From rock ‘n’ roll to shock and droll
It was so good that I ended up downing pints with Shane McGowan and meeting more Sunderland fans than you would on Wearside.
It was a mad few days and a great way to build up to last Sunday’s game against West Ham, which took place under gloomy skies and sub-zero temperatures. Pascal Chimbonda was omitted from the starting line up again.
I suspect that’s more to do with there not being enough gloves in Sunderland to keep the poor mite warm.
By the end of the match things had gone from rock and roll to shocking and droll in a very short space of time.
Chimbonda’s return to the first team fold does appear to be forthcoming. Roy Keane spoke this week of the right back’s poor attitude, hinting that if he’s willing to change, there might just be a future for him at the Stadium of Light. Keano reckons: “He’s got to be on time, show a good attitude to the club, a good attitude to me, the staff, the girls in the canteen, the kit man, show a good attitude all around the football club.”
I suspect the emphasis is more on being nice to the gaffer rather than the tea lady, but it was an interesting quote.
We could have done with Pascal against West Ham. Our dull, one dimensional play was masked slightly by several half chances, but the reality is that we didn’t test Robert Green in the Hammers’ goal at all. Whereas Chimbonda provides a creative outlet from the back, we went retro and tried to play the sort of boring long ball football we often resorted to when Niall Quinn was on the pitch rather than in the director’s box. Despite Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse both being big fellas, their strengths are with the ball at their feet, bustling past defenders by using their power and pace.
Consequently, West Ham won everything in the air and were rarely in danger.
We played the better football, but again we just weren’t streetwise enough. Our last two home games, versus Portsmouth and West Ham, have been against sides on poor runs with new managers, lacking in confidence and therefore there for the taking. We’ve lost both of those matches and it makes me worry how we’re going to go about notching up enough victories this season to survive. One of our big strengths last year was battling to beat the sides around us at the Stadium of Light; with Gary Megson’s Bolton next up at home we need to make sure we make a return to that form.
Beyond Bolton we visit Manchester United, to see the apprentice take on the master. Not one team from the top five scored a goal last weekend, but I’m not holding out much hope for anything other than a comprehensive United win when we visit Old Trafford. It’s West Brom at the Stadium of Light after that, another big chance for points.
Beating the Trotters and the Baggies would see us easily on course for the magical 40 points required for survival, with a lot of winnable home games to come in the New Year.
Despite my rock star sojourn during the week, there was still plenty to catch up with on my return to Sunderland, and not playing until Sunday meant that I spent the later days of the week in the office. Such is the life as a fanzine editor, my working week didn’t finish until I’d filed my match report at 8pm on Sunday night and set off for home, unhappy in the knowledge that just 12 hours later I’d be back at work still not liking Mondays, as somebody from Dublin once sang.
If the Stadium of Light lacked an aura sans-10,000 fans during the game, it looked even gloomier a couple of hours after the final whistle.
It was cold, it was dark and it was raining as I trudged away late on Sunday night. We’re used to the chill in the North East, sub zero to us is generally termed as ‘jumper weather’, but we’d like to be warmed up on the terraces. Bring Me Sunshine, Mr Keane. Please.
* Read Martyn McFadden on www.a-love-supreme.com
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