TRon

I think Sunderland are heading for a Roy Keane style crash and burn. Lots of players who are coming for the money but probably can't stand the place in reality. Bruce is good at collecting players but building a team to last is still something he hasn't really shown he can do yet.

I reckon if you put together all the money we spent on these players in the thread so far you'd have enough to buy the club.

Michael Owen

Andreas Andersson

Steve Bruce reading the Chronicle for tips on signing players again then?

Nice thread title change

I always had a suspicion that Bruce has a slightly scatter gun approach when it comes to signings, a bit like Fat Sam. Wouldn't surprise me if he's never sen Kilgallon but went in on the back of us and Everton being keen.

Isn't all this talk about bringing in Williamson as cover a bit arrogant? I would have thought as a side looking to go into the premier next season we would be looking at bringing in players who will take us up a notch. Hughton seems to like him though as I'm sure he was sniffing before he joined Portsmouth. Let's hope he knows his stuff.

I think we might fnd that's the case with Williamson as well.

Tommy Smith, who hasn't even looked like scoring for Pompey this season. That's the one. I haven't seen him but GG seemed to think he was Watford's version of Messi.

We played with a balanced team against Plymouth and absolutely coasted it. Admittefly it was poor opposition, but the two wide players did make the football a bit more flowing.

There was a Watford player who GG kept wanking over but he was a midfielder who scored goals. Club captain last season I think, although i can't recall which Premier team signed him. That would have been a good signing.

We should bar Kilgallon from the city limits. If they are going to sign for Sunderland they should live in the shit hole instead of swanning around newcastle happy as Larry.

Never seen him play i dont think but looks a big unit, 6ft3 so hopefully hes a strong physical sort which we could do with as backup although i vaguely remember someone saying he was pretty slow Suppose we wait til GG arrives to give us a clue otherwise otherwise we will get someone like Amir to poo poo him He looks like an old fashioned stopper who might have been useful 20 years ago but probably too slow for the Premier as it is today. I hope it's not the case but it might well turn out to be another Nolan type signing.

We've got decent youngsters like Carroll, Ranger at Kadar already here, far better to play them than sign players that are available for under £2m because no one wants them. We don't really want to see our youngsters having to move like Milner did to fulfil their potential while we sign experienced has-beens.

Bruce probably figures it's worth risking £2m on promising young talent than wasting big money on over the hill midfielders who get you relegated. 26 isnt that young tbh Didn't realise Kilgallon was 26 tbh. Even so it's hardly old age for a defender.

There are no realistic signings at under £2m apart from the crap players no one else wants. Anyone half decent will get snapped up as is likely with Kilgallon and probably Beckford as well. I'd rather we bought no one than waste any more money on the unpolished turds we will be no doubt end up with.

Bruce probably figures it's worth risking £2m on promising young talent than wasting big money on over the hill midfielders who get you relegated.

Why did he keep Butt in the team and play Smith on the right wing then?

Don't matter who you have in defence if you don't have a midfield in front of it. Everyone is making this same point. Obviously the defence comes under a lot more pressure if the game is played in our half, and with midfielders who don't have the legs obviously we end up sitting back for long periods and giving up possession.

We could do with another left back as cover but otherwise yes the defence as a unit isn't half bad. I've seen us compete with a lot worse in the premier, of course then they had far better players in front of them.

We are still going to have to pay Geremi though unless he leaves for Turkey which is doubtful.

This probably isn't the right thread to mention that Michael Owen is a little shit so I'll keep that to myself.

If Allardyce didn't rate him he must be a good player.

If he's a shit coach, give him a role on the till in the club shop. Win-win situation IMO. Why not just give Geremi the right wing slot, part time coaching role and a till job at the club shop on Tuesday afternoons? With the money saved by not hiring Solano surely that is the ultimate win-win scenario?