Stephen Elliott writes for the Echo – new column
Anyone else’s patience wearing a little thin? This troublesome pandemic has rightly caused us to make many necessary sacrifices for the greater good.
Unfortunately, coupled with the constant rumours circulating regarding the future of Sunderland Football Club, I’ve been getting mild palpitations and a touch of deliria!
Will the club be taken over? Is the asking price too high? Does Stewart Donald genuinely want to sell?
To be honest, I’m a touch jaded with it all. I’m sure you are too. But we’re in this together.
Thankfully, it was back to business on Saturday and a chance to find out how this current squad of players are measuring up ahead of what will surely be an extremely testing season.
An impressive performance (albeit against Aston Villa’s U21 team) didn’t change Phil Parkinson’s mind in selecting what appears to be his favoured starting XI.
Perhaps the excitement of the new season got me a little enthusiastic, but I really enjoyed some of the football the team played in the build up to the season.
Within minutes, I felt a little dubious. Had my palpitating heart ruled my head leading to some misplaced optimism?
Lee Burge may have worried about his starting position with the recent arrival of new signing Remi Matthews. He didn’t do himself any favours with a double blunder handing Bristol Rovers a gift by giving away a sloppy penalty inside two minutes.
Unfortunately, this set the tone for a nervy defensive display.
The speed and direct style of Bristol’s forward line caused Wright and Flanagan a few problems throughout the game.
Wright struggled at times, and it must be noted that he was perhaps lucky to stay on the pitch.
Speaking of pace, one thing that is evidently lacking in the Sunderland squad is some explosive speed in the final third.
Pace is king! And for that reason, I was surprised with the exclusion of youngster Jack Diamond from the match day squad.
The game was frustrating for the Sunderland forward line of Grigg, O’Brien and Maguire.
Grigg again looked like the distressed figure we have become accustomed to seeing at the Stadium of Light when he was replaced by Danny Graham.
For me, the only player in red and white who showed any real composure and quality was Chris Maguire.
Although a bit sloppy at times, you always feel he is capable of some magic. He showed this for the equaliser. If that ball were to fall at anyone’s feet on the edge of the box, you want it to be his.
The equalising goal came after Phil Parkinson altered the team to a 4-4-2, with both Charlie Wyke and Graham spearheading the attack.
I would think that both players would have been looking on from the bench feeling they would have been more suited to the style of play Sunderland adopted before their introduction.
Formation and personnel will be something that Phil Parkinson will be rethinking.
He certainly didn’t get the best out of his starting attacking players on Saturday.
That said, Sunderland still could have won the game with some of the half chances created. Although the draw was possibly the fair result.