Howay

For shure.

Oh for sure, I was meaning more during the close season. I agree that there needs to be a more joined up approach as well.

Chelsea are buying some 20 year old American CB from NY red bulls called Miazga but from the, albeit limited, games I've seen of him he's someway off Premiership level. It could perhaps be enough to convince them to let Cahill go elsewhere for 6 months (not really convinced of that mind) but even then I doubt we'd be anywhere near the top of his list.

I'm fairly sure HF posted up something showing the forms of the U-21 and U-18 teams during that nightmare run under Pardew + Carver at the end of last season, they were just as bad iirc. They barely ever win and seem to get burst 3-0 or so often. Sunderlands academy is generally seen as better than ours recently so it doesn't surprise me to hear it battered ours especially if the 'first teamers' that turned out for our lot were utter embarrassments like Riviere and Obertan. I think this area is one someone like McClaren could have a good impact on if he is allowed to do so, think the problem is he probably doesn't have much control over it and the reigns are firmly held by a group of blokes who have very questionable coaching ability and seem to have failed for the past half decade (at least). I think if McClaren was allowed to bring in some of his own coaching staff in that area it would help. I echo the view of others that I really don't understand why they had a friendly against them, the fans are yet again getting the brunt of this decision as although it is clearly completely pointless there is more reasoning with Donald Trump than a Mackem getting his hackles up after what he sees as a win against the maggie bastards.

It's impressive how bad they are at transfer deals.

Corinthians have apparently agreed to loan Pato to Chelsea (according to BBC) which makes Chelsea more likely to loan Remy to us. I'd be happy getting Remy in as a short term fix until the summer but we really have to do something up front, I like Mitro but having a 21 year old kid lead the line for us in his first season was daft and he needs someone to take the pressure off from time to time.

I'm willing to give the lad a chance but as I said in another thread any forward that becomes a DM/CM/whatever the fuck he is type player makes me think they're a clogger. Type of player that is only really still a professional due to their speed/work ethic/ athleticism, I'm not a fan of Colback or Anita but I'd be surprised if he was any more use to us then them two.

I think it's complete panic. I like the buy, people can say we've been ripped off but it makes no difference to me whatsoever and imo it's fully deserved as when you allow other clubs to hold the cards you risk this sort of thing. We still need a striker and a left back (or CB but that can wait until the summer if we get a LB) but, Saivet aside (just seems like a French Alan Smith to me), I'm happy with the window so far. It's good to have an actual winger who McClaren will play, it'll give the side a bit more balance. Of course the complete lack of games he has over the past few years are a worry but hopefully his fitness levels are good so he can make an impact soon. As has been said it further removes shite like Obertan and Gouffran from the first team equation which is always a good thing.

I agree. They've basically fucked on and wasted 2 weeks the player could have been here for either no gain at all or a 2m lower fee, he may well have made a difference against Watford. They're the reason the squad is so desperate so they can't moan about clubs holding them over a barrel after they notice our desperation.

I can't see us getting owt from Everton, Barkley seems to put in the type of performances that get him hype against us and we don't ever seem to have answers for Coleman and Lukaku.

Really daft decision to try and do a switch like that when your back four has been shaky all season and you're forced into giving a lad his first start at this level.

Aye that's it like, forcing the players to play in a back three when it's doubtful they've practiced it much at all this season during a relegation scrap is crackers. We've been thin at the back for years so it's not like it has crept up on them which makes it all the more worrying that they're so disinterested in it. Our first choice left back is a centre back ffs. I don't love the idea of selling Tiote as like I say I think he's our 2nd best CM, fair enough if that is why McClaren didn't start him though.

My biggest worry is we have tended to be shite in the 6 pointer type games so far, which gives points to those around us

His selection today was odd, Perez scored last week and was dropped for a kid who has barely kicked a ball at this level and has been injured nigh on constantly for two years. Is Tiote injured? because honestly he has looked better than Colback, Anita and now Saivet when he has played.

We love giving teams like that a hand. If we had won both games we'd be above Watford by a point, just shows how important it is to win the games we keep fucking losing. We played really well against Man Utd and struggled to draw, if we had played like that we'd have comfortably beaten this shit Watford team.

Shots on target seem to be as hard to come by as goals this season.

Well that was bilge, Man City, Everton and Chelsea up next it's looking pretty grim.

Aye three free headers and none of them were even put on target. Hopeless this side like.

Gouffran is completely fucking useless like, all the twat had to do was stay on his feet and keep Capoue wide but instead he slid in for no apparent reason and almost helped get them a goal. The fact players like him play for us regularly and have for a few seasons is why we are as wank as we are.

Aye I'm always skeptical of forwards that become defensive/central midfielders, it makes me inclined to believe they're fucking cloggers who weren't pacy/technical enough to play up top, Saivet has done nowt in the (albeit short) time he has played for us so far to look like he's any different.

Good header from the lad there like

Aye it does, Watford are fucking dreadful and we've gifted them 3 points.

Think we'd struggle against the Renford rejects at the minute

Perez's header, oh dear we are fucking shite.

Gouffrans header there, how does that bloke play professional football?? Good job we have Everton, City and Chelsea next eh lads.