Phil and James are back to answer reader questions after Sunderland's 2-2 draw with Marseille
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00:00Hello and welcome to the latest edition of On The Whistle. I'm not sure this is the most
00:14flattering angle, but to be honest I'm not sure there's anything any angle could do for
00:17you. Sunland 2 Marseille 2 here in the final pre-season friendly. Really good game, really
00:23good performance, really impressed with Sunland. They pressed high, they actually caused Marseille
00:29a lot of problems. Marseille scored a couple of good goals because they caught Sunland out,
00:32but with their quality you kind of expect that. I mean that was just a moment, I mean incredible,
00:39a guy who didn't even play that much for Watford last season. It's a funny world sometimes, but
00:42they were so quick in their transition. But Sunland, loads of positives. I thought Dan Neil
00:46made an error for the first goal, but it was brilliant. Patrick Roberts was exceptional,
00:50back to Patrick Roberts we know and love, he's just everybody's favourite player. So some really
00:54good signs going into the season, what do you think? I was really pleased with that performance.
00:57I hadn't really seen the livery style of play that everybody was talking about, the attack
01:03minded on the front foot pressing. There I really did see it, I saw the vision, I saw the players
01:07trying to implement it, so for me that was hugely pleasing. As you mentioned, a couple of slack
01:11passes, Sunland did fall into the trap of trying to maybe overplay it out at the back a little bit,
01:16but that's the way the manager wants to play, so I thought it was a good performance to be honest.
01:21I think we obviously came away the other night a bit negative and a bit down, rightly so,
01:24Sunland being really poor, but I think that really balances things out a little bit,
01:28doesn't it? We talked about the squad depth which maybe needs to be a bit better,
01:31but what we saw there is generally there's a decent side there with a lot of quality in it,
01:35so we should feel okay going into next week? I think so, I think there's two sides of it,
01:41I think Sunland are playing well, they've got some key players back from injury from last season,
01:45however there are some shortcomings of the squad that have not been addressed,
01:48a lot of them long term as well, so I can understand frustrations over that issue,
01:52particularly up front, it's taken us three minutes to get into the striking issue,
01:57but yeah, I've got questions there if you want. Yeah, go on, crack on.
02:00So, Graeme Atkinson says, based on Sunland's pre-season, other than striking positions,
02:05which positions, if any, do you think need strengthening? Thanks for the question Graeme.
02:09Yeah, cheers Graeme, I think it massively depends on how it goes, I still think if
02:12Clarke goes Sunland need another winger, although it was interesting Mundell coming on
02:16for the last 20 minutes for Clarke and having played so well the other night,
02:18it does feel like there's a little bit of a succession starting there,
02:21a little bit of a passing of the touch, as maybe Clarke won't go but it's definitely possible,
02:24but if he goes I still think you need another proven operator in that position,
02:28and otherwise I think striker is the main one, I'm okay-ish with most of the positions,
02:32I think at the moment, right back in centre half you could make an argument for some additional
02:35cover, but that's mainly because of Ballard's injury, what do you think?
02:38Yeah, I agree, I think I would flip it and say, who do you think leaves Phil,
02:42because I probably think there's going to be one headline departure,
02:46and it might not be who we think it is, and I think that could be
02:50obviously Emerald at the 10-8 goal as well, and I think that headline departure
02:53might come in midfield, but I'm not entirely sure, you don't know, it's hard to predict,
02:57I'm talking about Pierre Écouard, I just, something doesn't feel right to me, I don't know,
03:02there's interest from Leicester City, you know, so if those three midfielders did depart,
03:05then suddenly you're looking at it and thinking, however, if Écouard stays,
03:09then you're looking at maybe he's a player that covers?
03:11Yeah, I think that's what we say, it's outgoings isn't it, the squad is actually now pretty big,
03:14it depends on kind of who goes, Écouard, Lebris has returned to training tomorrow,
03:18so that injury hasn't been left out because he's gone on, he's back to training and Lebris thinks
03:23he'll be available in the coming weeks, so that's kind of a perspective there,
03:26did also, should I just quickly say, Lebris also did say that Elian could well be off
03:30to Blackpool, he said it was a possibility, left out of the squad today, it seems to be
03:34heading in that direction, we won't talk about that because we spoke about it the other night,
03:36didn't we, I do think, yeah, I'm a little bit disappointed, but I can see the logic in it.
03:42We've got a question here, apart from 09,
03:44do you think some of the defenders seem more comfortable when Craig
03:47answers from the back, it's a good question actually.
03:50Not particularly, I think that at least he's still finding his feet in that position,
03:54I think it's fair to say.
03:55And that's a very new partnership.
03:56Yeah, it's a very new partnership, 09 was excellent today by the way,
03:58I know there's always loads of talk about 09 and yeah, he's not perfect,
04:02but he's a championship centre half, I thought he was really good today,
04:04Zirk and I think it's just building his sharpness, for me to be honest,
04:07I just think you can see that he's not, in his absolute peak, he said that to me in Spain,
04:11he felt he still had a lot to do, but I think the signs are pretty good.
04:15With Neil coming deep, personally, I think it was his last one,
04:18so it was perhaps when Marseille pushed him very high,
04:22and he made a crash and Anthony Patterson had looked there,
04:24and it was a little bit, I expect that from Marseille at the top of the list,
04:27but I think we're both deserving some points.
04:29No, Lebristad, after it was one of the areas,
04:31he felt there could definitely be some improvement,
04:33so it's a really fair comment, because Lebristad, I don't find that's fair,
04:35but I do think that'll improve with a bit more sharpness
04:38for a couple of those players who haven't had loads of football,
04:41We'll have to get into it properly, Josh Kemp says,
04:42what's the latest about Dean Hannibal and what's the latest on backroom staff additions?
04:47Yeah, Lebristad was really chill about the backroom staff,
04:49we asked him again and he basically said,
04:52we're looking, we're not in any rush, I'm really happy with the coaching staff we have,
04:56and it has to be the right person.
04:58I find it, you know, I spoke to Gus Poirier a couple of weeks ago,
05:01and he said that he was surprised Lebristad didn't have anyone with them,
05:03he said it's fine now, but when it's a winter, you know,
05:05long, dark nights, and they're all facing you on your own,
05:09you know, I think that would be a mistake,
05:10it sounds like they're still looking,
05:11so we'll have to wait and see whether Lebristad could not have been any more chill.
05:14I mean, he's not a man who's particularly emotional,
05:18but yeah, so relaxed about that.
05:20Strikers, he just, listen, I think it's clear they want one with Mendy,
05:23there are obviously some issues in this club,
05:25Mendy still wants to come, which gives you a lot of confidence it can still happen,
05:28and I think eventually, I think there is a good chance that will happen,
05:31eventually, because if, you know,
05:33Kan have to let him go if he's determined to leave,
05:35they need to get some money back,
05:36we've seen with Ugbo, basically,
05:37some are looking to see what else is out there,
05:39because there's no guarantees that the Mendy situation will be resolved,
05:42so I think that's the top and bottom of that.
05:44All the people we spoke to felt that Wednesday would make it work for Ugbo,
05:47he had a good loan there last season,
05:49you know, Sheffield Wednesday really want him,
05:51and it sounds like it's just a payment structure thing,
05:54so we still think they'll go Wednesday,
05:55but as long as the doors are jarred,
05:57I know that he's quite enthusiastic about someone's project,
06:00he doesn't see it as like option B,
06:02it's something he'd be enthusiastic about, so you never know,
06:04I still think that one's got a bit to run,
06:06clearly the Mendy situation's ongoing.
06:07I know the Stryker issue is multifaceted,
06:09every transfer is individual,
06:13everything's got its own sort of permutations,
06:15but I'll reiterate what I've said recently,
06:17I do think at some point,
06:18Sundin are maybe just going to have to extend themselves slightly
06:20to get a good Stryker in,
06:22and maybe, you know,
06:23move away from this game of brinksmanship
06:25towards the end of the window,
06:26and just go out and get somebody,
06:28I think that needs to happen at some point,
06:29for the fans as well.
06:31Shall we have one more question?
06:32Couple of more quick ones.
06:34Tony Byrne says,
06:35Phil, we've basically got the same squad as last season,
06:37no goalscoring Strykers,
06:38an inexperienced manager,
06:40and no Fletcher in set pieces,
06:41tell me why you should be optimistic for this season?
06:44That's a nice question.
06:47He does make a couple of valid points.
06:48He does make a couple of valid points.
06:49I understand those points,
06:51because I think they are true,
06:52but you also can't get away from the fact
06:54that today was a good performance against a very good Marseille side.
06:56Listen, I totally get the concerns,
06:57I do think that Sundin will struggle for the playoffs
06:59without an experienced Stryker,
07:00I do think he'll struggle for the playoffs if Clarke leaves,
07:02and he's not well replaced,
07:03so I totally get those concerns,
07:04I'm not trying to sugarcoat that at all,
07:06I think there are some major issues.
07:08I would flip and say,
07:09it's also the same squad that was challenging for the top six
07:11under Tony Mowbray,
07:12and competing with just about every championship team they faced.
07:15If Clarke stays, he's brilliant,
07:18Patrick Roberts looks really sharp.
07:19Personally, I think Job's going to come good,
07:21I think when you see the high press today,
07:23I think you can see why he fits that role.
07:24He won the ball in dangerous positions,
07:26alright, his execution wasn't right,
07:27but I do think it happened.
07:28He improved drastically today,
07:29he did give the ball away once,
07:31but I think a lot of some of the players were guilty of that,
07:32actually, especially in the midfield.
07:34But he has improved,
07:35because I was sort of bordering on
07:37does Job really deserve to start against Cardiff,
07:40I think he actually proved he did.
07:41Yeah, I think so.
07:42Listen, I get it, Tony,
07:44definite concerns,
07:45if a Stryker doesn't come in,
07:45if Clarke goes,
07:46then I think there's huge issues,
07:47but I do feel,
07:48and the squad depth,
07:49definitely a valid concern,
07:50but I do think everyone fit,
07:52I think this is a decent team,
07:53they could play some good stuff.
07:54Fingers crossed I'm right,
07:55I might be wrong,
07:55I may be playing wrong.
07:56Please just go,
07:57Michael Dunne says,
07:58will we see a number nine in this week
08:00before Cardiff?
08:01I don't think so.
08:02I think at this point,
08:03it's going to be so difficult
08:04for whoever comes in to be match fit.
08:05I mean, like I said,
08:06it's Mendy,
08:06he's been training on his own,
08:07he's not played in pre-season,
08:08so he could sign,
08:09but I don't think there's any way
08:10there's a player who comes in
08:11who can start up front against Cardiff,
08:13I just don't see it.
08:14They might sign before then,
08:15but Michael,
08:15I think it's going to be Miander.
08:16Mike Smith adds to that,
08:17he says,
08:17is it likely we will sign two Strykers?
08:19Personally, I don't think so.
08:20Labrie seemed pretty keen on Miander,
08:22he did mention...
08:23As an impact player, yeah.
08:24As an impact player,
08:24he did mention that he's not going to be
08:26somebody that starts
08:27all 46 championship games,
08:28and essentially said,
08:29I can't rely on him because of his youth,
08:30but he does like him.
08:32But then you've got Miander,
08:33Rooson,
08:34I don't see someone getting two Strykers,
08:35to be honest.
08:36I'd be surprised,
08:37I'd be surprised.
08:38Right, let's have one more quick one
08:39before we go.
08:42What is Sunderland's current best midfield three
08:45in this system?
08:46Neil, Brown and Joe,
08:47with Rick,
08:48playing lots and lots of football.
08:50Until the last two games that,
08:52sorry, the game at Bloomfield
08:54against Blackpool,
08:55and tonight,
08:57I would have said Rick.
08:58I think Brown's just slightly moved
09:00ahead of him.
09:01Because of his experience,
09:04know-how,
09:05Alan Brown brings everything
09:06that we were lacking at times
09:07in that midfield role.
09:08Rick is going to terrify players
09:09coming off the bench,
09:10with his energy,
09:11with his sort of enthusiasm,
09:12he's going to terrify
09:13from the sort of tired pace.
09:14When you need to win the ball,
09:15I think Chris Briggs
09:15will do really, really well.
09:18There's no slight on him,
09:18but yeah.
09:19I think the best player
09:21in that team at the moment
09:22is Dan Mayfield.
09:22He starts every week
09:23for Manchester City.
09:24He lost the ball
09:24for the Manchester draw,
09:25but other than that,
09:26oh my God.
09:27He keeps playing,
09:27and he's...
09:28Honestly,
09:28some of the passes
09:29out of Roberts.
09:30Yeah, and I know
09:31what Ben Sheldon had,
09:32a brilliant patch from
09:33Roberts.
09:33Yeah, that's a couple
09:34of quick changes.
09:35Yeah, he obviously
09:36got the assist,
09:37could have scored.
09:39Yeah, really, really good.
09:40Biggest positive for me today.
09:41Yeah, I think so.
09:42Right, okay,
09:43we're going to go home.
09:43Thank you so much
09:44for your questions
09:44and your comments,
09:45and we'll be back
09:46next Saturday.
09:47Or I'll be back.
09:47You'll be back,
09:48I'll be here,
09:48but I will be here.
09:51I'll be in the United Kingdom.
09:52Thanks very much.