James Bunce (Performance Director)

[wong989]

On 14/12/2025 at 19:39, HaydnNUFC said:

I’ve thought this, we’re so regularly passive that I’m thinking it’s an intentional set up from the manager. But it’s frankly suicide when you lack technical quality in possession which we chose not to go for in the transfer market. 

It's mental. I was praying we'd sign a couple of higher quality technical midfielders somehow, because when we weren't scoring from forcing errors by pressing, we were making very few chances. Without Trips dictating the right side of the pitch, giving AG space on the left, there is no coherent attacking idea. The quality for consistent counter attacking doesn't exist, too many players that lack composure and touch. So now, we've stopped pressing, we've lost a huge amount of goals, and lost the aura of being a tough game with no room for error. We are the ones making unforced errors now. Its like watching Southgate's England. There's any amount of players with the athleticism to play high press. We decided to spend near 100 million on Ramsey and Elanga, players whose strength is not top tier creativity, dribbling, passing etc. Its mildly upgrading the squad in the same image as before but without actually using the system. Makes no god damn sense. Regardless, Sunderland is the game you play at 100%. You aren't saving yourselves for next week, if thats the case, the lads dont get it. 

[Erikse]

Howe started the 23/24 season with a similar less intensive style, and this was way before Bunce. He gave up on it, and then had an injury nightmare. I think he's just trying to evolve his style into something that can handle the load, but he can't figure out a different way of winning with the team that he built.