Fan Letters: “Simon Grayson is not to blame and is doing a good job” says RR reader Niall

Dear Roker Report,

It’s a massive game for us on today - a one that I class as pivotal or defining for Simon Grayson’s career at Sunderland AFC.

My opinion is we will win. Yes, it’s based on hope, but the law of averages dicatates that our form has to change soon, and why not on Saturday?

If Grayson switches his brain on and puts out an attacking side, there’s no reason we can’t win, as this league is rubbish. So, based on experience and the options we now have, I’ll say we will win 1-0.

Cheers,

Sportmad72

SAFC.com

Dear Roker Report,

Now I think we can all agree that Bristol City are a top team in this league and can give any side a run for their money. But I believe we can give them a good game.

Coming down from the PL last season we should be looking at play offs, if not top half at least.

I think Aiden McGeady will be pulling the strings for us but I think he will have his work cut out having to track their wingers and full backs. I can’t see a boring game here, I think there will be goals, so I’m going for 2-2.

As he has been all season, I think Lewis Grabban will be our scorer if we manage to put one away. I have faith in James Vaughan and would love for him to score; his confidence is far too low, missing those penalties in pre-season didn’t do much for him, but I still see signs of a decent attacker at this level.

We’ve been saying it for so long and got it in Jermain Defoe, but now he’s left... we need someone to fill those boots and someone who can score goals, even at at this level. Daryl Murphy would’ve been the player that I brought in, I don’t care where he came from and what he’s done in the past - the lad knows this league.

We need a change between the sticks. I’ve not seen Mika play, but what’s the point in paying him around £20,000-per-week if he’s sitting on the bench or, as the case very often is, the reserves and U23s?

I think we should be giving some of our youth players more game time - that’s what a lot of the teams in the Championship do, and it works for them. Look at Brentford and Fulham, they bring in players from the academy and it works. That lad who got 3 goals in the second half against Hartlepool the other night for the U23s (Benji Kimpioka - ed.), yes he’s young and inexperienced, but if he knows where the net is...

We need to work with the tools we have. There’s no point putting blame on anyone but Mr Short. Everyone knows you get what you pay for, and spending under £2m and expecting to challenge for the league is a joke. We know the qualities of the lads we have on that pitch, we know who’s going to be a threat for the other team, we know who wants to play for the shirt and who doesn’t. I wish our fans wouldn’t expect world class talent to be on show when we spent £1.4m on about 10 or 11 players.

Grayson is not to blame - no one could have attracted anyone better to a club in our state. He’s done, and is still doing, a very good job.

Niall Westle