Fan Letters: “Is it time for Sunderland to give Nathan Bishop his chance?”

Dear Roker Report,

Anthony Patterson is shipping too many goals and we’re only nine points off the drop zone, so we should give Nathan Bishop a chance to try and stop the rot.

Our backline is receiving too many yellow cards which is spoiling the defence, and other teams are playing with us.

Bill C

Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Bill. Thank you for your letter.

Personally, I don’t think dropping Patterson would be the right move at this stage.

It’s true that he can make mistakes here and there, and parrying shots back into the danger area is something he needs to eradicate from his game, but I still see him as our first choice goalkeeper by some distance, and playing behind a defence that’s been reshuffled so often hasn’t been easy for him either.

Stick with him, for me.

Dear Roker Report,

I’m sure this will rile a few, but maybe now’s the time to try something new at the back?

We brought in Nathan Bishop from Manchester United to challenge Anthony Patterson, so why not see what he has to offer? Patto has been shaky for weeks now, and what do we have to lose by giving Bishop a chance?

Maybe we could also look at Timothée Pembélé on the right with Trai Hume at left back. As much as as I want to see Luke O’Nien playing as a defensive midfielder, Jenson Seelt looks too shaky at centre back at present.

Finally, maybe we could play a right footer on the right wing and a left footer on the left, and put in some crosses for Hemir and Nazariy Rusyn.

Just a few thoughts from an old man who watches this dross each week.

SAFC4Life

Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi. Thank you for getting in touch.

As I say above, I don’t think Patterson’s position should be in any danger. He’s not a complete goalkeeper by any means, but when on form, he’s a real asset and he just needs to keep working to iron out the weaknesses in his game.

Regarding the defence, Mike Dodds has some real issues to deal with ahead of QPR, with Luke O’Nien suspended and Dan Ballard seemingly an injury doubt.

I think Pembélé has to come into the equation, with Leo Hjelde moving to what seems to be his more natural position after his recent struggles at left back. Jenson Seelt will likely retain his place too, despite not looking overly convincing on Saturday.

It’s at times like this that the absences of Aji Alese and Dennis Cirkin are felt most keenly, because both of those lads would walk onto our defence when fit.

Dear Roker Report,

Mason Burstow should’ve scored in the first minute against Southampton, but he pushed it out for a goal kick when we had two players in the box! I wouldn’t play him in my Subbuteo team if he had three legs.

Is Jobe now a Southampton player? He made a good assist for them when he could’ve left it, and it was a bad goal to concede. Then there was an abysmal challenge from Chris Rigg which led to a penalty for Southampton. The penalty was rubbish but they still scored.

We then got back into the game before losing 4-2. Why were Burstow and Abdoullah Ba on the pitch? They did very little, so why not start Adil Aouchiche and Nazariy Rusyn?

It’s now six defeats on the trot which is very poor. I’ve been watching this team since 1967 and they’re so slow, even I could play better at sixty six.

Finally, Callum Styles? Don’t bother.

Not sure where we go from here.

Philip

Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Philip. Thank you for your letter.

Saturday was yet another game where we worked ourselves into a position of promise in the second half, only to throw it away through poor game management after levelling the game at 2-2.

I was very surprised to see Burstow start the game, because he’s not in form and his miss in the first half was costly. Had he squared it for Rigg, it would’ve been the perfect start, but he didn’t and the chance went begging.

Generally, our selection policy when it comes to strikers is confused. Nobody seems to be getting a consistent run and I actually felt sorry for Rusyn, who would’ve been fully deserving of a start at St Mary’s.

As to where we go from here, all we can do is try and regroup ahead of QPR on Saturday.

It’s not a game I’m looking forward to and the pressure will be on, but we need a win and how we achieve it doesn’t really matter. We’re on a horrible run and it needs to be halted swiftly.

Dear Roker Report,

It’s time to send Mason Burstow back to Chelsea and save some money on his wages.

I also think it’s time that Kyril Louis-Dreyfus got his thinking cap on and sacked Kristjaan Speakman because that players he’s brought in clearly aren’t good enough.

It’s time to let managers manage the way it used to be before we’re back in League One, because it’ll be a long time before we’re good enough for Premier League football.

Ian Frame

Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Ian. Thank you for getting in touch.

As strange as it might sound, and despite how poor he’s been, I don’t dislike Burstow as a player.

I do think that he wants to do well for us but he’s simply not having the impact that we hoped he would.

Whatever happens after he returns to Chelsea will be interesting, because I have a feeling he might make an impact for a League One club if they choose to loan him out again next season.

Maybe it’s a confidence issue or maybe the standard of the Championship is above his level, but it simply isn’t working and I was very surprised that we didn’t send him back to Chelsea in January.

Dear Roker Report,

A friend recently welcomed some visitors from Germany and decided to treat them to a game at the Stadium of Light, so he went down with the intention of buying six tickets for the QPR match.

After waiting in the sun for over an hour, the office was shut just before he reached the sales window. If the club can afford to throw away what would’ve been £180, good for them.

The issues regarding ticket sales have been shocking ever since the ‘southerners’ took the club under their ownership.

Kyril Louis-Dreyfus needs to get this sorted, because a club of Sunderland’s size and standing should have the capability to actually sell tickets.

Popeye Pop

Ed’s Note [Phil]: Thank you for your letter.

It’s a real shame that you experienced such an issue when trying to purchase match tickets, and it proves that these lingering issues haven’t been fixed.

With the season ticket renewal window not far from opening, the club really needs to get a grip and show the fans that they’re learning from the mistakes of recent seasons. There are enough problems at the club right now without fans being unable to purchase tickets for games.