Ken show means Benjani has to wait
SUNDERLAND'S new signing Benjani will have to wait for his first start after Kenwyne Jones' star showing against Wigan Athletic.
The Zimbabwean international had been pencilled in for a full debut against former club Portsmouth this evening.
But Jones's goal against the Latics and his all-round, all-action muscular display in the two home games at the Stadium of Light last week has earned him a chance of run in the side.
And manager Steve Bruce hopes the two powerfully-built front men will bring the very best out of each other from now until the end of the season.
He told the Gazette: "I'd had it in my mind since we brought Benjani in that I might start him in the Portsmouth game.
"It hasn't been going well for us, and my thoughts were that this could be the game to shake it up and give him an ideal start.
"I know that he's still a big hero among Portsmouth fans, and I thought that starting a game against his old club might inspire him on the night.
"But what we've seen from Kenwyne in his last two games is the Kenwyne of old, Kenwyne at his best.
"He really came to the party in the game against Stoke, and was outstanding for us defensively in that match, but he produced an even better display against Wigan, and deservedly grabbed us the equaliser in the second-half after being unlucky to hit the post in the first.
"So now's not the time to be looking to change things around.
"It would be great to think that Kenwyne might be running into a really good bit of form when we need him, because when he plays like he did in flashes last week, he's pretty much unplayable."
Bruce is fully aware of the importance of this evening's game against the basement club as he looks to end an 11-game run without a win.
But he is reluctant to label it a 'must-win' game: "Of course it is a game which we want to win, but I'm not going to overplay its significance.
"What I'm looking for, more than anything, is for us to continue the little signs of progress I've seen over the last couple of games.
"We've lost confidence and we've been nowhere near our best, but I do see some green shoots of recovery.
"We kept a clean sheet against Stoke, and then we only conceded to a wondergoal against Wigan, so that's encouraging.
"Defence has been our Achilles heel this season, so first and foremost I'll be looking for us to be solid at the back tonight.
"If you keep it tight at the back and don't let the opposition score you'll always come home with an away point, and that's the starting point for us this evening - we've got to aim to be solid.
"Obviously a win would be great, and we've got the players to do it, but first and foremost I want to see players playing to their full potential, and want to see us playing as a team and showing the courage needed to take responsibility in difficult situations.
"We've been on an awful run, but we need to put that out of our minds.
"We've got to go into the match and play the game not the occasion, so I don't want us thinking about 'must-win', I want us thinking about 'must do the basics right', because if the players do that, we honestly won't go too far wrong."
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Weather for South Shields
Saturday 11 February 2012
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Temperature: 2 C to 4 C
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