The Fletcher - Altidore combination for Sunderland

Watching the Tyne-Wear derby yesterday, I was incredibly excited by the performance of Sunderland's strike partnership.

During the build up the match, I was thinking about the formation of either team and I couldn't understand why teams don't line-up with two strikers more often. When you're setting up against one man up front it's just the case of a central midfielder picking him up for balls into feet/chest and one centre back to cover in behind just in case the attacker gets beyond his marker. Whereas if you're lining up against two strikers it's the case of both central defenders marking either forward and a central midfielder screening both players, which allows runners from the wing and midfield to get through on goal, also.

When you've got Altidore who looks like he could be a superhero who was throwing himself about all day today and nicking the ball from the feet of defenders and midfielders, you stand a massive chance when you have a front man willing to do his doggies. On the flip side of this, if it was just Altidore up front on his own and pressing, if he manages to get the ball from Newcastle players, then he's the furthest man forward and if he manages to squeeze a pass off, then nine times out of ten it'll be towards his own-goal and kill the attack.  Steven Fletcher seemed to replicate his form of old during his Wolves days and may be able to start repaying his twelve million pound price tag when Sunderland signed him.

I was very impressed with the Sunderland performance as a whole, and if they continue line-up with both Altidore and Fletcher, and maybe played Giaccherini behind them with Larsson and Johnson on either wing, I think that is a quality team to fight for a top half finish. Maybe because of my soft spot for Gus Poyet obscures my vision a bit, but that's a real talented attacking front line, right?

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