Bolo Zenden wants no more slip-ups from Sunderland as the campaign enters a crucial phase for the Black Cats. Resolve will be tested to the full over Christmas and the New Year, with a vital period in the season often giving a greater indication as to what is to come.
Zenden is determined to ensure that Sunderland enter 2011 challenging in the upper reaches of the table, with the club having made a bright start to the campaign.
They have suffered just three defeats in the league so far, seeing them to a standing inside the top seven.
The Dutchman told The Journal: "Everyone knows in the next month we have got so many games coming up, and when it comes to January, whether you have started well or badly, you know then, two wins or two losses can be the difference between being in the top six or being at the bottom.
"I wasn't aware of the comparison with 12 months ago, but I believe last year we were flying for two months. Last year we were ahead of the others, whereas now it is much tighter.
"It's a cliche, but the most important game is the next one."
He added: "The game against Newcastle (a 5-1 defeat) put a few people on the spot and maybe changed the mind of the manager a bit about the formation we played.
"When we started to play with two up front, it began to work slightly better. From then on we have gradually built.
"The fact that we did have that defeat to Newcastle has helped us to change things. It gave us the kick up the backside to say 'listen, this is not the way'."
