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Captain Cattermole key to Sunderland’s success
From liability to stability, Lee Cattermole’s Sunderland career has been anything but straightforward.
Under former boss Steve Bruce, Cattermole was regularly berated for his poor performances, shocking disciplinary record and his poor attitude, but as a Martin O’Neill inspired Sunderland continue to climb the Premier League table, Cattermole’s role in this recent resurgence should not be ignored.
Captain Cattermole has put in a string of fantastic performances which encapsulate O’Neill’s philosophy. Hard working, passionate and unselfish, the former Middlesbrough man has all of these qualities in abundance. O’Neill has given the 23-year-old confidence to express himself and break free from the shackles imposed by Bruce, where it seemed he had to collect the ball and pass it immediately.
Cattermole has built up a reputation of a stereotypical tough-tackling defensive midfielder, but this is now far from the case. He has vision, technique and guile, but more importantly a fantastic engine, which allows him to cover the ground quickly – a staple in O’Neill’s style of play. He has brought all of these qualities to the fore, and Sunderland, as well as the player himself, has benefited as a result.
After every rash tackle, every silly yellow card and every red card, fans questioned Cattermole’s position in the team, but in particular his role as captain. A captain is supposed to lead by example, but how could he do this while serving a ban? But he has answered all of those questions now, as O’Neill seems to have found the middle ground with the tenacious midfielder. He is almost the perfect captain – young, hungry and a willingness to do the dirty work which allows others around him to express themselves.
O’Neill must take a lot of praise for Cattermole’s form. In fact, he should take the plaudits for the whole team’s resurgence. The Ulsterman has brought back confidence, not only to Cattermole, but the whole ailing side.
Cattermole and David Vaughan have built up an effective partnership this season, but after Cattermole picked up a hamstring injury before the Middlesbrough game last week, and Vaughan limped off with an ankle injury during the same game fans feared Sunderland’s form would fall by the wayside, but homesick Craig Gardner and Jack Colback stepped in to fill the breach.
After an impressive display against Middlesbrough, they kept their places against Norwich on Wednesday and proved to an effective partnership for the Wearsiders – stifling the Canaries’ attacks, breaking up play and instilling a calming influence throughout the team, which ultimately led to a comfortable victory. O’Neill’s exciting, counter-attacking football has brought out the best in Cattermole, and also more attack minded players, like Sessegnon, which has allowed him to express himself in the final third.
The Benin international has claimed the plaudits of the fans this season for his near-perfect performances. Playing just behind the striker, Sessegnon gives Sunderland an outlet in order to quickly break on teams, which has worked with regular success under O’Neill. Would Sessegnon have been so influential in games without the energetic Cattermole, Vaughan, Gardner or Colback? I very much doubt it.
Without hard working, dogged performers, it is highly unlikely that Sunderland’s revival under O’Neill would have been so dramatic. Cattermole is a key member of O’Neill’s side and when he returns from injury should be one of the first names on the team sheet.
Written by Sunderland fan Jamie Hopps
Follow Jamie on Twitter @Jamie_Hopps
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