Cats can be smiles better, says Edwards

Apr 14 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

CARLOS Edwards has set himself the task of putting a smile back on Sunderland faces, but there will be no grin bigger than his own if he finally breaks his Premier League goalscoring duck.

The Trinidad and Tobago winger is anxious to see more of the positive mindset shown by his team at the Stadium of Light last week. Although they were beaten 2-1 at home to Manchester United, it was the Black Cats’ best performance for weeks.

The challenge now is to replicate it against supposedly lesser opposition, like Saturday’s visitors Hull City.

“We know what we are capable of and we’ve shown we’re not going to sit back and suffer defeats just like that,” said Edwards. “We’ve just got to continue playing in a positive way that can make everyone smile and make the fans happy so when we’re safe at the end of the season we can regroup for next season.

“A lot of good things came out of the defeat. We can take them on now until the end of the season. At home, I don’t think it’s the right thing to sit back and play a system that a lot of the players are uncomfortable with.

“Why not have a go? Anything is possible. But the luck was not with us against Manchester United and we just have to regroup and hopefully give an even better performance against

Hull.” Edwards was delighted to see his international team-mate Kenwyne Jones score for the first time in seven games, and now hopes to ease the burden on him by belatedly scoring a first Premier League goal.

“He (Jones) went through a tough spell, and I hope he can pick up where he left off against Manchester United,” said Edwards. “Hopefully he can continue to get on to the scoresheet from now until the end of the season.

“We need to assist him and he is hoping for guys like myself to produce the crosses for him.

“That is his strength, in the air, and hopefully I can play my part along with the rest of the guys.

“Hopefully my first Premiership goal will come sooner rather than later. It almost came at the weekend but luck was not with us. We have to make our own luck.

“We have confidence in each other. It does not matter exactly where the goal was going to come from. Once an individual scores, the whole team benefits. We are not going to put a strain on Kenwyne, or Djib (Cissé), myself, or the rest of the guys to get a goal. Everyone wants to get a goal, everyone. I want to get on the scoresheet so badly it is unreal. Hopefully it can come, the rest of the guys can chip in and we can all smile, come the end of the season.”