Sunderland match thread

[proclaimer]

Thought I'd give it a go this time.

No team news yet but given our good league position I hope we give the cup full respect with the best 11 available. COYS O:)

[Brockley_Jack]

Sky used the words "expected to a strong side" in their build up, or words to that effect. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Biggest game this season for us, we have to go for it!

[Pentridge]

Just hope we show up as opposed to they effort in the League cup.

[ozzy62]

Just having a couple of roady brews before I head off into town and watch it on the big screen.Know of a couple of Sunderland lads who are rocking up so should be a good night.

COYS

[saint_martin]

SAINTS: K Davis, Clyne, Yoshida, Hooiveld, Shaw, Wayama, S Davis, W-Prowse, Lallana, Do Prado, Lambert.

Subs: Gazzaniga, Fonte, Chambers, Schneiderlin, Cork, McQueen, Rodriguez.


I hope hooiveld doesn't score :blue:

[proclaimer]

Fairly strong line up. Hope the Midfield can support the changes front and back.

[Brockley_Jack]

FFS!! >:(

[CostaBaz]

So, what do we know about McQueen?

And how does Sunderland's line up compare to their usual first 11?
as many changes as us?

Just seen. They've made 9 changes!

Would have preferred our full strength team out, as with 39 points on board, I think we can afford to experiment/rotate players, during league matches.

And will be very disappointed if we blow this opportunity to progress.

[saintwayne]

Glad it's only a cup game with that lineup. Will be interesting to see what McQueen is like if he gets on, he did well for me at Wrexham in the Conference on Football Manager! ;D

[PapaLazarou]

I know both Schneiderlin and Cork were knackered after the Hull game, but have to say I'm a little disappointed (and worried) by our starting line-up.

Just have to hope that their weakened team is weaker than our weakened team, and that Hooiveld can keep the ball out of our goal for a change..

COYS..

[ShottermillSaint]

Hope i'm wrong but it seems we've learnt nothing from our defeat in the league cup up there last year

This is a game i really want us to win but i'll be very surprised if we even get a replay with that line up

[proclaimer]

4 changes is not as bad as I feared especially considering JWP isn't far off first choice. Defence and Attack changes worry me a bit though.

[proclaimer]

1st half? Best chance was ours. First 20 minutes we made several last saving tackles and we had carried on like that things might have been worse but at least we stepped up a bit after that. Never heard Guly's for 23 minutes and then he didn't get to the ball. 3rd and 4th choice CB's and the 3rd choice is booked so that is a worry. Can only get better - surely.

[ShottermillSaint]

Well thats an hour and a half of my life i'll never get back.

Fair play to Sunderland, they wanted it more than us and were worthy winners, excellent goal by Gardener and tbh if Rickie hadn't missed when it was easier to score it would have been rather unjust.

[saintwayne]

Meh. Fair play to Sunderland, they played well, we looked very tired and leggy. A good rest for the players and then roll on West Ham.

[proclaimer]

Very, very poor game. We got what we deserved. Not going to blame the changes since, with the exception of Guly, I doubt they would have made much difference. We lacked tempo, energy or a will to win. After JWP went close early on the next real chance was halfway through the 2nd half. As for Rickie's miss? The man has done more than enough for us down the years. For me it just summed up a bad day at the office.

[Brockley_Jack]

That was painful to watch and quite frankly embarassing. I really feel for those who went all the way up there to have the piss taken out of them by the club. With a week until the next game, why not an unchanged side and dominate them like we did at Hull?

I really thought it was our year. Thanks Poch. >:(

[Dirtyweasel]

Well if nothing else we now know MP has no desire to see us win a trophy, so that's a positive.

Beyond question our worst performance of the season.

How Guly gets game time in matches like this I've absolutely no idea, but someone within the club obviously see's something no other Saints fan can :?

I wouldn't say Sunderland wanted it more - we simply didn't want it at all.

Truly shocking, and from a fans perspective a performance the players and management should be ashamed of.

[CostaBaz]

I thought the Jeckyl and Hyde performances, of previous seasons, were behind us.

So many players were off the pace, today, that defeat was looking inevitable the moment they scored.

I can accept defeat graciously, when we play well, or are outplayed, but when we lose because the other team weren't quite as bad as we were, then it pishes me off, big time .

Yes I can understand MP wanting to give some players game time, but isn't it better to go out and win the game first, then make the changes?

Oh well. There's always next season. O:) :P

[souths1]

Well if nothing else we now know MP has no desire to see us win a trophy, so that's a positive.

Beyond question our worst performance of the season.

How Guly gets game time in matches like this I've absolutely no idea, but someone within the club obviously see's something no other Saints fan can :?

I wouldn't say Sunderland wanted it more - we simply didn't want it at all.

Truly shocking, and from a fans perspective a performance the players and management should be ashamed of.

If poch wants to field a crap team that includes Guly then he should have the decency to put out his team sheet the day before the match, would make no difference to the result but would save supporters a lot of time and money!

MP hang you're head in shame, little chance of improving in the league, so why field that team???

[ShottermillSaint]

Considering that Jesus Perez is left to do the pre and post match interviews for cup games it's pretty obvious that MP isn't interested in them.

Today was the first time in a fair few years that i've been angry after a game.

[saintwayne]

With a week until the next game, why not an unchanged side and dominate them like we did at Hull?



Disagree with that, it was the third game in seven days, two of them long away treks, the whole team looks knackered tbh. We just don't have a big enough squad to be fighting on two fronts, hopefully that will be addressed in the summer.

[souths1]

With a week until the next game, why not an unchanged side and dominate them like we did at Hull?



Disagree with that, it was the third game in seven days, two of them long away treks, the whole team looks knackered tbh. We just don't have a big enough squad to be fighting on two fronts, hopefully that will be addressed in the summer.[/quote]

Wayne they are young fit men, paid handsomely to play football, they travel away in luxury or fly.
Today was a kop out, a shambles and an insult too travelling supporters.
If we lose every game till the end of the season we won't go down and if we win every game (which won't happen) we won't get 4th place so why not try to win something? Best chance for years flushed!!

[ShottermillSaint]

The apathy shown by our club to cups this season is a real disappointment, as i've already said we learnt nothing from the league cup defeat.
It will be interesting to see if finishing ninth or tenth this season will be enough to keep some of our better players at the club in the summer.

[Brockley_Jack]

With a week until the next game, why not an unchanged side and dominate them like we did at Hull?



Disagree with that, it was the third game in seven days, two of them long away treks, the whole team looks knackered tbh. We just don't have a big enough squad to be fighting on two fronts, hopefully that will be addressed in the summer.[/quote]

Wayne they are young fit men, paid handsomely to play football, they travel away in luxury or fly.
Today was a kop out, a shambles and an insult too travelling supporters.
If we lose every game till the end of the season we won't go down and if we win every game (which won't happen) we won't get 4th place so why not try to win something? Best chance for years flushed!![/quote]

That sums it up for me, as does Weasels post about us not wanting it at all.

I've been looking forward to this

[saintwayne]

Maybe it's me, but I just don't get the sudden uproar at fielding a slightly weaker team in the cup when it's been going on for years. For me the league is far more important, and we still have the chance of a record PL finish, and even the possibility of finishing above Man Utd which would be unbelievable.

I would be more angry at the players who looked like they didn't give a feck, rather than MP for the selection. Sunderland made a lot more changes than we did.

[CostaBaz]

Wayne, finishing above Man U would be an achievement, but what are fans more likely to remember in 10 years time?
Finishing above Man U or getting to Wembley?

The message being sent to players, that we want to keep and/or buy, is that we lack the ambition to win trophies.

I understand why MP and other managers don't like the Europa Cup, but IMO, MP would accomplish more by winning a place in the competition and then using it solely for fringe players to sharpen up, or by refusing to enter a team in it.
Especially as the Europa Cup has been designed to cater for the "big"teams that flop in the Champions League, giving them a chance to win something.
But that, again, shows no ambition.
It's a lose, lose situation, TBH.

Maybe they should bring back the Cup Winners Cup, and give the winners an automatic place in the following years contest, or even in the Champions League?
Might make teams WANT to win the FACup again.