The solid performance by Sunderland in the 0-0 stalemate at Ewood Park on Monday night did leave a couple of unanswered questions about the tactics employed by the Black Cats. There is no question that Sunderland had the better chances in what was a rain-effected game, but I agree with Eric Black in his conclusion that the team lacked guile in trying to break down 10-man Blackburn in the second half (http://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/sunderland-afc/safc-news/black_we_lacked_guile_1_2164594) when Blackburn put up solid resistance. What the supporters may have questioned is why Steve Bruce waited until the last third of the game to bring on a second true striker, Asamoah Gyan.
Looking at the highlights again, there was a regular succession of half-chances for Sunderland, and on another night at least one of them would have been taken. 17 shots on goal with just 4 on target tells its own story - Darren Bent would normally have slotted in at least one of his 5 chances. The problem with starting with just one striker though is that our five-man midfield, despite their excellent shape and passing, has not yet hit the target this season. Zenden looked very lively when he came on, and came close twice – he deserves another start soon, given his excellent drive and technique.
Overall, we have to be pleased with a point away, and the big plus is the solid defence who clearly have a good understanding and play very well together. Turner and Bramble were outstanding and Mignolet was up to everything thrown at him. The whole rearguard gives the rest of the team and not least the supporters great confidence that they will not give goals away cheaply. Roll on Villa at the SSOL!
©Lars J.S. Knutsen
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Posted by Ian_Safc on 10/21/2010
Blackburn are a very handy side. Not many teams come to Ewood Park and come away with points. We did OK. Away at Blackburn on a Monday, rain-soaked night is not the easiest thing in the world. If you'd offered me a point before the game I would have taken it.
I think though that I would have gone 4-4-2 at half time with Gyan on.
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Posted by Miki Djan on 10/22/2010
I think Gyan needs more playing time and the striking pair of Bent and Gyan will be made more precise by playing them together more often. Gyan needs to settle and get used to the Premiership, and that will only come from more playing time.
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Posted by emma on 10/25/2010
Mr. Bruce is making Gyan sit on the bench far too much. Unleash him now to partner Bent for goals to rain down, please
Posted by Peiterson on 05/11/2012
It easy, he only goes on Guardian Squad Sheet and analizes who's plynaig and who's not. As you can see Darren Bent didnt play, so the only option was Asamoah Gyan or even Malbranque with the luck of missing the penalty. Everyone and their mother should knew that Sunderland had to win after 5 goals in Emirates. My funny feeling was Park and I made the right choice
Posted by Wilda on 05/13/2012
Ultra FYI This article was published before Guardian squad sheets were released. If you read the content, you will see that I expected Bent to start up front w/ Gyan. Now that Bent's hamstring has ruled him out for 3-4 weeks, and Malbranque missed a penalty, Gyan may take over PKs as well and continue his run.
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Lars Knutsen was born in Sunderland of Norwegian parents across the Wear from the SSOL back when shipbuilding not car manufacture was the city’s main industry. His first game was in 1968 and he has followed the Black Cats since then, with great memories of the 1973 FA Cup. He hopes the “yo-yo” days are over and defines supporting a team by whether the result affects your mood (but maybe not in the way portrayed in the book “Fever Pitch”!) so has been cheerful recently. He endured school in Newc**tle, has a Ph.D. in Chemistry, a Professorship at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, and works in the Pharma industry as a consultant Medicinal Chemist.
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