Malcolm Dawson writes…..it’s part of the manager’s job to be upbeat and seek out the positives. He couldn’t quite do that last week but is back in the groove after two of the most schoolboyish of errors cost the team a point and bit more composure should have seen the Gunners punished for their own keeper’s howler. Were there any positives? Gus thinks so as his post match e-mail explains. You’ll get my views tomorrow as I fill in on Pete Sixsmith’s soapbox.
Dear Colin,
Today we needed to run a lot, fight, defend and react from last week and we did practically all of that except for forgetting to leave the mistakes behind.
Even if we didn’t create enough we were always a team on the pitch who were difficult to beat, but today we made two terrible mistakes and we lost the game.
We had to defend for 15 minutes because Arsenal were in possession, but they were not creating which was good for us to get stronger and get through the first 20 minutes.
Then we started going the other way, especially with Buckley, creating problems on the left side by getting crosses, corners and free kicks into the box.
However, then we conceded the first goal which was a real knock to the team but we held it and were a little more experienced, with the senior players controlling it better before going into the second half with the attitude of getting back into the game without making any more mistakes.
Unfortunately we made another one at the end which summarises our time right now in the league.
We were better organised and harder to play against with more desire and more commitment, so let’s think that last week was totally a one off.
Now we need to keep this belief and keep this desire and take the mistakes away from the games.
There are always opportunities and it is now the time to win games because we have only won one game in the league.
We are here to win football games – that is why we are here and that is what we are getting paid to do.
Thanks for your support,
Gus Poyet
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I would like to know when we are going to see our academy produce players who are capable of getting in to,our 1st team? When are we going to see Watmore.Agnew, Mandron and Robson on the bench.? Also when is Mavrias going to get some game time.
One mistake cost us a point. The second damaged GD but that’s all. Gus is right. We need to eliminate mistakes. If we do we’ll be OK.
To do better than OK we need to get a scorer, but that’s for another day
“I hope we stay up again, but it looks like another nail biting season”
It will be over by Christmas at this rate. Nails will be back good and strong by the end of April.
It’s our first loss at home this season. Our season isn’t shaped by away to Southampton or at home to Arsenal. The Arse have won four on the trot at SoL after all. So what’s needed is a reaction now. We’ve done OK against those teams around us eg Stoke, West Brom, Swansea etc. we need to continue to pick up points against the bottom 12 teams. Talk of relegation is premature. As West Ham have shown a few wins rocket teams up the table. This is where Gus earns his corn
This season is starting to look like all the rest and unless we turn it around soon we will be relegated this time . Miracles don’t happen twice .
Anyone else worried? I am. We look a disjointed team and third rate.
Southampton have taken the best forward path of any lower league team. I wish them goodwill despite what happened last weekend.
They are doing things within the correct resource bounds for sure, so good luck to them. But, where are Sunderland headed?
I hope we stay up again, but it looks like another nail biting season.