Men against boys after a good start
MEN against boys – that's about the size of it.
Sunderland made a good start against Chelsea last night, but by and large that was it.
Yes, we got our noses in front. Yes, we never stopped battling. But at the end of the day, the second half of last night's clash proved just how wide the gap is between clubs at the top of the Premier League and the also-rans.
At times during the second period we might as well have asked them to chuck on another ball so we could play with it.
That may sound like I'm being harsh on the lads, but in reality it's just a case of heaping praise on the Blues. They were that good.
Towards the end of the first half they gave us a glimpse of what was to come, and while we may have been able to prepare for the onslaught, there wasn't a lot we could do to withstand it.
Time and time again they came forward in numbers, and time and time again we tried to repel their attacks.
In the end, something had to give, and unfortunately it was our rearguard action.
Still, let's not get too disheartened. Had we held out against the Blues last night (as improbable as that might seem after the final scoreline), we wouldn't have become instant world-beaters.
So the 3-1 loss, as disappointing as it was, doesn't make us top-flight cannon fodder.
We had a go at Chelsea in the early stages, and it didn't pay off. But let's be realistic here, there might be an argument for the Premier League being the best competition in the world, but we aren't going to face a side like Chelsea every week – thank the Lord.
The Blues may not have been at their best in the first half, but they had that unwavering self-belief and arrogance that told you that as long as they perservered they'd come up trumps in the end.
So, we move on. It's Blackburn's turn to visit the Stadium of Light on Saturday, and they will be a totally different prospect.
Hopefully, there will be a totally different outcome. For despite coming up short against Chelsea, the Black Cats certainly weren't dreadful by any means.
And record-buy Darren Bent may get more change out of Rovers' defence than he did against the Blues.
Two games and two goals means he has already started to pay back his 10m transfer fee, and he never stopped running or working last night.
Long may it continue, and hopefully next time he finds the net he will be rewarded with three points.
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Weather for South Shields
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Heavy sleet
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
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Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
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