Source: Team_Talk
Gordon keen to make Bridge debut
Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon is desperate to make up for lost time as he heads for Chelsea for the first time on Sunday. Britain's most expensive goalkeeper has spent far too long on the sidelines for his own liking since he made his £9million switch from Hearts to Wearside in August 2007.Gordon has started just 80 of Sunderland's 141 games since joining the Black Cats, and had to wait until Tuesday night at Tottenham for his first appearance of the season.It was at White Hart Lane almost a year to the day previously that his injury problems returned with a vengeance when he broke a bone in his arm in a challenge with Jermain Defoe.The Scotland international missed 10 games as he fought his way back to fitness, but then suffered a similar injury in pre-season, a mishap which propelled summer arrival Simon Mignolet into the limelight in the wake of understudy Marton Fulop's departure.Mignolet performed so admirably in his absence that Gordon had to wait patiently for his chance, spending six games on the bench.But having regained his place, he is determined to rediscover the form which so impressed manager Steve Bruce at the end of last season.Gordon said: "It's not really that easy. I would like to get a run of games before I could say I was back at that standard."I had a good game on Tuesday night, I was happy with that for a first game back."It was always going to be a big test and I am glad to get through it and move on to the next one."Six months without a competitive game at this level is a long time. To come back in and have a few saves to make, it was nice to get straight back into the swing of things."Gordon was called upon to make several important saves as the Black Cats gradually wore down Spurs in midweek and scrapped their way to a 1-1 draw which further restored confidence after a 2-0 weekend victory over Stoke in the wake of their derby nightmare at Newcastle.But for the Scot, there were personal psychological demons to deal with as his mind inevitably went back to his clash with Defoe and the pain and misery which resulted.He said: "I would be lying if I said I didn't know where I was going and it was a year almost exactly to the day that all this began."I knew that was the case, but I used it more as a motivation than something to be nervous about, to come back and put a good performance in."Tomorrow's trip to Stamford Bridge will provide Gordon with a new experience, and one he is looking forward to despite recent history suggesting that may not be wise.He has never yet played at Chelsea - and has only lined up against the Blues once at the Stadium of Light - and the Black Cats have fared poorly in West London during his time at the club.Darren Ward was in goal when they lost 2-0 in December 2007, while Fulop was on the receiving end of 5-0 and 7-2 defeats in the last two seasons.Gordon said: "We will have to defend very well. Throughout this season we have defended particularly well, which has been a big asset for us."We have not been scoring loads of goals, but defensively we have been fairly sound. That was important at Spurs and it will be important again at the weekend."It's a difficult one for us. It's a place that I have never managed to play yet through all the seasons I have been here, so hopefully if I can stay in on the back of the Spurs result I will get to play there at last and try to get something from the game."