Sixer Says: McNair stars, Talbot assured as Sunderland overcome Hertha Berlin

Sleek Sixer savours a Sunderland success

Pete Sixsmith is beginning to see some Sunderland wins. Sadly, they are not so far in the Championship. Maybe that will change on Saturday when proper football returns after the tedious international break. The Under 23s overcame a strong challenge from Hertha Berlin and a returning Paddy McNair caught Sixer’s eye, as did Duncan Watmore and a young keeper he thinks we may hear a lot more of …

Last night saw a welcome return of the Premier League International Cup as we hosted Hertha Berlin at the Stadium of Light for our opening game.

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Sixer Says: two cheers for Watmore as Under 23s lose to West Ham

 

Sleek Sixer now …

Monsieur Salut writes: in fact there were many more cheers for a decent 70-minute outing for Duncan. The crowd watching the Sunderland Under 23s against West Ham appreciated his running, his passion and the mere fact that he’s back. If Pete Sixsmith offers two cheers not three, it is because he also noticed a familiar Watmore failing: what to do at the end of one of his bursts of speed that leave opponents trailing behind. But it will be good to have his flair and his commitment back in the side.

I wrote recently about the death of a friend and former colleague Charlie Whebell, a West Ham supporter of the old school. He’d have enjoyed watching his young ‘uns remind everyone of the importance of taking chances (and been impressed by the willingness of the subs to chat to spectators) …

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Moyes on the Boys v Leicester: we beat the Champions but let’s not get carried away

Moyes On The Boys

John McCormick  writes….. 
I was at our previous  game, which we lost. We did, however, have the semblance of a team and it was our first loss in three games, against a full-on Liverpool team. So full on, in fact, that I endured loads of stick on Monday from deluded scousers who, having listened to Klopp, thought we did nothing but defend. But I knew better and had a feeling we would show what we could do when we played the Premier League champions.

Not that it matters what I think. The really important words come from our manager, who writes to Colin (and maybe one or two others) immediately after each game. And Colin, in his turn, passes the letter on to his team so we can share it with you:

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Duncan Watmore’s challenge: score a (winning) goal like this against Hull City

With thanks to the YouTube pages of ExplosiveLemonz

All season, many of us have watched in admiration some of Duncan Watmore’s approach play, his tenacity and his sheer enthusiasm only to be disappointed, as he clearly is, by the lack of end product.

That wasted final ball, the missed opportunity to shoot, the tendency to run a shade too far or let the ball roll beyond him – each of these has happened in games and a bright lad like Watmore did not need Monsieur Salut to tell him so.

So just click on the clip above and savour a moment of finesse he produced in an England Under 21 game.

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