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A familiar sinking feeling - Interview
Wednesday, 21st Sep 2016 00:55 by Clive Whittingham

A brief sojourn back to the time when Premier League teams were coming to Loftus Road regularly occurs on Tuesday as Sunderland arrive in the League Cup. Our regular Mackem Joseph Tilbury assesses a tough start to the season for his team.

Tough start for Sunderland, what's the problem this season?

JT: I think the disruption caused by Sam Allardyce’s protracted departure to our recruitment has not helped. It’s forced us to do all of our transfer dealings in the last three and a half weeks of the window, and as a result these players are in the process of integrating themselves into the team. Ideally the likes of Lynden Gooch and Duncan Watmore would be coming off the bench, however a lack of signings and a lengthy injury list has seen them thrust into the starting XI. We’re still yet to find our best team and certain players who have been injured or lack match practice for other reasons are finding fitness. The fact we’ve faced Everton, Manchester City and Tottenham in the first five games, the latter two away from home, hasn’t helped matters.



Would it have been any different if Sam had stayed?

JT: I don’t think you can underplay the effect Allardyce’s departure has had on the team and our preparations for the season. It essentially postponed any recruitment efforts from the moment speculation regarding the England job arose until David Moyes had been appointed and assessed the squad, which took around five or six weeks out of the window. It’s also hard to look at recent performances, such as that in the Everton game, and see a Sam Allardyce team concede the goals we did. Even if we weren’t winning games, we’d definitely be harder to beat than we currently are.


What did you think of the appointment of Moyes and how has he done so far?

JT: I think Moyes was the obvious choice from a list of unproven and mediocre candidates. The most common summary given of Moyes upon his appointment was that he would continue Allardyce’s defensive solidity, which we haven’t really seen in recent games. His interviews and press conferences have taken an increasingly negative tone, bordering on defeatist very quickly, which has undermined a lot of fans’ belief in his ability to turn around the current situation.



Given Sunderland aren't afraid to spend a bit of money, why can't they break this cycle of struggle and managerial change?

JT: I’d actually say part of the reason we’ve struggled is a lack of spending. If you break down this summer’s ten transfers in for example, three have been loans and two have been free agents. The five players we have actually paid money for, one of them being a reserve goalkeeper, have cost us around £28m, less than Crystal Palace, a club in and around us last season, spent on Christian Benteke. This lack of spending has seen an over-reliance on the loan system, which has seen us bring in some of our best players of recent times, such as Yann M’Vila, Marcos Alonso, Ki Seung-Yeung and Danny Rose, however we go back to square one when we don’t sign them permanently.

On the managerial side of things, managers we’ve brought in at the end of a season to save us, such as Advocaat and Di Canio, have been unsuitable to lead a long term reversal of fortunes. On current evidence, Allardyce was as close to breaking this cycle as we have come in recent times, it’s just unfortunate England came calling when they did.

Where is the team strong and where is it weak?

JT: Our attack is most certainly our weak point. Jermain Defoe was our top scorer with 18 goals last season, and is as good as anyone in the league on his day, but after him our second top scorer Fabio Borini, currently injured, managed five. The lack of strength in depth up front was plain to see last season and the fact the only thing we have done to rectify this is bring in Victor Anichebe on a free transfer is nothing short of criminal. We also lack any decent service from the midfield, which is a concern.



Will you survive this season? Why/why not?

JT: I think it’s a little early to say, but given our lack of depth and firepower we’ll probably be in and around there come the end of the season. An injury to Defoe would certainly finish us off, but I’m optimistic that once we find a settled team, we’ll be alright.


The Twitter @loftforwords, @j_m_tilbury

Pictures — Action Images


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TacticalR added 14:02 - Sep 21
Thanks to Joseph.

It seems strange that a Premiership club should have such trouble getting players, but presumably a lot of foreign players just don't want to go there (at any price).

I was quite surprised by how defeatist Moyes sounded right from the beginning of the season. Perhaps he is trying to get his excuses in early?
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