Source: Northern_Echo
Noble’s injury leaves Cats without a striker
STEVE Bruce is confident Sunderland will carry an attacking threat against Fulham tomorrow, even though Ryan Noble's youth-team injury means the club does not have a single fit centre-forward.[LNB] With Asamoah Gyan, Danny Welbeck and Fraizer Campbell all ruled out of the final three matches of the season, 19-year-old Noble was being primed for the fourth senior appearance of his career against the Cottagers.[LNB] However, after twisting his knee during a substitute appearance for the Black Cats' youth side at Derby on Thursday, the Sunderland-born youngster is unlikely to be involved before the end of the campaign.[LNB] As a result, January signing Stephane Sessegnon is set to continue in an emergency striker role tomorrow, with fellow midfielder Steed Malbranque offering him support in the hole between midfield and attack.[LNB] The situation is clearly far from ideal, but having watched his makeshift line-up score three goals in the space of 11 minutes against Wigan Athletic last weekend, Bruce is confident they will rise to the challenge against a Fulham side that could start with England internationals Bobby Zamora and Andrew Johnson on the bench.[LNB] "One of the reasons we brought Sessegnon in is that he can play in a variety of different positions," said the Sunderland boss. "I don't think he's ever been an out-and-out number nine, but we're stretching him on the stretching machines at the minute and hoping that he can be the new Didier Drogba.[LNB] "That's what we've nicknamed him, although I think he's more like (former English weightlifter) Precious McKenzie. He's certainly very strong for his size.[LNB] "Sessegnon and Malbranque both have good experience. They're not the biggest players but they can cause a few problems in different ways. They caused Wigan all sorts of problems, with Sessegnon's pace and Malbranque probing behind him.[LNB] "If we put the ball up around head height to them it'll come straight back, so we'll have to make sure we play it on the floor and pass as quickly as we can.[LNB] "We'll try to hurt Fulham with our movement, and try to get our midfield players running from deep. That's what we've been working on all week. I haven't got many other options, so that's probably what we'll go with."[LNB] Sunderland's injury problems do not end in attack, as Titus Bramble and David Meyler are also extremely unlikely to play again this season.[LNB] Kieran Richardson and John Mensah are also set to miss tomorrow's game, but Sulley Muntari will be available to start after making a substitute appearance last weekend and Phil Bardsley is available after recovering from the effects of the concussion he sustained following a collision with Nedum Onuoha last Saturday.[LNB] "The injury situation is unbelievable," said Bruce. "Thankfully, last weekend's result has lifted a bit of the pressure and given everyone a boost. It was certainly much needed given the number of players we have out.[LNB] "To be honest, Ryan Noble's situation just sums things up. We needed to give him a game because he hasn't played a lot, so we brought him on for the last ten minutes at Derby. But he kicked the floor, twisted his knee and that's him out as well."[LNB] The lengthy absentee list has at least given Bruce an opportunity to look at a couple of the fringe players in his squad, and the Black Cats boss has been hugely impressed by the emergence of Jack Colback.[LNB] The Killingworth-born midfielder made his first Premier League start of the season in this month's 2-0 defeat at Birmingham, and followed a bright display at St Andrew's with another eye-catching showing in last weekend's win over the Latics.[LNB] Having previously made more than 50 senior appearances during two separate loan spells at Ipswich Town, Colback can hardly be described as an untried novice.[LNB] Nevertheless, the quality of his last two appearances has impressed Bruce, who is now ready to hand the youngster a place at the heart of next season's senior squad.[LNB] "Jack has given us a natural left-hand side," he said. "He's waited patiently for a chance here, but he was voted Players' Player of the Year at Ipswich last season so it's not like he's come from nowhere.[LNB] "He had a big impact down there, and he's waited patiently for his turn since coming back to Sunderland. He's put in two really good performances, but I've always been someone who's tried to encourage the younger players.[LNB] "When I was at Birmingham, I threw in a young lad called (Darren) Carter and that got me out of trouble. I brought him into the team and the crowd went with it, and young Jack has given us the same kind of youthful energy. Nothing has fazed him - he's just gone out there and played."[LNB]
