Fan Letters: Sunderland fans unhappy after Plymouth defeat

Dear Roker Report,

After the Plymouth performance this group of players has to be totally obliterated. To get out of this league you need all eleven players to pull together and work to graft out results. Johnson’s comments after the game were spot on, if they don’t like the way he wants them to play he will show them the door. The last two seasons recruitment has been a disaster, we have signed pub quality players and how that showed last night. Last night you would have thought Plymouth were the home team, the time and space on the ball they had was a disgrace.

Season after season this squad of players has failed to deliver the goods ,Wyke, Gooch, Grigg, Flanagan, Mclaughlin, Power, Dobson, Scowen, McGeady, Graham, McFadzean, get rid of the lot. Manager after manager has gone and the players have been protected by them all. The fans only want a side that gives 100% every game and that is proud to wear the shirt, surely that’s not a lot to ask for.

This transfer window yet again we are linked with player after player and as usual nothing materialises , we need to change this now.I truely think with this squad the playoffs is our only hope, only if Johnson can get them to play to his pressure push on style.

Let’s get this transfer window right and get pace, and players who want to play football and not just pick up fat wage packets and take the piss. The fans patience with this shower of shit is eroded totally. Lee Johnson your job starts now, and I hope you can sort this unmotivated shower out and push us into the playoffs or better.

Take care everyone.

Mark Wild

Ed’s Note [Rich]: The players definitely need to step up now, Mark, you’re right. I don’t think a wholesale clear-out is going to happen over the next 10 days or so, but Johnson knows some things have certainly got to change radically, and fast. We’ve recruited very poorly in general, and we’re seeing the results of that on the pitch right now. Let’s hope that the takeover goes through in the next few days so we can invest in some young talent and push again for the playoffs.

Dear Roker Report,

Once again we shoot ourselves in the foot. How is it that for as many seasons as I can remember lately, the opposing side seems to have a better playing pattern than us? They can pass better, shoot better, have a better understanding of where to be on the pitch.

That game last night was the perfect example. According to a post by one of the lads on fan player ratings, Scowen needs a cross bar 14ft high. Why, if it’s happening all the time, can no one sort him out? Players crossing the ball into the wrong areas, can they not look up and see where players are before pingin’ the ball across to no mans land? Players getting in each others way, going for the same ball, why cant they be told one goes to the near post one at the far post? When they pass the ball, just don’t stand around like a traffic cone or a traffic light waiting for the green light to go again .

I know its early days and we have the same players as Parky, but surely they themselves or our head coach can say ,” HAVE I TRIED MY BEST TODAY? “. If the answer was yes from last nights game, then I’m afraid its going to be more FRUSTRATION!

Anthony Lynn

Ed’s Note [Rich]: I really hope that Lee Johnson’s asking all those questions of his squad at the moment, Anthony, I really do. What we watched on Tuesday was an all too familiar sight of a Sunderland side devoid of ideas that gives away sloppy goals. It is early days, and on Saturday we played well enough for the three points. But the inability to string a run of decent performances together is really worrying.

Photo by Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

The writing was on the wall as soon as I realised Lee Johnson was wearing a baseball cap. Never trust an Englishman in a baseball cap. The new owners should take a no nonsense approach to this kind of behaviour and sack him immediately.

And baseball cap aside, nothing’s really changed, we still create next to nothing and get beaten by crap teams. I would say most of our players are ordinary at best. Everyone must be prepared for an eternity in this division. I know Wyke scored a hat-trick at the weekend but he’s still a sorry excuse for a centre forward. Constantly nudged off the ball, his hold up play is woeful and his movement is non existent.

I’ve watched every game so far this season and that put me in such a bad mood last night that I’m probably not going to watch again for a while. I was hoping that Newcastle would drop and we’d go up, but we have no chance, unless we manage to sign some decent players, which, given our track record, is highly unlikely.

I always believe that managers need to be given a chance to make real changes, and absolutely, since Lee Johnson has come in there’s been major changes, I mean he put batteries in the clocks in the changing rooms for crying out loud, what more do people want?

Seriously though, once these new owners come in they should sack the shit out of every manager after ten games if they don’t win at least eight of them. And unfortunately Lee Johnson will have to go immediately due to capgate.

Dom Walsh

Ed’s Note [Rich]: Not sure that the old Watford approach to promotion is necessarily the way forward, Dom, but I’m Englishman who sometimes wears a baseball cap too, so you can’t trust me.

Dear Roker Report,

Well yet another desperately poor performance to add to the collection. There is a recognisable pattern persisting over the past few seasons. Poor recruitment has left us with players unable to maintain any acceptable level of consistency. Time after time we have individuals having one decent game followed by sheer mediocrity.

Lee Johnson is understandably annoyed and frustrated by the inability of his players to follow his game plan. However unless you have the personnel who not only understand his requirements, but also possess the technical ability to carry out his instructions, our problems on the field will persist.

There are far too many mediocre players in the squad and it is clearly evident that to have any chance of achieving promotion radical changes are required.

There is very little room for manoeuvre at present and it is surely a question of establishing priorities. They have been identified so many times in terms of midfield players who possess the strength and technical ability to split opposing defences, together with forwards who can be relied on to score goals at an acceptable rate. Surely Johnson’s first signing does not in any way offer improvement?

Supporters do understand that the club is going through a very difficult period at present and accept that the manager will need time to establish a totally different culture. Promotion looks very distant at the moment, but at least let those players who have a future at the club play on a regular basis, in place of habitual failures.

We have heard all about Johnson’s High Press philosophy. Now it’s his time to truly Impress!

Ernie Brown

Ed’s Note [Rich]: Cheers for your letter, Ernie. I’m in full agreement with you. Surely we can only improve from here.

But then again...