Turner staying & Westwood Number One

STEVE Bruce insists he will not be selling Michael Turner, despite mounting speculation linking the defender with Bolton Wanderers.

Turner was a notable omission from the Sunderland squad that secured a 2-1 friendly win at Scottish side Kilmarnock last night, with Bolton boss Owen Coyle understood to be considering a formal offer for his services.

But Bruce has urged supporters not to read anything into the 27-year-old's absence from Rugby Park, claiming last season's knee problem is forcing him to be cautious when it comes to planning the centre-half's pre-season schedule.

The Black Cats boss admits there are a number of players he is looking to move on, but insists Turner, a £4m signing from Hull City in 2009, is not one of them.

"There are players we'd like to move on, but Michael definitely does not fall into that category," said Bruce, who watched goals from Stephane Sessegnon and Connor Wickham secure victory over a Kilmarnock side that kicked off the SPL season last Saturday.

"I think we all know who I'm talking about - Nyron Nosworthy, Matt Kilgallon and George McCartney all need to go and play somewhere.

"They're the ones who we'll look to move on, but none of my first-team squad and certainly not Michael Turner. I want all of our big players to stay.

"The thing about Michael is that he's a big lad and he's been out for a long time. It's fair to say that he still needs more games, but he's coming back from a serious knee injury and it's important that we don't rush him."

Last night's game provided a valuable work out, with Keiren Westwood and Wes Brown making their first appearances in a Sunderland shirt and Wickham grabbing his first goal for the club.

The only blight came courtesy of a muscular injury to Phil Bardsley, but despite the Scotland international leaving the field before the interval, Bruce does not expect him to be sidelined for long.

"I don't think there's any real problem," he said. "We expect Phil to be back in training in the next couple of days. He's tweaked an adductor muscle, but after speaking to the medical staff, we don't think it's anything too serious at all."

Last night's game was arranged specifically to enable some of the players who missed out on the recent tour of Germany to secure some much-needed match practice ahead of the new campaign.

To that end, Westwood and Brown made their debuts, while Asamoah Gyan enjoyed his first outing since the end of last season.

Westwood has leapt above both Simon Mignolet and Craig Gordon in the goalkeeping pecking order, and the Republic of Ireland international is expected to be between the sticks when the real action begins at Anfield in two-and-a-half weeks time.

He was rarely tested yesterday, mopping up a handful of speculative long-range efforts and generally handling himself well whenever a long ball was hurled into the box.

He was beaten in the 49th minute, but was hardly to blame as Garry Hay curled a 20-yard free-kick into the top right-hand corner after Brown had been penalised for handball.

Like Westwood, Brown is also expected to be in the starting line-up to face Liverpool, although it remains to be seen whether the versatile defender is selected at right-back or centre-half.

He played in the centre last night, partnering Anton Ferdinand, and while he displayed inevitable signs of ring rust before his withdrawal shortly before the hour, his versatility is likely to be a major asset.

Ahead of the back four, Sunderland's personnel and tactics provided a strong hint as to how Bruce is intending to set up his first-choice side this season.

The midfield four of Seb Larsson, Lee Cattermole, David Vaughan and Steed Malbranque could well find themselves reunited at Anfield, with substitute Craig Gardner the only player likely to force an alteration in the next two weeks.

Further forward, Sessesgnon played in the hole behind lone striker Gyan, and for all that Bruce has praised both Wickham and Ji Dong-Won in recent weeks, it would appear that 4-4-1-1 is likely to be his formation of choice in the early weeks of the campaign.

Sessegnon was arguably Sunderland's most impressive player in Germany, and the Benin international caught the eye again last night, with his pace and movement repeatedly stretching the Kilmarnock defence.

A 28th-minute dribble would have set up a goal for Gyan had Killie goalkeeper Anssi Jaakkola not produced an excellent reflex save, but Sessegnon broke the deadlock himself when he made a similarly effective surge eight minutes later.

Twisting and turning past two defenders on the edge of the area, the African displayed commendable assurance to clip home his third goal of pre-season.

Hay's free-kick levelled things, but Wickham restored Sunderland's advantage with his first goal since joining in an £8m move from Ipswich.

The youngster had been on the field for 20 minutes when he outpaced a static Kilmarnock defence to convert Ahmed Elmohamady's low cross from close range.

SUNDERLAND (4-4-2): Westwood; Bardsley (Elmohamady 36), Brown (Laing 58), Ferdinand, Richardson (Colback 66); Larsson, Cattermole (Gardner 66), Vaughan, Malbranque (Ji 58); Sessegnon; Gyan (Wickham 58).

Sub (not used): Mignolet (gk).

 

Good to hear imo, I don't see Turner being a regular starter if Brown, O'Shea and Titus are fit but he's excellent cover! Well done Bruce!

 

Nowhere does Bruce say that westwood is n1....
Glad turner will be staying.

 

I did not say Bruce did say it, the article does

 

Without any real inside knowledge I am convinced Bruce will start with Bramble and Turner at centre half if fit. It was his preferred combination until injury last year, and bar the mags game (where nobody played well!) I think they were really good together.

I really can see him playing the 2 Man U lads as full backs, with Bardlsey missing out. Big call I know leaving player of the year out but Bruce despite coming round to him never really fancied him.

This by no means writes off the l ikes of Bardsley, Ferdinand, Laing etc. We have seen that injuries blight us more than most so these lads will more than likely manage 15-20 games apiece!!

Interesting thought the other day, I wonder if he considers O'Shea in midfield. I remember seeing him do a cracking job there for Man U in Europe. I know we have a lot of midfielders but if Catts is out surely he is an option to sit in front of the back 4. Especially against the top sides with the classier midfields when we want to flood it.

 

we also have the added fact of Liverpool being our first game, we all know how much Mn U love Liverpool and Brown and O'Shea will still carry that love

 

Looks like Malbranque is staying. Good!

 

I think we will see Brown at centre half, we are blessed in the RB department with Bardo, OShea, Elmo. I was talking to my uncle last night who is a regular at old Trafford and he does not rate Brown at all especially at full back. He said he is ok for cover but can be a liability. He was more positive about OShea but still thought he was past his best.

 

Thing is though, Brown has taken a step down by coming to Sunderland so may well shine compared to what we're used to. It's all well and good saying he looks out of place as a Man U centre back but when you get compared to the likes of Vidic and Ferdinand it's hardly surprising. I'm looking forward to seeing Brown and think he'll prove many of his doubters wrong.

 

Uncles, what do they know, I'm one so that says it all