Sunderland boss looking for a big reaction

Jan 22 2010 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

STEVE Bruce is expecting Sunderland to have been shamed into a ferocious reaction to the 7-2 thrashing at Chelsea last weekend when they take on Portsmouth in the FA Cup.

A cup run is precisely what Sunderland need to lift the growing doom and gloom at the Stadium of Light, but with just one away win this season they have a tough task awaiting them at Fratton Park tomorrow.

But Bruce feels his players are desperate to move on from their nightmare at Stamford Bridge and is anticipating a completely different Sunderland performance against ailing Pompey, who have been plagued by financial problems all season.

As a manager, Bruce has never been so humiliated by one of his team’s performance as he was last weekend, but he argued the time for criticising his players has passed as he looks to get the result out the club’s system as a quickly as possible.

“It doesn’t get any easier (to accept) but it’s how you deal with and how you react to it,” said Bruce, who last night was able to complete the signing of Sheffield United defender Matthew Kilgallon, a January target for Newcastle United.

“When you’re up against it you see the people who want to put it right. I’m not going to make excuses because there are none.

“We were totally outclassed but it is gone, it’s history. Now it’s about how we react and I know from being around the training ground for the last few days that there will be a reaction.

“I’ll make sure if we possibly can that we put on a hell of a performance at Portsmouth. In defeat you have to lift yourself and that was the worst performance I’ve ever been associated with.”