Avid reader, but sporadic writer....I thought I'd give my two pennies in regards to the recent discussion of what tactic/signing/player would make us tick again. While I'm with everyone when it comes to the fact that I think we have made great leaps in the correct direction as a club I think that has also lead us to our latest stumbling block: teams are starting to respect us and prepare thoroughly when playing against us. Even though I am an avid SAFC fan, football is also my job and I see a lot of holes in our team. We have become too easy to breakdown, and also much too easy to stop going forward. All you seemingly have to do is stay compact in the midfield and sit deep so the likes of gyan can't get behind the defense and because of the inability of the wide players/ and more importantly the fullbacks to get down to the byline we can't spread the opponents defense. What has been more disappointing for me recently is not the run of results, every team goes through rough patches, but the fact that we have become....dare I say it- boring. I don't think people understand the importance of a good full-back in the modern game. They, along with the centre back's passing ability, create the attacking game. Look at all the good, and semi-decent teams- they have fullbacks that can dribble the ball and create not only space but a chance. Evra, Clihy, Alves, Cole, Marcelo, Maicon, even the likes of Baines and bloody Enrique are very, very impressive. I love Bardsely just like every other SAFC addict, but I honestly think that a few goals have put us under the false impression that we have found our leftback, when in truth he is still very much a backup. I think more than anyone other position both leftback and rightback has to be sorted..otherwise we will create nothing in the coming seasons and our progress will be hindered. Gyan and all of our african boys will go running off just as fast as they came! Please, please sunderland start spreading the ball and attacking the wide areas otherwise the drought may continue! Think I'm overreacting or just simply wrong? let me know. Will be back soon to rant on about what signings we should make....
in regards to what I just went on and on about, I was very happy to see us linked to Guardado- http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11695_6833523,00.html I've seen him personally on a number of occasions and despite being a leftback, he can be a game changer and playing for a relegation bound team this would be the perfect swoop.
Maybe Bruce thought Angeleri would give us that. I must admit that I'm encouraged to have read that Steve is looking for "a traditional number 9" to give us something different up front. Wouldn't mind us playing ugly when the need arises. Truth be told, I would have welcomed Sam Allardyce with open arms when he was literally BEGGING for the Sunderland job after Keane walked. If it meant comfortable mid-table predictability I'd take it. As things stand under Bruce, I feel we're caught in the middle, we're can't use the ball effectively when we're passing it about, Gyan doing his little flicks and stuff. Very nice to watch when it comes together, but if we don't win at the end of it all then it's pointless. We also can't go long with a big battering ram up front cos we don't have one. I say get a battering ram!
the next step for me is finishing higher than last season, and next season finishing higher than this season etc. As long as we never ever play like stoke, then that will do me
