Where did it all go wrong



Lonz said:
If we believe the rumours, we turned down £10m+ for him in the summer from Burnley. His stock is worth even more this summer after showing he can almost carry a whole team on his own.

I think £20m is well within the realms of possibility.
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I hope you are right and that the funds are well spent. I just can’t see it happening personally.
 
For the most part this season was on track points wise until about January, although performances had been shite for a while.

For me, none of the 4 forwards have worked out, we sabotaged our season hiring Beale, and then injuries to practically all of our difference making players.
 
Binxy said:
So what you're saying is we were lucky last season and unlucky this season.😂
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Luck plays a role in whether you finish a few spots higher or lower than you probably should and all teams experience it in all sports. Last year we were lucky to make the playoffs - we got there in the second half of the last game of the season with 69pts and finished 6th only on goal difference. In the two previous seasons, 6th required 75 and 77pts and it likely will be in that range this year as well. And I was lucky as I just happened to be in Sunderland for the Luton game, which wasn't in the cards when I made my travel plans!

This season, before Roberts got hurt we were in 6th on pace for 69pts just like last year. Then a rash of injuries and suspensions knocked us back. Overall on the two seasons we've actually been pretty consistent.
 
PaulG said:
Luck plays a role in whether you finish a few spots higher or lower than you probably should and all teams experience it in all sports. Last year we were lucky to make the playoffs - we got there in the second half of the last game of the season with 69pts and finished 6th only on goal difference. In the two previous seasons, 6th required 75 and 77pts and it likely will be in that range this year as well. And I was lucky as I just happened to be in Sunderland for the Luton game, which wasn't in the cards when I made my travel plans!

This season, before Roberts got hurt we were in 6th on pace for 69pts just like last year. Then a rash of injuries and suspensions knocked us back. Overall on the two seasons we've actually been pretty consistent.
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Last season we had 21 goals from 3 strikers, this season we have 3 goals from 4, nowt unlucky about that, that is all on the recruitment.
 
We had a good team and theyve made it worse.

And to make matters worse we somehow turn every player into 3 months injured if they are lucky. Some far longer.

Add in a tripler for head coaches and you have got yourself a stinking dysfunctional season.

Any other season thats relegation at Sunderland.
 
I swear they're trying to make money out of you - the sustainability guff was what Evans did with us. Just meant he didn't want to spend any more money. I do wonder if KLD and Sartori are hoping that Motorbike racing thing they've invested in goes mental, like F1 or the touring bikes. I would imagine as major investors, that'll be their 'out'.
 
chriswallace85 said:
I think it's a little overstated, but we had good players and goals are never really bad anyway.

Interesting how many Embo was involved in early doors...

Impossible to replace at this level to be fair.
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Depressing as fuck. What a team we were last season man!

Thanks for that!

The owners want to hang their heads in shame.
 
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Boris Bear said:
I think we’re focused more on immediate commercial success at the expense of football success
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There's no better way for a football club to be commercially successful than being successful on the pitch.

I know you're not explicitly saying it, but there is a large cohort of people on here who seem to think the club don't want to get promoted. It's totally illogical and wrong. Of course they do.

Getting promoted to the PL and going straight back down with 0 points would be of more benefit than plodding around for 50 seasons at this level.
T_Bone said:
What went wrong ?
A total lack of ambition and a director of football who has a model that is useless.
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Speakman doesn't set the model.

It is dictated by the board and as an employee, he adheres to their instruction in terms of profile of players and budget.
 
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The Situation said:
There's no better way for a football club to be commercially successful than being successful on the pitch.

I know you're not explicitly saying it, but there is a large cohort of people on here who seem to think the club don't want to get promoted. It's totally illogical and wrong. Of course they do.

Getting promoted to the PL and going straight back down with 0 points would be of more benefit than plodding around for 50 seasons at this level.


Speakman doesn't set the model.

It is dictated by the board and as an employee, he adheres to their instruction in terms of profile of players and budget.
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They just don’t want to commit financially to getting promoted
 
The Situation said:
There's no better way for a football club to be commercially successful than being successful on the pitch.

I know you're not explicitly saying it, but there is a large cohort of people on here who seem to think the club don't want to get promoted. It's totally illogical and wrong. Of course they do.

Getting promoted to the PL and going straight back down with 0 points would be of more benefit than plodding around for 50 seasons at this level.


Speakman doesn't set the model.

It is dictated by the board and as an employee, he adheres to their instruction in terms of profile of players and budget.
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I would nt be too certain about that. He’s hardly adhering to the model screaming and kicking with his arm up his back. He’s all for it and revels in the authority he has.
I honestly believe he influences KLD in this field.
Anyway whoever it is that imposes this model, it needs binning.
 
1. Injuries

Huggins Alese Cirkin
Embleton Evans Matete
Roberts Dack Clarke

That’s nearly a team of people we’ve been without all of whom would be first team or bench

2. Let’s add departures
Bass
Huggins Baath Alese Cirkin
Pritch Evans Michut
Roberts Stewart Clarke

Sub: Embleton Gooch

So partly bad luck and partly self inflicted, but we’ve lost a half decent team worth of players.

3. Tactics
I loved Mowbray, but whatever the plan was in the close season it didn’t work. We went from a team that moved the ball quickly to one that was more ponderous. Probably an effort to gain more control but it didn’t work. The Hume experiment didn’t work. Don’t forget that we were well outside the playoffs last season too until we went on an Amad and player-inspired surge. I don’t think TM had much to do with it.

4. Stupidity
Sacking Mowbray without someone good to come in? I think it was an impulsive and wrong headed decision. If we’d had someone decent lined up for real progression and to go for it, great.

5. Moore / Stansfield
Maybe MVila was a good decision, but Moore was a bad one. Maybe we didn’t have a choice. Shame we didn’t get Stansfield either. I honestly think we were just Stansfield and a jobbing centre mid with some nous away from challenging this season.

6. Mags
It really was a perfect storm having that lot of numpties ploughing in at that time
 
Iansun45 said:
Shows you how Important Amad was
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This. Looking at the table we would have finished about 14th without him. Now add to that what would have happened if Clarke and Roberts had been injured for some of the season. And also take out Stewart...

It's not about the head coaches.
 
Hongkongphooey said:
No flexibility in recruitment , 3 shite transfer windows in a row.
Sacked Mowbray to cover up for the owner and Speakmans mistakes
Appointed a coach that nobody wanted who turns out was a nut job who had burner accounts where he slagged off the supporters , the squad and our owner.
Dodds appointed for the 3rd time ,who just so happens to be best mates with Speakman, who after giving him the gig,said he was happy to just plod along for the rest of the season.
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Yeah but apart from that, where did it all go wrong.

After all Mowbray didn't have a plan b and ate biscuits and chocolate in press conferences
 
turnthetide3 said:
After supporting the club for 62 years, all I can suggest is its in the clubs genetic makeup to enter a bright spell - then put the lights out.
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I think this is why we have little patience, we’ve seen it all before many times.
Lonz said:
The teams we have been putting out recently will get relegated next season. That is largely down to our transfer activity (Speakman) and injuries. We may be signing potential crocks or just unlucky. The squad certainly isn’t that strong in depth.
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We have an injury crisis every season.
 
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Mackemansj1 said:
Just 12 months ago we were playing some amazing football, scoring some of the best team goals I've ever seen a Sunderland side score. A team together about to make a late run into the play offs, we'd lose players but people came in and picked up the slack. Everyone seemed to be pulling in the same direction from manager players fans etc. It really felt like we were on the cusp of finding our way back to the top flight with an exciting young squad and the club having the feeling of those days under reidy or keano where anything seemed possible. Looking forward to the next game, walking upto the sol seeing people with smiles on their faces. What a difference a year makes eh.
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Sacked Mowbray, didn't cover Rossco or Evans.

Sold off Gooch and Baath, Pritchard too.

Didn't sign Broadhead or Simms or Michut.

As for signing Hemir, Burstow and the two at Hibs...

And still no apology/ attempt to make good.
 

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