Sunderland Come A Long Way But Not As Far As They Wanted
Sunderland only need one more win to guarantee their Premier League safety, although in reality fears about relegation vanished weeks ago. That is, when you look at the last two seasons, significant progress.
So what have we learnt about the Black Cats this season? Steve Bruce has done a good job, the team has progressed from 12 months ago and they are starting to look like an established Premier League club.
Darren Bent has been a phenomenal signing and could go on to become on the club's all time greats, while the likes of Lorik Cana, Michael Turner and Lee Cattermole have strengthened the spine of the side.
However, it is not all champagne glass chinking and back slapping at the Stadium of Light because some would argue more was expected from Bruce in his first season.
He has spent heavily - around £28m although the £10m or so splurged on Bent looks like a bargain and he brought in £15m through player sales - but he made too many changes too quickly and I suspect he realises that now.
The squad was too small to cope with the injuries and suspensions that come over the course of a gruelling Premier League campaign and Sunderland suffered badly during that four month slump.
Nevertheless, Sunderland do look in better health when compared to previous seasons in the top flight.
The winter slide down the table has been reversed and for the first time in years, Black Cats fans can enjoy the end of the season run in rather than agonise over it.
Yet, they have also, as things stand, moved just three places higher in the table than they finished last term and we must not forget that, at the start of the campaign, the target was a top ten finish. Significantly, they are below both Blackburn Rovers and Stoke, as well as Fulham.
Bruce's end of first year mark would be a B-, in my opinion, when you also consider there wasn't a cup run to get the blood pumping either. Good, but he can do better and he will be expected to next year.
It takes time for a manager to get the team he wants with the players he wants and there is no question he will be building from a position of greater strength this summer.
Sunderland have shaken off that yo-yo tag, something he was determined to do when he arrived and better players will be willing to come as a result.
The core of the squad which can push into the top half is there and with the right, high quality additions, Sunderland could make a massive leap forward over the next 12-18 months.
Bent is crucial as I dread to think where they would have been without his 23 goals this season. Cana has lost his way a little, but he is a vital player, same with Cattermole who will hopefully shake off his niggling injury problems.
Turner has been solid and reliable, Fraizer Campbell much improved, but John Mensah's physical problems mean he will almost certainly be sent back to Lyon at the end of his loan spell and Paulo Da Silva has been disappointing. Both will need to be replaced.
But can Bruce keep hold of Kenwyne Jones, and will he be able to attract better players than George McCartney to the club in the summer.
To take Sunderland forward they need more players of Bent's calibre, but how does Bruce get them to come while keeping the existing key members of his squad happy?
With safety comes the luxury of being able to plan for next season. It will be intriguing to see what Bruce can do in the transfer market and how willing Ellis Short is to finance it.
The American has spent more than £100m on the club already and there is no guarantee he remain as generous.
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Luke Edwards - is Chief Sports Writer of The Journal and uses his blog to give a unique and entertaining insight into events at Newcastle United and Sunderland.
Agree with most of your comments, except for those about Da Silva. Bruce stated that it would take a while for him to bed in, being from S. America. He has taken Mensah's place in defence the last couple of games and has been impressive imo. Da Silva should only be judged by his performances next season, as by then he would will have had enough time to get used to the premier league style and pace.
Mensah needs to be replaced unless Lyon let him go on the cheap, in which case he would be worth a punt.
I think that's a fair assessment Luke. There's only one thing I would add to your comments. I am particularly pleased at the performance of the team against the top 4 or 5 teams in the league. I commented in one of your blogs earlier in the season that I really wanted to see Sunderland start to take some points from the bigger teams this season. I have been very embarassed about our performance in these games in the past few premiership seasons. Only Chelsea of the top few teams have done the double over us this year and that is a vast improvement. Now we just have to improve against the rubbish teams
What I'd like to know is where the over-confident Mackem is who, at the beginning of the season, have a rant at me because I said that Sunderland had no chance of getting in to Europe and would be wiser to content themselves with staving off relegation. I was told pretty much that I knew nothing, and that Sunderland would be top 8 with Steve Bruce and the new players. Can't remember it might've been. Oh, hang on. Stuart...that rings a bell! Looking forward to renewing the rivalry next season, fella! ; )
What I'd like to know is where the over-confident Mackem is who, at the beginning of the season, had a rant at me because I said that Sunderland had no chance of getting into Europe and would be wiser to content themselves with staving off relegation. I was told pretty much that I knew nothing, and that Sunderland would be top 8 with Steve Bruce and the new players. Can't remember who it might've been. Oh, hang on. Stuart...that rings a bell! Looking forward to renewing the rivalry next season, fella! ; )
In my opinion Steve Bruce has done an excellent job so far bearing in mind the injuries, poor refereeing decisions (like the Jones and Turner sending offs), and having to play the awful Marton Fulop in too many games. Luke should have balanced how much money was spent against the need to clean up the mess left by Keano (and the well meaning but badly under equipped Ricky).
As for next season, my expectation is that a top 8 finish is a realistic goal, as is a very good cup run. There are a number of excellent youngsters and I'm sure Jordan Henderson in particular will keep developing. He and Darren Bent are well on the way to becoming red and white legends.
Several of Luke’s comments are puzzling. Especially the one about need to keep hold of Kenwyne Jones who has been a total disappointment this season and has only turns up mentally about every 4th outing. I'm expecting that any good offer for him will be snapped up by Steve Bruce. The comments related to comparison with Stoke and Blackburn wrestling clubs are also rather off the mark because they only have limited ambitions. Sunderland is aiming much higher than either of those and is building a genuine football team, which is more difficult and takes longer. The Ellis Short dig is not too clever either because 100 million is pocket change to him, unlike with a certain Mike Ashley!
Boro making the playoffs and joining Newcastle as bottom end premier league scrappers next season is not out of the question yet. I'm looking forward very positively to the coming season which could include three short and productive away trips to Tyneside, Teesside and Humberside.
My score for Luke’s latest blog is C+.
Not guilty Tim B. I never had expectations of top 8 (maybe secret hopes but no expectations). So kindly take your wind up accusations ad stick em where the sun don't shine.
My hope for the season as stated above was to do a bit better against the top few teams.
I would imagine that you are refering to me tim b. Actually what I said to you at the begining of the season was why couldn't we finish in the top half of the table? As it is you were right, we went on a terrible run and ended up fight for our place again this season. As luke mentions in the blog we had loads of injury problems which certainly did not help us but I wouldn't say this was the major failing in us this season. The team seemed to lose confidence and we started to plummet like a hull did the season before. Congratulations on your promotion back to the prem I look forward to the derby but will look forward to it more once you are a more established premier league team. (sorry i just couldn't resist that one)
Er, Luke ... Newcastle Championship Winning blog piece due methinks!! :-)