"It gets no easier"

By Martyn McFadden

Another week, another typical seven days in the life of a Sunderland supporter – if any seven days can ever be described as typical. Last week’s defeat by Watford was met with a general feeling of “well, we weren’t that bad” which is OK, but unfortunately “not that bad” lands you in the muck. At least we’re not Villa, and at least we’re not Newcastle – but I’d love to have a bit of their luck.

After Liverpool’s worst display in years they saw Spurs capitulate in the second half, and were duly off to the moon without a rocket, but only drawing with Villa might bring them back to earth. But enough of them, what about us?

Sam has openly targeted a young, experienced Premier league centre half, which generates a shortlist of about six, and a striker, which presumably means someone from Europe that we’ve never heard of.

Forgive me for being a little negative here, but he’s got a job against the world trying to improve our squad without spending £100 million.

Which is exactly what Chelsea do every summer, and in the process create a heartless, soulless, unsmiling group of the world’s best players, who do exactly what John Terry wants them to.

Like Man City, they’re not much of a team most days, but with that amount of skill in their boots, can do for most teams.

If they can be bothered – which they usually aren’t.

Unfortunately for us, they were bothered yesterday, and we simply were no match for them. Now we have to get something from games against City, Liverpool, and Villa (yay! Villa) before that mad week in London and South Wales.

It gets no easier.