josh Scowen Welcome to Sunderland AFC

As with all new arrivals SAFCBlog would like to welcome Josh Scowen to Sunderland AFC and wish him every success during his time on Wearside.

I’ll be honest, this time yesterday I’d never heard of him, to be fair he’d probably not heard of me but will likely be reading the blog like the other players soon?(**) – a bit of cutting edge investigative journalism and I know a little bit now.

(** no evidence of this)

Who is Josh Scowen?

He’s a 26 year old midfielder who has spent the last few years at QPR. He was previously at Barnsley where he helped them to promotion from League 1 a few years ago, (that’s handy!). Whilst he was to be out of contract at QPR this summer, he’s played 23 times for them this season and racked up over 100 Championship games for them.

I spoke to few Barnsley fans today and they said they’d have had him back in a heartbeat and that it’s a great signing. He seemed to split opinion at QPR, but their recent history makes the ownership of our club look stable & calm, it’s been chaotic at Loftus Road on and off the pitch for some considerable time – and as we know only too well this can heighten emotions and intensify opinions?

Generally the comments are hugely positive, in a similar vein to Bradley Wright….. he’s a good age, he’s got championship pedigree and he’s arriving fit to play. We all know there’s no guarantees , this time last year I kept getting told what a good player Will Grigg would be for us – SAFC Blog is loathe to criticise him, but he’s been consistently shite for us.

What will Josh bring to SAFC?

Whilst most people would agree we need someone to score goals, it’s also clear we need a bit of fight in the middle of the park.

Players that have an aggressive edge to their game will always polarise opinions? Personally I loved Cattermole and we were consistently better when he played. Dobson is a really good passer of the ball, I’m hoping the combative nature of Scowen will free up Dobson to be a bit more of a creative/attacking threat.

We have options in midfield, but I’d like to see Josh start at Tranmere next to Dobson tomorrow night. Max Power has been decent of late, but he has a tendency to have a really shit game occasionally? He was really poor in the first half at MK Dons, we didn’t really have a plan B on the bench? Competition for places is hugely important – look how well Wyke played against Wycombe a few days after the arrival of Lafferty?

Sadly Leadbitter looks like his legs are about done? So…. if Josh brings consistency that’s great, if he increases competition for places that’s also great.

As aforementioned, Power has had some really good games during our recent good run. Maguire has Shite and sublime games in equal measure – but if he was good every week he’d be playing for someone better. Sadly the central pairing is an area that can’t afford to have an off day? Hopefully Josh will be a good addition in this area.

Is Josh Scowen a good signing for Sunderland AFC?

As always time will tell, Lafferty could go either way, (although hence the short term deal), Wright and Scowen look like brilliant signings? It looks like a real coup for us, let’s not forget or underestimate the importance of having an experienced, well respected and wise manager when it comes to signing the right players?

It’s definitely a good signing – I’d hoped to see Mumba and Robson coming through, but the bridge/gap from the Academy to the 1st team seems to be quite a gulf at present; it probably doesn’t help when our academy at times just seems to be a shop window for the Premiership clubs? But…. that’s a whole new article I guess?

Josh fits the model that has seen our improved form, he is clearly happy to mix it and play with intensity & tempo. He sounds like Steve Parkin’s type of player……