Fat-free Reid still a slim picking for Trapattoni

ANDY REID and athleticism are not ordinarily mentioned in the same sentence, but the Republic of Ireland’s forgotten man – or forgotten by Giovanni Trapattoni, at least – is reinventing himself at Sunderland.

The midfielder appears to be taking his continued snubs from Trapattoni as a spur, and his performance here – high on energy and quality alike – would surely have impressed even the Italian.

Reid clawed Sunderland, trailing by two goals and down to 10 men following Kenwyne Jones’ sending-off, back into the game with a well struck free-kick and was a constant thorn in West Ham’s flesh.

“He was superb but it is not just his ability, it is his athleticism as well,” his manager, Steve Bruce, said. “The ability to run up and down the pitch is what catches the eye now.

“He was like an old broken down trotting pony at the end, mind you. He had cramp, but he has done terrifically well and it is down to him, no one else. I can’t take any credit. He has got himself fit like that.

“When he got his chance against Norwich in the Carling Cup he put in a performance that meant I could not leave him out and he has been like that ever since.”

Bruce is just one of many who remains bewildered by Reid’s continuing absence in an Ireland squad which is hardly overstocked with playmakers, although the former Manchester United defender is not expecting Trapattoni’s stance to change any time soon.

“We have had conversations about it,” he said. “But the squad (for the France play-offs) has ben picked. It is done and there is nothing we can do.”

Ireland supporters will be hoping Trapattoni’s stubbornness does not haunt him later this month.

Another manager sticking doggedly to his guns is Gianfranco Zola, whose faith in his plummeting West Ham side borders on the evangelical.

The east Londoners remain second from bottom in the Premier League table after throwing away the two-goal lead established by Guillermo Franco and Carlton Cole. They were pegged back by Reid’s free-kick and Kieran Richardson’s strike, despite playing against 10 men for the entire second half after Kenwyne Jones was dismissed for raising his hands at Herita Ilunga, whose theatrical reaction did him no credit.

West Ham have not tasted victory since the opening day of the season at Wolves but Zola feels his side are lacking luck, not quality.

“I am not anxious about the situation,” he said. “I’m upset because it’s not the first time we’ve been in control of the game and we’ve lost points.

“That upsets me, because it’s holding the team in a position that probably we don’t deserve based on the way we’ve played.

“It’s something that we have to come to terms with before the situation gets worse.”

West Ham have let leads slip on two previous occasions in the league this term. They drew 2-2 with Fulham and lost 2-1 to Tottenham having been 1-0 up in both games.

But Zola believes it will not be hard to pick his players up for Wednesday’s clash with Aston Villa at Upton Park.

“We are not down, we are just upset,” he said. “There have been other moments where we’ve been feeling down, but this is not the case.

“We are really upset because of what happened. It won’t happen again.”

Midfielder Valon Behrami could be a doubt for the Villa game after coming off with a calf problem on Saturday, while Zola’s selection problems were compounded by the late dismissal of Czech midfielder Radoslav Kovac for a second bookable offence.

REFEREE: Andre Marriner (West Midlands) 4: The decision to dismiss Jones was fairly bizarre, although it ended up inspiring the home team.

MATCH RATING: **** Sunderland only started playing when they were down to 10 men, but they were mightily impressive when they did.