Keener window-cleaner

What are these issues that we are implying but not writing about? It's not like we normally are respectful to players on here. If there are some issues with him I see it a an employer problem, the employer needs to deal with it and should do it in a professional way. If he needs help, give him the help he needs.

Like who?

I feel sorry for him personally that he (allegely) turned down Leicester and joined us, relegation instead of champion. The few times I saw him play I didn't see anything special in him, he was good at passing the ball quickly to the nearest player and was fairly good at set pieces, but that was it. It looked like he didn't quite cope with the tempo, looked slow and a bit weak. I think he was in the same mould as Westwood, but can't say he was better. Would actually prefer Westwood to Veretout. I think having a foreign player, not speaking the language, who doesn't show any great interest of wanting to be at the club creates a bad atmosphere, so I'm glad he has left. In a league with slower tempo as the serie a he will probably do alright. Have fun and bye bye!

Well I based my conclusion on the fact that we have played that way for 10 months now, regardless of players, formation or opponents, not on today's game :-) But I wasn't beeing sarcastic, I actually am going to try to see the beauty in beeing a solid, structured, hard to beat side. I want to be positive and enjoy seeing us play and will focus on how good we are defensively instead of moaning about the lack of attacing play.

I liked the performance against Hertha Berlin, but must say that the first match against Doucheburg was far from good altough we won. They kind of out played us until we scored, then we added a second and they gave up. Very good to see Hogan getting a brace though!

Who's the giant in the background?

Man mountain, hardly put a foot wrong today and covered up for the mistakes Micah the ex body builder managed to do on the short time he was on the pitch.

Even without my newly found love for graft, I must say he looked like a really solid midfielder. I loved the way he regularly tracked back and followed his man, all too often in the last years our midfielders have just stood still watching the opponents midfielders run through, but Glenny seemed to have the instinct to directly run with his man. His passing was good as well, often a forward pass that found the player insted of the "ticking over" sideways pass. Looks like a complete, solid midfielder. With him and Lansbury it was the first time since I don't know when that I've seen us have two proper CM:s. First match together and they clicked directly, both covering for each other defensively and linked up well with the passes. Not the anxious meaningsless tapping to the nearest player, but actually trying to solve the situations and driving the team forward. Very promising!

So, in a pre season friendly we play 4-4-2 with 3 grafters and one player in midfield and a midfielder as one of the strikers. It's going to be a long hard season to continue to moan about Steve Bruce's tactics and wanting us to play free flowing attacking football. I have lost any hope I had left of this, so I will just have to accept that we will be a defensive, grafting, hard to beat team. I will try to start enjoying it and see the beauty in the excellence of defending.

I'm very happy with this one! Always liked him!

Fixed.

The Egyptian Cafu!

This must be the most Brucey of Steve Bruce's signings. He will probably do a decent job and I will cheer him on, but god damn what an uninspiring signing. After having watched our midfield the last 6 months, we are now buying a 33 year old midfielder from Stoke who will provide grit.

I thought we had moved on from this according to whoscored.com he played RB 17 times, RWB 8 times and RW 3 times last season, so you may well call him a right back. You may also call him a right wing back or a right midfielder, because he can obviously play in all these positions. Welcome to the club Elmo! I hope you and Bree compete for the RB/RWB position. For the RW position I prefer a proper winger.

I think our style of play is rather like this cat

So they can pass it sideways to the full backs placed as wingers.

I liked the glimpses of Hayes though, looks as if he can pass the ball and take up a new position!

I thought the point of playing pre season friendlies was to work on playing style, tactics, pattern of play, just something. Whats the point of if we just stand still and do nothing, like we have been doing the last 10 months. Would be better off if we used the time to just do some pre season running.

Steve Bruce is Alex McLeish 2.0

It was fun to see the trucks and cars pass by on the high way in the background, makes you realise that we really are playing a small team away.

I love the way Lansbury made himself avaialble all the time and spread the passes early on, can see that he is a really good player. Sadly he just faded as the half went by. Not sure what Hourihane contributes with except set pieces.

No matter what competition, what kind of match, formation or players, still looks the same. Dull. No movement and the players don't seem to know what to do except in defence, waiting for a 50/50 chance to score at some time of the game. Bruce better grind out results and get us promoted with this style of play this season...

According to my unscientific research from the BBC reports from last season it seems as if he started the season as a RB and then towards the end played RM, also playing as a RWB during the season. Hull City Tigers has him as a defender, Hull Daily Mail as a full back, Sky Sports and BBC as a midfielder, Transfermarkt main position RW, other position RB etc etc, (if I'm supposed to add links here I'm sorry mods!). Whoscored.com has him as a RB in 17 apps, RM 3 apps, RWB 8 apps (https://www.whoscored.com/Players/34876/Show/Ahmed-Elmohamady). I guess this makes him a ...ehm... RM/RWB/RB (just tell me if you want statistics about other players positions)

Seems to fit well into Bruce's tactics of playing full backs as wingers then. At £1M and if he's not on too high wages he's worth taking imo. I like the idea of managers buying their ex players, it's often good buys.

If Sunderland want Elphick, perhaps we can do a buy one, get one deal and offer them Micah. Who knows, perhaps they need an ex body builder in their squad.