James Copley and Phil Smith on Leo Hjelde's Sunderland misfortune

On the latest episode of The Roar podcast, James Copley and Phil Smith discuss Sunderland defender Leo Hjelde.

Transcript

00:00I think for me, based on that showing, and it's very harsh on Leo Hjelda, who I actually quite like,

00:06but I would rather brown it right back than have Leo Hjelda in it left back.

00:09I just think it seems a more natural fit and you do get the benefit of that experience.

00:15You know, we don't know whether Hjelda will definitely be available.

00:18Now, Bruce hinted that he probably would be, but I'd be tempted to keep browning,

00:21keep the winning side, keep the momentum.

00:23And as Phil says, there is a long and illustrious history of this happening over the years.

00:28We've been threatening for years, but we need to do a full podcast on Sunderland midfielders.

00:32Yeah, we do.

00:33Like Dan Neal's one that he played against Wigan, didn't he, a couple of seasons ago?

00:38Left back.

00:39Yeah.

00:40Which is just absolutely hilarious now when you think back.

00:44And he did a good job on Sunderland 1.

00:46But yeah, if you're listening to this, send us your Sunderland midfielders who have been converted

00:52because we will do that podcast when we get a chance over the next couple of weeks.

00:57I think the thing for me is, as Yusef alluded to there, the other thing is it's not slight on Hjelda.

01:00It's just like we've seen him at left back plenty.

01:03So we're not going to learn loads and loads about it, are we?

01:06Whereas I just think, you know, we've got a little bit of a chance here potentially

01:09to have a look at Brown, see whether it's an option.

01:11And if you go away from home against a good team and it really doesn't work,

01:14then you've learnt that, haven't you?

01:15And there's going to be plenty of games for Hjelda to play over the next few weeks.

01:19I do really feel for Hjelda, though, because, you know, he's waited patiently all season.

01:25And then all of a sudden, you've got Dennis Serkan out and it's looking like you're going to get a run on the side

01:30and then you pick an injury up as well.

01:32It's unfortunate because he would probably say as well that when he has played, he's been in and out, hasn't he?

01:36He's never really had like a run of five or ten games.

01:39And, you know, I always say that it's really hard to actually judge a player

01:42until they've played five or ten games in a row and Hjelda just never has for us.