I am at a bit of a loss to say anything that we haven't said or continue to say and have been for so long now, not only at a loss but also depressed with the whole thing with the club.
Yesterday's game, we weren't brilliant or anything, it was more a case of Cardiff were terrible, no dire in the first half and at the end of the second. Yea we did play some neat football, but as of old we did not press home the advantage we had worked to get.
It wasn't about not creating any, we had enough to finish the game off, like Newcastle did the other night. But like Newcastle we didn't they got a point while we came away with nothing but hot air and players harping on about being frustrated.
Not as frustrated as the that brilliant army of supporters who have watched another indifferent and inconsistent show.
Yea Marshall was in top form, and no good moaning about that, that is his job to do. Ruddy has done it more than once over his time here. The simply fact is our strikers are not hitting the net at all now, RVW has simply not got into gear whether he has settled into life here I can only guess and surmise.
Hooper has been our best performer at times but even he doesn't seem as sharp, he works his arse off, certainly isn't afraid to have a pop but it looks to be drying up from his little burst. Elmander hasn't scored at all something which doesn't surprise me one bit, he is a work horse, to do the nasty hard work. He played Johnson (I think) in twice first shot would have been better down at the other Stadium, his second brought another top save out of Marshall.
So midfield did get forward in support, Snoddy had another couple of good efforts after his goal, one hit the post.
The defense clearly had a Narcoleptic period, for the two goal, Hooper's pass didn't help, but there was enough other players around to have stopped some of the early play before Bellamy mis-hit his shot, and what on earth was Ruddy doing with that soft effort ?
The second goal was even worse, it ended with a defender standing near the line with his back to the ball and Jones, who reacted far far quicker. He isn't known for his finesse but he didn't need anymore of an invite.
I am not laying the blame at Hughton's door for this, he cannot train for mistakes that is the players fault.
What I can say against him is the slowness in making changes: Ole Gunner saw at 38 minutes yes 38 minutes, that Whitingham and Bellamy wasn't working and had the balls, Know how and common sense to make a change. And it worked like a dream.
Hughton on the other hand waited and waited using up valuable time, before making a similar change with Redmond, approx around another 20 minutes passed before he woke up to the facts, we were losing, we had lost a lead, lost the control we had and facing another defeat.... That is par for the course I am afraid.
I fear for this coming saturday's game I really do... confidence is low and Manc City are scoring for fun hitting far better sides than us for 5s and 6s. Then we travel to West Ham, who dispatched a poor looking Swansea, because they could not play Carroll. His sending off was a travesty, Chico always tries to get an oscar, I remember seeing him do the same thing against Johson and Holt in previous games. About time he was picked up on it..
Nothing much gets said about him, but Johnson gets lambasted in the media. (Anyone see MOTD and Big Sam standing laughing at Chico, it was pure delight) Say what you like about Big Sam he is of another breed, man's football
All I know is something has to start changing very soon, do the traveling army can start to set the Sat-Navs for the Bolton,s Blackburns and Brighton,s .
We are in a massive massive fight, and we are poor very poor. But It can be done... Sunderland are on the rise....Poyet has proved a new manager can make a difference, he didn't panic or make weak excuses, he got on with his job, they put to the sword the team taht made us look inferior only a few days ago. Gus Poyet was one of my favourites to take over from Lambert....