15 games without a clean sheet isn't a record any Premier League manager would be proud of, yet it is the record of Sam Allardyce the Sunderland manager. This is also the longest run without a clean sheet of any club in the League this season .
Such abysmal record has dragged Sunderland to 17th level on points with 18th placed team Norwich.
Having said that , Sunderland should count themselves fortunate to have a striker of such quality as Jermaine Defoe in their ranks. The former Tottenham and West Ham player has scored seven league goals in his last 10 games . This is coming after a difficult first few months, in which his quality was doubted by then manager Dick Advocaat. Defoe was deployed on the wings and classed not good enough . All these have changed since the sacking of the Dutch man and the appointment of Big Sam.
This season Defoe has made 25 appearances scoring 11 goals and providing one assist , creating a further 15 chances . The 33 year-old striker was signed for a whopping £10m from MLS side Toronto FC in 2015 winter. It is not surprising to see such outlay of money for a player in his 30's , yet Defoe has vindicated the decision of the club to spent such money to sign him . This season he has also made an average pass of 77 percent and a shot accuracy of 70 percent. Currently he is also the 11th in the all time Premier League history and the 20th player to score a century of Premier League goals.
Maybe it is for this reason that the words of Harry Rednapp, 16 years ago about the West Ham academy graduate should be taken seriously. Harry Rednapp then manager of West Ham said this about him; He's done great . I sent him out to Bournemouth to get experience playing league football and he's coped marvellously . To score 10 goals in 10 games is a terrific achievement . He's a bright lad who's full of confidence. Nothing knocks him, he's a typical goal-scorer. If he misses, he'll be there the next time looking for a goal. He's a kid with a big future".
With Stephen Fletcher on loan at Marsiele and Adam Johnson sacked by the club after pleading guilty to child grooming and other sex offences, the goal scoring burden once again lies on Defoe if Sunderlahd are to make an escape from relegation. This season the club has won just six games and lost 16 from 29 matches and with nine matches to go , Sam Allardyce knows Jermaine Defoe must be in top form to spearhead the escape.
To Jermaine Defoe at 33, banging in goals is something he fortunately can't stop doing "form is temporal while class is permanent ".
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