KJ has no excuses.
I would imagine most people would accept that was the best team that can be put out. Maybe a little discussion regarding White or Curtiss to start? Maybe Brown or Daniels? But that is just tinkering, and certainly not crucial. You end up with something very similar either way.
However, if you start off the season building your defence around Raggett and do not figure out that you have a systemic problem by this point in the season; then you will get what you deserve. He wasn't better than Wyke, they get a goal. It is as simple as that. If you want to win things you have to be better than the opposition where it really matters: minimum.
We do not have the players to guarantee being able to defend against a bog standard Corner kick. We lose.
It gets worse; until Curtiss was brought on we did not very seriously threaten their back four. That isn't to say he should have started, it is to say the players that did start aren't good enough to give Sunderland any serious problems at the back.
I believe that was the defining game. We aren't good enough. KJ played his hand as best as anyone could play that hand: but he chose that hand.
I think Sunderland have timed their run like Alex Ferguson could do, and I think they will probably get an automatic. That really hurts me to say, because there is only one team I definitely wanted to finish above, regardless of where we all end up; and it is them.
(10-03-2021, 12:25 AM)Frattoniser Wrote: [ -> ]KJ has no excuses.
I would imagine most people would accept that was the best team that can be put out. Maybe a little discussion regarding White or Curtiss to start? Maybe Brown or Daniels? But that is just tinkering, and certainly not crucial. You end up with something very similar either way.
However, if you start off the season building your defence around Raggett and do not figure out that you have a systemic problem by this point in the season; then you will get what you deserve. He wasn't better than Wyke, they get a goal. It is as simple as that. If you want to win things you have to be better than the opposition where it really matters: minimum.
We do not have the players to guarantee being able to defend against a bog standard Corner kick. We lose.
It gets worse; until Curtiss was brought on we did not very seriously threaten their back four. That isn't to say he should have started, it is to say the players that did start aren't good enough to give Sunderland any serious problems at the back.
I believe that was the defining game. We aren't good enough. KJ played his hand as best as anyone could play that hand: but he chose that hand.
I think Sunderland have timed their run like Alex Ferguson could do, and I think they will probably get an automatic. That really hurts me to say, because there is only one team I definitely wanted to finish above, regardless of where we all end up; and it is them.
If he didn’t create the squad, who did ffs?
I think of the current squad he inherited Bass, Whatmough and Close, so if Jackett didn't create the squad then I don't know who did.
It's his mess, aided and abetted by a CEO who, apparently, isn't aware of the current mood of the supporters, and at the end of the season they should all be held to account. It won't happen but there you go.
(10-03-2021, 08:38 AM)Rick Pumpkin Wrote: [ -> ]I think of the current squad he inherited Bass, Whatmough and Close, so if Jackett didn't create the squad then I don't know who did.
It's his mess, aided and abetted by a CEO who, apparently, isn't aware of the current mood of the supporters, and at the end of the season they should all be held to account. It won't happen but there you go.
Yep, that is the point that I am making. I wasn't certain how many players were here before him, but he chose to keep them on; this is his squad, and they aren't good enough. He has tried to make Raggett into something that can't be done. I don't have a problem with him on a personal level, I am sure he is a decent guy; but there are better players than him all through this division.
I can remember when Harry turned up, and thought, "Wow, we have got one of the best", and Shaka, and David James; and I even thought
"Wow, we have got one of the best" for this level, when we got Marquis. But he hasn't lived up to his reputation. Last night when he glanced that header, potentially, away from Harrison for a goal kick, that summed up our goal threat for me: that isn't good enough. At this point in the season against the top teams, you may only get one, two or maybe three chances: and that is all we could do with one of our best!! Put it out for a goal kick for Sunderland!!!!
I think he is being let down by his squad. But that is THE point: it's HIS squad.
I think this run is starting to kill McGilvery's confidence. He is trying to make up for deficiencies in his defence by making errors with his decision making. Unless he is being told to do that; and that would be much worse.
I can also remember when Harry took over the team. March 2002. So about the same point in the season when Graham Rix lost the plot. I took my lad to his first game that season, a 0-0 Bore draw with Wimbledon. The biggest cheer of the afternoon was Dave Beasant going up for a corner at virtually 90 minutes. Thats as good as it got.
I think Harry got rid of about ten players at the end of that season. The following season, (and OK we did have Toddy up front) - we won the league six points clear of Leicester.
So my point is, unless we change the manager now, we are are going to endure this awful football for the rest of the season. Will there be enough time for any new manager to assess the players we do have and who he wants to keep and who he wants to bin off?
Get someone in now FFS, at least we may have a chance of achieving something next season.
I agree that a new manager needs time NOW to assess the players and issue or not contracts. In Harry's biography he regards the existing team as rubbish. And specifically mentions only keeping Quashie and Linvoy (the latter as a squad player who surprised him at how good he turned out) as worth keeping.