15 May 2024 21:23:51
I hold my hand up to maybe doing Diallo a disservice this season when considering our options going forward. Useful little player with an air of unpredictability to his game. Keep.
15 May 2024 23:45:48
Sunderland fans rave about him. Looks to make things happen and to create.
Can play himself into the cup final team and secure his place in the squad next season and would give city something to think about.
Onana said in an interview a few weeks ago he was the most skillful player at the club. Nice to see him doing well.
16 May 2024 06:20:37
Cut in and tried to find a team mate. Antony, rash and garnacho ? would have shot. Always looking to do little give and go's. Also works really hard. Definitely keep.
16 May 2024 06:38:43
I don’t like saying this but how many times did I say give Amad a chance early season, for the wise sages on here to tell me I was talking rubbish
The Amad question, is why we allowed £85m to be spent on the useless Antony when they must have had scouting reports and seen Amads potential?
16 May 2024 07:31:13
What do you mean you don't like saying this? You say things like that a lot so you do like saying it ?? I'd say you said it half a dozen times last night on live chat I've just read??
Not sure who said not to give him a chance. Most have been championing that for a long time.
No point questioning the scouting it was the old regime we know how useless they were.
16 May 2024 07:47:26
lol Red Man, you said it in the chat too. But looks like you were right.
16 May 2024 08:37:11
Frustration Ken,
A few told me and one I think said glad I wasn’t selecting the team over it.
16 May 2024 08:41:24
Also, can we give the man in charge a small amount of credit for his team set up last night and putting Rasmus on the bench and playing Diallo, (however long Redman has been calling for it) . I think it was the right thing. He gets plenty of slack but he think he done right last night.
16 May 2024 08:58:09
Formation worked well last night to a certain extent, but Gordon looked excellent for Newcastle and was a constant thorn in our side. He’s really developing into a fine player.
Still like watching basketball, but made for a very entertaining game of football. Beats watching Moyes ball and Jose parking the bus.
Shout out to Amad, tireless running, always looking to make something happen, looked really exciting. So good to see Licha back, and Bruno was excellent. He’s our best player by far still.
Note on Hojlund’s goal, I loved it. He finally committed a defender, took a chance and slotted it in nicely.
Nice touch from Erik to address the crowd - kind of felt like a goodbye. Weirdly I am still in the stay camp for another season to see what he can really do with. l the right backing.
16 May 2024 09:27:55
I think Rasmus needed that break and him coming on and scoring like he did will do him the world of good.
16 May 2024 09:39:45
And dare I say Amrabat has looked a little better in recent games, a bit more energetic and mobile. Still hope he is returned in a few weeks and it doesn't become permanent but fair play.
16 May 2024 10:20:45
amrabat was decent last nite and roughed em up a bit - nice to see: even played where he is naturally better at midfield. Amad is a demi god to the sunderland fans and they still wax lyrical about his loan period- very dissappointed they weren't able to seal him permanently- loved his celebration in the east corner - thought we played much better last nit than at most point of the season -good to see bruno back, and licha - still out on rashford ;think the lad needs a move/ therapy or both tbh.
16 May 2024 10:23:35
We are finally seeing what Amrabat can do, albeit a little too late.
Diallo deserves a run next season at RW and for the next two games. It has been really surprising that since the Liverpool game and upon completion of his suspension, that he hasn't played more at RW.
Garnacho is playing similarly to Rashford. It is frustrating, but he is still young.
It was great seeing Martinez come on, he really is great CB. Along with Bruno, whom I have being calling out for his petulance, that we really miss when they don't play.
16 May 2024 12:22:22
Crazy isn't it how the last 2 games have shown completely abandoning midfield was a bad idea.
16 May 2024 12:36:17
I don’t understand why Amrabat hasn’t been given a decent run in the team when fit. He’s an average player but undoubtedly offers a lot more protection to the defence than anyone else we have.
Amad definitely has something about him. Plays with his head up which is a rarity for our wingers.
In the cup final I would play that midfield/ attack with Bruno as a false 9. Only change I’d make is Martinez in for Casemiro in defence. Even though we didn’t play brilliantly last night, and the keeper is pretty poor on the ball for a player brought in to be a sweeper keeper, but there was at least some intensity in defensive pressing, and we’ll need that against City.
16 May 2024 12:45:09
Diallo didn't seem ready for the rigours of the PL earlier in the season but looks so now. Tbf he was out injured. What he does is try to pick the right pass each time. His decision making is good and technique is top notch. This he has in common with Mainoo. Whether it's better loaning him to a PL club next year where he'll play every game or stay is a hard one to gauge now, as we're going to need to bring in at least one forward player.
16 May 2024 12:59:27
Banjoe I have him credit on the match posts page.
I always give credit where its due. Shape was much better.
Sane players same injuries so it can be done. Begs the question why we have been playing like we have for weeks. Perhaps wilcox has had an input into the team shape also who knows. I've seen people saying they thought his address to the crowd was a bit 'cringy' but I thought it was appropriate given the cup final coming up.
16 May 2024 13:38:01
I said on the live chat out shape was much better. Where it suddenly came from is another discussion.
16 May 2024 14:01:49
That's a fair point weed, it shows they can compete better than it has been shown. I think he might be trying to get the team more solid to have a better chance in the final. I think he knows winning that would be a huge for the team going into next season.
16 May 2024 14:49:36
Banjoe.
The players are not all awful players. The tactics and obsession with what he was trying to do exposed them.
Any wonder they don't believe in what they were being asked and set up to do.
We have enough good players to be a lot better off than we are but if you ask guys to do things that are so obviously not working it's just stupid.
16 May 2024 15:09:29
I really don't understand why Kwambala didn't play at centre back last night and against Palace.
But what do i know, why play a player in his preferred position.
Madness!
16 May 2024 15:12:35
Rather play him over Anthony or Rashford all day. Seen him loads for Sunderland and his a class act. He plays even better when he knows the fans appreciate him like they did at Sunderland and he still talks about them.
16 May 2024 15:19:15
Amrabat disciplin compared to Casemiro indiscipline is a key reason for shape improvements. We also started with bruno false 9. So an extra midfielder to make up for mctominay the ghost.
17 May 2024 09:42:57
He’s not fully fit sim and at the moment risking losing another centre half injured by rushing him back for 90 minutes would be stupid with the cup final in 8 days.
17 May 2024 10:00:19
DONRED- diallo wasnt ready because he had an injury that kept him out for a long time - when he came back and played against lpool he got a rec and also suffered a knock - maybe explains his lack of minutes but he does show up when picked and classic example of loan for experience working. Also must have been working hard on his strength and physique as he is not so wiry . definately worth a final place over antony imo.
18 May 2024 11:56:03
By early season do you mean before Christmas when he was out injured?
I agree and have said a few times that since February I'd have liked to see him get a few more chances.
Even if it was just the last 10-15 minutes every game to allow us to rest players and give him a chance to build up his match sharpness.
Always good to give players like Amad a run each week for the final 15 minutes or so. It means he is more ready if you need him to start due to injury or suspension, while it keeps the first choice players fresher meaning they are less likely to suffer injuries or dips in form due to fatigue. It might even motivate them to work harder knowing someone is pushing for their place.
That said I don't know what was happening in training or behind the scenes, maybe Amad needed more time to get back up to full fitness, or maybe he wasn't working hard enough in training, or not following instructions. Who knows, that's why it's hard to judge as we only know about 10% of the information.
Just sitting back and enjoying him doing well in the last couple of games and hoping he can keep it up and put a marker down for next season.