Sunderland manager Steve Bruce expressed his delight
with Ahmed Al-Muhammadi's performance despite the 0-2
defeat against Benfica. Bruce said that Muhammadi did
well both on the wing and as a right back.
Sunderland's boss Steve Bruce praised Egyptian right
back/winger Ahmed Al-Muhammadi despite the 0-2 loss
against the Superior Benfica on Tuesday.
Bruce was impressed by Muhammadi's ability to play
equally well as a right midfielder and as a right back
as well.
Bruce said: "It was good for us to be able to
face opposition like that in pre-season.
"They're quite a side – as you'd expect them
to be from a club which ranks among the European giants.
"They've got so much quality and they gave us
a really good workout and I was pleased with the way
that the players coped with very powerful opponents.
Speaking on the new signing Argentine right-back Marcos
Angeleri who is expected to compete with Muhammadi for
the right back position:
"We need to get fitness into him because he's
short in that department," said the manager.
"But we've got to do it by stages and that's why
we subbed him at the break.
"He'd done very well in the first-half and he could have
come out for the second but we've got to be sensible and take
it in stages.
On Al-Muhammadi, Bruce said: "As it was, it gave us
a chance to look at Al-Muhammadi in the right-back position
and he gave us food for thought.
"He did very well there but then we shouldn't be surprised
at that – he played at right-back for Egypt against England
not too long ago.
"So far we've used him on the wing because he's got
pace to burn but he looked very comfortable in defence too."
It should be noted that Bruce still have two preseason friendlies
in hand to test his tactics before the new season.
