January window a chance to turn tide

A year on the Wear: The phrase so many reached for was mismatch. Sunderland versus Manchester United on Wednesday might have been an occasion for Wearside to consider the progress made in 2007, a year featuring what in January appeared a long-shot promotion, a year in which they were able to once again entertain United, Liverpool, etc at home. But Wednesday quickly turned into one of those games that fans watch through their fingers.

There were moments when the difference between the two sides was disturbing for all who believe in competition. Roy Keane continued the mismatch boxing imagery afterwards when he talked of Sunderland feeling like a fighter whose eyes are being looked into by a concerned referee.

"It's like being in a boxing fight," Keane said. "The referee is looking at our eyes and thinking: 'Are Sunderland preparing to throw the towel in?' We've had a few blows, no doubt, some massive blows.

"But, we're still on our feet and while we're still on our feet we've got a chance. I think the players are giving their all and if they weren't then I'd be seriously losing some sleep. But we're keeping going. We're lacking quality in certain areas and we know that. We're bringing players back and pushing players to get fit sooner, playing them out of position. But we're getting on with it. That's what pleases me most."

It was good stuff from Keane but then use of language, along with affability and accessibility, has been one of Keane's strengths this season.

The trouble is that Sunderland fans are currently bothered not one jot by any of that. Has he bought well is one question they are asking - to which they answer "Not really" - and will he buy well in January - to which they answer hesitatingly "Hope so". Robbie Savage is a name mentioned in connection with the January transfer window and there seems to be something in that. A big, imposing centre half - or two - would also help, and Celtic's Bobo Balde is another linked.

Whether Stephen Hunt wants to leave Reading is to be proven. But January matters, even though Keane has moved to downplay its possible importance of late. That is about reducing expectation.

The presence of Keane and last season's rise stoked it. But for the first time since August you can sense a change in the weather regarding the famous manager. It has not suddenly gone from balmy to blustery but storm warnings are out there.

After the 7-1 humiliation at Goodison Park in November a common reaction was "the honeymoon is over", but there were still plenty of fans prepared to see Everton as a blip in the longer journey. The tone was still not as deferential as that shown by the media and many within football towards Keane, because to the 43,000 who turned up at the Stadium of Light one week after Derby, the club is bigger than Roy Keane, significantly bigger.

Yes, he is a major football figure, one who has undoubtedly helped Sunderland rediscover itself, but if that then unravels, the belief in the man starts to bleed away. You could feel that happening inside the ground on Wednesday, not a flow, but a trickle. To maintain Keane's analogy, he has been cut.

Peter Reid in particular experienced the angry knot of ticket holders who sit behind the home dugout. Their bile was awful and these are people who probably bought celebratory CDs when Reid was orchestrating a revival from the foot of the old second division. Howard Wilkinson got it too after Reid and Mick McCarthy, who was pretty popular for a couple of years, also felt the vitriol of a section who have always been known as "quick to turn".

A desire to believe in Niall Quinn and his vision for the club continues to restrain the vast majority, and there is recognition that, but for Quinn, the Drumaville consortium and Keane, the club could be in a Leeds United free-fall situation. But even gratitude for that is eroded by poor results.

Anthony Stokes's last-gasp win over Derby put some frustration on hold, and there are of course those who share the sense of injustice over Danny Collins's "winner" against Aston Villa and then the Hunt "goal" for Reading last Saturday. In that sense Keane is far from isolated in his opinions. But Sunderland's glaring inferiority against United brought fresh sighs of doubt.

When expressing admiration for Jose Mourinho early in the season Keane mentioned the Portuguese's willingness to absorb criticism in order to shield his players. Following Everton Keane spoke of how it was his fault because he picked the wrong team and asked them to play with too much adventure.

It sounded something a bit like that on Wednesday. "Nobody likes losing football matches but the spirit is good," he said. "We've got a good bunch of lads here."

The bunch, however, lacks quality. One win in 13 games since mid-September tells everyone that and while there is a compelling argument to be made in defence of Keane since his arrival, just now it is on the ropes taking something of a pounding.

And so to today: Bolton Wanderers at the Stadium of Light. Discussing the game with local reporters Keane said to us that he does not often agree with what we write, but if we were to say this is "must-win" then he could not argue.

The thought of Nicolas Anelka up against Paul McShane overshadows other analysis.

It is Sunderland's second occasion of the week and it simply has to go off better than the first.