Poyet and Bridcutt

[Megazone]

I agree. It was definitely Makelele's towering height that made him one of the best midfielders of a generation.

Roy Keane was a bit of a lank too.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

At times, yes. But we also saw our fair share of quiet draws, & meek home defeats.

Gus' tenure at the Amex was characterised by a succession of peaks and troughs.
The sensational start in 2011, sixteen points from the first six games, followed by a period of 10 or more games where we could barely buy a point. Then a late autumn rally followed by a complete collapse over Christmas, when we lost four successive games and couldn't string a pass together ( abysmal stuff ) Massive injury crisis forced wholesale changes v Saints and a surprise result, which kick-started us again but the whole season fell away over the last 7-8 games where very few points were garnered.
Season 12-13 was more consistent but another good start was followed by a winless run of 7 games. Eventually, our stronger squad got its act together and an unbeaten finish of 10 games, confirmed a good play-off place.
I probably watched 75-80 of Gus's games in The Championship and am in a reasonable position to judge. He was far too cautious at times and when the wheels came off, he seemed powerless to change anything. There were memorable moments but a lot of very ordinary stuff as well. He would always settle for a draw, rather than gamble for a win.
Its no surprise that Sunderland draw a lot. That is Gus's nature. He is moody one minute, excitable the next.
Our team captured his moods. Up and down. Ordinary, then exciting.
Those who only remember the memorable moments either didn't go very much or are wearing rose-tinted specs.

 

[BigGully]

Bridcutt came back from his bad injury half the player he was before. I was glad to see him go especially for that money.

I think the club have done very well with every big player sale in recent years. Shame about the purchases though.

Thats the problem, if you cannot get the recruitment right, then there can never be a successful selling policy, you just end up running down your assets.

 

[Eurobound]

At times, yes. But we also saw our fair share of quiet draws, & meek home defeats.

Gus' tenure at the Amex was characterised by a succession of peaks and troughs.
The sensational start in 2011, sixteen points from the first six games, followed by a period of 10 or more games where we could barely buy a point. Then a late autumn rally followed by a complete collapse over Christmas, when we lost four successive games and couldn't string a pass together ( abysmal stuff ) Massive injury crisis forced wholesale changes v Saints and a surprise result, which kick-started us again but the whole season fell away over the last 7-8 games where very few points were garnered.
Season 12-13 was more consistent but another good start was followed by a winless run of 7 games. Eventually, our stronger squad got its act together and an unbeaten finish of 10 games, confirmed a good play-off place.
I probably watched 75-80 of Gus's games in The Championship and am in a reasonable position to judge. He was far too cautious at times and when the wheels came off, he seemed powerless to change anything. There were memorable moments but a lot of very ordinary stuff as well. He would always settle for a draw, rather than gamble for a win.
Its no surprise that Sunderland draw a lot. That is Gus's nature. He is moody one minute, excitable the next.
Our team captured his moods. Up and down. Ordinary, then exciting.
Those who only remember the memorable moments either didn't go very much or are wearing rose-tinted specs.

Good post. Completely agree.

 

[Stat Brother]

Gus' tenure at the Amex was characterised by a succession of peaks and troughs.
The sensational start in 2011, sixteen points from the first six games, followed by a period of 10 or more games where we could barely buy a point. Then a late autumn rally followed by a complete collapse over Christmas, when we lost four successive games and couldn't string a pass together ( abysmal stuff ) Massive injury crisis forced wholesale changes v Saints and a surprise result, which kick-started us again but the whole season fell away over the last 7-8 games where very few points were garnered.
Season 12-13 was more consistent but another good start was followed by a winless run of 7 games. Eventually, our stronger squad got its act together and an unbeaten finish of 10 games, confirmed a good play-off place.
I probably watched 75-80 of Gus's games in The Championship and am in a reasonable position to judge. He was far too cautious at times and when the wheels came off, he seemed powerless to change anything. There were memorable moments but a lot of very ordinary stuff as well. He would always settle for a draw, rather than gamble for a win.
Its no surprise that Sunderland draw a lot. That is Gus's nature. He is moody one minute, excitable the next.
Our team captured his moods. Up and down. Ordinary, then exciting.
Those who only remember the memorable moments either didn't go very much or are wearing rose-tinted specs.

As said elsewhere I think over the last 6 games Hughton has out managed all other AMEX managers.


And with that said can I now get all titsy that straight after yet another fantastic win some spazmoid thinks it's the perfect time to open up the first of this weeks half a dozen Gus threads.

 

[chaileyjem]

Hmm! The first FULL season of the extended 30,500 capacity Amex. Remember, Gus' last season we started with only the East Upper and South Corners completed.

yep. Gotcha. But the OP did say that we "haven't seen the gates" since Gus left. On any way of measuring it , then er, we have. Certainly in Oscar's season and from time to time this season however you want to measure it (season ticket sales, tickets sold, attendance, pre-tendance, average, peak, highest capacity, percentage capacity) then gates aren't very different.

*and aware they've gone down this season but that wasn't the claim.

 

[Daffy Duck]

Both Gus & Bridders are club legends - anyone who can't see that wasn't paying attention.

Would welcome them back with open arms one day, but not today, very happy with Hughton & Kayal for now.

You might welcome them both back with open arms, but I most certainly would not.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Bridcutt came back from his bad injury half the player he was before. I was glad to see him go especially for that money.

I think the club have done very well with every big player sale in recent years. Shame about the purchases though.

Any Premier League club paying £3.5million for a player will be lucky to get a reasonable bench player out of it. If Sunderland stay up I'd expect Bridcutt to be sold, he'll probably end up at QPR if they get relegated, Fulham or someone like that.

 

[Lush]

His head was turned by an offer of increased money. As a father, with a young family, he was tempted.
In retrospect, he may have been better off playing every week in the Championship but the lure of more money has resulted in a squad player, struggling at the highest level.

But if you got offered a better job, at a better company, with more money, wouldn't you at least give it a go? That's not greed that's ambition. See also Barnes, A.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

But if you got offered a better job, at a better company, with more money, wouldn't you at least give it a go? That's not greed that's ambition. See also Barnes, A.

See Ulloa, L for how to conduct yourself in similar circumstances.

 

[Sheebo]

Bridcutt consistantly showed he is good enough to play prem standard with us. Anyone saying they 'knew' he wasn't good enough is making it up!

 

[Biscuit]

Jesus what a tool you are. That drivel completely ignores the fact he gave absolutely superb service to the club for 3 or 4 years, after we picked him up for a song - including a season where we finished league one champions, a season where we finished 4th in the Championship. And he was player of the season here. Twice.

So his heart wasn't in it at the end. That's not exactly unusual at any place of work is it? But it doesn't detract from 3 or 4 years of quality service for me.

If there is one "massive prick" around here, it's not Liam Bridcutt.

Wow. How you can defend the way he left the club is astonishing. Still game of opinions, cheers for the dig.

You know it is possible to leave a club with the respect of the supporters? Look at Ulloa and countless others. The vast majority would have wished Bridcutt all the best had he acted in a similar vein. What a shame to tarnish 3 or 4 years of superb service by leaving under a cloud. For a professional footballer to all but refuse to play for the club that are paying his wages is pretty low.

 

[Simster]

Wow. Sycophant much? How you can defend the way he left the club is astonishing.

You know it is possible to leave a club with the respect of the supporters? Look at Ulloa and countless others. The vast majority would have wished Bridcutt all the best had he acted in a similar vein. What a shame to tarnish 3 or 4 years of superb service by leaving under a cloud. For a professional footballer to all but refuse to play for the club that are paying his wages is pretty low.

No, not a "sycophant much" at all. You just come across as a child acting all stroppily just because he wanted out after a solid 4 years. Four years during which he won 2 player of the seasons, helped win promotion and a good deal of success in this division.

And no he didn't "all but refuse to play for the club" at all. You're just making up stuff to suit your bitter argument. He said his head wasn't right or something like that. Big deal. Grow up eh?


Edit: love the way you took out the bit where you accuse me of being a sycophant, just so that you can put in "cheers for the dig". Seems like it was justified really.

 

[Icy Gull]

Bridcutt consistantly showed he is good enough to play prem standard with us. Anyone saying they 'knew' he wasn't good enough is making it up!

I didn't "know" he wasn't good enough but I certainly suggested he would struggle, can't be arsed to check back but the proof is on here. Excellent Championship defensive midfielder but he was not playing in the Prem so not sure how he put in Prem standard performances for us

 

[skipper734]

I really don't wish to add to this thread, which is about yesterdays men. Bridcutts height in the division he plays in shouldn't be an issue, but then there is another skinny runt who's only 5 foot 6 inches tall and doesn't play in the Premier League, though he's fairly successful, he's an Argentinian too.his name Lionel Messi. Maybe the secret is in the head and feet.

 

[Sweeney Todd]

If memory serves me correctly - and it does, sometimes - in January, 2014, Bridcutt refused to play for the Albion on the grounds that he was not fit to play, mentally, because he was desperate to join Sunderland.

He was a tremendous player for the club, but he ended his time at the Albion by showing scant respect for the club and the fans.

 

[Sheebo]

I didn't "know" he wasn't good enough but I certainly suggested he would struggle, can't be arsed to check back but the proof is on here. Excellent Championship defensive midfielder but he was not playing in the Prem so not sure how he put in Prem standard performances for us

Yeh fair play maybe you did... BUT he was obviously our best player in a very good championship team. Therefore the vast majority (and manager) thought he was comfortably good enough... And there's no doubt his displays were consistently above championship standard. I'm very suprised Sunderland fans aren't rating him.