Steve Bruce will not rush Craig Gordon's recovery
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce says he will resist the urge to pick goalkeeper Craig Gordon before he is fully fit.
The Scot made his first appearance in two months on Monday night for the club's reserve team. However, Bruce says he will not put the goalkeeper back into the first team until he is fully match fit.
The club now faces a very difficult situation because Gordon is a much better goalkeeper than the current number one in the side Simon Mignolet. Gordon has said he wants to play this weekend against Manchester
United although Bruce sees no need to rush.
"With Simon's form being as it is it would be stupid to rush Craig back.
He's trained for a week and played his first game last night. The more he trains the better he will become.
The competition is fierce at the moment and that's great. As a manager I want two people in every position," said Bruce.
Gordon has many qualities as a goalkeeper that make him a very popular and important player in the club. However, there is no harm in Bruce proceeding with caution because prematurely playing Gordon could
make his recovery longer.
A quality goalkeeper
Gordon is one of the best shot stoppers in the British game. He is very quick and athletic, which allows him to get across the face of his goal and save the ball in a matter of seconds.
He is vocal and this is vital in keeping the defence organised. A goalkeeper is better positioned than anyone else to shout commands at the defence to make sure the back four stays solid.
The Scot is very good at coming out of goal to take the pressure away from the defence. This is vital during spells where Sunderland is under intense pressure. This is also very useful for a side that
likes to counter attack as Sunderland often does because the goalkeeper can throw the ball into space quickly.
No time for risks
It is no time for risks because Gordon is almost at full match fitness. He has come through a reserve game and Bruce will want him to play one more game for the reserves
before moving back into the first team.
The risk is that if the club plays Gordon prematurely it could make his injury worse. A goalkeeper has to endure immense strain across the arms over 90 minutes. This will
test the healed bone and muscle around Gordon's arm to the extreme.
"I am back in training and doing exactly what the other goalkeepers are doing. It is nice to be back in the group.
My target is the Manchester United game.
I have come through the reserve game unscathed and I could be available for the weekend," added the goalkeeper.
Betting advice
With Gordon in the side the Sunderland defence has a much better chance of staying as a tight unit. This will make the team very hard to break down meaning fewer goals
will be conceded and fewer games will be lost.
Sunderland is currently in 11th place at the top of the bottom half of the table. There is no reason why the club cannot secure a top ten finish this season. Bruce is a
very clever manager and the squad at the club is equally good.
The goalkeeper in a side is not going to provide the most value for individual bets. The strikers such as Darren Bent and Asamoah Gyan will get on the score sheet frequently
and are capable of scoring at all times.
Tags: