Ricky Sbragia: Cissé pain will lead to gain

Apr 21 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

The difference in the team between when the two strikers are performing well and scoring goals, and when they are not, is stark.

“The front two are a handful when they’re on their game,” said Sbragia.

“Kenwyne was good (against Hull) as well and won a lot of balls in the air.”

Nevertheless, Sbragia has promised to adopt a more cautious approach as regards Healy.

“David Healy has a slight groin problem that is still troubling him,” the Black Cats boss explained.

“We think he picked it up with Northern Ireland (against Poland in a World Cup qualifier late last month), we certainly noticed it when he came back.

“He was all right for that first game after the break against West Ham (when he filled his now customary role as an unused substitute) but on the Sunday he said he felt it.

“He came back and trained again at the end of that week, but felt it again.

“He passed himself fit for the Manchester United game on the Friday (April 10) but after training he was feeling it again so he couldn’t play.

“There was a slight chance that he would be back for the Hull game. We’ll just assess it.

“It’s just a case of waiting and seeing with him now – we certainly don’t want to risk anything if he’s not feeling right.”

Northern Ireland’s recent internationals have been costly for the Wearsiders.

Left-back George McCartney has also not played club football since picking up a muscle strain which will limit his involvement in the remainder of the Premier League campaign.

“George will be another couple of weeks I think,” said Sbragia.

“He has got this little problem at the top of his calf and we think that’s happened with Northern Ireland.

“He might have been carrying it before then, we don’t know, but we think it’ll be another couple of weeks – back just in time for the end of the season.”