Craig Gordon: Defensive wobbles are over

Oct 22 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

"Since then there’s been injuries and players coming in and leaving. We still probably haven’t had the same four play in every game."

Sunderland’s defensive woes have tended to arrive on their travels away from the Stadium of Light, rather than in front of their own Wearside crowd.

And Gordon is calling for a more disciplined performance in the Midlands at Birmingham City on Saturday.

The Blues are managed by Gordon’s former international boss Alex McLeish and count Scotland team-mate James McFadden among their number, giving the Sunderland number one a unique insight into their camp.

"We have to go there and look to take something from the game. We’re unbeaten in four now so that’s something to take into the game," he said.

"Other than the game at Man United, our last away game was at Burnley and that was disappointing. We have to make sure that doesn’t happen again. We played reasonably well in the first half of that game and just didn’t take our chances when they came along.

"It will be a difficult one. They don’t concede many goals, they’ve been fairly solid so far this season.

"I know quite a lot of their boys, there’s a few Scottish lads there, and the management team as well, so I know they will be well organised, difficult to beat and it will be a good test for us."

Meanwhile, Bruce kept a watching brief at Middlesbrough on Tuesday night – checking out England Under-21 winger Adam Johnson and defender David Wheater.

The Sunderland boss is particularly keen on Johnson and knows that Boro’s precarious financial position means they may be forced to sell if a good offer comes their way.

The Boro Academy product is a Sunderland fan and is thought to be open about the possibility of a Tees-Wear switch.

The biggest obstacle to a move may be Boro changing managers – with a new Riverside boss like Gordon Strachan unlikely to sanction the sale of a star player.