Fan Letters: "Sunderland are better than last year, but still way off the pace"
Yesterday at 02:00 AM
RR reader Rob Brown was unhappy with our performance against Coventry City and says that it showed how far we've got to go. Got something to say? Email us: RokerReport@yahoo.co.uk
Dear Roker Report,
Well done to everyone for a first class shit performance.
I just hope you pay for all of those fans travelling 200+ miles for the worst performance of the year— well done lads.
We're better than last year but still way off the pace. We bottle it on the big occasions and another year in the Championship is what we deserve.
Whoever goes up into the Premier League will come straight back down, as the gulf is way too big.
Thanks once again for a another false season.
Well done to all concerned.
Rob Brown
Dear Roker Report,
I'd told myself that I would blank any thoughts of the match, but I just can't.
We've shot our bolt and I'm angry at Régis Le Bris saying that we looked knackered — whose fault is that?
All I have to say now is 'Dreyfus, have a word and sort him out'. I saw the goals on Sky Sports after the match, and we were walking around and made to look like bairns.
I have to chuckle at the reports of our so-called 'stars' leaving for pastures new. Do they honestly think they there's a starting place for them in the top league? Not on these showings.
I'm pleading for someone to do something. We're a joke at the moment.
A Lynn
Ed's Note [Phil]: Hi, Rob and A. Thank you for your letters.
Saturday was bad. There's no getting away from that and the way we folded when the going got tough against an admittedly well-drilled Coventry side was certainly a concern, but at the same time, I don't think we should write our season off at this stage.
With eight league games to play and the likelihood of a two-legged playoff beyond that, we really need to use the international break to regroup and attempt to get some confidence back. Against Coventry, we looked tired both physically and mentally (for me, greater use of the wider squad was needed), and Régis Le Bris has a big challenge to lift the players for the visit of Millwall.
At this stage, I wouldn't feel overly confident about our prospects in the playoffs but hopefully we can emerge from this underwhelming run of form and get things back on track.
Dear Roker Report,
Dan Neil should never have been made captain of Sunderland.
Régis Le Bris should strip him of the captaincy and give it to Dennis Cirkin or Luke O'Nien.
Ian Frame
Ed's Note [Phil]: Hi, Ian. Thank you for your letter.
Although Neil certainly didn't enjoy his best game on Saturday, there's no doubt in my mind that he's really grown into the captaincy in recent weeks and months, and that he's also looking more and more effective as a leader.
We've got plenty of other issues to try and resolve ahead of the next game, but I don't think a change of captain should be on the agenda. Let's stick with Neil and hopefully he'll get back to his best soon.
