Source: Northern_Echo
Bruce to adopt a positive approach
WHEN Sunderland visited Old Trafford last December, they didnt just park the bus in front of their own goalmouth, they borrowed any vehicle they could get their hands on and lined them up on the edge of the 18-yard box as well.
Defence, in the eyes of debutant manager Ricky Sbragia, was the name of the game, but while the Black Cats resisted for 90 minutes, they were left pointless when Nemanja Vidic scored in stoppage time.
As the clubs current boss, Steve Bruce, knows only too well, Manchester United generally tend to get there in the end.
So while Bruce will be preaching the importance of defensive diligence ahead of this evenings trip to the home of the Premier League leaders, he will not be detracting from his sides attacking strengths in an attempt to shore up the backline.
Darren Bent and Kenwyne Jones are both expected to start, with Andy Reid and Steed Malbranque also likely to retain their roles as attacking wide midfielders. For once, the bus will be positioned firmly in the car park.
That whole park the bus thing has always bothered me, said Bruce, who spent nine years at Old Trafford as a player in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Its always raised about teams that go there and defend, and the idea is that you are so patient that you will eventually create one chance and score a goal.
Obviously, you cant be all gung-ho and you have to be organised and disciplined and defend well. But you also have to carry some sort of threat otherwise youll have no chance.
If you go there and try to play for a 0-0 you will lose, so we have to be more positive than that.
I think a lot of teams go there just to make up the numbers. They go there and think, If we come away with anything well be happy.
That makes them nervous about the whole situation.
But you can see the ones that grasp it and really enjoy being there, and thats what we have to do. If youve got anything about you, youll want to go there and put on a show.
In the last few seasons, Manchester United have clearly become wise to teams that pack five midfielders behind the ball, and Sir Alex Fergusons side have become masters at the kind of patient probing that will eventually unlock even the tightest defence.
However, even if that was not the case, there would still be cast-iron reasons for Sunderland adopting an attacking mindset tonight.
With their back four still forming an understanding following the arrival of Michael Turner, Paulo Da Silva and the injured John Mensah in August, their strengths are currently concentrated at the opposite end of the field.
Bent and Jones have shared ten goals in the opening seven matches of the season, and their form in Sundays 5-2 win over Wolves provided cause for cautious optimism ahead of this evenings encounter.
Bruce was critical of his sides defending in last weekends seven-goal thriller, but admits his initial concerns meant he overlooked the match-winning contribution of his strikers.
Maybe I was a bit harsh on the team last weekend, he said. I came away from the game thinking, We only stayed up on the final day last season, yet heres me bemoaning things and coming away disappointed with a 5-2 win. Maybe I need a reality check as well.
We didnt play that well on the day, but the two strikers were a threat all game, just as they were against Hull. On their given day, they can both score a goal, which is what you need. You might not be playing well, but if you can score a goal youve always got a chance.
Bruce welcomes both Phil Bardsley and Lee Cattermole back into the fold, and the latters combative qualities will be particularly useful as the Black Cats look to end a 41- year wait for a win at Old Trafford.
Cattermoles return from a foot injury was curtailed after just 45 minutes on Sunday, but having admitted responsibility for rushing the midfielder back too quickly, Bruce insists he has no concerns ahead of todays game.
Hes had a great start to his career with us and Im delighted to have him back, he said. Hes done exactly what we wanted him to do when we brought him to the club.
Hes trained all week and, when you do that, you are much, much better. Lee has to be like that, he has to be pounding that training ground. He needs to be playing and training regularly.
But make no mistake, he will be ready for this one.
Cattermole is in the England Under-21 squad for next weeks European Championships qualifier with Macedonia, along with Newcastle striker Andy Carroll.
