Ron's Sunderland Musings

Last updated : 23 March 2010 By Richard Barker

-  Blues’ defending at the start was shocking.  I’ve been saying for a while now that it looks a lot rockier.  A few fingers have been pointed at Scott Dann, and yes, he’s not looking so steady, but Roger Johnson doesn’t quite look “at it” either.  In two consecutive games Blues have gifted the opposition two goal starts, and Blues simply do not score enough goals to be able to get away with that.

-  Blues failed to get to grips with Steed Malbranque early on who dictated play from Sunderland’s left, setting up Darren Bent’s second by drifting inside far, far too easily and picking a great pass.  There’d been warnings prior to this, but Blues did not learn.

-  When Cameron Jerome missed a very good chance just before half-time (after great work by Liam Ridgewell) and then another one when clean through early in the second half, you couldn’t help but draw comparisons with Bent.  The Sunderland striker had had two chances and buried them both.  Jerome had had two and missed both.  It was the difference between a £12m striker and a £5m striker.

 -  In fairness to Jerome, when his third good opportunity came along, he took it very, very well.  He can do it.  He just, at the moment, can’t do it as often as the likes of Bent do.  People will point to his (now) not bad scoring record this season, and he’s done well.  However, when you actually look at him and his displays, the frustration is that he COULD have had more.  If Blues had Bent’s goals this season, they’d be fifth or sixth.  If Sunderland had Jerome’s goals this season, they’d be on the verge of relegation.  Blues, to kick on in the summer, need a Darren Bent.  Jerome is, however, doing much better of late.

-  The second half was actually thoroughly enjoyable from the point of view that Blues absolutely battered Sunderland, who had to rely on Craig Gordon.  Blues played energetic, quick, good football, attacking down the flanks and through the inside channels.  It was good to see.

-  Michel’s ball for Jerome’s goal was excellent and showed what he’s capable of.  I’m personally not quite convinced yet… I have some doubts as to whether he may be a luxury Blues can’t afford (at present).  I deliberately watched him off the ball on a number of occasions when Blues were defending, and he lost shape a number of times and seemed to drift out of position and get lost.  I am sure that will come though, and these last ten games or so could be very, very useful for blooding him in.

-  Craig Gordon was tremendous – particularly his positioning which meant a lot of his saves seemed simple.  However, Blues also missed two glaring free headers from corners in the second half, from Lee Bowyer and Johnson.  Johnson’s due a goal, surely?

-  Stephen Carr is tremendous.  He’s had his moments this season, and will, I suspect, struggle to keep up his standards next season, but the job that he has done for this football club after coming out of retirement is nothing short of miraculous.  I am struggling to think of a better attacking right back in the country, at present, which says an awful, awful lot.  I honestly don’t know where he gets the energy from.  In a year in which the player of the season accolades will be (unusually) difficult to decide, I hope that Carr is rewarded somehow.

Should Blues feel hard done by?  Well, yes, possibly – they created an awful lot of chances and could have scored five or six, but for Gordon and some poor finishing.  However, that’s not what football is all about.  Sunderland created chances themselves – Joe Hart made some good saves – and in Bent’s two goals and Frazier Campbell’s strike, they did a lot more in terms of taking those chances.  In that sense, they deserved the win.  Nothing to be ashamed of from Blues on the whole though – just sort some of that defending out.