Sunderland Stadium
Former Sunderland midfielder Nicky Summerbee has expressed confidence that the Black Cats will avoid relegation from the Premier League this season. Sunderland has made a promising start to their return to the top flight, securing 11 points from their first seven matches and suffering only two losses.
Nicky Summerbee said: “Yes, without a shadow of a doubt, yeah. I worried before it’d be like when Southampton came up, when you’re sticking with trying to play out from the back. It’s not that. Go and play in the other half. Go on. When you get an opportunity, forward pass, get it in behind. Work on your set pieces. You might think that’s old school, but if you’ve got the players that can attack it, it’s a threat to anybody and it’s difficult. Use it. But on top of that, you can play and you can do it at the right time. So you’ve got an array and there’s lots of ways of winning games of football. And that’s what I like. You’re not getting caught out on this playing out and all that – that’s my biggest nightmare. I think, ‘Don’t do that!’. No, Sunderland have got a hard streak in them. If you want to mix it, they’ve got players that can mix it. If you want to play, they can play that as well. But believe you me, they’re looking to be direct and looking to hurt you. I like the way they absorb the game of football. That’ll do for me because that means you’re mentally strong. That means you’re okay. You haven’t got to have a lot of possession. But all of a sudden, when we do get it, we know what we’re doing. And that’s your key. That’s it.”
Summerbee added: “When we played, we were a 4-4-2 and we came over the pitch together. If it was over to the left, everyone went, and then if we won the ball, we opened the game really up and then we played. And you have to do it as a unit and they do that some. But to the question, no problem [Sunderland will stay up]. I don’t want to put a downer on it, but to me, no problem. They’ll do it – it’ll be ups and downs, it’ll be bumpy, there will be a bad couple of weeks or whatever. But they’ve got it in them. And that’s down to the manager in these set of players.”
Sunderland’s approach under the management of Regis Le Bris has been a blend of traditional and modern tactics, focusing on direct play and strategic set pieces. Summerbee’s insights highlight the team’s adaptability and mental resilience, which he believes are crucial for their survival in the Premier League. The former midfielder’s comments reflect a deep understanding of the game, emphasizing the importance of a balanced strategy that combines defensive solidity with offensive threat. Sunderland’s ability to adapt their play style, depending on the situation, is seen as a significant advantage in their quest to remain in the top tier of English football.
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