Sunderland 1-2 Chelsea

[Sheva. 5,373]

Gyan is injured apparently.

Yea picked up a knock on international duty. We might see Nicklas 'best striker in the world' Bendtner then?

[chrismada9 1,948]

Perhaps, but only because he was overpirced.

The more the merrier... at least Levy and his shitty little Sp*rs team aren't £45m better off as far as I'm concerned...

[zolayes 14,489]

At last the season will kick off properly. International breaks and the transfer window ruin the start of the season..

Finally time to get our asses in gear .. Expect Mata to start and hope Sturridge does as well.

[Yusuf Quadri 0]

I think of playin mata behind torres and danny

cech

bosingwa-luiz-jt-cole

raul -lamp-ramires

mata

tores-dany

with bosingwa and cole moving at wings during counter attack

[Tomo 21,751]

im hoping for this

-------------------------------Cech---------------------

Bosingwa--------Ferreira---------Terry--------Cole

-------------------------------Anelka---------------------

--------------------Mikel-----------------------------------

------------------------------------Lampard--------------

Kalou---------------------------------------------Malouda

--------------------------Kalou's twin brother------------

[chrismada9 1,948]

Expect Mata to start and hope Sturridge does as well.

I'm hoping that too... both those players will link up brilliantly!

[manpe 10,861]

I've got big respect and like Mikel, but I hope Meireles gets a call instead of him this time.. to up the tempo. With Meireles, Mata and Danny we might finally see a more fluent game and maybe an eclipse of a Torres goal

[Styles 9,790]

I've got big respect and like Mikel, but I hope Meireles gets a call instead of him this time.. to up the tempo. With Meireles, Mata and Danny we might finally see a more fluent game and maybe an eclipse of a Torres goal

Then what happens to Oriol Romeu? Meireles is a CM if he's going to replace anybody it's either Lampard or Ramires.

Mikel and Romeu are our two specialist DM players.

[manpe 10,861]

Then what happens to Oriol Romeu? Meireles is a CM if he's going to replace anybody it's either Lampard or Ramires.

Mikel and Romeu are our two specialist DM players.

Wouldn't mind seeing Romeu in action but I don't think it's gonna happen... My idea is to take a risk and play without a classical DM because Mikel doesn't offer much in attack and in terms of tempo, although he does offer some security in defence.. Meireles and Ramires can both cover further back while the other goes banzai mode in attack. It would be thinkable against weaker oppositions.

[Tomo 21,751]

As ive said in a previous post IMHO our main culprits for our slow game are Alex, Mikel, Lampard and Anelka, if Andre plays 2 of them maximum each game i reckon we will see a completely different ball game.

[Sheva. 5,373]

As ive said in a previous post IMHO our main culprits for our slow game are Alex, Mikel, Lampard and Anelka, if Andre plays 2 of them maximum each game i reckon we will see a completely different ball game.

You forgot Slo Mo. But yeah i agree.

im hoping for this

-------------------------------Cech---------------------

Bosingwa--------Ferreira---------Terry--------Cole

-------------------------------Anelka---------------------

--------------------Mikel-----------------------------------

------------------------------------Lampard--------------

Kalou---------------------------------------------Malouda

--------------------------Kalou's twin brother------------

Anelka's perfect position

[NiclasCFC 2,582]

Is gyan out of the game or doubtful?

[Tomo 21,751]

Gyan would be a serious problem for us, he ripped us apart at SB last season but his performance was overlooked by the media wankfest over Welbeck.

Him not playing would be a boost for us because he is a awesome player and a step above Bendtner.

[laura90 556]

How long will I have to wait before I see Mata and McEachran together in starting XI? I know McEachran isn't world class yet, but neither are Lampard ( right now), Mikel, Ramires. In my opinion, Josh is more creative and technically more gifted than Henderson, Cleverly even Wilshere, but unlike them, he is not getting enough chance in his club. I would also want to see Meireles as B2B and Oriol as DM. If Sturridge shines as a right winger, I will be amazed. And Luiz, I think we really miss him. These players can only improve our game and make football mutch better to watch. I don't even have to mention the benefits of dismissing Kalouda.

I don't want to be misunderstood. I stand behind what I've said, but I know these players will need time to play together.

[SeB 1,281]

Gyan would be a serious problem for us, he ripped us apart at SB last season but his performance was overlooked by the media wankfest over Welbeck.

Him not playing would be a boost for us because he is a awesome player and a step above Bendtner.

I do agree, I think this striker has everything, I find him absolutely complete and full of quality.

However, the only thing we can see this season is that he seems really out of form. We have to notice that he did start his season later last season, Bruce did really start to play him from the end of September, so maybe he needs more time to be fit. I refuse to think he was on over regime otherwise

But against Loserpool and especially against Swansea he did look heavy, slow and awful in his first touches (thing that was incredibly better last season), he did miss several clear opportunity and he was denied by the Swansea GK who is in really good vorm. It's good for us because he really seems to lack sharpness in his movements.

And if Bruce has not yet understand that he needs a target man (or a default clinical finsher) to allow a more direct style of play, or disposing of a player (Bent of course) who was able to score goals whatever the situation to gain 10 or 15 points more in a season ; Sunderland will struggle this season. It seems evident for me that the best period of Sunderland in this 3 games were these with Wickham on the pitch...

Anyway we don't have to fear them, they are knocked out by Brighton (who were on another dynamic) with a Premier League-like starting eleven. Mohammady is just average, Gardner has to adjust his play, Larsson is discret, Sessègnon plays on AC and does finish terribly bad every action. And of course Bendtner is really a sheep.

[jAMAL j 13]

Sunderland Vs Chelsea

0 - 2

Mata

Torres

[Rambo 1,729]

Sturridge hat trick for all 3 games he missed.

[pHaRaOn 2,131]

Hilario - Bosingwa, Ivan, Terry, Ashley - Ramires, Mikel, Lampard - Sturridge,Torres, Mata

[lionsden 4,689]

This is what will likely happen

. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. Mikel

. . . . . . . .. . . . Ramires. . . . . .. . Lampard

. . . . . . . . Anelka/Kalou. . . . Torres. . . Malouda

This is what I wish and would love to see

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Romeu

. . . . . . . . . . . Miereles. . . . . . . .. .Josh. . . . .

. . .. . . .. Sturidge. . . .Lukaku/Anelka.. . . Mata

[Madmax 9,219]

Besides Modric isn't a behind the strikers type of player, he's a deep-lying playmaker and he and a Mata can coexist in the same side.

He isn't really a deep lying playmaker, Harry put him there last season in order to accommodate Van der Vaart. In his earlier seasons at Spurs you'd often see him playing just beyond the opposition's midfield line, but not exactly 'in the hole' if you know what I mean. He'd have someone like a Huddlestone/Jenas/Palacios holding behind him when Harry played 4-4-2. But last season he switched to 4-4-1-1 to fit VDV into the side so Modric was pushed back.

But you're right about there being room for both Modric and Mata in the same side. Mata is always mobile and moving into the channels as well as the centre while Modric stays central primarily (can play wide if asked to) so their roles can co-exist.