Source: Northern_Echo
Catts keen to atone for double defeat
AFTER suffering back-toback defeats for the first time this season, Lee Cattermole insists Sunderland must put the frustrating festive period behind them when they face Blackburn Rovers at the Stadium of Light on New Year's Day.[LNB] Defeat to Blackpool was the first time the Black Cats have lost at home this season and only the second time in 2010.[LNB] It is that level of home form that has propelled Steve Bruce's men up to seventh in the Premier League table.[LNB] Successive losses may not have been the perfect way to end what has been a good year for the Wearsiders, but captain Cattermole insists the side must now focus on making 2011 an even better year.[LNB] Overall 2010 at home for Sunderland has been brilliant,[LNB] Cattermole said.[LNB] We've lost two games in the whole of the year. We've got 27 points in the first half of the season. If we do that again, we'll have a very good year.[LNB] The gaffer's built a team over the last 18 months and we're looking strong.[LNB] We've got Blackburn on New Year's Day and we've got to quickly turn it around, prepare right and do everything right until then and make sure we put another good performance in there.[LNB] We've lost back-to-back games for the first time this season but we're not going to look at it in a bad way.[LNB] It's maybe a good thing we've got Blackburn so soon to get it out of our system.[LNB] This period is tough for all football clubs but you've got to keep going, stay focused and use your squad.[LNB] Tuesday was a frustrating day for the Black Cats with Bruce's men failing to hit the back of the net, despite having 33 shots on goal.[LNB] Cattermole had chances to score on his return to the first team after missing the defeat to Manchester United through suspension, and the 22-year-old admits he has never been involved in a game dominated so much by the losing side.[LNB] The performance against Blackpool was brilliant again and there's nothing you can say about it, really. We lost 2-0 but it was never a 2-0 scoreline,[LNB] the former Middlesbrough man said.[LNB] It's not enjoyable playing in a game like that, it's frustrating more than anything. It was disappointing but we've got to look for the positives and move on from it as soon as possible.[LNB] We were unlucky, we created more chances against Blackpool than in any other game. We were very disappointed but I think on any other day you would have seen us win it three or 4-0.[LNB] We created more chances than any of our players have probably ever created in our lives and we haven't really been slack at the back either.[LNB] They had a couple of chances and they took them.[LNB] It was a weird game, strange for all of us.[LNB] I'm sure if we play the same against Blackburn we'll win the game.[LNB] Despite their recent blip, the Black Cats still find themselves in a promising position in the league.[LNB] While Bruce and several of his players have been quick to play down talk of Europe, Cattermole believes it can be a realistic aim if the side can repeat their form from the first half of the season.[LNB] We saw Harry Redknapp's interview saying Spurs could win the league when they're on the same points as us so we're not getting in front of ourselves,'' he insisted.[LNB] We've done very well in the first half of the season but no one's talking about getting into Europe or anything like that.[LNB] But you can't put it out of the question. I think we've got a great chance of kicking on in the second half of the season.[LNB]
