Victor Anichebe is determined to help Sunderland’s fight against relegation, but has urged his team not to become too predictable on his return.
Anichebe was a crucial part of the Black Cats side that recovered from a wretched start to the season, a promising run of form in late November and early December raising hopes of yet another great escape.
The signing of the Nigerian was met with bemusement initially but his hold-up play, not to mention his goals, gave Sunderland an important outlet.
Despite missing a large chunk of the season through injury, Anichebe has started four of Sunderland’s five English Premier league wins.
His return has not initiated an immediate return to form for his team, but against both Leicester City and Manchester United he came as close and any Black Cat to ending a goal drought that is now running at over 11 hours.
His presence is one of the few causes for optimism as the Black Cats as they struggle to beat the drop, but the target man has insisted they must ensure they still vary their play in his absence.
He said: “It’s difficult coming back, and we do play to me, a lot down my side, it’s good for me but sometimes I think, you can see me in the games, I’m saying, go down the other side, build up from different places. It’s important we do that, you see in games, Fellaini was just coming and standing on me, that’s what happens. We need to mix it up a bit, but I need to get games as well.”
The return of Lee Cattermole offers hope, the inspirational midfielder impressing in his two games back in the Black Cats side.
However, Anichebe has also pointed to the imminent return of South African midfielder Steven Pienaar as someone who can help him hit top form as he works his way back to full match fitness.
Anichebe said: “Lee Cattermole is coming back and I would like to see Steven Pienaar coming back, when we were doing well that time he was the one who would give me the ball, we linked up well, instead of the ball coming from 25 yards down to me, he’s the link between the full-back, just things like that. It’s the same thing over and over again, but I hope that we will improve and we will.”
Culled from Phil Smith’s article for Sunderlandecho
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