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a1canary

Not much credit to Hoots on here today

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I think he made some very sound judgements today, from the formation, to the personnel to what was undoubtedly a critical team talk at half time. He gave Bennett a chance playing him on the right and he didn''t disappoint while Hools off Kamara couldn''t have worked better given how the goal went in. Just a shame that it was back to being ultra defensive once we were down to 10 and the formation and personnel didn''t get a chance to show how well it might have worked. Without that idiot linesman it could well have been another Swansea (away) performance but without the goals against seeing how toothless O''Neils men are. Give it another go at the DW i say. Well done Chris.

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I couldn''t agree more.

Picked the right system, we dominated the early stages, deserved to go ahead and then after a bad mistake from Turner made the right call to take off Wes. We looked solid throughout the game and had the best chances even with 10 men.

What''s more I feel that we have a unity about us which will take us a long way. There''s no doubt the players are behind Hughton, let''s make sure we do the same for the rest of the season.

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He has done a fantastic job this season. Considering we don''t have the biggest budget ever he has done well to prepare us for most eventualities. People moaned about Bunn being a waste of money. He has played a crucial role this season. People moaned about then signing another experienced goalkeeper in Camp to give us more cover should the worst happen. He has played an important role in securing a draw today and will play next week.

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Unfortunately we have a predictably vociferous but small minority of bird brained hicks who aren''t behind him.

Still, with any luck, today''s performance in adversity will do much to unite fans for the run in.

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Just on signings, and with no little credit also to Ewan Chester, he has an outstanding record of bringing in quality.

Both keepers have looked like important business, then add on Whittaker, Bassong, Turner, Garrido, Tettey, Snodgrass and Kamara and you can pretty say all have been successes. The failures seem fairly minimal. The jury has to remain out on Becchio at this stage but other than that I''d say Butterfield is about the only one, and he hasn''t really had a crack of the whip yet. No one can deny that Hughton has improved the quality of the squad as a whole.

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The difference was we held a much higher line today so it was much less of a struggle for the team to get up the pitch (due to our lack of pace) which is what I''ve been dying to see for ages! Same defensive solidarity and 4-5-1 formation with the same players I''ve just wanted us to push up a bit more when we have the chance and I think had the ref not been bribed we would have really given Sunderland a hammering today Swansea first half style. It also helps that Kamara is excellent at holding the ball up.

This is what I''ve been dying to see for ages solid, balanced play instead of Lambert''s gung ho or Hughton''s usual park the bus approach!

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I think all the thoughts are on the absolutely shocking refereeing performance but it should not be forgotten just how impressively we played today; Sunderland looked woeful but a lot of credit has to go to the team''s performance and Hughton''s tactics. An immense performance today

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Other than the first ten or so minutes after half time I don''t think we were that defensive at all. We were cautious at times and rightly so. We took the game to them and kept looking for another goal when we could. Didn''t look like we were settling for a draw even with ten.

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The players showed great team spirit and worked incredibly hard. Hughton has them well drilled defensively (individual errors aside). Sunderland lacked the imagination and creativity to disrupt an organised back line. With four winnable home games on the way, I hope the players continue to show more faith in their own ability and try to take the initiative in games to get the wins we need.  Let''s not have any more games where we come away saying "if only".

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Absolutely. Thought Bennett was value and Snodgrass was as good on the left, he is immense with enthusiasm. I''m not sure that hoot would have chosen that if pilks was fit tho

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[quote user="nutty nigel"]

So can we take it as read that actually the players are fully behind the manager?

 

[/quote]My vote would be ''aye''. I couldn''t say the same about the Sunderland players

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If Snodgrass & EB could perfect wing-switching it could be a very effective weapon to confuse the oppo full backs. I think they started to do it once or twice yesterday, so I reckon they''d be quite happy with it.

And, so far as I''m concerned, Hughton is proving to be an excellent manager.

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i will admit i was surprised with Kei being named striker and Grant and Bechs on the bench, but it worked perfectly and but for the worst officials i can remember, we would have an extra two points on our tally. last week i lamented on the lack of fight our players had been showing in recent matches. well, no-one can complain about that after yesterday. but i will single out Russ and Garrido. i thought they both had their best match of the season,and Howson has shown that after a few matches to get match fit, he is back to last seasons form.

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It goes without saying anything startlingly new that Lambert and CH are different characters with different attitudes.

 

I can''t argue with Lambert''s achievements, although he did much in lower divisions and with the benefit of new-boy surprise last year. The fact that he seemed to be thinking that he had taken the team as far as he could 10 months ago, suggests that CH would have a tough task this season, despite being able to sign a few new players, and arriving fairly late in the summer gap.

 

I think that CH has done very well, in his signings and in welding together a team with different backgrounds. He has not been helped by the fact that the experienced Becchio did not settle in quickly and Kamara was clearly not match fit when he arrived. So, to some extent, the lacking and delay in fitness of the new strikers, and the continuing reduced efficiency of Holt, has hampered progress.

To my mind he has two minor defects. One is a "conservative" attitude which sticks overlong to what he perceieved early on as his best team, and the other is a lack of flexibility in tactics. So it was very refreshing to see the team selected on Sunday - a starting place on his own for Kamara, and Wes back to create, and also Howson given freer reign to get forward and Bennett played on the right wing.

I suspect that his approach may mean that Tettey is back against Wigan, and Howson and Bennett back on the bench if Pilks is fit again. If so, we may have lost an opportunity to bring more out of Howson and Bennett.

 

We shall see, but Saturday''s team selection and tactics did suggest an increased willingness to change and try new things, and for this I commend him.

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I''d like to see the same team v Sunderland turned out for Wigan, even if Tettey is available. I''ve always beleived the Johnson - Howson pairing in the centre has potential and i think this is starting to show. Tettey could come in for Johnson certainly but a fitter and fast improving Howson is a creative option we can scarcely do without given our lack of attacking potency so far this year.

Was delighted to see Bennett given a proper chance on the right with Snoddy shifted left and then later switching it around. That gives Bennett a chance to use his pace and get in behind while also giving Snoddy the chance when they switch to work his magic as the ''inverted'' winger.

Starting Holt or Kamara makes no odds as far as i''m concerned. Whichever starts, the other has a lot to offer coming off the bench. I''d be inclined to bring Holt off the bench because after Kamara has given them the run around and plenty to think about, the last thing the defenders will want to see is Holty coming of the bench to beat them up in the last 20.

 

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