3 points and a first clean sheet for a long time. Hopefully we can move onwards and upwards now and get ourselves away from the bottom Doesn't look good for Sunderland right now though. I thought they were woeful today
Beginning to look like the only way Sunderland are going to stay up is if Allardyce doesn't get banned and they are cleared to get him in time. They were woeful today and have been all season so far and it looks like they're doomed under Moyes. Much better from us and it continues the upward curve we've shown in recent weeks with steadily improving performances and results. We can't get carried away because Sunderland were shit and anything but a clean sheet would have been unacceptable against that shower today. But considering we were equally awful in the thrashing away at Palace a few weeks ago we've definitely made big strides in the right direction. Bony needs to pull his finger out of his arse though. He was the only negative today with another disinterested performance and we'd have got 3 or 4 if he'd have been more alive and got on the end of the numerous chances we created in the second half.
It's taken some chopping and changing but I think Hughes has finally found his best side with Joe Allen playing further forward rather than sitting deep. It means players like Bojan and Imbula are left out but I'd rather go with what works. Having Shaqiri back has also helped compared to the start of the season when we had no right side at all. Defenders tend to be very wary of him and it creates space for others. Bony's hold up play was effective but he desperately needs a goal. He forced a good save from Pickford in the second half but should have made space for himself when Arnautovic played it across the goal soon after. Sunderland look in worse shape than we were the other month. A more decisive, in-form side would have put six or seven past them today. Their support today was impressive in both numbers and volume, they deserved a better performance.
Allen has been brilliant so far. He was by far and away our best player during our awful start to the season and now as we pick up form he's lifting his performance level with it. Imbula and Bojan don't deserve to be in the team right now especially Imbula who has so much talent but his attitude absolutely stinks. Clearly thinks he's too good for us and feels he should be playing for United or something. Flaps his arms about when he gives it away, strolls around disinterested when we haven't got the ball and clearly isn't prepared to put the effort in. Bojan looks like a lost boy and hasn't been the same since his injury. Gets brushed off ridiculously easily and seems scared of getting hurt.
Allen was a great buy, i've said a lot that he'd improve most teams in the league. Personally i'd have him in our team and certainly in the squad.
