Fan Letters: ‘Just where has he disappeared to?!’
The continued absence of one Sunderland player is in question today – plus more on Dan Neil. Got something to say? Email us: RokerReport@yahoo.co.uk
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Dear Roker Report,
Sunderland have had a brilliant start to the season although now it appears that other strong teams such as Sheffield United, Leeds and Burnley are finding form, and Sunderland have slightly fallen behind. I am sure the winning form will return when the injured players are back.
However, I am very disappointed at the way Jewison Bennette has been discarded by the management.
Every time he has been given an opportunity, which sadly hasn’t been many, he has always performed well scoring goals and assists plus showed he is worth his place. So what has gone wrong with the Costa Rican international?
Even when there are plenty of injuries, he doesn’t even make the subs bench. What on earth is going on internally?
I am baffled, as he is also a versatile player who enjoys going forward and creating opportunities for others!
I am reading headlines that he has new agents, so whichever club he goes to, the management will regret letting him go. Therefore, I believe it will be a huge mistake.
Kind regards,
Harish Shah
Ed’s note [Martin]: Thanks for the email Harish – I absolutely agree. From what we’ve seen of him, I think he’s an excellent player who’s got loads of potential. But the fact he’s not even on the bench when Mundle and Watson are injured speaks volumes, and suggests all is not right behind the scenes with him unfortunately. He missed out on last night’s reserve game too…
Dear Roker Report,
I couldn’t agree more with the recent suggestion that Dan Neil should be playing further upfield. His technical skills and vision are wasted when he’s forced to sit deep. Neil has the ability to unlock defences with his passing and even chip in with goals if given the chance.
While his defensive contributions are valuable, Sunderland could benefit more by allowing him the freedom to roam. Pair him with a strong, defensive-minded midfielder, and you’ve got the perfect setup for Neil to truly influence games.
Let’s utilise his potential before we lose him to a Premier League club!
Chris Jones
Dear Roker Report,
I’ve always admired Dan Neil’s versatility, but it’s clear that his true strengths lie in influencing the attack rather than covering defensively. Asking him to stay deep not only limits his creativity but also exposes him to unnecessary pressure that can lead to errors.
Neil thrives when he can link up with forwards and make those decisive runs into the final third. Why not give him that freedom? Adjusting the system to allow him to push up could transform Sunderland’s attack and help us control games better.
Here’s hoping the coaching staff agrees!
Haway the lads,
Ian Hughes
Ed’s note [Martin]: Thanks for getting in touch Chris and Ian. Dan Neil’s better playing further forward – the club obviously intended Samed to be the 6 this season, but injuries have prevented that so far. The interesting thing is going to be that if Neil is pushed further forward, he’s then in competition with Rigg and Jobe for a position. Rigg’s looking in need of a rest, but as we saw last season with Jobe, they’ll likely play him through it. I have been surprised we’ve not seen a bit more rotation in midfield anyway – against Portsmouth when Neil was suspended Jobe was excellent in the 6, and I thought that may have been the start of him and Neil swapping now and again, but whenever Neil has played he’s been in a defensive position.
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