TRon

Can't believe the amount of moaning about the game. As someone has already mentioned it's not going to be pretty football when Nolan and Smith are your central midfielders, if we are winning games consistently then we are doing pretty much all that can be asked.

We defend as a team, that means we are pretty well organised as far as I'm concerned. Five straight wins and a string of clean sheets might just be a coincidence of course.

Annoying though because we still struggle - we can't keep the fucking ball for a start. Luckily we have the best collection of goalscorers in the league and the best collection of goalkeepers in the league and that's what makes the difference more or less every week. Or it might just be we are well organised defensively and goals scored tend to be worth their weight in gold.

I'm concerned that Shepherd, Moat and various American/overseas backers couldn't raise the money to buy the club even after it dropped out of the Premier. All they have achieved by haggling is to watch the price go up after every positive result.

I'm pleased as well because like Enrique who also got stick early on, it's clear that Colo has some great defensive qualities. If we get promoted and don't sell him he's one of the few in this squad with the class to step up. You must have a very short memory mate! He didn't look that good last season, I wonder what's changed. Oh yes, he's playing against 3rd rate strikers, in a division where Shola has looked a world beater. I don't have a short memory, I didn't think he was as bad as people were making out last season and said so at the time. I actually thought he'd struggle more in this division with it being more physical but he's done well.

ahem... What? Dawson scored against Villa tonight. Guess that makes him awesome. It was funny man, no one is suggesting he's a world beater despite the fact that he annoyingly scored two goals (for us) today.

I'm pleased as well because like Enrique who also got stick early on, it's clear that Colo has some great defensive qualities. If we get promoted and don't sell him he's one of the few in this squad with the class to step up.

Makes you wonder why he doesn't do it more often. I think he was due to hit one right sooner or later, I think he'll continue to be frustrating but until we get someone better it's pointless whingeing. Might as well appreciate his good points and he has got some despite the flak on here.

ahem...

All three goals scored by our strikers...makes a pleasant change. Good to see Loven score given a chance up front, hopefully he'll have cemented a decent run as a striker instead of this nonsense playing Nolan off a target man. Cracking result.

As for the game itself I reckon this might be a draw. Swansea looked pretty slick last time. I thought we did well to nick a win.

Hughton is handling it badly IMO. Ranger should be getting the odd start every now and then, Harewood has done nothing to justify an automatic place other than sulk with Hughton if he's dropped to the bench.

I don't think Ashley will sell Taylor but Colo is on big wages so he would probably jump at the chance of to get him out.

Probably not but a much better option than Sol Campbell.

Yes. We couldn't get out of our own half in some of those games IIRC. Then we ended up booting the ball upfield to get rid of it.

Do you have any insights other than the stats?

Are you for real?

FFS man.

Very happy at this point. Considering we lost most of our saleable assets and many doom-mongers like HTL and UV were predicting two successive relegations is it so bad that we are top of the league?

How effective do you think those players would be if he wasn't there? Considering we played the Leicester, Cardiff, Plymouth and Ipwich games without him, roughly the same. Nice use of stats but not very enlightening.

How effective do you think those players would be if he wasn't there?

I don't think enough credit goes to the players or coaching staff for us being well organised. We have very little creative flair so the fact we are keeping clean sheets is crucial. I know it's fashionable to slaughter Jonas here - and I agree that he's one of the worst culprits for lack of decent service to the front players - but he does work hard defensively and it's easy to forget that. These lads aren't good enough for the premier but they give 100% in a team effort and that's why we are top.

I cant think of any nufc fan that wouldn't be chuffed if we make it back up in the first attempt. I think what we are trying to say is...if we go up the great feeling will eventually be knagged away by the thought of ashley not selling up. Repeating what took place last season and going down again. The fresh wave of opimism that goes with a promotion will disappear quickly and will be replaced by Ashleyism. Nevertheless, I will celebrate if we go up. You and Antec can go and slash your wrists. Good idea, in the bath would be best to save making a mess.

Sunderland are buying the right type of players like Darren Bent who would have come here if we hadn't got relegated. You can't compete in the premier without pace and athleticism, and that's why we'll need to invest next season. I know Nolan has done well this season, but when Ashley signed this type of player we were basically buying players for the Championship. this is true, we have to hope players like Ranger, Carol benefit from a year in the Championship, then are able to at laest compete at the higher level. The likes of Butt, Harewood, are not gonna get us aywhere if we get promoted. Yeah, Carroll and Ranger look like they might have the power and pace to compete at a higher level, buying younger players who have the hunger for football rather than pies is the way to go. We used to laugh at Sunderland when Andy Reid waddled out in their kit and while these type of players were first team regulars they were never going anywhere.

We need to buy a replacement next season but I have a feeling left wingers with pace and good end product aren't cheap or easy to find. A punt on a promising younger player might be the best option.