Looking Back Today at Going Forward Yesterday…..

It was a fantastic game of football yesterday, we should have won the game and given the chances we created we could have won the game easily. Whilst it was a deflating ending, the speed and crispness of our attacking play was better than I’ve witnessed in years, (and some more years). It’s no secret that it’s been fairly shite being a Sunderland fan in recent years, but I’m really enjoying this season, this might be in part to appreciating having football back? There are of course notable exceptions, (Portsmouth, Rotherham and Sheff Weds), but on the whole we’ve been good to watch this season.

Ross Stewart…..

He has been brilliant this season, whilst being the leagues top scorer is his primary aim, his general play, application and movement is absolutely fantastic.

Playing One Striker…..

More often than not, there’s not really been an option? However good Stewart has been, he sometimes does look a bit isolated up front? It’s not our style to play it long, but all teams play in long on occasions, Stewart can win the ball, but there’s no point if there’s no one running off him? It’s not so bad hitting the flanks with long balls, but a long ball down the middle to a lone striker just feels like a cheap concession of possession.

Playing Two Strikers…..

• Kimpioka looked good against Wednesday, but it’s easy to look good coming on at 4-0 up. I’m not for one minute writing him off, but he has a lot to prove
• O’Brien is struggling with Long Covid, when fit he will continue to struggle due to not being good enough.
• Broadhead, seemed the answer, unfortunate timing of injury. Although 2 hamstrings in half a season perhaps suggests that fitness may hamper his progress?
• Now that Freddie Ladapo wants away from Rotherham, I’d definitely leave Grigg there – any team with that lazy fucker in their line up is at a huge disadvantage.

• If Stewart were to get injured, we have a problem a huge problem…..

Forward planning was not really on the radar of our previous owners, I really hope Stewart stays fit, but relying on this would be naive, we need to strengthen up front. That’s obviously easier said than done?

The ownership of our club has a Model, I don’t expect them to sign anyone towards the end of their career, I don’t see them spending big on players with a limited residual value in the transfer market. But…. We need strengthening, I’m on board with the medium term plan of being good enough to stay up and then become challengers in the Championship, but we do need to get there first. Wycombe and Rotherham have aspirations to go up again, just as Peterborough will try and go back up when they come down this season, there’s nothing wrong with that achievement being a ceiling for these clubs, it’s no good for us though.

Signing A New Striker…..

We need to do this, there’s never any guarantees that this will provide goals, but we can’t go into the last 3 months of the season without more options up front, there’s always options…..

I just write a mostly shite blog, but here’s a few, (realistic options), to consider this month, we need to do something….. remember when Maja left? A Stewart injury could replicate this situation?

Freddie Ladapo…..

He’s decided he doesn’t want to be at Rotherham, he’s 28 and out of contract in the summer, so £250k gets him

SAFCBlog verdict…wrong age for our model and more so, I don’t think a seasoned pro who has effectively downed tools is what we want/need?❌

Marcus Harness….

Looks like he’s available? Supporting Portsmouth would piss me off, not just that stupid cow bell, but surely it must be annoying as a Pompey fan that they look like worldbeaters vs us, then don’t turn up vs shite like Shrewsbury and Fleetwood? Our 0-4 at Pompey in October wasn’t a vintage performance, we had a great day on the ale, pre match the Portsmouth fans pretty much guaranteed that we’d beat them and Harness couldn’t hit a cows arse with a bango….. we lost 4-0 and he scored twice!

SAFCBlog verdict….. I quite fancied signing him 3 years ago from Donny, not sure he’s improved in 3 years at Portsmouth , not for me ❌

Cole Stockton…..

Whilst he’s 29 in March, I reckon Morecambe would crack at £350k? So residual value not an issue, he looks like a great player, he’s different from Stewart. Would need a haircut, (£8), but I’d sign him in heartbeat

SAFCBlog verdict…… 100% what we need ✅

There’s also a lad at Newport who’s scored 16 goals in 16 league games, given Newport aren’t very good that’s perhaps an option?