CONTINUED
6) Kaboul not the solution Advocaat is searching for
Sunderland remain a club resembling an accident waiting to happen and though more philosophical than this time last week, Dick Advocaat should know even a rash of last-minute window shopping will not solve all their problems. The goalscoring contributions of Yann M’Vila and Jeremain Lens in Saturday’s fortuitous draw at Villa Park will add credence to the manager’s appeal for what quality signings can offer. But the fact that Advocaat believes Younès Kaboul is the answer to his central-defensive black hole and that Jermain Defoe is best suited to tracking back wide on the left suggests the Dutchman is not necessarily the miracle worker that last season’s escape from relegation suggests. “You give me a solution then!” Advocaat said in good-natured fashion to the dilemma over Defoe before agreeing that maybe a striker who has scored 240 goals was tired out from all his defensive running to make the most of the one chance he had when clean through on goal. Not even a personal assistant could help the 32-year-old former England striker marshal his full-back safely in a 4-3-3 formation and still be at his composed best for when he gets his one chance per game. Yet Sunderland are not good enough to play two up front as they would get ‘done’ with just two men in central midfield. Switching to 3-5-2 would be an admission of their players’ deficiencies. Advocaat quite rightly claims Kaboul needs time to build fitness and understanding but the hesitancy he showed in allowing Villa to come on to him on Saturday showed a player who has misplaced his front-foot thinking. And with John O’Shea besides him and Sebastian Coates already dropped, Sunderland will continue to concede chances.
7) Mason makes his case in Spurs midfield
Since most of the coverage of the Spurs-Everton stalemate focused on the performances of John Stones and Harry Kane, it is worth giving a nod to an England youngster who was more influential than either of them. Ryan Mason was excellent in an advanced midfield role, showing admirable dynamism, shrewd passing and a valuable knack for dangerous runs into space. He does not have the gifts of Ross Barkley but featured much more prominently – defensively as well as going forward – and it was a pity that his finishing did not match the rest of his display. It will be interesting to see where and how often Mason plays when Christian Eriksen, Clinton Njie and Son Heung-min all to come into the side, especially if Spurs sign Victor Wanyama or another deep midfielder this week.
8) Mané man for Saints shows Wanyama the way
When Sadio Mané was withdrawn in the 81st minute of Sunday’s 3-0 home win over Norwich City, the Southampton support rose to acclaim him. They have come to know all about how central the forward is to their hopes and here was the latest evidence. Mané was the player who made things happen, with his pace, directness and awareness of his team-mates. He set up the first two goals while he had a hand in the third. Not unusually for a Southampton player these days, Mané has been tracked by transfer talk, with Manchester United having made an enquiry for him. But, unlike his team-mate, Victor Wanyama, he has not allowed it to affect him. Wanyama has told Southampton that he wants to leave them for Tottenham Hotspur and, also, that he was not in the right frame of mind to play against Norwich, so Koeman left him out of the squad. Wanyama will not be allowed to leave and everybody at the club hopes that he will be able to refocus after the deadline. Mané has also been told that there is no prospect of him leaving. He has responded rather better.
9) Adam may suffer for his red card
Stoke’s immediate impulse was to blame outsiders. Their supporters booed referee Michael Oliver. Their manager, Mark Hughes, claimed Oliver should have showed more “common sense” and questioned whether Charlie Adam actually intended to stamp on Craig Dawson when he was sent off on Saturday, reducing City to nine men in the 31st minute. Yet replays are damning and Adam scarcely has an unblemished disciplinary record. This looked an act of violent conduct that received the appropriate sanction. It could come at a considerable cost, however. Adam’s reckless indiscipline may have denied a winless team, who were acquitting themselves well against West Brom with 10 men, a point. It may lead to a lengthy exile from the side. The Scot finished last season in fine form, scoring five goals in eight games, including a particular spectacular effort from his own half at Stamford Bridge. But Stoke’s squad has been upgraded since then and there is particular competition for the three places as attacking midfielders. Xherdan Shaqiri and Ibrahim Afellay, who now also has to serve a three-match ban, have joined. Bojan Krkic is fit again after a seven-month absence. Peter Odemwingie is due back soon. Stephen Ireland is underused, the mercurial Marko Arnautovic is another talent and Hughes is adamant he does not want Jonathan Walters to leave. Should any three of them excel during Adam’s absence, and he will be banned for the games against Arsenal, Leicester and Fulham, then his second start of the season could prove his last for quite some time.
10) Wilson can follow Vardy’s route to England
Jamie Vardy’s never-say-die attitude should be an inspiration for Callum Wilson. They are forwards with very different styles – Wilson likes to play off the shoulder of defenders, while Vardy never hesitates to clamber all over them in his pursuit of the ball – but both have known the slog of the lower leagues and have emerged stronger for the experience. Vardy’s first season in the Premier League ended with him receiving an England call-up in June and the 28-year-old has kept his place in Roy Hodgson’s squad after rescuing a point for Leicester City against Bournemouth, proof that nothing is impossible in football. Wilson, who scored an acrobatic overhead kick for Bournemouth, should take note of Vardy’s rise. The 23-year-old can follow in Vardy’s footsteps if he continues to improve. “Callum has to believe that, he is young, very progressive, and will only get better,” Eddie Howe said. “He is a good finisher. He knows where the goal is and is composed.”
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