Rusyn or Burstow? Did Sunderland deserve a draw? YOUR questions answered after Middlesbrough point
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00:00 Good afternoon from the Riverside. Welcome to On The Whistle, our weekly Sunland Echo
00:15 post-match Q&A with your questions. I've only just decided yesterday it's going to be called
00:19 On The Whistle, so I'm hoping James is listening to this so he can put the correct name on,
00:22 but time will tell. I'm absolutely delighted to be joined by my good friend Nick Barnes
00:27 from BBC Radio Newcastle. We're going to get to your questions in a second, but first of
00:31 all Nick, what did you think of that game? Quite a tough one to assess. In a sentence,
00:37 a game of two halves. I thought Sunland should probably have gone in at half-time with at
00:42 least a one goal lead. I mean the glaring miss was Barnes from three yards. Vandenberg,
00:48 yeah, all good to him clearing on the line, but it got tangled under his feet. You just
00:53 think with a bit more... if that had been a striker in there, that would have been in
00:56 the back of the net. I think Barr sort of struck it straight at the defender and someone
01:01 should have really just smashed it. A couple of half chances for Barr, a couple of other
01:05 chances as well, one or two for Burrow, but I think chances-wise Sunland edged it. I thought
01:13 they started the game well. I thought they started the game the better of the two teams.
01:17 I thought Burrow came into it 15, 20 minutes and then perhaps started to slow things down
01:22 and just disrupt what Sunland had been trying to start with the press. Second half was just
01:28 Burrow. Barlasa was running the show. I think the substitutions were the key then. Rooster
01:35 and Roberts to a degree, but I thought what really changed the game in favour of Sunland
01:41 was Burrow's substitutions actually. It took Dan Barlasa off, who was the one player I
01:45 thought was driving the game for them, and their substitutions actually disrupted Burrow
01:51 more than Sunland. They actually played into Sunland's hands. Rooson then scoring a goal,
01:56 which I don't think he expected that to go in. I don't think the goalkeeper expected
02:03 to shoot from where he did. I didn't expect it. He caught him out, didn't he? He caught
02:06 me out, he caught the keeper out. I think he might have caught himself out. He probably
02:10 did. But you get a chance like that and I think as Benno said to me in the commentary,
02:16 he's done that because he's got a bit of confidence now. His energy really turned the game, didn't
02:20 it? Obviously that was a bit fortunate, but I think we have to give him a lot of credit
02:23 on that. So credit to him. Ultimately, 1-1, as I said before the game, I'd take a point.
02:31 I thought it might finish 1-1. I think after the game it was probably a fair result for
02:36 both teams. Good point in different performance? Yes, good point, as you say, in different
02:41 performance. The question is, I've been having a discussion while waiting to interview
02:46 Pjelde about are Middlesbrough and Sunderland without strikers good enough to finish in
02:52 the top six? That's an interesting debate. I went and looked at half-time compared to
02:57 the two starting XI's from the 2-0 game last January, which obviously turned to a degree
03:02 on the red card. Stewart, Ahmad, Choubira, Akbom. I do think both sides were probably
03:08 stronger a year ago and I have to say I think we both got a better lad. Let's have a look
03:11 at some of these questions. Ethan Todd message. Cheers, Ethan. Why is Roosan not starting
03:16 every week? I'll start off with this one. I think it was fair enough to pick Berskill
03:19 having got his goal last week. I think that was a fair decision. I think having waited
03:24 so long for a striker to get on the score sheet, I think you have to give them another
03:27 chance when they score. What I would say is that I thought Mason Berskill really struggled
03:31 there. I thought he struggled to hold the ball up. I thought Roosan completely changed
03:35 the game and I think it would be very harsh on him not to start against Plymouth. The
03:39 one thing I would say again, and Bale's just been alluding to it there, Roosan looks most
03:42 dangerous through the wide areas, doesn't he? Whether it's cutting in off the right
03:45 flank, whether it's cutting in off the left flank, he doesn't really look like an out
03:49 and out nine to me. He almost looks like someone who wants to burst in from the wide areas.
03:52 But I think his energy and his application, I think he deserves to start next week then,
03:55 doesn't he? I agree with everything you've said and I'll add to that tenacity he showed
03:59 at one point when he went head to head with Luke Ayling down in the corner of the penalty
04:03 area for effectively a lost cause. The ball was going nowhere. Some of them weren't going
04:07 to score from that situation, but he just chased Ayling down. He wasn't going to let
04:10 him out of the sights and he was chasing people down. His energy compared to Mason Berstow's
04:15 energy, they look to be poles apart. I think if Berstow didn't have a great game today,
04:22 didn't build on what he did last week, scoring the goal and earning his place, but I think
04:26 if Roosan doesn't start against Plymouth, I'd be very, very surprised.
04:29 And it did disrupt Nils Rudini because they had the game all their own way, didn't they?
04:32 They were so dominant on the ball.
04:33 He's a terrier. He's an absolute little terrier.
04:36 I think we're both in agreement on this one. So we've got a question from Thomas. Now this
04:39 question has been sent in in French, which is fantastic, but I have had to use Google
04:44 Translate because my GCSE French is no longer up to the mark.
04:47 So if I've completely misunderstood your question, Thomas, please forgive me. But we've got one
04:52 here which says, why is Sealton not starting? Now, I was a bit surprised to see Sealton
04:56 not starting. I thought he did well the last couple of games. What I would say is, I do
04:59 think it makes a difference having a natural left footer at right back. Trehearne looks
05:02 to me like much better at right back. And I thought he had a good game today. I thought
05:06 Hjelda did okay. I think he looked a bit nervous at times on the ball, but it's an entirely
05:10 new team and an entirely new way of playing. So I think that was to be expected. I haven't
05:14 played a lot of football recently. And I think the reality is, Thomas, Dan Bollard's on nine
05:18 yellow cards. We're told his shoulder injury is fine, which is a huge relief.
05:21 I think Jenson's going to be on the team pretty soon, isn't he?
05:24 I think he will. Hjelda just said to me downstairs he prefers to play centre-back than left-back.
05:29 But in answer to your question, he says very much he would prefer to be... In fact, he
05:34 says I'll play anywhere, even up front.
05:36 Get up front, no matter what.
05:38 Exactly. If the preference is left-back or centre-back, he said he'd rather play centre-back.
05:42 But look, he's going to play wherever he's asked to play. I think why he's in the team
05:46 and why that decision was made was probably given away by Michael Beale in the week when
05:51 they were talking about signing Callum Stiles and Leo Hjelda. Both Christian Speakman and
05:57 Michael Beale talked about having a natural left footer for balance. Someone who can push
06:02 into midfield as well if needs be and counter Jack Clark on the left wing. But it's all
06:07 about balance. Michael Beale, I think probably more prominently than Christian Speakman,
06:12 saying that they needed to get... And it looks as though Callum Stiles is the player he feels
06:16 is going to be his left-back.
06:17 Yes, that was interesting, wasn't it? Because we know Stiles is a midfielder.
06:20 And everyone seems to see him as a midfielder.
06:21 But Beale's comments, to me anyway, certainly suggested that he saw him as a left-back.
06:27 That suggestion and the fact that Hjelda started today, I think he wants to get a natural left
06:31 footer in there.
06:32 Silk can feel unlucky. I don't think he did anything wrong. He should have probably started
06:37 the game if they hadn't brought in a left-back. He would have been playing. And he will get
06:43 his chance, there's no question. I think they are a young group who don't seem to be phased
06:49 at the moment when they're left out of the team. I think they feel that they do get their
06:52 opportunity at some point. Yes, he'll be a little bit disappointed not to be playing.
06:56 It's all how Michael Beale deals with it behind the scenes in terms of an arm around the shoulder
07:00 and saying, "Look, you will get your chance. You've done nothing wrong. This is a young
07:04 group and there's a long way to go still."
07:07 I do think in short answers to your question, it's all about balance.
07:10 Was that a short answer?
07:11 No, it wasn't.
07:12 I feel like we both gave very long answers.
07:14 That very end bit was my short answer.
07:17 I should have started with the short answer first.
07:19 I feel like we're both going to fail, but let's try and do a short answer next time.
07:22 I feel like I'm not going to be asked on here again.
07:23 So, Roker Rodio, which is a fantastic username, is asking why Jove is playing every week despite
07:30 what he seems to be pure form.
07:31 I think this is a fair question.
07:33 I'd say a couple of things to it.
07:35 One is that with Pritchard gone, there isn't really an obvious solution in the number 10
07:39 at the moment.
07:40 Aouchiche is a player who I love watching, but at the moment, from what we've seen, he
07:44 sees as being better off the bench.
07:45 He hasn't really impacted the games when he started.
07:47 It looks to me like Beale wants to be a little bit tighter and play more of a midfield three
07:52 rather than a 10.
07:53 So, I think that obviously brings Jove into the equation.
07:58 What I would say as well is that I agree that Jove, to me, looks a little tired.
08:02 Maybe that's overly simplistic, but I don't think he's at the level that he was at right
08:06 at the start of the season.
08:07 Understandably, we saw this with Dan Neal and Callum Doyle that year.
08:10 Some of them came up from League One.
08:11 What do you think?
08:12 Well, I agree with all that.
08:13 I actually think, funnily enough, I thought Jove played well against Stoke last week.
08:16 I thought he had a bit of his mojo back there.
08:19 I didn't think he looked as good today.
08:21 When we spoke to Christian Speakman before the Stoke game and I said to him about Jove,
08:25 does he need a rest, his answer was, "No, I don't think so.
08:29 They're only playing one game a week."
08:31 So why does he need a rest?
08:33 I think he's dodging the question.
08:35 I don't think he...
08:36 I think at some point someone will ask, "Has he got to play?
08:41 Is it in his contract?"
08:42 Yeah.
08:43 I think...
08:44 Because that's the elephant in the room.
08:48 What we were saying was that it's not in anybody's contract that they have to play a wee-dawn
08:52 thing.
08:53 So there's definitely a pressure, let's say, on the head coach to get young players and
08:56 create the opportunities.
08:57 And let's be fair, that's the reason why Jove comes to play for Sunderland, is because he
09:01 knows he's going to get minutes.
09:02 It's the reason why Chris Rigg didn't leave last summer, because he knows at some point
09:05 there's going to be opportunities.
09:06 Huge talking point.
09:07 I can understand it.
09:08 But that's the model, isn't it?
09:09 It is.
09:10 And I'd be very interested when Corey Evans is back fit.
09:15 That might not be this season.
09:17 When Romain Mundell is integrated into the team, when we see more of Aushish, and we
09:24 see more available midfielders, whether there'll be a shift around in the policy towards Jove.
09:31 Because Michael Beale did say this week that we will see more of Chris Rigg in the second
09:36 half of the season.
09:38 Which is sort of hinting that the likes of Jove and a few others are going to get rested
09:42 at some point.
09:44 And probably need to be, I think, for an 18-year-old.
09:48 Prospect of playing 46 games plus this season is a big one.
09:57 We've got a few more games down the line and a few more players are bedding in.
10:00 I wonder if we will start to see a few more changes in that department.
10:04 It was interesting today, seeing Jove dropping back again, playing more that holding midfielder
10:09 role rather than attacking midfielder role.
10:12 And Ekward played the more forward role.
10:14 Perhaps should impose himself more on the game.
10:16 But that's not the point of the question.
10:18 I think the question has been, when is Jove going to get a break?
10:22 And I just get the hint from what Michael Beale said that it might not be long before
10:26 we do see Chris Rigg and maybe one or two others start to force their way into the team.
10:31 Should we be content with the results being pretty similar to what they were at the end
10:36 of Marlborough's time?
10:37 With the football we play arguably worse.
10:38 There seems to be a difference in perception between fans and management with performances
10:42 and what has been good.
10:43 I think we have to say that Beale is probably four points and six.
10:47 I think he has bought himself time considerably, hasn't he?
10:51 He's kept Sunderland in the playoff race.
10:53 I don't think today was a particularly good performance.
10:56 I have to be honest.
10:57 I thought that Sunderland had the better chances in the first half, but I did think Bury looked
11:01 a real threat and in the second half they were almost entirely dominant.
11:03 Fair play to Beale.
11:04 I thought bringing Roosman on made a big difference in the game.
11:07 I have to say that at the moment I don't see much of an improvement on what Tony Mulgrew
11:12 was doing.
11:13 I don't know how you feel.
11:15 I think at the moment it doesn't look like this team looks more likely to me to get promoted
11:19 than it did.
11:20 That's not necessarily on Michael Beale.
11:21 It was the Sackton manager when the team wasn't in a terrible place.
11:25 It was quite hard to really kick this team on, isn't it?
11:28 What do you think?
11:29 I think you're right.
11:31 I look back at that game against...
11:33 I thought the Ipswich game and the whole game, there wasn't a great deal of difference between
11:37 the two teams, but I don't think either of them played well on the night or on the afternoon
11:40 and it was down to finishing.
11:42 And then the Stoke game, I thought it was interesting because Michael Beale said afterwards
11:47 when you analyse the game there were passages of play when Stoke were better and I think
11:51 there were a lot of the game they were.
11:53 I think the Stoke game, the key was to whoever scored first.
11:57 If Stoke had scored first I think it would have been a very different afternoon.
12:00 The Sunderland got the first goal, they got the second and then they actually managed
12:04 the game very well.
12:05 Today, again, I don't think it was a particularly good game, but they did manage to create chances
12:10 and I give them credit for their tenacity, if you like, in getting back into the game.
12:16 Albeit I think help because of the way that Borough changed the game in terms of personnel.
12:21 But they did get back in the game and they got a point away from home somewhere where
12:26 the record now I think is three wins in 34 games.
12:30 So historically they've got that stacked against them, there must be something in that.
12:34 So I think it was a good point away from home.
12:37 But are they any better?
12:39 Probably not.
12:42 Will they get any better?
12:44 It's hard to say.
12:45 We don't know what impact Callum Stiles and Romain Mundell and to a certain extent Helder
12:49 are going to have.
12:50 I think the question will always come back to if they'd signed an experienced number
12:55 nine they'd have a whole better chance of getting in the top six.
12:59 I think it's fair to say that about both teams.
13:01 I think that's true of Borough as well.
13:03 Well thank you very much everybody for sending in questions.
13:06 Thanks to Nick for joining me.
13:07 I'm hoping my very talented colleague James will save me from that phone storage error
13:11 and do a lovely job tying this together.
13:13 So we'll be back next week.
13:15 I don't know if Nick will be back next week.
13:16 He may have better things to do with his time, we shall see.
13:21 But yeah, thanks very much for watching.
13:23 Bye.
13:24 [BLANK_AUDIO]