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One chance was all he needed (Sunderland vs Liverpool)

Some of you ex-pats may not have had a chance yet to see anything of Sunderland’s season opener in front of 43,000 Black Cat fans at the Stadium of Light yesterday evening. I can let you know that the team which we saw yesterday was a vastly improved beast compared to anything we had to offer last season. The new signings made a vast difference, Tainio was masterful in midfield, Chimbonda was effective and adventurous at right back (although some bemoaned his excursions down the wing), Malbranque was a better quality midfielder than we have had for many seasons, and El Hadji Diouf was difficult and unpredictable.

Liverpool were mastered in the first half and our three substitutions weakened the side, but we never looked uncomfortable at all, we certainly looked more composed and more like a Premiership team rather than a side scrapping for survival. Danny Collins eased a lot of fears over the failure to capture Johnny Evans from Manchester United, he slotted in well as a central defender alongside Nyron Nosworthy, and Phil Bardsley didn’t look out of place at left back. The only real worries evident yesterday was the distinct lack of quality in attack, Darryl Murphy is never going to be considered in the same terms as Fernando Torres! The Spaniard had one chance in the whole game and he took it well, Murphy had one chance and nodded the ball to Pepe Reyna – that was the big difference yesterday!

Here’s a video of the Torres goal

Here is a direct link in case this embed doesn’t work – click here

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