Gave away 2 points to a very poor side today with an inability to defend and just playing too deep ala last season. As I said above with the team didn't expect a great deal but should of seen out teh match easily. Bruce's subs I find strange, Kenwyne taken off with an injury? and replaced by Murphy (FFS
) and Bent with Malbranque. Kenwyne played quite well had a chance missed the target a couple of other half chances control let him down.
aye Kev, thanks for the info, but has Noseworthy played much this season?
Hasn't really played this season, strangely brought on last week when Ferninand was injured in preference to Da Silva, which again baffled me and didn't play particularly well. Was RB today and had a decent game, but he is what he is and hoped not to see him in the defence again tbh.
Next game Villa on Tuesday night, just have to see what was up with Kenwyne.
On another note this was in the paper today, probably explains why Bruce keeps trying to gee him up through the papers, been done to death on here but thought I would include it.
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STEVE Bruce has admitted he can not work out how to motivate Kenwyne Jones even though he knows Sunderland are a far better team with the striker than without.
Whether Jones has a long term future at the Stadium of Light is open to question given the importance Bruce attaches to putting a squad together made up of players with the right mental attitude.
But he is clever enough to realise he can not afford to lose the Trinidad and Tobago international at this stage of his Sunderland project. Jones is as laid back as they come and it seems as though his new manager is struggling to work out how to get the best from him on a consistent basis. However, that is one of the main challenges of football management and Bruce recognises it is up to him to ensure Jones rediscovers his best form.
He said: “Do I sense a hunger in Kenwyne? Kenwyne and hunger don’t really seem to go together. Kenwyne and laid back go together.
“How do you give that hunger to a player? It’s very difficult. You are born with it, that’s for sure. I know for a fact we are a better team with Kenwyne in.
“He is the perfect foil for Benty and we are more of a goal threat when he plays up there. I expect him to be fresh, but raring to go and give us that threat we had before we got suspended. If you look at the stats and the figures we are better with him than without him.
“Kenwyne is disappointed with himself, that’s for sure. To be fair, he took his punishment like a man. He’s been missing for five or six weeks and he needed that game at Fulham. I’m hoping he’ll come in and spark the team again
