Back to reality for City showdown
THE euphoria has died down and it's time for a trip back to reality.
There's no denying that we were all cock-a-hoop with the emphatic victory over Bolton Wanderers in midweek.
However, you don't have to be a genius to work out that Manchester City's visit to the Stadium of Light on Sunday will be a far tougher test.
Big-spending City are still in with a shout of making the top four this season, and qualifying for a Champions League spot come the end of the season.
We on the other hand, still have a way to go to ensure our top-flight survival for next term – looking it at it like that it seems a huge gulf.
However, when we traded blows with the blues down at Eastlands, we came away bloodied but not bowed, having gone down 4-3.
I'm not sure if the nerves could cope with a repeat of that display, so I'll be happy to settle for a dull 1-0 or a rather tepid 2-1 (in our favour of course).
As I see it our two main problems this weekend are City's pace – on their day they can really hurt teams on the break (just ask Chelsea), and yet another suspension for Lorik Cana.
It's a difficult one with Cana, when you take away his all-action style he looks much less effective in the heart of the midfield, but at the same time some of the stupid bookings he picks up are mindless.
I also think that one or two officials have already made their mind up about the Albanian and at times seem to have their cards at the ready waiting for him to commit a foul (and, of course, he duly obliges).
His absence on Sunday leaves us with a selection headache, and our willingness to use players out of position doesn't fill me with confidence.
But whatever team we put out on Sunday, if they can match the energy, attacking play and tackling that they showed on Tuesday, we should make a decent fist of things.
Of course, before the win over the Trotters things were looking a bit sticky, and that had led to one or two (mostly on the internet) voicing concerns about Steve Bruce.
Now, while I have to admit to being concerned about our form and results, I didn't for one minute think that Bruce wasn't the man for the job.
It seems that one or two of my colleagues in the Press have pointed out that the Sunderland boss is safe from the axe despite owner Ellis Short making the trip from London to the North East on Tuesday night.
Apparently there was some suggestion that this was make or break for Bruce, who was set for showdown talks with the owner.
Personally, I think it's more likely Short was in town for the club's annual financial announcement, but hey who am I to get in the way of a good story?
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Weather for South Shields
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
