Edwards and Whitehead are vital, says Rowell
Sunderland legend Gary Rowell assesses Roy Keane's key men in his Sunderland Echo column...
I think Sunderland are better in every department of the club this season than they were the last time around in the Premiership.
Read more...
- Cats issue cole denial.
- Kavanagh bait in Danny deal.
- Transfer rumours - Wed, August 22.
- Beckham takes Taylor under his wing.
Heck, the club's got four points under its belt and lies 11th in the league table at the moment – at this stage in the 15-point campaign Mick McCarthy's men had no points and were bottom!
That team didn't get its first point until September, six games into the season and never really looked liked making up the lost ground in the months that followed.
Keane's team is a different proposition altogether and I think will go on to have a solid season in the Premiership.
But there similarities now and again with previous campaigns and one way in which the two campaigns have been linked has been with the early loss of their best players.
When Mick McCarthy won promotion, the most effective partnership we had on the pitch was the wonderful understanding between George McCartney and Julio Arca down the left flank.
But we never got to really see that in the Premiership with George suffering a pre-season injury which kept him out for most of the campaign.
It has happened again this season with the loss of Carlos Edwards and Dean Whitehead for the game against Wigan at the weekend.
Dean Whitehead's industry was sorely missed in the middle of the park which was the area where I thought Sunderland lost the game.
But I would argue that Carlos is arguably our most important player at the moment – not just because he injects pace, skill and goals on the right wing – but because when he's out of the side we don't have anyone to replace him like for like.
It looks like he could be out for a month now with that hamstring strain and that's a real blow. Sometimes seasons can turn on things as simple as the availability of key players.
Let's hope Sunderland are more fortunate over the months ahead and Carlos makes a swift and solid recovery.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Sunderland’s astonishing rise even surprising Martin O’Neill
- Sunderland striker Campbell fresh to face Middlesbrough
- Derby train wrecked
- Martin O’Neill defends David Meyler after criticism from Tony Pulis
- Middlesbrough 1 Sunderland 2 (aet): O’Neill relieved to avoid shoot-out lottery as Sessegnon wins it
- Sunderland striker Campbell fresh to face Middlesbrough
- Sunderland’s astonishing rise even surprising Martin O’Neill
- Middlesbrough 1 Sunderland 2 (aet): O’Neill relieved to avoid shoot-out lottery as Sessegnon wins it
- Martin O’Neill defends David Meyler after criticism from Tony Pulis
- Kieran Richardson says there is plenty more to come from James McClean
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sunderland
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -3 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South west
