Typical

How did Sunderland lose this match? For most of the match we were the only team who played any football. Burnley were poor in my opinion and will, this is not sour grapes, struggle later in the season. They had posed absolutely no threat until Ferdinand committed a schoolboy error and fell for the penalty. When Darren Bent scored an excellent equaliser I thought there would only be one winner, but when I saw misfit David Nugent lining up to come on as a sub I just knew that Sunderland were about to resurrect the career of another failed goal scorer. Although Nugent took his goals well (don't get excited Burnley fans he only scores against us) they were also as a result of poor defending. Turner was left for dead for the first one and although he was one of the two defenders turned by Nugent for his second, Cana was the closest of the two and he should have done much better.  

I'll Take A Point

This is a tricky one to call because given Burnley's very difficult start to the season they have done very well to have 6 points. They have taken the scalps of Man Utd and Everton at Turf Moor although they have lost all their away games at Stoke, Chelsea and Liverpool. One of their blog sites stated that they saw saturday's match as their first win before the season started so the confidence of supporters will be sky high when "lowly" Sunderland come to town. They shouldn't get over confident though because pride often comes before a fall. They certainly won't approach us the same way they approached Man Utd and Everton so fancying their chances against us may be their undoing. That said I will be reasonably happy with a score draw to take us on to 10 points. I will be watching this in a bar in Turkey so hope that there will be no Burnley fans in the bar in case we lose. After the Mags result at Blackpool on Wednesday a win would round off my holiday perfectly.
P.S How dull is this badge?

Two More Goals For Bent

After reading most of the match reports on Sunday I thought I had been at a different match to the reporters. I had seen Tony "I hate Sunderland" Cottee on Sky saying that Hull had dominated the first half, and that they had lost the match because of their defensive errors rather than anything Sunderland might have done. But thought that it was just his usual jaundiced views about Sunderland coming through, and waited to read about the decent result and steady progress under Steve Bruce. Of course it doesn't matter what the media say we can all see it with our own eyes, and to be honest I would rather we came up on the rails quietly than have false expectations as those created under Roy Keane. (Doing well at Ipswich mind!) 
I think Bruce got this one spot on. He knew that with Campbell available he could rest Jones, and he also resisted the urge to introduce Mensah and Da Silva from the start. Instead with the game won he was able to give them a useful introduction to the Premier League and the crowd in the latter stages of the match. He is going to have a bit of a selection dilemma for the next match though if he decides to give Da Silva a start at Burnley. With Reid having a decent game he may be tempted to drop Richardson to the bench.
I am currently writing this in Turkey where I will be watching the match on Saturday.   

Must Win

Much has been made about the injuries to George McCartney and Craig Gordon, especially in the Journal where any minor occurence is described as a crisis. However even though we may have to make do with Paraguay's captain in defence (kept a clean sheet against Messi and Aguero in midweek) and rookie keeper Carson, I still expect 3 points this afternoon. Unfortunately for us it doesn't look as if McShane will be fit for Hull. These are the games that we cannot afford to mess up because all too soon we will face stiffer tests than this.
It must be strange for Michael Turner today, after spending two years at Hull and no doubt developing an affection for the place and the fans, he lines up to day with around 40,000 expecting him to bust a gut to turn them over. I have got a real feeling today that we are going to click and win comfortably 3-0.

Save the Racecourse Ground

Hi from Wrexham Fans!



We and "fans united" would love to have your help and support to protect our ground from any chance of future property development.

www.redpassion.co.uk/petition


No one has got better memories of the Racecourse ground than Sunderland fans, who as 10,000 Wearsiders’, saw Sunderland win there on the final day of the 1978-79 season. Our ex player Carlos Edwards also helped you to promotion with the winning goal against Burnley 28 years later!

During our last spell in administration we had a Fans United day at the Racecourse and over 50 clubs were represented and the nationwide media reported the fans chorus was led by Sunderland fans chanting “Dennis Smith’s Red & White Army”

Not everyone knows Wrexham's Racecourse ground is "The Oldest International Football Stadium In The World", still in use today. [Good one to remember for pub quiz night]

We need your valued support and help. The club has been sold to a parent company, who are acting as property developer and developing the car park land the club used to own as an asset. This by its nature needs to encroach very close to the stadium with the result, the kop end terrace has had to be closed until the development has been completed and when we understand the Kop end should be rebuilt.

We have been assured a healthy chunk of the profits from the development will be paid back into Wrexham Football Club, rather than just retained by the property developer. We are hopeful, though aware the section 106 guarantee we were promised would be submitted to planning, did not materialise and planning permission given irrespective. This has left some concerns and anxiety amongst some of the fans as this now relies on trust.

For the future and to protect the interests of the fans, and avoid any chance the club land could ever be developed on, we are lobbying the Wrexham Borough Councillors to secure the Racecourse as an international ground and stadium, as a designated reserved matter within the Local Development Plan. LDP. It could then never be sold as development land or be built on for supermarkets or more flats and the like.

To do this we have a mission to secure 10,500 names on the petition, the current capacity of the Racecourse Ground with the 5,000 terrace Kop closed. We will use this to lobby the Councillors at the LDP planning hearing in the autumn. The response has been fantastic and in less than four weeks, we have secured 5,444 signatures from fans of more than 30 clubs across the UK and even as far as Grampus Eight in Tokyo!

Wrexham and Sunderland have had some entertaining games over the years at the Racecourse and the Old Roker park stadium and your support would be magnificent for us.


Thanks

http://www.petitiononline.com/LDPWFC...tion-sign.html

International Break

Apparently England are playing a couple of matches this week along with most of the other nations in the world in an attempt to qualify for the world cup next summer. I know this because John Terry has taken over the role from David Beckham of boring the nation on a daily basis this week with cliche ridden press conferences. I personally couldn't give a monkeys about England or international football. A few years ago whilst on holiday I did venture out to a bar to watch an England match but the mood and the atmosphere among the large group of Englishmen that day was very different to watching Sunderland. There is too much of a nationalist feeling of hatred running through England supporters which I don't feel comfortable being a part of. Sunderland supporters sing some crass songs but "no surrender to the IRA" is nothing to do with football and I don't want to be associated with it. When England score I just don't feel anything.
With England almost certain to qualify for the world cup (I am praying for a miracle) next summer will be unbearable. Countless thousands of idiots will have those silly little flags fluttering from their cars until the quarter finals when England get knocked out. Of course there are the few who leave the flags in their cars until after the final to prove some kind of undying devotion to England. Added to this non football supporters, in the main women, suddenly want to start talking about football at work, which is like me trying to talk about cricket whenever the ashes series is on. The only time I get mildly interested is when the Scots start supporting England's opponents but then I realise that I am getting all nationalistic and reign myself in.
I do take some interest in the international break but only to watch Sunderland players playing for other countries. Tonight I will be tuning in to watch Paraguay versus Bolivia to have a look at Paulo Da Silva. Last year I even supported Trinidad and Tobago against England because Jones and Edwards were playing for T&T.  Speaking of that match raises the other potential problem that international football raises, namely injury. Jones's injury in that match had a significant impact on our season and we have learned this week that George McCartney has taken a knock whilst training with N.Ireland. Mind I'm not sure how much of a blow that will be. The other irritant is the travelling. Now that Premiership clubs are signing players from much further afield, some players have to travel thousands of miles to play home matches and often don't return until the day before a club match.
All in all international football is a complete waste of time and provides totally boring two week periods at various times throughout the season.

Tainio Off To Birmingham

This one has disappointed a great many Sunderland supporters. It was mooted in the morning papers and as it passed 5 O'Clock yesterday I was quite relieved that it had not gone through, but just after five Sky Sports News confirmed my fears that he had gone to Birmingham albeit on loan for the season. I very much doubt though that he will wear the red and white shirt again. Whilst I could see the obvious merits of shifting out some of the dead wood in the squad Tainio could not be described as that. With no fee coming in ,although we will save on his wages, I cannot understand why we would be so keen to get rid of such a quality player. He may not be in Bruce's immediate plans but things can change quickly in football with factors such as injury, suspension and loss of form. On the latter neither of his defensive midfield replacements, Cana and Cattermole have proved that they deserve a place in the team ahead of him.
But I am not going to let that particular disappointment spoil what has generally been a good window of transfer activity, particularly the ones through the exit door. If the fees quoted in the media are correct we have spent only around £13million this transfer window which compares very favourably with the huge amounts that Keane spent in the last two years, and should mean that Bruce will have plenty to spend in January.

There are still rumours circulating that Lucas Neill is still on Sunderland's radar and because he is a free agent he can sign after the transfer window has closed. My fear is that he has deliberately waited until the window has closed so that he can hold interested clubs to ransom.

Transfer Latest

Michael Turner

Michael Turner became Steve Bruce's eighth summer signing with a fee reported to be £6million. Bruce has seen enough in the 4 league games this season to realise that our defence is very poor and he has wasted no time in recruiting re-inforcements or more to the point replacements.

Danny Collins

Collins has moved to Stoke for £2.75million as has been widely reported. Instead of warming up with the other Sunderland substitutes at half time on Saturday at Stoke, Collins spent 10-15 minutes talking to Dean Whitehead. Obvious what they were talking about then. Many supporters were quite upset/annoyed about Collins leaving, but personally I think that although he has improved greatly over the last couple of years he is still an average player and to receive such a fee for a player who is not far off 30 is a good bit of business.

Grant Leadbitter and Carlos Edwards

Both players have signed for Ipswich for a joint fee of £3.9million to link up with Roy Keane once again. Again they both fall into the same category as Collins, average fringe players and Bruce has done well to get that sum of money for them. The transfers of Leadbitter, Edwards and Collins have paid for Michael Turner.

Pathetic

I get the feeling sometimes that no matter who we buy or who the manager is we still manage to produce inept and gutless performances like this on a regular basis. Travelling back from the match I couldn't find any positives to come out of it. Steve Bruce stated after the match that our achilles heel is defending set pieces and that we don't defend our box very well. I've got news for Bruce, yesterday we didn't attack their box very well either. Our central midfield pairing of Cana and Cattermole failed to make any headway against a fairly ordinary Stoke midfield and I for one can't understand how they are being selected ahead of Tainio. Richardson is totally ineffective and should make way for Reid who along with fellow subs Campbell and Henderson at least sparked some life into the team. It was another one of those days for Jones where he seemed  disinterested in getting involved which contrasted with Fuller at the other end who gave our shaky defence a hard time all afternoon. I can't recall a single 50/50 ball or midfield tussle that we won especially by our "hard men" Cana and Cattermole. 
Stoke are much maligned but unfairly in my opinion. People near me were saying things like "we should easily be beating the likes of these" and "I couldn't watch this every week." Tony Pulis is in my opinion one of the best managers in the league. He has taken a bunch of journeymen (several from Sunderland) and turned them into a very effective team. They all know their roles and confidently carry them out. They get the ball out wide to Lawrence and Etherington who can both cross a decent ball but just as importantly, win the numerous throw ins enabling Delap to launch his missiles. With a bit of money at his disposal he has made a good double signing from Middlesbrough especially Tuncay. He is possibly the start of the introduction of a bit of flair to the side.
This was one of those performances that in the last two seasons have seen us embroiled in the relegation battles, but hopefully it is a one off and we will return to winning ways against Hull in two weeks time.

Latest Transfer News and Rumour

Grant Leadbitter and Carlos Edwards

Sunderland have accepted a bid for both players from Roy Keane and Ipswich have been given permission to talk to them.

Nyron Nosworthy

Nuggsy seems to be hot property at the moment and Sky Sports News have reported that we have turned down a bid from Portsmouth. They are reporting that manager Ian Hart will return with an improved offer. He has also been linked with Ipswich, Stoke and Hull.

Danny Collins

As mentioned in previous post Stoke have apparently offered £2.5million.

Michael Turner

Steve Bruce has confirmed that he has made his interest known for the Hull City centre half and Hull have slapped a £12million price tag on him. Liverpool have also expressed an interest but they haven't got any money. Some sources are saying that we are offering Nyron and Daryl Murphy plus £6million for Turner. Hull apparently said they would take £5million if we left Murphy out. I just made that last bit up.


Michael Chopra


This one is a gem. It has been reported that Alan Shearer wants to buy £6million rated Chopra when he takes the reigns at Newcastle after Barry Moat buys the club. Considering that there are just over 4 days of the transfer window left he must mean he is going to buy him in January. Can someone explain to me how Chopra cost Sunderland £5million to take him from the Championship to the Premiership, £4million for Cardiff to take him back to the Championship and 6 weeks later is valued at £6million? If Alan Shearer has said this he is a bigger fool than I thought, and if Chopra is daft enough to turn his back on Cardiff again to follow some futile geordie dream they deserve each other. 

Stoke (Sunderland Reserves) Tomorrow

This is a strange one to predict because Stoke have so many of our ex players who, Sorenson apart, we mostly consider we have replaced with better players. But it is a brave man who would write Stoke off and predict a Sunderland win. The link below from a Stoke City web site is suggesting that 4 ex Sunderland players will be in the starting eleven tomorrow with Whitehead presumably on the bench. Didn't take them long to assess him then. If Delap plays our defence is going to have another torrid afternoon dealing with long range missiles into the box. We dealt with this fairly well against Bolton two weeks ago but struggled badly against Blackburn at home last week. With Gordon looking likely to play in goal I can see a long difficult afternoon ahead.
If however we can get the ball down and play some football I think we will be more than a match for Stoke as we were against Bolton and Blackburn when we got the chance. My prediction is a 1-1 draw with Jones scoring from a long throw.

Jones and Collins Wanted By Stoke

Stoke have put in a cheeky £10million bid for Kenwyne Jones and according to some news sources have had a £2.5million bid for Danny Collins accepted. The Jones bid is doomed to failure, besides he is worth more than that, but the Collins deal could be seen as a decent bit of business for Sunderland. Collins has played fairly well for a couple of years now but he has his shortcomings and Bruce may well see it as an opportunity to get some money for an average player who is nearing 30.

http://www.whydelilah.co.uk/news/28_Aug_2009/Vital+statistics+-+Sunderland.html

Leadbitter Next Through Exit Door

According to Sky Sports Grant Leadbitter is the latest to be linked with a move to Ipswich. A fee has been agreed and they have been given permission to talk to the player. Leadbitter has given good service to Sunderland particularly towards the end of last season when he put in a lot of graft as others around him seemed far less committed to the cause. Unfortunately as we add quality to the squad it starts to highlight the deficiencies in the players we already have, but we can't afford to get sentimental. If he does go to Ipswich he will do a great job for them and he will be busting a gut when he turns out at St. James this season.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11695_5515237,00.html

Hull Snap Up McShane

Could life get any better. Hull in their desperation have struck a deal worth £1.5million pounds to sign Paul McShane. Personally I think we should have paid them more. Further to this the link below states that Roy Keane is trying to sign three players from Sunderland, Daryl Murphy, Carlos Edwards and Nyron Nosworthy. Considering that he signed about 320 players while at Sunderland it is ironic that he wants Murphy and Nosworthy who he didn't sign. No, they were signed by that useless manager Mick McCarthy. I am not sure that we should let Nuggsy go but if it facilitates the transfer of Murphy then goodbye Nyron and thanks for everything.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1208860/Paul-McShane-agrees-terms--1-5m-Hull-switch-Roy-Keane-eyes-triple-Sunderland-swoop.html?ITO=1490

Not As Good As Colchester

Another win and a decent display by the fringe players, especially Andy Reid who scored two very good goals. After Norwich had had their 10-15 minutes of fame Sunderland settled down and started to play some nice football and the three first half goals resulted from quick incisive moves. The slimmer Andy Reid had a good game and will be useful as back up this season, although his comments after the match suggest he will soon get frustrated at not being a first choice and I wouldn't be surprised if he moved on this week perhaps on loan. Jordan Henderson had another good game and looks to have a bright future. Although he didn't score, Fraizer Campbell played well and was unlucky to see his spectacular shot hit the bar in the first half.

After so many League Cup embarrassments in recent years it was pleasing to see the gulf between the two sides exploited by an often classy looking Sunderland. Although according to the Sky commentators the scoreline flattered Sunderland. New boy Da Silva looked ok but he will ultimately be judged when he gets his first taste of the Premiership. Although we did play well I have to say that the sight of Ben Alnwick in the Norwich goal filled me with supreme confidence as the match kicked off.

Bruce Wants League Cup Glory

Although he has been complaining about fixture congestion, Steve Bruce has pledged to play a strong side at Norwich tonight in the second round of the League Cup. Personally I am pleased to hear this because given the luck of the draw it is possible to progress far in the cup competitions, particularly the League Cup. Having said that he could make several changes from Saturday and still field a strong enough team to tackle League 1 Norwich. Players like Campbell, Healy, Leadbitter, Reid, Tainio, (remember him?) Gordon, Edwards will probably feature and have the opportunity to shine. I expect us to progress to the next round without too much fuss after the start Norwich have had to the season, although they did win 5-2 at home on Saturday.

How the mighty have fallen though, I well remember going to Norwich three years ago when a Rob Earnshaw goal beat us in the Championship and now we are two divisions apart. I like Norwich even though it is a pig of a place to get to and I hope after we have beaten them tonight they go on to get promotion this season. They have very good support and have apparently sold over 20,000 season tickets in League 1. My prediction for tonight 3-1 to Sunderland and Newcastle in round 3.