Source: Team_Talk
Black Cats boss happy with his lot
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce will head into the heat of his first Tyne-Wear derby battle quietly satisfied with his lot.[LNB] Bruce's reign at the Stadium of Light to date has brought steady improvement to a club desperate to shed its yo-yo tag and establish itself as one with genuine potential.[LNB]The signs are that they are getting there.[LNB]Saturday's 1-0 victory over Aston Villa was hard-fought but just about deserved as the Black Cats eased themselves into seventh place in the Premier League table.[LNB]There were several significant statistics: it was just their second league win of the season and one which extended their unbeaten run in the competition to seven games; it was their first league victory without a Darren Bent strike in 14 months, and it was secured by the eighth own goal of Richard Dunne's Premier League career.[LNB]But for Bruce, it was evidence that his planning and hard work on the training pitch is paying dividends.[LNB]He said: "Going into the game, it was the first time we have been unbeaten in six in something like 10 years, so they can take a special pat on the back for that.[LNB]"They have played very, very well without getting the results, but you keep ticking the points along and you see how tight it is. Everybody else finds it difficult too.[LNB]"We are creating enough chances, we are playing good football, we are a threat to teams, as we have proved. We have just got to convert a few."[LNB]Sunderland are undoubtedly difficult to beat - they have lost only once in the league, at promoted West Brom on August 21 - and conceded just eight goals in nine outings to date, none of them in their last three.[LNB]However, a run of five successive draws, albeit from a fixture list which included clashes with Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United, was starting to become a concern.[LNB]In that context, victory over Villa was much-needed, and the fact Bruce's men have played better in recent weeks and not won mattered little to most of a crowd of 41,506.[LNB]The visitors started brightly and went close within three minutes when Stewart Downing struck the foot of the post, and Nigel Reo-Coker was convinced he should have had a penalty after he went down with Lee Cattermole and Titus Bramble in hot pursuit.[LNB]However, it was Sunderland who went ahead with 25 minutes gone when Dunne attempted to steer Steed Malbranque's cross out for a corner, but instead succeeded in turning it past Brad Friedel and into the bottom corner.[LNB]Bruce has repeatedly pleaded with his players to help out Bent on the goals front - he has scored seven of their 11 goals to date this season, with Asamoah Gyan and own goals accounting for a further two each.[LNB]However, despite his keenness to answer his manager's call, Malbranque did not have the temerity to try to claim the winner.[LNB]He said: "No. I got the ball and tried to put in the best cross I could, and fortunately for us, the ball ended up in the net.[LNB]"I have been very close to scoring in the last few games, but I need to keep working and try very hard to score some goals for the team."
