I’m thankful for Steve Bruce. It seems like finally St. Niall has given us a manager who knows the game well enough to be able to play the top teams instead of run from them. (yes that’s a Ricky shot) And it’s awfully glad we don’t have a celebrity manager like Roy Keane (though I miss his press conferences). To be fair Steve Bruce is kind of boring when it comes to the interviews, but at least he makes up for it on the field.

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I think either way, this has been a very good start to the season, and hopefully the media won’t get to nuts on us and expect a European place. That’s a year away in my opinion.

Subs: Carson, Healy, Murphy, Ferdinand, Nosworthy, Campbell, Zenden.

Arsenal line up as follows: Almunia, Sagna, Fabregas (C), Vermaelen, Rosicky, Nasri, Eduardo, Gallas, Ramsey, Song, Traore.

Subs: Vela, Walcott, Denilson, Silvestre, Arshavin, Mannone, Eboue.

Words from Steve Bruce
from SAFC.com

“We came with a game plan to try and match them in the middle of the park. That’s important against Arsenal and to be fair every single one of them has done their jobs.

“We had a shaky ten or fifteen minutes in the first half but overall I’m delighted to beat a team like Arsenal. As everyone’s seen here today we’ve matched them and done very well to get a result.

“I’ve been really pleased with the way we’ve been playing without getting the breaks we needed. But remember, when we won at Manchester United we then went to Birmingham and didn’t show up, so we’ll be banging the drum that we must get something at Wigan next week.”

Bruce was forced into making a few a changes before the game due to Michael Turner and Kenwyne Jones being suspended and most notably Craig Gordon’s injury. The SoL chief was impressed with how they players who came into the squad today fitted into the team.

“Marton Fulop didn’t have a lot to do and people like Bardsley and Da Silva. But it’s wrong to pick out individuals because we needed our whole team playing well to beat Arsenal.

“Darren’s had a tough time over the last week or so but he’s come back well and given us his work ethic and a goal.”

Up next for the lads? Wigan on the 28th.

To be fair, Spurs are better, and I hate to say it Harry is a better manager than St. Steve Bruce. But losing 2-0 wasn’t what we needed.

Spurs got away with murder though.

Gomes should have been thrown out of the match on that Darren Bent foul.

From the manager Steve Bruce on SAFCTV

“Since the beach ball incident I don’t think we’ve had any luck whatsoever in the last two or three games.

“Anybody who’s witnessed the game here saw a fantastic performance away from home against a team in the top four. We’ve come here and played them off the pitch.

“But we didn’t take our chances – that’s the criticism over the last few games, against Aston Villa, West Ham and today. We’re snatching at chances and missing them, and it’s costing us dear.

“I’m delighted inside with the performance we’ve given on the big stage but disappointed for the players as we haven’t got anything out of it.

“We changed the system today as we had four or five players missing, and there were some big performances today, players like Reidy, Steed and Kieran. Everyone played well but we have to take these chances.

“We’ve missed four or five opportunities today and it’s obviously cost us very dearly.”

Teams for the match

SAFC: Gordon, Bardsley, McCartney, Turner (C), Da Silva, Reid, Malbranque, Richardson, Henderson, Bent, Campbell.

Subs: Fulop, Nosworthy, Ferdinand, Murphy, Meyler, Healy, Reed.

Spurs: Gomes, Huddlestone, Jenas, Keane (C), Palacios, Crouch, Defoe, Corluka, King, Assou-Ekotto, Woodgate.

Subs: Alnwick, Hutton, Bale, Bentley, Pavlyuchenko, Dawson, Kranjcar.

I do think that, this is a good draw for the club. West Ham has been in the EPL for a while, and to get a point off of them is a good thing. It would have been better to win against Aston Villa at mid-week, but I’m still mad about that match. Overall, this is a step up.

SAFC: Gordon, Da Silva, Richardson, Turner, Nosworthy, Malbranque (McCartney, 81), Reid, Cana (C), Henderson, Bent, Jones.

Subs Not Used: Fulop, Ferdinand, Bardsley, Healy, Meyler, Murphy.

Booked: Cana (11), Bent (25), Turner (40).

Sent Off: Jones (45).

West Ham: Green, Franco (Hines, 72), Cole, Kovac, Upson (C), Noble, Spector, Behrami (Diamanti, 67), Ilunga, Tomkins, Collison.

Subs Not Used: Gabbidon, Jiminez, Faubert, Kurucz, Stanislas.

Booked: Kovac (37), Ilunga (45), Cole (60).

Sent Off: Kovac (87).

Words from an SAFC Player young middie Jordan Henderson.

“I thought the whole team worked very hard. We looked the better team even with ten men and showed good character to come back from 2-0 down.

“In the end we probably should have won the game but the lads can take positives from today and kick on from here.

“The gaffer told us at half time to keep going, keep working hard and doing what we’d been doing. We did that, the crowd got right behind us – they were brilliant – and it was a good performance.

“Reidy got us back in it with a great free kick – he does it all the time in training. It was a brilliant goal which picked us and the crowd up from there.

“I felt we were always strong and going to get something from the game – I had a couple of chances but we did well at the end of the day.”

Next up for Sunderland – Spurs on the 7th.

SAFC: Gordon; Bardsley, Richardson, Ferdinand, Turner; Reid, Malbranque, Cana (C), Cattermole; Bent, Jones.

Subs: McCartney, Nosworthy, Campbell, Henderson, Da Silva, Healy, Fulop.

Manchester United: Foster; O’Shea, Evra, Evans, Vidic; Scholes, Fletcher, Nani, Rooney; Berbatov, Welbeck.

Subs: Ferdinand, Brown, Anderson, Carrick, F Da Silva, Valencia, Kuszczak.

Good news is for no, we’re up to 6th, which means if the season ended now, the Black Cats will be going to the Europa League.

From Steve Bruce – (and from SAFCtv.com)

Overall I’m delighted with the performance and we were almost rewarded with a win.

I’m just disappointed we couldn’t hang on.

Next Match is against Liverpool in two weeks.

SAFC: Gordon, Da Silva (Ferdinand, 75), Richardson, Mensah, Turner, Reid, Malbranque, Cana (C), Cattermole (Henderson, 46), Jones, Bent (McCartney, 90).

Subs Not Used: Nosworthy, Campbell, Healy, Fulop.

Booked: Turner (20).

Sent Off: None.

Wolves: Hennessey, Elokobi, Edwards, Henry, Keogh (Maierhofer, 77), Halford, Berra, Jarvis, Mancienne, Doyle (Ebanks-Blake, 77), Castillo (Kightly, 46).

Subs Not Used: Craddock, Milijas, Foley, Hahnemann.

Booked: Doyle (21), Henry (39).

Sent Off: None.

The Scorers

Bent, Jones (twice), Michael Turner, and then an OG by Wolves.

From the Gaffers

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce:
“It is just an incredible result but at times our defending was comical. The coaching staff have to sort out the situation defensively.

“Thankfully at the top end of the pitch we have a genuine threat and have used them to get out of jail.

“But we have got to be delighted with the start we have made to the season.”

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy:
“It will be a talking point that a promoted team got slapped for five but we had lots of chances.

“We had them by the scruff of the throat at 2-2 and there were lots of positives from the performance.

“All of us thought that we could go on and win the game but unfortunately we lost it in the process.”

Well it’s good to go into Manchester United week solidly at 8th, but I’m worried, how hard will Sunderland have to work to get anything out of the Man U game? We’re much more talented this time around than the last time we met. Also this time around we have a manager who knows the game. Either way, it shouldn’t be a fun game, but now with the ESPN (I hate them) contract, maybe I can watch the game live here in Buffalo NY.

That’s right, I’m stating it now, the Carling Cup will have Sunderland in it. If our youngins keep scoring like they did in this match, like Jordan Henderson in the first half, and Frazier Campbell in the second then we’ll be set. I’m not saying that the Black Cats can for sure beat beat the top ten, but if those teams take the competition as a way to get their Youth teams experience then we can win it all.

From the Gaffer

“At times some of our football was excellent, and the two boys at the back gave us a bit of solidarity, experience and know-how. I don’t think our goalkeeper’s had a serious shot to save.”

I’m delighted for Jordan [getting his goal]. The kid’s had a great pre-season and I think he’ll be a big player for the club.

“There’s nothing like your first goal and he epitomised what we are all about today – he was full of life, full of energy and it was a very, very good performance from the kid.

“Fraizer’s worked extremely hard over the last few weeks too so I’m pleased he got off the mark as well.

“I think the referee felt a bit sorry for them in the last half-hour – he seemed to give them everything. I’ve seen the replay of John Mensah’s goal and it should have stood.”

“Realistically, this trophy is one of the only ones we can win, along with the FA Cup. A nice draw in the next round and you never know.

“I’m not too bothered who we get as long as it’s at home and I’m delighted with tonight’s result.”

The only thing I don’t like about these mid-week cup competition, is that the lads will be tired, and with the club playing Wolverhampton this weekend, they need their legs. I just hope that Sunderland can come through with a win this weekend.

Oh and how did we let David Nugent look like Darren Bent? David couldn’t score to save his life when he was at Pompey, but now? What the heck folks. Yes I know he’s on load at Burnley, but the level of play doesn’t change. Maybe Owen Coyle is better for younger players than Harry Redknapp.

From the Gaffer Steve Bruce

“Considering how good we were in the first half and possibly for the first hour, the last half-hour is disappointing,” Bruce said.

“We went to such heights and then such depths and we have to put that right. We’ve had a bad start in terms of giving a goal away – and a soft goal at that – but we looked a decent team in the first half.

“Second half, for whatever reason, we’ve not been able to put the full 90 minutes together and we’ll have to work on that and get better, that’s for sure.”

Well hopefully the lads can get it together and beat Wolverhampton next weekend.

Game Results

League Cup

Sunderland 4-1 over Norwich Shiity err City

With any match report I only report the Black Cats who score, because if you want to know about the other team, read their blog. (I’m greedy).

Teeemu, Andy Reid (two goals)

Reaction from Black Cats Boss Steve Bruce

“Andy Reid’s done extremely well with his fitness and conditioning – he’s come back and lost something like nine kilos from last year. All he can do is play like that and he’s posed a few questions.

“That’s the nice part of management, when you’ve got people knocking on the door, so we’ll see what happens.

“It was the first time I’ve seen Craig Gordon live and he made two or three wonderful saves. We were comfortable but the goalkeeper’s had to make a couple of really important saves.”

I almost don’t want to report on the next match we’ve played because it wasn’t a win, and it wasn’t against Stoke. And then bug me to no end, they’re just so boring. But we lost 1-0 and that stinks.

Reaction from Black Cat Boss Steve Bruce

“Our Achilles heel was to defending corner kicks.

“Bolton, Blackburn and now Stoke have asked the questions and three out of five goals we’ve conceded have been from set pieces.

“We were more spirited in the second half but couldn’t deliver that final ball into the box.”

Subs Not Used: Gordon, Leadbitter, Reid, Healy.

Booked: Cattermole (45), Bardsley (81).

Sent Off: None.

Blackburn R: Robinson, Jacobsen, Samba, Givet, Nelsen (C), Pedersen, Nzonzi, Andrews, Diouf (McCarthy, 71), Roberts, Di Santo (Kalinic, 14).

Subs Not Used: Brown, Emerton, Grella, Hoilett.

Booked: McCarthy (90).

Sent Off: None.

Kenwyne Jones puts two across the goal line for a 2-1 win over the Rovers for the Black Cats. It was good to see that we could score without Darren Bent. I felt that one of these matches he was going to get lose and put a goal in for us.

Quotes from the Manager Steve Bruce

“We struggled in the first half after putting in a big 60 minutes against Chelsea.

“We could not cope with Blackburn’s physical threat in the first 45 minutes and we could not deal with them.

“It has been a gruelling week for us and Blackburn were fresh for this match.

“I am pleased we have dug in and got the win because we got off the hook a bit.”