January is biggest ever for Black Cats
Article by Ben Mummery
Still rooted to the bottom of the league, and with only fourteen points from twenty fixtures, history is firmly set against any chance Sunderland might have of surviving the relegation trapdoor come the end of the season. There have been startling problems with the makeup of the squad all season, and even since the arrival or Gus Poyet, who few could deny is getting the best out of his current crop of players, there are still glaring issues on show for all to see when Sunderland take to the pitch. The lack of attacking creativity, the lack of a specialist left back, and the toothless strike force available to the manager for starters.
So where do Sunderland go from here, and what can the club look for in the January window to help secure their premier league status for another season?
Over the weeks running up to the mid-term transfer window opening, the club had issued statements advising fans not to expect enormous spending or a host of new names, especially given the previous regime had seen fit to import fourteen new players in the summer. This is not altogether unreasonable, however Sunderland are in their most dire hour of need, and whether the key is to ship out some lesser used squad members in order to secure one or two crucial players, or to go for broke and splash the cash, remains to be seen. One thing is for certain to all fans, the current group of first team players are not of sufficient caliber to keep the club from avoiding the drop!
One piece of business has already been completed, with the arrival of former Spanish U21 international “Marcos Alonso” this week. A specialist left back, Alonso has played in England with Bolton Wanderers, and has a decent pedigree in Spain, however his impact on the Sunderland team remains to be seen. Another victim of the rumor mill this week has been striker Steven Fletcher, who is linked with Celtic, as well as Tottenham, however Poyet has been quick to pour cold water on these links, saying he is in no position to be losing a key striker at this stage.
The possible recall of Frenchman “Alfred N’Daiye” is another possibility for Poyet, however the gaffer has again moved to suggest this could be something he will consider in the summer.
Defense is not a major concern for Sunderland however, and all who watch them play can see that there has been an enormous improvement in the organization of the back four, as well as the way the side look to play the ball out from the back. It is fair to say that Sunderland’s possession football is now in very good order, however the main problem on all fan’s mind is the lack of goals, many believing this stems from the lack of attacking “flair” in the midfield. With Di Canio seeing fit to release Stephane Sessegnon in the summer, there has been little on display in terms of penetrative attacking football from the center of the pitch. The most important player to Sunderland must be a midfielder, or “No.10” if you will, someone who can find a gap, or create a chance to put the ball on a plate for the likes of Fletcher to find the goals the club so desperately needs. If the manager, director of football and board of directors get one thing right in January, this must be it.
So who is this mystery man? Where can he be found, and what would it take to bring a player to the league’s bottom club? The reality is, there is only a four point gap to relative “safety” at present, and with fellow strugglers West Ham and Fulham suffering heavy defeats of late and seemingly doing little about addressing these problems, the opportunity is still there for Sunderland to close this gap. To a player looking to perhaps restart their career, or make a point to a club where they get little game time, maybe the chance to come and save a team from the drop could be a real no brainer? If so, a loan transfer from one of the league’s top ten sides could be an option?
However the club choose to address this, the fans are left with no option but to trust the head coach, the scouting network, and hope for the best. One thing is for certain, without goals, in timely and plentiful supply, the Black Cats are looking down the barrel of a humiliating relegation.
© e-Football 2013 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of e-Football
Still rooted to the bottom of the league, and with only fourteen points from twenty fixtures, history is firmly set against any chance Sunderland might have of surviving the relegation trapdoor come the end of the season. There have been startling problems with the makeup of the squad all season, and even since the arrival or Gus Poyet, who few could deny is getting the best out of his current crop of players, there are still glaring issues on show for all to see when Sunderland take to the pitch. The lack of attacking creativity, the lack of a specialist left back, and the toothless strike force available to the manager for starters.
So where do Sunderland go from here, and what can the club look for in the January window to help secure their premier league status for another season?
Over the weeks running up to the mid-term transfer window opening, the club had issued statements advising fans not to expect enormous spending or a host of new names, especially given the previous regime had seen fit to import fourteen new players in the summer. This is not altogether unreasonable, however Sunderland are in their most dire hour of need, and whether the key is to ship out some lesser used squad members in order to secure one or two crucial players, or to go for broke and splash the cash, remains to be seen. One thing is for certain to all fans, the current group of first team players are not of sufficient caliber to keep the club from avoiding the drop!
One piece of business has already been completed, with the arrival of former Spanish U21 international “Marcos Alonso” this week. A specialist left back, Alonso has played in England with Bolton Wanderers, and has a decent pedigree in Spain, however his impact on the Sunderland team remains to be seen. Another victim of the rumor mill this week has been striker Steven Fletcher, who is linked with Celtic, as well as Tottenham, however Poyet has been quick to pour cold water on these links, saying he is in no position to be losing a key striker at this stage.
The possible recall of Frenchman “Alfred N’Daiye” is another possibility for Poyet, however the gaffer has again moved to suggest this could be something he will consider in the summer.
Defense is not a major concern for Sunderland however, and all who watch them play can see that there has been an enormous improvement in the organization of the back four, as well as the way the side look to play the ball out from the back. It is fair to say that Sunderland’s possession football is now in very good order, however the main problem on all fan’s mind is the lack of goals, many believing this stems from the lack of attacking “flair” in the midfield. With Di Canio seeing fit to release Stephane Sessegnon in the summer, there has been little on display in terms of penetrative attacking football from the center of the pitch. The most important player to Sunderland must be a midfielder, or “No.10” if you will, someone who can find a gap, or create a chance to put the ball on a plate for the likes of Fletcher to find the goals the club so desperately needs. If the manager, director of football and board of directors get one thing right in January, this must be it.
So who is this mystery man? Where can he be found, and what would it take to bring a player to the league’s bottom club? The reality is, there is only a four point gap to relative “safety” at present, and with fellow strugglers West Ham and Fulham suffering heavy defeats of late and seemingly doing little about addressing these problems, the opportunity is still there for Sunderland to close this gap. To a player looking to perhaps restart their career, or make a point to a club where they get little game time, maybe the chance to come and save a team from the drop could be a real no brainer? If so, a loan transfer from one of the league’s top ten sides could be an option?
However the club choose to address this, the fans are left with no option but to trust the head coach, the scouting network, and hope for the best. One thing is for certain, without goals, in timely and plentiful supply, the Black Cats are looking down the barrel of a humiliating relegation.
© e-Football 2013 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of e-Football
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