bottom 3, if not in the bottom 3, after the next few games, mark my words. I have seen nothing over the last 9 games that suggest we are moving in the right direction.
How can you possibly say that you know more about football than froggy will ever know you pretentious twat! I agree with Froggy - Martinez and Di Canio - Martinez "plays good football" yet struggles against relegation every season - Di Canio - no ****ing thanks!!
Well quite a plethora of emotions & opinions there like, lol. I would be very surprised if MON was sacked before the January window tbh. What worries me is how long will he be allowed as ultimately, managers are judged on results & to put it bluntly, his have been pathetic since March. If this slide has not been arrested by next March say, does Ellis allow him to carry on until the end of the season? Because if we go down, we're ****ed. Another worrying aspect is he does not seem to have a clue what to do about it. People keep blatting on about his past record. That's exactly what it is however, the past. I used to be able to do a lot of things I can't do now, like getting by on one piss per shift. I was never a big fan of his to be honest. Forget what he did in Glesga, all Celtic had to do was grind out results against Rangers & they did that. The style was never pretty though. The most disappointing thing for me is that every time we hail in a new dawn, it turns out to be a false one. I'm beginning to think that some bastard at the club badly upset some pikey woman donkey's years ago & the old crone put a ****ing curse on us.
We haven't played the teams below us but we have played Citeh the Gooners and Scousers (on the back of the Hillsbourgh news) plus the Mags. Didn't say we were playing well just not the worst. You don't know more about football than me you arrogant muppet. I don't blindly follow but want to give MON a chance and do not think there is anyone out there better. I don't want us to become a team who sacks a manager at the drop of a hat a manager needs time.
I haven't suggested sacking MON, where did I say that, yet I am a muppet! Arrogant, well your statement " You don't know more about football than me you arrogant muppet", is hypocritical as well as arrogant. I love Sunderland, always will, but following the style of football under MON is something I will never do.
I wrote an article that expressed my opinions and views, yet get called a muppet and a twat by our own Sunderland supporters. I am a regular reader of this forum and enjoy the banter between our fans, but to be subject to this name calling is pretty sad. My family and I live in South Australia, support Sunderland, buy the strips and merchandise, and watch the games live at 0130 each Sunday morning. As I have mentioned, I was a decent footballer, I study the evolvement of the modern game and talk about football in most of my conversations to my family and mates. I watched as a kid at Roker Park my idols Billy Hughes, Bobby Kerr and Dick Malone and was in awe of these players, they gave their heart and soul for SAFC. Some of the players in todays Sunderland team are not fit enough to tie their shoelaces.
so apparently you don't just have to have aussie blood to be unbelievably arrogant and self-obsessed, just moving there does it too eh!
So I am arrogant because I express a view that only can see doom and gloom. I get called all sorts of names by fellow so-called fans?
