Half Term Report
Tuesday, 28th December, 2004

With the league season just over half way through, its time to look back on the first half of the campaign for Sunderland and rate how well (or badly) things are going.

Various grades will be dished out with no degree of consistency I'm sure, and everything will be analysed until I lose the will to live. The whole point of this (if there is one) is to identify who is deserving of praise, criticism or a nudge in the right direction.

Best Moment
Julio Arca Signing A New Contract - There was a worry (to say the least) that Arca would leave the club at the end of the season. His contract was up and he was linked to amongst others..... Newcastle United. Now to see Arca in the Premiership again with Sunderland would be wonderful. I couldn't really blame him if he left the club and ended up there with one of the bog boys. But to see him there with Newcastle (and remember, that's no guarantee as they could get relegated!) would be awful. Thankfully Julio signed a new deal back in November to take him through to 2007, and with it Wearside breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Worst Moment
Colin Healy Breaking His Leg Again - Having fought back from one broken leg already, it was terrible to hear that Healy broke his leg again in training at the end of September. With the possibility of playing his first game not that far away, Healy suffered the injury in the same place to suffer more heartache. Reports suggest though that once he recovers from his injury, he will be able to play again. Lets hope he has some good luck for once!
Grade B

Record So Far - League

Had we beaten Leeds United on Boxing Day then we could have possibly been top. The fact that we lost (still too raw to think about!) means that we actually dropped down to fourth place. Things are tight at the top of the table though, and being within striking distance of first place means that the lads have earned a good grade to start with.
Grade B-

Home Form
Up until recently the Stadium of Light had been a fortress. Sadly though two defeats in the last three home games have cast a little bit of doubt over the home form. Still, the fact that Sunderland have taken 27 points out of 39 is something positive to take into the new year.
Grade B

Away Form
The season began with three straight away defeats, but since then we have only lost at Sheff Utd and Millwall. Bear in mind though that we have won our last three away games, and its not a stretch to believe that the Black Cats away form can be a spur to automatic promotion.
Grade C+

Best Performance
Ipswich Town (H), Won 2-0 - When Ipswich came to the Stadium of Light it was a real test for us. 90 minutes later and the lads had turned in their best performance of the season by far. Having dominated the game, second half goals from Stephen Elliott and Chris Brown gave the lads three deserved points and a performance to be proud of.
Grade A+

Worst Performance
Millwall (A), Lost 2-0 - This was always going to be a tricky game and that's the way it turned out. Millwall were really up for it, and first half goals from Wise (little ****) and Livermore put the game out of our reach. Throw in the fact that the Millwall players were trying to wind up Arca, to try and get him sent off (he was subbed to save him), and it was a forgettable night all around.
Grade D

Cup Form
The FA Cup hasn't started yet and having just missed out on that Champions League spot last season (cough), we have only the Carling Cup to look back on. We disposed of Chester City easily enough before losing on penalties at Crewe. With a much changed side we were a minute away from going through in extra time, but Crewe drew level and the resulting penalties defeat meant that we were out in the Second Round.
Grade D

Player of the Season So Far
Julio Arca - Its always easy to give Arca lots of praise as he is such a special little talent. But to have picked any other player here would have been unfair. Arca has been superb at both left back and in left midfield, and he has also chipped in with a few goals. The fact that he signed a new contract came as a great relief, and the prospect of Arca in the side (hopefully) for the long term is a fantastic thought.
Grade A

Must Improve
Marcus Stewart - Having started the season in goal scoring form, it looked as though Stewart was going to provide the Black Cats with a big season. After hitting a hattrick at Gillingham he appeared on fire, but since then nothing. Like it or not, center forwards are judged on goals, and Stewart's last was the one that clinched the hattrick at Gillingham back on the 11th of September. He has to fight for a place now alongside Chris Brown and Michael Bridges to see who partners Stephen Elliott, and the competition will be stronger for places when Kevin Kyle comes back from injury. Unless he starts finding the back of the net soon, he may end up spending the rest of the season on the bench, at best!
Grade D

Best New Signing
Stephen Elliott - Having been pinched from Manchester City's reserves, it was fair to say that Elliott was not exactly the 30 goal a season man that every club desires. To be fair to Mick McCarthy though, he knew exactly what he was buying and Elliott has been a revelation so far. He has provided goals and his overall play has been excellent, even though he has not had a regular partner up front.
Grade B+

Overall Grade For New Signings
Stephen Caldwell, Mark Lynch, Neill Collins, Danny Collins, Liam Lawrence, Dean Whitehead, Stephen Elliott and Michael Bridges - With not exactly millions to spend in the transfer market, McCarthy has done a fine job of scouring the leagues to bring in new talent. Caldwell has formed a fine partnership with Gary Breen at the heart of the defence. Lynch, N Collins and D Collins all provide good cover for the back four. Lawrence and Whitehead have added a new dimension to the midfield, Lawrence with his goals and Whitehead with his calm assured play. In attack, Elliott's impact has already been spoken about, while Bridges is feeling his way back into the club after a run of injuries which make Darren Anderton look like an ironman.
Grade B+

Loan Signings
Simon Johnson, Darren Carter - The loan deal to bring in Johnson was a surprise seeing as he couldn't get into the Leeds team. He only started one game for us and failed to score in that, or the four substitute appearances he made. Carter was a major success. He became a regular in the side and his performances were top class. Sadly his loan deal was cut short when he was recalled by Birmingham, but he made a positive impact on the side and I am sure if he ever returns to Wearside as a visiting player, he will receive a warm reception.
Grade A (For Carter)

Hopes For The Second Half
Its fair to say that one word dominates Sunderland's hopes for the remainder of the season, promotion. After the heartbreak of last seasons playoff defeat, no fan wants to go through that again. We are well placed to make not only a promotion push, but also a Championship challenge. The squad seems well set, although another new signing here and there would not go amiss. I'm sure what Mick McCarthy expects is that the side will get stronger from here onwards. Mart Poom and Kevin Kyle are still to return from injury and they will only make us better. The players negative memories from the playoffs should ensure that an automatic promotion spot is the minimum that they seek, and lets face it, 'Champions Sunderland' has a wonderful ring to it!