A dramatic escape from relegation and prolonged runs in both cup competitions last season, has given way to a dull, drab, pragmatic approach this. Can Jermain Defoe get the Sunderland fans swooning again?
One thing you certainly couldn’t accuse Sunderland of last season was being dull.
A run to the League Cup final, where they ran Man City mighty close, featured victories against Chelsea, Man Utd and Southampton. They kicked the Saints out of the FA Cup too on their way to a quarter final and in the league, just when all seemed lost after a run of eight games without a win — including a 5-0 shellacking at Spurs after which manager Gus Poyet decreed they needed a "miracle” to survive — they strung four consecutive wins together right at the death, including victories at Chelsea and Man Utd again, to survive by the skin of their teeth.
This was all after they’d started the season with mad Paolo Di Canio in charge. The Italian built his team like the Japanese used to build their railways. Di Canio’s ‘regime’ worked as long as the footballers accepted they were not as good as him, and then agreed never to speak, text, drink, laugh, or do anything at all really apart from sleep, eat what Di Canio told them to eat, run, train and play football. Fine in the bottom two divisions where he’d succeeded with Swindon — players are ten a penny down there and once they have a contract they’re afraid to rebel for fear of not making mortgage payments. Millionaire Premier League players, not so much.
Di Canio was right a lot of the time. Who can forget Phil Bardsley, the very definition of bang average, drunkenly tossing £50 notes around in a casino in the middle of the night for his own general merriment? But if you could still get anywhere by throwing the crockery at these people then Peter ‘Reidy’ Reid would probably still be managing Sunderland.
A mental summer which saw 14 signings arrive from all over the world overseen by director of football Roberto De Fanti and chief scout Valentino Angeloni quickly gave way to seven defeats and a draw from their first eight matches. Crystal Palace won only one of their first ten, losing the other nine, and that was against Sunderland. After a loss at West Brom Di Canio walked onto the pitch, stood in front of an irate away end, and did some weird ‘chin up’ type gestures. He was destined for the sack, forever remembered for one glorious win at Newcastle the previous season, which he celebrated in typically low key fashion, keeping his cards close to his chest.
They stayed up despite all that because of the work Poyet did once he’d taken over, and having survived with such spectacular results at places like Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford there was a school of thought that Sunderland, while not exactly pushing for Europe, could certainly be the big movers up the division this season. In some ways that has materialised — they’re fourteenth currently and have only flirted with the bottom three on the odd occasion rather than, as was the case last season, shagging it over the boss’ desk.
But it’s been a season of just four league wins so far, just two of them at the Stadium of Light. They’re as high as they are because they draw a lot — 12 times and counting — but they score less than a goal a game: 22 in 24 so far. There have been seven 0-0 draws in all competitions including against basement dwellers Burnley, Leicester and Villa. Man-child Connor Wickham, who finally looked like he was going to fulfil that long held potential when he scored five goals in three games against Man City, Chelsea and Cardiff during the ‘great escape’ last season, has regressed back to what he was before: typical overpaid modern day footballer, more interested in tattoos and parties than actually playing some bloody football. Admittedly he’s not helped by Poyet playing him left wing.
They’ve shifted Leeds and Fulham from the FA Cup and go to Bradford in the Fifth Round this weekend so there may be another trip to Wembley in the offing, but overall final whistles at the Stadium of Light are being greeted with muffled groans. It’s just not very good to watch. Too cautious.
The arrival of Jermain Defoe, who has two goals in three games already, on a contract even Mark Hughes and Mike Rigg might have deemed excessive, could be an important moment not only for a team struggling in attack, but for a club that is finding it increasingly difficult to attract players. Eduardo Vargas showed in the summer that even a newly promoted team favourites to get relegated but based in London is a more attractive option than being the main man at a team that has held onto its Premier League status for several seasons but is in Sunderland.
The players they do sign arrive in odd ways. Some — Liam Bridcutt, Will Buckley — are clearly Poyet choices. Others come at the behest of a director of football — Lee Congerton from Hamburg and formerly with Chelsea these days, De Fanti sent packing after that disastrous Di Canio summer.
Defoe signed a lucrative three and a half year contract when he moved from Toronto in January, despite being 32 years old. It’s a big financial outlay but mind you, Jozy Altidore went the other way in part exchange and I dare say most on Wearside would gladly have seen the club fork out a few million just be rid of the lumbering oaf who scored only once in 42 league appearances having signed in July 2013.
The arrival of a proven goalscorer needs to herald a more positive outlook on the field. Bolton Wanderers found that after ten years bobbing around the middle of a league they never had a hope of winning — which presumably is as much as Sunderland can aspire to themselves — people get bored and drift away. Even home games with Man Utd, Liverpool and the likes lose their appeal because where’s the fun in watching your midtable team lose 2-0 to Man Utd every season? In some ways it’s better for crowds to be in trouble, or even yo yo between divisions a bit, just to maintain the interest and drama. Ellis Short and the substantial financial outlay he’s made since taking over at Sunderland would rather they didn’t, so instead Poyet is just going to have to find a way to make this pragmatic, dull side better to watch.
Defoe potentially looks like a much needed catalyst for that.
Links >>> Sunderland Official Website >>> Roker Report Blog >>> Sunderland World blog >>> Ready to Go Forum >>> Into the Light Forum >>> A Love Supreme Fanzine
Tweet @loftforwords
Pictures — Action Images