Sunderland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours

Paully D

amiable wrote: »

Nearly every transfer is a risk to some degree.
A dumb priest never got a parish
Fair play to Bruce imo for thinking outside the box

Very true mate.

To be fair, Bruce has been excellent in the transfer market for the most part of his career and outstanding with Sunderland. Perhaps he thought he'd have some success with the South American's like he did at Wigan with Palacios, Valencia, Figueroa etc and in fairness the most he's spent on any South American at Sunderland is £2.5m which is pocket change in the Premier League.

Also, his chief scout in South America sadly passed away last October so that will have had an impact too.

Paully D

Next seasons new home kit is being revealed on Friday:

http://www.safc.com/news/20110315/new-home-kit-set-to-be-unveiled_2256213_2316472

BeanFlicker

Paully D wrote: »

Next seasons new home kit is being revealed on Friday:

http://www.safc.com/news/20110315/new-home-kit-set-to-be-unveiled_2256213_2316472

They'll probably just release parts of it running for a week, thought umbro done a good job on the current seasons kit.

Angeleri got called up to the Argentina squad, Am I missing something, he hasn't made are subs bench in the last two games & I think he's made two sub appearances that were, well, awkward.!

Been reading somewhere too, that its looking good on keeping Danny Welbeck for another season loan, hopefully put in some clause for a future fee

Paully D

Just seen a thread on RTG from a reliable source that gives us the following information:

It's looking like Cattermole will probably be starting on Sunday with Steed dropping to the bench if it happens.

No decision made on Welbeck starting yet, but he has trained all week.

Onouha's 50-50 but hasn't trained much this week.

It's looking like this will be the team based on current information:

Mignolet

Onuoha/Ferdinand - Bramble - Mensah - Bardsley

Henderson - Cattermole - Muntari - Sessegnon

Gyan - Welbeck

If Welbeck isn't starting then I'd imagine Richardson will play off Gyan as has been the case for the last month.

If Cattermole doesn't make it then it will probably be Richardson playing off Gyan with Steed in the centre.

Paully D

Thoughts on the new home shirt?:



I really like it!

ctrl-alt-delete

It is a bit mad looking there where the name goes,

Not much they can do with red and white stripes, much like Blackburn's blue and whit halves,

but it looks decent alright!

Have my £10 ticket for Sunday, looking forward to a good result, some abuse being hurled at Carroll and hopefully a goal from Welbeck to win it

Paully D

I see Mensah has transformed into Sessegnon since we last played:

BeanFlicker

The jersey's not too bad but I don't like the zig zag design at the back, rather our current strip tbh.

Will there be a new away strip for next season?

Paully D

BeanFlicker wrote: »

The jersey's not too bad but I don't like the zig zag design at the back, rather our current strip tbh.

Will there be a new away strip for next season?

Yep I think so mate. AFAIK as part of the contract with Umbro we have to release a new home and away kit every season.

I've only got this seasons home shirt four weeks and now I'll have to pre-order this one as I think it's lovely

BeanFlicker

http://vimeo.com/21189453

What is Sess saying at 12 seconds, its fecking hilarious :D

Paully D

BeanFlicker wrote: »

http://vimeo.com/21189453

What is Sess saying at 12 seconds, its fecking hilarious :D

:pac:

I think he says ''the shirt I wear'' or ''the shirt we wear''. Impossible to say for definite though :pac:

Paully D

I've been told that this is how we're lining up tomorrow/today:

Mignolet

Bardsley Bramble Ferdinand Richardson

Henderson Muntari Cattermole Sessegnon

Welbeck Gyan

Bruce is still not 100% sure on Mensah, and will give him as long as he possible can to prove his fitness. He did some light training on Friday, but nothing too intense.

If Mensah starts, then Ferdinand could shift to right back, Bardsley on the left and Richardson to the bench. Alternatively, he could just swap directly with Ferdinand, with Ferdinand dropping to the bench and the full backs staying the same.

The above line-up is 100% the provisional line up as things stand, so it all comes down to how well Mensah comes through a fitness test tomorrow.

BeanFlicker

Strong line up that, really looking forward to seeing how Catts & Muntari work together in midfield, we've been lacking strength in the middle of the park, much better with Henderson on the right also

Subs bench probably will be?

Gordon
Elmo
Onouha
Zenden
Campbell/Steed
Riveros
Noble?

Nice..!:cool:

Paully D

Re-jig from last nights team. Mensah's fit enough to play and Cattermole doesn't start, according to SAFC.com :eek:

BeanFlicker

Paully D wrote: »

Re-jig from last nights team. Mensah's fit enough to play and Cattermole doesn't start, according to SAFC.com :eek:

Thats a big disappointment,

4-5-1 re-jig to 4-4-2 if needs be

Paully D

Mensah's red card has been rescinded:

http://www.safc.com/news/20110322/mensah-appeal-successful_2256213_2322111

The FA really must have thought we were hard done by, as that was a red card offence IMO. Doesn't make up for anything though!

BeanFlicker

Yea i'm surprised by that, SB probably helped the situation in the post-match interview, anyways Mensah was clumsy rather than being malicious.

Do you have any news on the injuries paully? They didn't look serious but can't seem to find the information

Paully D

BeanFlicker wrote: »

Yea i'm surprised by that, SB probably helped the situation in the post-match interview, anyways Mensah was clumsy rather than being malicious.

Do you have any news on the injuries paully? They didn't look serious but can't seem to find the information

Muntari travelled with Ghana so must be ok, Bardsley pulled out of the Scotland squad with a knee injury and is due to have scan today I think and Richardson has a hamstring injury.

I'm almost sure there's an update on the club website as that's where I read the above so I'll have a look and put it up for you mate.

EDIT - Here it is:

http://www.safc.com/news/20110322/injuries-not-as-bad-as-first-feared-_2256213_2321767

ctrl-alt-delete

Paully D wrote: »

Mensah's red card has been rescinded:

http://www.safc.com/news/20110322/mensah-appeal-successful_2256213_2322111

The FA really must have thought we were hard done by, as that was a red card offence IMO. Doesn't make up for anything though!

I didn't actually think it was a red card offence if I'm being honest,

Yeah he was last man, and it was a goalscoring opportunity, but I think Suarez manufactured that coming together and that was his sole intention.

Bottom of the form table still - will it turn out like last season when it went to 14 (i think) games without a win,

Shouldn't have got my hopes up early doors! but with not being a Sunderland fan i didn't know any better

amiable

ctrl-alt-delete wrote: »

Yeah he was last man, and it was a goalscoring opportunity, but I think Suarez manufactured that coming together and that was his sole intention.

If that is true then it isn't a foul either surely?

IMHO i thought it was probably a yellow card and seeing as he was on a yellow already he would have gone anyway?
And doesn't 2 yellow cards carry the same ban as a straight red for a professional foul?

ctrl-alt-delete

amiable wrote: »

If that is true then it isn't a foul either surely?

IMHO i thought it was probably a yellow card and seeing as he was on a yellow already he would have gone anyway?
And doesn't 2 yellow cards carry the same ban as a straight red for a professional foul?

No a double yellow sending off is only a one game ban, straight red is a 3 game isn't it?

I don't think it was a foul - i think they both got in each others way, again it was a Linesman's decison!

The game was full of crazy decisons.

The decison to play the advantage after Carroll was taken out of it, let Liverpool get the shot in, and then bring it back because they didn't score? baffling

Also right in front of me the ball deflected off a Sunderland player, then off a Liverpool player and out for a throw, right in front of that sending off linesman too might I add, and he gave a Liverpool throw. It is hard to explain the feeling when a thousand and one people see it right in front of them, and the one who happens to be the man who makes the decision saw it a different way or probably as it appears didn't see it at all

amiable

ctrl-alt-delete wrote: »

No a double yellow sending off is only a one game ban, straight red is a 3 game isn't it?

I don't think it was a foul - i think they both got in each others way, again it was a Linesman's decison!

The game was full of crazy decisons.

The decison to play the advantage after Carroll was taken out of it, let Liverpool get the shot in, and then bring it back because they didn't score? baffling

Also right in front of me the ball deflected off a Sunderland player, then off a Liverpool player and out for a throw, right in front of that sending off linesman too might I add, and he gave a Liverpool throw. It is hard to explain the feeling when a thousand and one people see it right in front of them, and the one who happens to be the man who makes the decision saw it a different way or probably as it appears didn't see it at all

I agree that there were some awful decisons in the game.
Nearly all went Liverpools way too.

AFAIK a straight red for a professional foul only carries a 1 game ban.
A straight red for something more serious like violent conduct carries a 3 game ban?

ctrl-alt-delete

amiable wrote: »

I agree that there were some awful decisons in the game.
Nearly all went Liverpools way too.

AFAIK a straight red for a professional foul only carries a 1 game ban.
A straight red for something more serious like violent conduct carries a 3 game ban?

It must be yeah, seems as though they are saying he would have only been missing for the Man City game!

Paully D

ctrl-alt-delete wrote: »

I didn't actually think it was a red card offence if I'm being honest,

Yeah he was last man, and it was a goalscoring opportunity, but I think Suarez manufactured that coming together and that was his sole intention.

Bottom of the form table still - will it turn out like last season when it went to 14 (i think) games without a win,

Shouldn't have got my hopes up early doors! but with not being a Sunderland fan i didn't know any better

From watching the replays it seems like Mensah does grab Suarez, all you have to do is blow on him for him to fall down though, and the referee was always going to give it considering he was giving them absolutely everything. At least it has been overturned anyway, but it really does prove that even The FA must have thought we were hard done by, as they usually do anything but overturn those type of decisions.

'amiable' is correct BTW, it is only a 1 game ban for a professional foul.

Ah there's no need to worry about us going that long without a win again mate. Home games to come against West Brom, Fulham, Wolves and Wigan and away games against Manchester City, Birmingham, Bolton and West Ham. Plenty of points to be picked up during that run-in. On paper we probably have the easiest run-in in the Premier League.

We'll finish top 10 still IMO, which would be fantastic progress considering we barely stayed up two seasons ago and we lost our top scorer in January.

Paully D

Niall Quinn's doing another talk-in tonight (he has this one and one more left) and Walton couldn't make it, so Bruce went in his place. There's almost 1,000 people after turning up and I've just seen on the forum that Bruce's first line was - ''There's more here tonight then there was in my whole time at Wigan''

:pac::pac::pac:

BeanFlicker

Welbeck & Henderson's goals against Denmark

Welbeck's is first, Henderson's fourth

http://www.fullgoals.com/

Good stuff from both, took their goals well

Paully D

BeanFlicker wrote: »

Welbeck & Henderson's goals against Denmark

Welbeck's is first, Henderson's fourth

http://www.fullgoals.com/

Good stuff from both, took their goals well

Cheers for that mate.

Fantastic stuff seeing them both score, both good goals too, especially Welbeck's.

Henderson really does look a different player when he's with the 21's, far more industrious and creative. Perhaps he benefits much more from playing with a very defensively minded CM partner in Muamba.

Paully D

Mignolet kept a clean sheet on his debut for Belguim last night and according to reports made a very good save from a 1-on-1 when the score was 0-1.

Final score was 0-2 to Belgium away to Austria.

amiable

Paully D wrote: »

Mignolet kept a clean sheet on his debut for Belguim last night and according to reports made a very good save from a 1-on-1 when the score was 0-1.

Final score was 0-2 to Belgium away to Austria.

I watched the game and he did well.
He's a good keeper IMO
Made a mistake last week but i bet he'll learn from it

Paully D

amiable wrote: »

I watched the game and he did well.
He's a good keeper IMO
Made a mistake last week but i bet he'll learn from it

Good to hear. Personally I think he's good too and will go on to become excellent.

He's certainly the best goalkeeper his age in the country IMO.

His signing was all down to our goalkeeping coach Nigel Spink who scouted him for a season, so credit to him for that and the work he has done with him since.

Paully D

Here's the tunnel camera from the England V Ghana game:

http://www.thefa.com/video/England/Mens-Seniors/2011/Ghana/Tunnel-Cam-England-v-Ghana

There doesn't seem to any ill feeling between Gyan and Bent or Mensah and Bent at all. I wonder if Mensah was giving Bent a warning when he was pointing the finger at him :P

Watching the clip made me miss Bent though, for some reason :mad: Just for a split second though and then I realised what he's really like

Paully D

The Sun are banned from SAFC now, and rightly too IMO. Accusing someone of racism can destroy their character, no matter how innocent they are. I hope Bruce takes the legal action he's threatening.

Full story here:

http://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/sunderland-afc/safc-news/sunderland_ban_the_sun_as_angry_steve_bruce_is_forced_to_deny_he_s_racist_1_3236687

BeanFlicker

Paully D wrote: »

Here's the tunnel camera from the England V Ghana game:

http://www.thefa.com/video/England/Mens-Seniors/2011/Ghana/Tunnel-Cam-England-v-Ghana

There doesn't seem to any ill feeling between Gyan and Bent or Mensah and Bent at all. I wonder if Mensah was giving Bent a warning when he was pointing the finger at him :P

Watching the clip made me miss Bent though, for some reason :mad: Just for a split second though and then I realised what he's really like

I know what ye mean mate, although pity Mensah didn't knock him out, all seemed in good spirit. Delighted for Gyan, superb finish, the 13million is a great bit of business considering the money being spent on players

Paully D wrote: »

The Sun are banned from SAFC now, and rightly too IMO. Accusing someone of racism can destroy their character, no matter how innocent they are. I hope Bruce takes the legal action he's threatening.

Full story here:

http://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/sunderland-afc/safc-news/sunderland_ban_the_sun_as_angry_steve_bruce_is_forced_to_deny_he_s_racist_1_3236687

It doesn't bode well for his character alright, its bulls**t to see the attack & playing the race card. There's eleven foreign nationals in the first team squad I think, with SB bringing in the majority of those. I hope he does take action.

Bye bye Angeleri,

Paully D

Squad for Manchester City game:

Mignolet, Gordon, Bardsley, Angeleri, Ferdinand, Bramble, Mensah, Turner, Muntari, Cattermole, Riveros, Henderson, Malbranque, Elmohamady, Sessegnon, Zenden, Colback, Gyan, Welbeck, Campbell, Noble, Knott.

Turner and Campbell back in the squad is great news. Very surprised to see Angeleri included after last weeks outburst.

BeanFlicker

I read somewhere but can't remember where that Angeleri comments got lost in translation (usual crap they spout),

If ye interested Niall Quinn on today fm with Matt Cooper from the 30/03
http://www.todayfm.com/shows/weekdays/matt-cooper/matt-cooper-blog.aspx?BlogTagID=406c9453-a3cd-46c8-b917-124230bd86d2

Interesting about the transfers & loans, 43million wage bill last year with 7million paid to players without kicking a ball.

Paully D

BeanFlicker wrote: »

I read somewhere but can't remember where that Angeleri comments got lost in translation (usual crap they spout),

If ye interested Niall Quinn on today fm with Matt Cooper from the 30/03
http://www.todayfm.com/shows/weekdays/matt-cooper/matt-cooper-blog.aspx?BlogTagID=406c9453-a3cd-46c8-b917-124230bd86d2

Interesting about the transfers & loans, 43million wage bill last year with 7million paid to players without kicking a ball.

Thanks for the link mate, I didn't even know he was on Matt Cooper so I'll have a listen to it later on.

The likes of Healy, Murphy etc will have contributed greatly to that figure and thankfully the majority of them have been moved on now!

What do you think for tomorrow?

BeanFlicker

Possible starting XIs:
Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, Milner, De Jong, Barry, Y Toure, Silva, Tevez.

Sunderland: Mignolet, Bardsley, Mensah, Bramble, Ferdinand, Muntari, Henderson, Richardson, Sessegnon, Welbeck, Gyan.

Form guide:
Man City: WLDWL
Sunderland: LLLDL

Not to positive to be honest mate, are run of form is dire with a serious lack of gaols, but we usually do well against the bigger teams. Hopefully Muntari & particularly Sess will start showing an end product today

Great news Campbell & Turner back, looking forward to seeing Campbell back in action.

I'm going for a untidy 1-1 result,

How do you seeing it panning out?

Paully D

BeanFlicker wrote: »

Possible starting XIs:
Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, Milner, De Jong, Barry, Y Toure, Silva, Tevez.

Sunderland: Mignolet, Bardsley, Mensah, Bramble, Ferdinand, Muntari, Henderson, Richardson, Sessegnon, Welbeck, Gyan.

Form guide:
Man City: WLDWL
Sunderland: LLLDL

Not to positive to be honest mate, are run of form is dire with a serious lack of gaols, but we usually do well against the bigger teams. Hopefully Muntari & particularly Sess will start showing an end product today

Great news Campbell & Turner back, looking forward to seeing Campbell back in action.

I'm going for a untidy 1-1 result,

How do you seeing it panning out?

Campbell picked up a knock in training apparently but has travelled anyway, it's unknown whether he'll be on the bench or not now, hopefully he is.

Team that apparently trained Friday and Saturday doing set pieces etc, so more than likely the starting 11:

Mignolet

Ferdinand Bramble Mensah Bardsley

Sessegnon Cattermole Muntari Henderson Welbeck

Gyan

No idea if it's 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 though, I'd guess the above will be how we'll line-up.

I'd be over the moon with a point, 0-0 or 1-0 City I reckon though in a very scrappy game.

Paully D

Terrible news, Bramble looking like being out for the season with cartlidge damage:

http://www.safc.com/news/20110403/double-injury-blow-for-cats_2256213_2330142

BeanFlicker

Paully D wrote: »

Terrible news, Bramble looking like being out for the season with cartlidge damage:

http://www.safc.com/news/20110403/double-injury-blow-for-cats_2256213_2330142

Fcking typical, just when we getting the full squad back.

Backstreet Moyes

Thinking of backing Wellbeck for the first goal, but can see him playing mostly on the left so il leave him off. Im a United fan so couldnt back a city player, so going to have to be Gyan for first goal.

Paully D

BeanFlicker wrote: »

Fcking typical, just when we getting the full squad back.

Have we ever had the option of fielding our 1st choice starting 11 since Bruce has taken over? I honestly don't think we have.

BeanFlicker

Nuts102 wrote: »

Thinking of backing Wellbeck for the first goal, but can see him playing mostly on the left so il leave him off. Im a United fan so couldnt back a city player, so going to have to be Gyan for first goal.

Stick a few euro on both, there the most likely to create difficulties & score

Paully D wrote: »

Have we ever had the option of fielding our 1st choice starting 11 since Bruce has taken over? I honestly don't think we have.

Yea highly unlikely that he has, I'd say we're one of the weakest squads in the PL for physicality. We're adding dept to the squad but are still lightweight, hopefully Short will back SB in the summer again

ctrl-alt-delete

Very worrying times for Sunderland now, the good start to the season will be the saver, but they must be looking of their shoulders now, this is akin to the bad run they had last season.

I'm worried for them.

- Still bottom of the form table,
- 6 defeats and a draw now from the last 7 games,
- Have not scored now in the last 4 games
- Behind Newcastle now in the table

Remaining fixtures are as follows:

West Brom - Home
Birmingham - Away
Wigan - Home
Fulham - Home
Bolton - Away
Wolves - Home
West Ham - Away


If you looked at that run in earlier in the season, you think great, a nice run in to push on for a possible European spot, that is how well it was going.

Now you look at it as a tough run in, full of teams that are battling for their own survival, coupled with two matches against decent teams in Bolton and Fulham.

Okay they are 6pts above the relegation zone, and have a favourable goal difference even with today's hammering, but you look at those games and they could prove to be what they like to call "6 pointers" and the 6point gap does not look as comfortable anymore.

On the other hand two wins against some of the struggler's which should be possible keeps Sunderland safe, I hope so, but as I said I'm worried.

BeanFlicker

ctrl-alt-delete wrote: »

Very worrying times for Sunderland now, the good start to the season will be the saver, but they must be looking of their shoulders now, this is akin to the bad run they had last season.

<snip>
If you looked at that run in earlier in the season, you think great, a nice run in to push on for a possible European spot, that is how well it was going.

Now you look at it as a tough run in, full of teams that are battling for their own survival, coupled with two matches against decent teams in Bolton and Fulham.

Okay they are 6pts above the relegation zone, and have a favourable goal difference even with today's hammering, but you look at those games and they could prove to be what they like to call "6 pointers" and the 6point gap does not look as comfortable anymore.

On the other hand two wins against some of the struggler's which should be possible keeps Sunderland safe, I hope so, but as I said I'm worried.

I'm pissed off after that, fcuking awful performance, grand for the players sure they get there wage at the end of the week.

None of them seemed up for it, with 2-0 down there was no spirit or interest for a comeback.

Henderson was muck, welbeck & gyan were anonymous, wtf was cattermole at for that goal, turner should of been sent off for a blatant handball, sess does nothing, muntari offers nothing, anton's jogging & lack of determination annoyed the **** out of me, mensah all over the place, elmo & his class crossing ****e, who have I left out....no fault to mig & colback & zenden tried hard

Like you said about pushing for Europe, its a long way away i'm afraid. The players we have at our disposal should be more than capable of better performances but like we've seen over the years we always get stuck in a rut & make life hard when we really should be pushing on.

It's nervy times once again when we should be out of any relegation threat but for some reason we now face an edgy 7 games remaining due to teams around us picking up points & us not performing.

However we are only three pts from 7th but at the moment that doesn't feel or look very realistic

Got to disagree about Sess huge difference coming from the french league into the premiership and think he has shown enough ability to show that next season he will be a very good addition. Henderson needs a rest from the team he offers very little at the moment. We badly need a win on saturday which I think we will do and then we can start looking up the table again.

yahoo_moe

I've always thought Bruce was a great manager and was enjoying Sunderland's great run earlier this year. But I have to agree with the above - they'd want to know fairly sharpish that they're still in danger.

What's the story with Gordon, by the way - no news on the SAFC site but is he due back yet?

Paully D

Firstly, I'd like to stress that whilst I would never think we're too good to go down (I've seen us relegated too many times to mention) I do think we'll be fine. West Brom will be a very tough game, but I feel we'll be fired up for it and will hopefully come away with the three points. I know many might not agree, but I don't think a point would be disastrous either.

To beat West Brom I think we'd be best served going with players who can keep possession of the ball. We've struggled to do that in recent weeks and for that reason I'd go back to basics with most of the side who served us well at the beginning,:

Mignolet

Onouha Turner Mensah Richardson

Al-Muhammadi Cattermole Zenden Malbranque

Gyan Welbeck

Players such as Sessegnon, Henderson and Muntari could do with a break and they'd be cracking players to come off the bench. Zenden and Steed are our best ball keepers IMO so they have to come in for me. Back to basics, get the three points on the board, and then rotate next week if needs be.

I'm aware that Bruce will likely choose an entirely different side to that and I have faith in it, but the above is what I'd go for.

It seems there isn't much balance in our side recently, and this article gives a great tactical insight into said (lack of) balance and also about our injury problems. Have a read and see what you think:

Talking Tactics - SAFC V Man City

Reacting To An Injury Crisis

It's interesting to note that the statistics prove that with Al-Muhammadi in the side that we're so much more balanced on the right hand side.

As for Sessegnon, I also think he has shown enough in glimpses to prove that he will be a good addition. I just think he's suffering from drifting all over the place (which he probably has been told to do). He'll be a big player in the future months and seasons IMO.

I'm nervously looking forward to the game on Saturday. We haven't had a 3pm Saturday kick-off for ages now so it will be good to get back to that from a supporters point of view.

I'm going to go for 2-0 Sunderland, and hopefully the fans won't turn if we're struggling after half an hour!

yahoo_moe wrote: »

I've always thought Bruce was a great manager and was enjoying Sunderland's great run earlier this year. But I have to agree with the above - they'd want to know fairly sharpish that they're still in danger.

What's the story with Gordon, by the way - no news on the SAFC site but is he due back yet?

Gordon seen a specialist about a month ago in Sweden about a recurring knee problem. He was given a number of exercises to do to see if that gives him any improvement, but if not he'd have to go under the knife to sort it. Word is that the exercises won't cure the problem and the club are trying to get him to go for the operation now and come back 100% for next season.

I reckon he'll be off for the operation soon as Mignolet is in good form. We'll probably wait another couple of weeks as if Mignolet suffers an injury we're ****ed, but I think in a few weeks we'll probably take a calculated risk and send him off for the operation.

I can't see Gordon playing again this season to be honest.

BeanFlicker

Deleted User wrote: »

Got to disagree about Sess huge difference coming from the french league into the premiership and think he has shown enough ability to show that next season he will be a very good addition. Henderson needs a rest from the team he offers very little at the moment. We badly need a win on saturday which I think we will do and then we can start looking up the table again.

It was more of a pessimistic rant after the game mate, very frustrated. Sess will be one for next season once he's embedded into the team & style of play, he will become an integral part of the team, just at the moment he is showing glimpses of quality but for the final product can be wasteful, not just him but the whole midfield.

BeanFlicker

Paully D wrote: »

To beat West Brom I think we'd be best served going with players who can keep possession of the ball. We've struggled to do that in recent weeks and for that reason I'd go back to basics with most of the side who served us well at the beginning,:

Mignolet

Onouha Turner Mensah Richardson

Al-Muhammadi Cattermole Zenden Malbranque

Gyan Welbeck

Players such as Sessegnon, Henderson and Muntari could do with a break and they'd be cracking players to come off the bench. Zenden and Steed are our best ball keepers IMO so they have to come in for me. Back to basics, get the three points on the board, and then rotate next week if needs be.

I'm aware that Bruce will likely choose an entirely different side to that and I have faith in it, but the above is what I'd go for.

<snip>

It's interesting to note that the statistics prove that with Al-Muhammadi in the side that we're so much more balanced on the right hand side.

Cheers for the links mate, doesn't make for positive reading. You hit it spot on, Elmo, Steed & Zenden are needed back in the first eleven for Saturday, our midfield have be dire over the past couple of games. Henderson looks jaded & in a bad need of a rest, & we need the experience of Steed & Zenden to hold up the ball & be creative.

The team needs a re-jig to wake them up, & I feel the three mentioned above would rejuvenate our season.

Hopefully SB read your post mate