Chelsea 7, Sunderland 2
Jan 18 2010 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal
Bent’s finish from an injury-time corner – Sunderland’s only one – might have made the scoreline less embarrassing, but this was an even worse performance than the 7-1 mauling at Everton in 2007.
That day the Black Cats paid for hapless centre-back play.
It would again be a feature, but the collective failings seemed more pronounced.
Chelsea twice hit the woodwork and were denied twice more by Márton Fülöp saves good enough to make amends for the horrible flap which palmed a present to Anelka midway through the second half.
Petr Cech was a spectator, and the ten in front of him afforded a disgraceful amount of room.
Florent Malouda dribbled from halfway line to penalty area and scored without a serious attempt at a tackle en route, and Chelsea’s midfield had more time and space than they would expect on the training ground. When Cole controlled John Terry’s brilliant pass and cut inside Fülöp to score it underlined the quality of a team playing during their own supposed absentee crisis courtesy of the African Cup of Nations.
Most of the goals owed much to appalling defending, and no one was more guilty than Lorik Cana.
It could just have been the pained reaction of a wounded manager, but it was alarming to hear Bruce so publicly lose confidence in Cana’s ability to play at centre-back.
Cana produced what Bruce described as the best 45-minute display he had seen in his old position against Liverpool. His displays so far this season have enhanced, not undermined, Bruce’s reputation for performing wonders in the transfer market.
Midfield might be his most effective job and the one where a Lee Cattermole-less side needed his bite the most, but the heart of the defence is where he plays international football, and is the role he filled at previous club Marseilles.
Bruce said: “The captain has been terrific all season, but I asked him to play centre-half in the Premier League. He found it very difficult, but there we go.
“We have too many square pegs in round holes.
“That was evident, but without Turner, Ferdinand, Nosworthy and Mensah, I had no alternative.” Bruce rightly took the plaudits for the early-season form which means even in their current dreadful plight Sunderland are not threatened by relegation.
However, the problems now undermining them are of his own making and, unlike most managers in the division, Bruce has the transfer budget to do something about it.
His abilities to identify and land talent are already well known. He must show the self-awareness to utilise them.
