According to Gus anyway :- CONNOR WICKHAM is playing better now than when he helped keep Sunderland in the Premier League six months ago, despite the stark contrast in his goals return. Thatâs the vote of confidence delivered by Gus Poyet, as he looks for Wickham to break his duck in the Premier League this season in tomorrowâs visit of Stoke City. Wickhamâs five goals in three games last April proved to be the catalyst for Sunderland remaining in the top flight, yet the striker has drawn a blank in the league this time around, with his only goal coming in Augustâs Capital One Cup win at Birmingham City. The 21-year-old spurned a glorious chance to open his account in last weekendâs stalemate against Swansea, but Sunderland boss Poyet believes the £8million frontmanâs all-round game has improved significantly since the Great Escape. Poyet, who has handed Wickham starts in each of Sunderlandâs six Premier League games this season, told the Echo: âConnor just needs a goal.
if you watch his press conference, he says his overall game is better despite his lack of goals but he has made sure Wickham knows that the goals are needed. poyet obviously knows that a striker in only in top form when he is scoring
I was impressed with his leading of the line and his link up play against swans. The problem was he fluffed his two big opportunities, one the header that he should have scored and two, when in the first half he shot wide when all he had to do way slip the ball to the left and Johnson would have been clean through. I get the impression hes not a very intelligent footballer
He was much improved against Swansea, but he only provided the minimum expected imo. He's done nowt special. His decision making and awareness is as shocking as anything I've seen.
Thing that pisses me off is jozy scored a good goal in the cup and his repayment was to be an unused sub in the next game!! Even fletcher got on man and he's been worse then useless, I know loads of people don't rate altidore but what kind of message does that send out to the rest of the squad? Do your job and get dropped?? Fist and only time I was pissed off with gus.. I do like Wickham tho and think he's doing alright but wants to beat a man and do all the fancie **** rather then just tap the ball in the net ..
Thing is Smithy - Jozy scored, played well for 20 minutes then played absolutely dog ****e for the rest of the game. If not for his goal he'd have been lucky to get a 1/10 mark in the papers! I watch wickham every game and see him playing well with little reward. He's missed one sitter (the header against Swansea) and one good chance coming quikckly on his wrong side against United. I also watched him lead the line against Spurs and Burnley with zero support from midfield. Nothing from anyone. That might change in coming weeks with Buckley and the full backs being more involved and Alvarez getting game time too. I think Wickham will look a better goalscorer if he has a bit of support up there. There are very few strikers that could've done better than him in the Spurs and Burnley games - as an example, he got the ball 40 yards from the oppo goal - back to goal. 15 seconds passed with him holding off defenders and keeping hold of the ball before any of the midfield got up with him. It only took Leicester 14 seconds from the kick off to score against Man United and they had 3 imn the box by that time!
Wickham had a good game against Swansea and I believe once he gets off the mark then he will start scoring regularly...
I know what ya saying mate and I do rate Wickham and think he will come good I've been arguing with my mates for ages fighting his corner and jozys for that matter, just think jozy is getting screwed over tbh. There is a cracking player in there man and he's just getting used wrong, like someone said before he should be used out on the left of the strikers where he is most comfortable.
Wish I could think like that marra, I don't think his heart is in sunderland? I would love to see watmore replace him.
People say he had no support at Burnley but at one point he had a man over to his left and all he had to do was play him in and it was almost certainly a goal. He didn't even see him. He's so desperate to score it's clouding his decision making and awareness of players in better positions.
Strikers need to be selfish, so maybe Whicks can be forgiven, once he starts scoring all will be well, and he needs help to get there. Jozy has had his chance really has and needs to be moved on he is not premiership quality.
I wouldn't say he was top class mate. He did a few things right and still got a lot wrong. Fletcher put the ball on his head perfectly and thank god he nailed the header. Of the two I think Fletcher had the better game. Wickham was going over far to easy again and falling over the ball. We had a great break going with options either side of him but he decided to wack the ball at the defender from miles out. His run for our last was better, sheer persistence got him into a dangerous area.
I wouldnt say that mate. People on here were basing their opinion on Connor from the season so far leading up to todays games. He had a blinder today, and long may it continue then threads like this wont need to be done anymore.
Top replies, if Whicks keeps up this level of display we may even see a profit on him if he decides to leave, its win win, onwards and upwards.
