Scumberland or Shitefield ? (4 Viewers)

[Simpson]

Most teams in the division can't afford to spend £2 million for what will more often than not be a short-term rental. The comparisons to Grimes (here for another three years) and Cannon (parachute payments ahoy) don't apply here.

Good for you that it worked out, but don't pretend like it's a strategy that every club is going to try and replicate next season - they simply can't afford it.

We could afford it simply because we had a starting eleven, at Wembley, that cost less than £10m.

Sunderland haven't bought their way to the PL, we didn't sign one new player in the January window.

Not exactly sure why I'd pretend everyone will copy that strategy tbh, I wouldn't.

 

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[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

The extent to which people want to overhaul our playing style based off two highly-charged (and extremely close!) games is way over the top imo

It wasn't two games. It was throughout the season, even before Lampard. Teams sat deep, we passed it around our back four for 80 mins looking very pretty but getting nowhere, then make a defensive error and concede. It was almost rinse and repeat at times.

I don't think suggesting we should try playing higher up the field against those tactics (especially against poorer teams) is a massive thing to ask.

 

[Cally Fedora]

We made the play offs having been 17th in November. We didn’t struggle that much

 

[shmmeee]

We made the play offs having been 17th in November. We didn’t struggle that much

The aim is to get promoted though not just make the playoffs.

 

[SkyBlueCharlie9]

That seems quite modest tbh, I think we're about mid-table in spending and much better in regards to debt.

Our starting eleven, at Wembley, cost less than Tom Cannon.

Our crowds obviously help and we get lots of TV coverage, etc.

I'm expecting a big American investment soon which will leave control in the current owner's hands.

That would probably bring in around £80/100m which would help.

The club have had a plan for the Championship and another for the PL so I'd expect changes but nothing major. The current ethos and team spirit is as good as I've seen it so wouldn't like that disrupted. Bellingham may leave but that's inevitable because his potential is enormous.

Jobe Bellingham has done very little in every game I've watched him in at both Blues and Sunderland. He was bossed by Kelly and Eccles in 2023
As for that Le Foy fella he seemed overated too, but I've not watched him a lot. Sunderland are well organised and efficient nothing more and we really should have won comfirtably over 2 legs but fair play to them they are in PL on merit. Hope they shut the f*** up about JH now as it's very cringey.

 

[Simpson]

Jobe Bellingham has done very little in every game I've watched him in at both Blues and Sunderland. He was bossed by Kelly and Eccles in 2023
As for that Le Foy fella he seemed overated too, but I've not watched him a lot. Sunderland are well organised and efficient nothing more and we really should have won comfirtably over 2 legs but fair play to them they are in PL on merit. Hope they shut the f*** up about JH now as it's very cringey.

Didn't you have Hamer in midfield at the time as well?
Jobe was 17yo and in an average side at that time, so no surprise , but is developing rapidly, he’s not even 30% of what he can be whereas Eccles and Kelly have reached their level imo. I doubt we’ll be able to hang onto him, he’ll be way too big for us. He’s better than Jordan Henderson was at this age and he attracted similar comments from other team’s supporters. Henderson won more than anyone at Sunderland or Coventry has tbf.

Henderson was free and Bellingham cost very little, great business by the club.

Le Fée is a real player but not best suited to the cloggers in the Championship tbh, not to mentions second rate referees. He was better protected at Wembley and started to open up. He was directly involved in all three goals against Coventry and the Mayenda goal at Wembley, one of the most skilful players I’ve ever seen in the Championship.

The worst thing about failing to go up would’ve been losing him, he’s great to watch.