RLB: No new injuries. Luke might start. Salis needs 5 or 6 days more before returning to training. Norwich are a good team with many good qualities, a tough challenge We started slow last match, we felt that we could win, we were still in the game I felt the confidence and character shown by the team were good We can manage different options, our focus is to win games The group is strong, with many young players, we need to manage consistency and injuries The first 6 months have been good for me, our job is very unstable, it is good to enjoy the good moments The club is MASSIVE with big expectations The players and staff are aligned with the visions of the owner, it is a good energy among the group We have the solutions inside, it is up to us to decide (without need for more players) Our focus in on our process and on our game, building from strong foundations, we can manage different scenarios We have tried 4 or 5 scenarios with and without the ball, there are risks of conceding but we are getting better, we will improve with experiences My style is about the identity and strength of the club and the players, I like football, the game and have a good connection with the fans and the people
RLB seems like the kind of guy who's so relaxed that he wouldn't get annoyed at anybody. But finally it seems that Nick Barnes' questions seem to be annoying him
Fancy telling RLB that Luke O'Nien needs to start every game from now on. RLB's response of shrugging and saying "we'll see" was about the nicest responses he'd get from a manager after telling them how to do their job.
O9 has to start if he's fit imo, he's the best ball playing defender we have and we tactically always build from the back. Very harsh on Ballard if he's back on the bench but Mepham would get the nod ahead of him for me.
Great stuff RTB. RLB has said that the club is massive and Jobe was shouting "we're Sunderland" and "best club in the world" at Swansea. Is this a hint for the fans to stop reining in our expectations and to imagine the powerhouse that we can become? Jobe and others are going to become great players and it seems like they want Sunderland to grow at the same rate, so our journey can continue together for as long as possible.
I heard it as 5-6 days until he’s ready to return to training but when he was asked about matches he pulled “ooh” face and said he’s been out 6 months. Which I interpreted him as saying it will be quite a while of training, probably 2-3 weeks
I’m just going to think of samed as a January signing, good addition and should be ready around the Pompey game maybe? Might be slightly ambitious given how long he’s been out though
O9 is a defender these days, hasn't played CM in ages - and pretty sure he's only played CM once or twice at Championship level CM in the championship is so difficult and it doesn't suit o9s game at all, he's a class defender and that's where he will be used
100%, just because he's a good ball playing CB does not mean he would be effective in CM His scanning of the pitch in CM has always been poor, his touch in central areas is poor. He is a very good championship CB now, I don't mind him filling in the odd game at fullback but that's it
From the Echo: Ian Poveda could return to the Sunderland squad this week after Régis Le Bris said the winger is in a ‘really good place’. Poveda has been absent since October with a muscle problem, and has so far been limited to just three substitute appearances since his summer move to Wearside. However, he has been back in full training for over a week now and while Le Bris has ruled out the 24-year-old starting any games in the immediate future, the head coach is ready to use him as an impact substitute over the festive period. “Ian has trained now for one week, a bit more, so he's really in good shape,” Le Bris said. “Sometimes you just need time to find the connection with the project and club. Ian is now in a really good place. He's not ready to play a full game but can be a sub and help us in short spells in games.” There was a further boost in training this week as Jenson Seelt joined his team mates for the first time since suffering a major knee ligament injury in Match. Seelt is for now only taking part in the non-contact phases of sessions and isn’t expected to return to competitive senior action until next month, but this is another sign that his comeback is on track. “For Jenson, it was [an] important surgery,” Le Bris said. “It's different to Salis for example because that was a muscle injury and when you're recovered you're recovered. But with Jenson the whole structure was damaged so we need to be careful. This week was non-contact, then he'll have contact with the U21s and they'll play a short period in a [U21s] game and then after, be available with us.” Salis Abdul Samed and Ahmed Abdullahi are also no close to joining training, though neither are likely to play until the end of the month at the earliest. “We hope he's very close to returning to training,” Le Bris said. “He's in a good place now and should be back at the end of December. Salis is in good shape but we'll need to find the right moment to play. Ahmed should be back training next week, but only in part of the sessions to begin with.”
