After failing to beat Walsall (again) we now have nine games to play between December 1 and January 1 and as a result Jack Ross will reshuffle his pack for Tuesday’s Checkatrade Trophy game against Notts County. Ross said: “I’ve spoken about the importance of progressing in the cup but, equally, we’ve got a lot of important league games coming up and our squad was stretched. I’m hoping some players will be back available because, including this, we have nine games before January 1, which is a lot. It’s a game every three-and-a-half days which is a big demand.”
In other news, after being out of football for three years, former Manchester United youngster Reece James is delighted to be getting a nice run of games at Sunderland. “I was out for two years, it was a tough time both mentally and physically,” he said. “I missed a lot of football. I had a lot of problems with my ankle. I had five issues going on with it, but they couldn’t all be sorted at the same time. I want to try and make up for lost time now because it’s not easy for anyone to miss two years of football. I’ve missed a lot of football over the last three years through injury, so for me it’s good to be playing week in, week out. That’s what I like to do and what I want to do. You just want to keep building momentum and you do that when you play week in, week out. Things start to come back and you start to feel a lot more comfortable. You can understand the players you play with, where they want the ball and how they want it. You can only build a bit more momentum when you play week in, week out. We’ve got tough games and it’s been tough with the travel with quite a few away games. I feel like we’ve barely played at the Stadium of Light this season, especially while I’ve got into the team. We’ve got a few home games now coming up and they’re big games. It’s what you want to do as a footballer, you want to play the big sides and have good runs. Hopefully we can do that in the league.”
James is also enjoying playing alongside Aiden McGeady, who he believes is too good for League One. “He’s been different class in every game, to be honest,” added James. “I think he’s head and shoulders above this level. Far too good for it. He’s a joy to play with. As soon as you get the ball you’re looking to give it straight to him and let him do what he does. At Walsall (on Saturday) he showed exactly what he can do. He’s got on the scoresheet again and he’s an unbelievable player to play with. You want momentum and you want to play with someone. The more and more you play with them, you understand their game and what they want you to do. I know with Geads now, we’re starting to build that relationship where I know where he wants the ball, when he wants to receive it and if he wants me to run behind him. That relationship is coming on and it can only improve. You just want to keep building momentum and you do that when you play week in, week out. Things start to come back and you start to feel a lot more comfortable. You can understand the players you play with, where they want the ball and how they want it. You can only build a bit more momentum when you play week in, week out.”
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