Source: Northern_Echo
Gordon insists Black Cats must do better
GOALKEEPER Craig Gordon believes Sunderland have made a solid start to their Premier League campaign but insists Steve Bruce's side must do better against teams similar to themselves.[LNB] The Black Cats have already held Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool to draws this season, as well as beating big-spending Manchester City.[LNB] But they have dropped points to the likes of West Brom, Wigan and Birmingham.[LNB] With Sam Allardyce's Blackburn next up for Bruce's men, Gordon believes that results against similar sides will be just as important as getting results against the top teams.[LNB] We've done the usual Sunderland thing this season, doing well against the big teams, especially at home,[LNB] the former Hearts man said.[LNB] What we need to add is doing well consistently against the teams who are in and around us.[LNB] The Liverpool result was very good, a really good performance away from home and that is encouraging because it was our away form which let us down last season.[LNB] Everybody worked hard and that's what you have to do if you're going to get anything from games like that.[LNB] There is a good atmosphere around the place. We've had a hard start to the season if you look at the games we have played, but we've got ourselves into a pretty good position.[LNB] Gordon has missed the start of the season after undergoing surgery on his left elbow, which he injured in training in July but is now ready to make a comeback when the side travel to Ewood Park a week on Monday.[LNB] While the Blacks Cats have enjoyed playing the bigger teams, their performances have come at a cost after they were knocked out of the Carling Cup at home to struggling West Ham United.[LNB] Gordon admits the squad were disappointed to exit the competition so early but believes the side have made a very good start to the season considering the teams they have played.[LNB] The performances have been of a good level with the exception of the Carling Cup, which was probably to do with how hard we'd worked to come back against Arsenal a few days earlier.[LNB] That probably accounted for that performance against West Ham and we are disappointed not to have had a good run in that competition.[LNB] But generally we've done well to accumulate as many points as we have done when you consider the games we have played and it has been a solid start.[LNB] We've given ourselves a platform to build from.[LNB]
