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Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill says he will be using the final four games of the Premier League season to test his fringe players.

The Northern Irishman has secured a mid-table finish in the Premier League for Sunderland, following a disappointing start to the campaign under Steve Bruce.

By giving opportunities to those players who have only featured on the peripheries this season he hopes to give himself a better understanding of his squad before canvassing the transfer market in the off-season.

"For us to strengthen, of course, we would have to look at it," O'Neill said.

"I wouldn't mind some of the younger players who probably under match conditions, I maybe don't know enough about - of course, I watch them in training every single day here - but I would like to see them maybe get a little bit more match-time.

"How do you approach that with trying to get results at the same time?

"Obviously, I would like anybody who steps into the side to be there on merit, but I do have these considerations to make.

"No matter how young you are or no matter how old you are, you have to deserve to be in the side.

"It's a balancing act at the moment where I have got to just maybe look at the bigger picture."

Although O'Neill was unable to make any serious moves during January, only bringing Wayne Bridge and Sotirios Kyrgiakos in on-loan, he did not bemoan his missed chance, instead complimenting his players' efforts.

"All we did in the January window was take two players very, very late on loan, so closer to the end of the season, I will start to try to assess the situation," he said.

"But I have been really pleased with the effort of the team. I have to be pleased with it, it's been a fantastic effort by them.

"When the season ends and you have really got time to consider it, I will be absolutely delighted with it."

halnone wrote:can't blame him. they don't have anything to play for.

hopefully Swansea can get a point at the swamp.

halnone wrote:can't blame him. they don't have anything to play for.
.

LookMumImOnMCF.net wrote:

halnone wrote:can't blame him. they don't have anything to play for.
.

Precisely. Can't go blaming other teams for our own inabilities.

Sideshow Bob wrote:

halnone wrote:can't blame him. they don't have anything to play for.

hopefully Swansea can get a point at the swamp.

swansea has absolutely nothing to play for.

gillie wrote:The point is he is virtually saying he will not play his team on merit of they are safe and he can rest his senior players which is bullshit as they will get most of the summer off.I wonder if the prem fine him like they did Macarthy it fuckin stinks to high heaven.

LookMumImOnMCF.net wrote:

halnone wrote:can't blame him. they don't have anything to play for.
.

Precisely. Can't go blaming other teams for our own inabilities.

halnone wrote:

Sideshow Bob wrote:

halnone wrote:can't blame him. they don't have anything to play for.

hopefully Swansea can get a point at the swamp.

swansea has absolutely nothing to play for.

They play great football and in my opinion will want to show that against the rags. this season the rags have been incapable of handling teams that play decent football.

I can hope.

carl_feedthegoat wrote:

LookMumImOnMCF.net wrote:

halnone wrote:can't blame him. they don't have anything to play for.
.

Precisely. Can't go blaming other teams for our own inabilities.

Incorrect.

Each position gained in the prem is worth over 500 k...so unless a couple of million is fuckall to a skint club like Sunderland Id suggest otherwise.

Ted Hughes wrote:This is absolutely utterly wrong if true. I was sure ONeil would be someone who we could rely on to at least try to push his players to go 100% against the rags.

If he throws the towel in, exactly as Bruce's Sunderland did at OT after the 6-1, yet treats both games v us as cup finals, how can that possibly be anything other than biased or bent ?

Mancio4ever wrote:It's ENGLAND against MCFC, the sooner You realize it, the lighter and free to enjoy the City constant progression You'll feel.

Mancio4ever wrote:

LookMumImOnMCF.net wrote:

halnone wrote:can't blame him. they don't have anything to play for.
.

Precisely. Can't go blaming other teams for our own inabilities.

So, basically, You are blaming City inability to buy referees and media and cheat the League.
or have I lost something along the road?

Mancio4ever wrote:

halnone wrote:

Sideshow Bob wrote:

halnone wrote:can't blame him. they don't have anything to play for.

hopefully Swansea can get a point at the swamp.

swansea has absolutely nothing to play for.

They play great football and in my opinion will want to show that against the rags. this season the rags have been incapable of handling teams that play decent football.

I can hope.

this have been the greatest concern coming to Wales so close to a long European trip and my biggest hope since the need of hunting the rags has raised.
their latest performances and mood is letting me not as confident as I was before, tho.