I’m going to start this piece with a revelation. Some big thinking that will likely shake the very fabric of reality and leave readers questioning everything they once held to be true. Here it is – It’s been really crap being a Sunderland fan of late. This will undoubtedly come as a surprise to many of you, but if you’re really honest with yourself – in your heart of hearts – then you’ll know it’s right. I’ve sat down several times to try to write something that captured how I’ve felt during this crap period,
however, my opinion has swung more than a Nicky Summerbee cross so it’s been impossible to capture anything at all. In fact, the only stance I’ve been able to hold for longer than a minute at a time is that I’ve just felt incredibly sad about the whole thing. And if I spent 800 words simply detailing how sad I am, it wouldn’t leave much material for my therapist. I did want to write something, however, so felt maybe a Talking Points article after another loss would be the perfect vehicle to get back into the saddle.
So, of course, we won. And I get to talk about that instead. And absolutely everything is going to be alright. Let’s get into it…
Welcome back, last season’s Sunderland. Please stick around.
While watching Nottingham Forest do a number on Manchester City on Saturday night, I couldn’t help but notice how similar their performance was to many of our games last season. Whatever “it” is, Forest were completely at “it”. Fighting for every ball, every inch, like their lives depended on it. It was a stark reminder of everything that we’ve lacked this season.
An acquaintance of mine, one of the leading lights of the Leeds U13s football coaching scene, remarked recently that football is an inherently straightforward affair: “Win your 50/50s and run your bollocks off”. Sounds simple, but it’s not been a frequent sight of late. How lovely, then, was it to see 50/50s being won all over the pitch today? To watch the aforementioned bollocks being run ragged from start to finish? Of course, one win against Chelsea does not a summer make, but two wins against them helped give us our best season in generations so let’s just keep doing that please.
Passing of the torch?
When I referenced my constantly shifting opinions before, the role of Granit Xhaka in our struggles is probably the one that has shifted back and forth the most. Rightly or wrongly, I don’t think Le Bris would ever actively choose to drop his captain so perhaps the circumstances in which Ahoka would get (basically) a full 90 minutes in the 6 role had to happen the way it did.
I personally don’t buy in to any of the more fanciful (mental) theories flying around on social media about Xhaka’s early withdrawal. Whatever the reasoning was, however, it afforded Jules Ahoka the opportunity to impress and he absolutely grabbed it with both hands. Strong in the tackle, composed on the ball and positionally excellent. He also allowed Enzo and Sadiki to get back towards their best. It’s everything you want from a Premier League number 6. To produce that sort of performance with so little first team experience is astonishing. Xhaka still has a huge role to play this season, both on and off the pitch, however he very much doesn’t need to be the first name on the team sheet anymore.
Brian, blessed are we
By pure coincidence, the last Talking Points piece I wrote for the site was after the Man City game and it started with a lengthy section heaping praise on Brian Brobbey. It was only the fear of being too repetitive that stopped this piece from starting the same way. But I simply can’t hold off any longer. I absolutely love him.
Yes, he could be more clinical in front of goal (couldn’t we all?!) and it would be nice if he could last 90 minutes more often. But to measure Brian Brobbey’s contribution in mere goals and minutes is like counting the number of colours Michealangelo used to paint the Sistine Chapel.
The most impressive stat from today’s game was his xC (Expected Chelsea Players Crying To The Ref About Their Ripped Shirts) and, by my reckoning, he put an impressive 5.8 up on the board. If his goals did match his all round performances, he’d be dining at the top table of European football so just drink him in and enjoy him while we can.
A few thoughts on Régis
Thought I’d finish by taking a little step back from the match itself and talk about the position of the manager. Obviously three points alongside a much-improved performance will always help a manager’s position in the here and now. But can a manager ever really come back from what started to resemble the point of no return? I really do hope so.
The overriding feeling of sadness that I touched on before is pretty much centred around the affection I hold for Régis Le Bris and what he’s given to us all. Nobody needs me to reel off his achievements since joining but, for me personally, the role Régis has played in my son falling in love with Sunderland (when surrounded by United, City and Stockport County fans) has meant that he’s possibly the first Sunderland manager of my lifetime where my desire for him to stay will outlast the club’s.
There’s still an incredibly long way to go, of course, and a lot of very valid questions hang over him. But seeing his reaction at the full-time whistle meant the world to me. He’s still fighting for us and I’ll repay that favour as long as I’m able.
Oh, one last thing – Jarred Gillett
I want that man to be no more.
