Match Day Thread Hannover 96 Vs Sunderland

I watched it, had a few drinks and a think, watched it again, and it was by far the best performance of this pre-season. Lens looks a live wire and, yes, better than what we're used to. Coates and Kaboul are a million times better than Cheat O'Shea (look again at 1:32:17. I don't know why he doesn't get ropes and crampons and learn to climb his opponent properly). If ever Sunderland are looking comfortable (ha, I wish!) I'd like to see either Coates or Kaboul withdrawn and young Beadling blooded. I've been impressed with that lad's composure this close-season, and frankly Cheat O'Shea is just an embarrassment I can easily live without ever again. Up front? ... I'm going to leave that. Like it or not, we still miss Bent, don't we? That remains the essential problem for Sunderland.

 

There was very little in the game that bent could have fed off. The two loans of M'Vila and Fer should solve our midfield problems nicely leaving a nice fat sum to invest in a striker who can both drop short to develop play and be dangerous in and around the box. That's if these loans come in, but if they do things are falling into place nicely with only a striker and maybe a covering LB needed.

Coates and Kaboul looked solid as a rock and agree 100% on Beadling, he looks nippy.

 

Exactly Sunderland's problem. Bent didn't need many feeds - his career average was around 1 in 2 games, even playing with dummies like Kenwyne at a place like Sunderland. So, we can either scour the world for a new Bent, or we can spend a bomb on a midfield which will over create so that Defoe can score his average 1 in 3 or Fletcher can score his 1 in god knows how many. Recovering our goalscoring facility remains the priority though, whichever way we go about it.

 

But our midfield targets are loans, leaving extra cash . For me bent's build up play wasn't good enough as a result 90% of our goals were from him meaning our goals for tally wasn't that great, I want a bit of both(usefull in and out of the box) as the modern game demands the goals come from everywhere, it's too easy to mark a poacher out of the game these days imo, it's why strikers rarely hit 15 league goals these days and if poaching is all he can do then the team has problems. Just my way of seeing it like.

 

Totally agree about recovering a goal-scoring facility Relic.

But the game has moved on, even from Bent's time with us, and harping on about a Bent-type player in our squad is pointless.

Hate to say this, but Defoe might turn out to be not such a great buy for us (and I was probably more ecstatic last window than anyone else when he signed up), but it wouldn't surprise me if he moved on before the window closed. He probably won't, but it wouldn't come as a shock to me if it happens (talk about hedging my bets, how did I do there? )

I'm not really convinced that he's Dick's sort of player anyway.

I still think there are some shock ins and outs to come this window, irrespective of what happens in the next 2-3 days, with these apparent, almost done deals!

 

Wickham going after signing a new contract shows nobody is safe.

 

Hello mate - glad to see you posting. First let me say I'm not harping on about Bent at all - I can't imagine he'd even consider coming back here after the bile and spite SAFC supporters have shown him anyway. But I question all this talk about how much the game has changed - Wickham didn't do badly in that role just fifteen months ago, did he?

I'm not sure what the answer is. It might be another poacher, or it might be something from 'the game has changed' book. That's a decision for Advocaat and Congerton to make, not us. But you can't even mention that Bent is missed even in passing on here without a guaranteed excuse for why that's wrong. For example, Funky has just said Bent's build-up play wasn't very good which meant our goals for tally was low. But in 2010, our goals for was 48 (32 at home and 16 away) whereas our goals for tally last season was 42. And to my mind, that denial is holding us back from addressing the problem that has existed for four long years, whether we admit it or not. We need to get past this, admit the loss, and solve the damn thing.

(Funky - please note that I used your point as an example only. The problem I'm on about is far more widespread than you and I know that. I hope you're not offended)

I'm not so sure you're wrong about Defoe, Blunham. I wouldn't be too surprised if he went either. What I am sure about is I'm glad to see you posting.

 

No worries fella and not at all.

Bent Scored 24 of the goals that season 50% of our goals. Who's a poacher, who a. we can afford the fee, b. afford the wages and c. would be happy not to play CL football. Do you suggest we sign? Bare in mind the price bracket of 10-15 goal strikers at the moment? I don't think he exists, otherwise every club in the league would be all over him. I think it's a pipe dream, poachers aren't getting those kinds of goals anymore, that's why teams want forwards with an all round game imo.

You want a 24 goal a season striker you're waiting on us stumbling on one by chance like every other team hoping to discover the right formula to deliver the goals, in the meantime strikers who can actually play are in demand because they can aid in general play to help others score. Pelle bagged 12 goals last season, his teammates scored 34. That's 46 goals, 2 short of the 48 you mentioned. Teams can't afford players who can take care of 50% of their goals so they build a team capable of compensating for that. I think that's what we need to do as this magical goal machine is completely unattainable. Except maybe Austin(he can play a bit too) which is why QPR hold all the cards. Bet Austin goes to a top 6 club for 20m+ on wages which smashes our own limit.

Kind of chuckled at the Denial comments fella as because I was thinking similar about those who think we can sign 20+ goal striker.

 

Funk, which strikers scored more than 20 in the Prem last season?

Aguero, Costa, Rooney? Austin?

 

More than 20? Just Aguero and Kane mate.

Costa got 20, Austin18 and Sanchez 16. Nobody else even hit 15

 

The era of the goal machine is gone.

 

The last time more than 3 players hit over twenty was 09/10 season and one of them was Darren Bent.

 

Was going to quote someone but I'd have to quote about the last 15 posts!! Everyone says "need a 15 goal striker" about teams in the mid table/bottom end of the league. Not possible! As per all of the posts above! 15 goal strikes are a myth now for teams like us. We need a solid foundation and goals from all over.

Also agree that Defoe may not be what we need!

 

A 10 to 15 will be our top end if we splash out. We have one in Defoe imo if he's given the service, but I'd like one who can contribute more than goals and is adaptable.

 

That's sort of what I was on about to @The Relic about the game moving on since then.

It's all about squad rotation these days if you can afford it for most of the consistently top half teams, meaning fewer games and fewer goals per player. And us mere mortals can't afford the 20+ strikers now.