Peadar O’SullivanCould we ask for more than a 1-0 win at Aston Villa, a place where we often struggle? The latest post-match missive from Steve Bruce explains why the obvious answer, sadly, is yes …
For Match of the Day viewers, there was a miss, a goal, a couple of sendings off and not much else.
For Sunderland supporters, it was an important win on the road with a massive double downside.
Even on a busy Premier night, it seems perverse of the BBC to have ignored two worrying injuries as if they hadn’t happened.
We should know later just how bad they are but Danny Welbeck is potentially out for two months with a torn hamstring while, worse still, the highly promising David Meyler, pictured, appears to have ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament again so soon after recovering from the same injury.
Steve Bruce’s post-match thoughts include a renewed demand for what the French call la trêve, a winter break to ease demands on players’ bodies …
Dear Colin,
It was a great result and thoroughly deserved. I have to pay my defenders a compliment because another clean sheet has got us another victory on the road.
We had that bit of luck when Heskey hit the bar and maybe that was a turning point, but with the amount of chances we created in the second half I thought it was only a matter of time until we scored.
I didn’t think it would come from Phil, but it was a great strike. Also we had two or three other chances before that which could have gone in.
We have had a great time recently but the injuries we’ve picked up are the downside.
I’ve been saying it for a month now – if you ask players to play tired, you get injuries.
David Meyler’s the big one for me and I’m devastated for him. We think David has ruptured his ACL again which is terrible news.
All the best,
Steve Bruce
Monsieur Salut
McCartney? Is he back from Leeds?
I tend to agree with Sobs. He might have to pick any 11 that are fit come the weekend.
Malcolm – for once, I think Bruce would be justified in picking a “weaker” team. Most times I’d disagree with this, but with the perverse luck we’re having with injuries this season, I could see Bent and Henderson leaving the SoL in the ambulance should they be picked for the County game. Unless, of course, he thinks we can cruise along to a top eight finish but need to work hard to win the Cup
With all the long term injuries amongst the squad at the moment, and the noises SB is making about heavy schedules and a winter break, I am now expecting a depleted team for the Notts County game. I fully expect Angeleri to start and maybe Da Silva unless the plan is to keep him fit for transfer. Also one or two of the younger players with squad numbers not to mention any of our returning loanees. With Welbeck and Meyler both out and Zenden suspended then a midfield of Elmohamady, Riveros, Cook, Malbranque and Reid is a possibility.
I suspect that the manager is already considering a team along the lines of Mignolet, Angeleri, Ferdinand, Da Silva, McCartney, Elmohamady, Malbranque, Cook, Riveros, Reid, Healey.
So far it has not been Bruce’s policy to pick understrength teams but with our current league position and half the first choice picks in the treatment room who could blame him if he adopts a safety first approach?
Why are we getting so many injuries? Steve Bruce puts it down to all the games we have to play in a short period of time.I don’t go along with that excuse after all we have been playing these festive games since I started watching Sunderland in the 60’s. Why have no other premier teams(apart from Blackbrn) had the same injury problems.Is it not the way we play practice matches in training? I have watched a number of these and you would not think it was a practice match! I believe that football teams train to much and play too many football games in training.Cut these out and give the muscles time to relax a bit.It seems that they train every day now and I don’t think that this is necessary.The body can only take so much!