[polldaddy poll=9742072][polldaddy poll=9742072][polldaddy poll=9742072][polldaddy poll=9742072]
NB: the fourth and fifth answers were added by readers. I cannot cast the vote those readers gave themselves so they – plus others if in agreement – should tick the relevant box now
We’re down and demoralised. Yes, we beat Hull. We may even win another game to salvage more pride, but probably not a place higher than 20th.
Some will put a gloss on relegation – “at least we’ll see some wins and some goals” – but we all know where we’d rather be next season.
It is obviously too soon to form a clear view of how we will fare in the Championship but let’s all have a quick first stab at assessing our chances. if you also add a comment below, there may be a prize in it for someone.
We have arguably frittered away Premier League status, for which our various tiers of management really must be congratulated, and now there’s no guarantee we’ll even make much of a stab at keeping our best players.
But then the players concerned have to look out for themselves, even if they have hardly covered themselves in glory in the Sunderland shirt. Who goes back to the clubs that loaned them? Adnan Januzaj (good riddance), Javier Manquillo (better of late, so good luck) and Jason Denayer (put in a few shifts, so ditto)
Our marketable assets: Jordan Pickford, Lamine Kone, Didier Ndong and – if it is not really true that some woodentop gave him a guarantee of a free transfer – Jermain Defoe.
David Moyes talks of Jordan Pickford needing to stay to maintain regular first-team action. He may not get it at top four clubs but would certainly fancy his chances at the midtablers reportedly chasing him, too. Love him, to stay; fully understand if he feels he must go.
What that leaves hardly bares thinking about. A Keano-style exploration of the market is absolutely necessary. He got it spot-on; can Moyes?
Offer us your thoughts ….
We have too many injury prone players and there is a lack of pride, heart and courage.
If Moyes stays, I doubt his ability to find decent players, I hope I am wrong. We need a manager with the same attitude Denis Smith had when he took over a club full of fear, blending hungry young players mixed with battle hardened experience.
Borini is another passenger,Jones.Larson.O’Shea they cant go through a season in the Championship.As for Pienaar and Lescott..free tranfer them,,,no-one wants them so why pay for them to just sit on their arses all season.I would keep Kirchoff,he is a good player,I know hes injury prone,but give him a 1 year contract and if he breaks down we arent stuck with him…Anichebe,N’Dong Khazri,Oviedo and Defoe if he stays,I would keep them,also Watmore and the rest of the youngsters.I would also keep Mannoe but I think he’ll head back to Italy. Its going to be tough. As for Moyes he has to go,,I would go for Big Sam again..He isnt going to stay at palace,they are a mickey mouse club….I hope in my heart that we do get out of the mess were in and get back where we should be,with some hard graft and get this club running like a proper football club….Fingers crossed.
We need players who can grind out wins in the Championship,its not an easy task getting out,some of the players we have will be able to do that,some wont and we all know who they are.As for Pickford,he’s sniffed the international stage and he’ll want more.So he will move on,I think he will go to Arsenal,they need to rebuild a bit.I would give the youngsters a chance,maybe not all at once,they are good enough.Newcastle won it,but they have to buy to stay there and they have players that are not premier league players but good championship ones,maybe we should look at a few of them.As for who I would keep,Kone if he gets his mind on doing a job,Cattermole is a must,we will need him in the trench warfare we are about to enter next season.Players like Lens,Djilobodji and Rodwell have got to be sold,they are always injured and have done nothing for the team
Far too early to make any educated assessment. We need to see the players that are brought in and the ones who leave. We will have a better idea by then. Recruitment is the key to any success next season as both Keane and Benitez have shown.
Hey Pete but when there’s nothing better to say, I have to say something. No one here wants to know my views on the French election
Might be worth offering Buckley a contract, Championship is obviously his level.