Match Day Thread Sunderland v Stoke City Saturday 14th January KO 15:00

Dave's post match email:
"It was a poor opening part of the game from us, not necessarily that we played badly, but three mistakes have cost us.

We made it really difficult for ourselves and we were punished, but we got a goal back and in the second half we were better.

We knew if we got a second goal we’d have the crowd behind us, but we created a couple of chances and unfortunately we couldn’t score.

It would have been easy for the boys to hide and not try and take the ball, but Jack [Rodwell] had a chance, Fabio [Borini] had a chance and Jermain [Defoe] got himself in positions, we just didn’t get anything from them.

We have been losing too many games this season but we’ve been using our home form as a positive and a confidence booster; if you take away the first 20 minutes of today’s game we did as much as Stoke today, but obviously it’s a 90 minute game and you have to be ready from minute one.

Everyone knows we have injuries and players that are away, but we’re not going to use that as an excuse. The players that are out there have to perform.

We’ve got the cup replay on Tuesday at Burnley, which will be another tough game, but we want to win it."

Desperate for him to succeed but struggling to understand why he doesn't make a change or two:
Stop Papy just lashing it forward, which will require a bit more movement in front of him so he has options.
Drop or at least be willing to sub Fabio - Give Asoro or Maja a chance. FB was poor against Burnley and again today but still got 90 minutes.
Give the full backs some help - how many easy crosses are we going to let the oppos full backs put in.
Send Adnan back - like the lad, think he's talented, but referees refuse to give him any decisions so if he's not getting us free-kicks he's got little other product.

On the upside, thought Rodders had another decent game, we can't play any worse than that ( fingers crossed ) and we're not adrift so there's still hope!

 

Personally I hope Januzai f*cks off. He's a soft lazy b*stard in my eyes. Canny footballer but better suited to the foreign leagues where they let you play football. He is f*cking w*nk in that we need battlers of which he isnt. I do concede he was better than most of them today tho.

 

Much that mate

 

JANUZAI I can live with Cattermole MBC but him…….get me those drugs you take man

 

Going to football games is often emotionally difficult - as fans we should know that.
It's not going to the pics where it's almost guarenteed entertainment.
Our fans leaving after 30+ mins has now been noted nationally - I find this a bit pathetic & very embarrassing.
Positively I think a poor Mannone was a big factor plus Stoke did play well and we missed good chances.
I've been through many worse times than this.
I think an unlikely win on Tues - cup run cometh (got to cling to hope like in the early part of '73 cup success)
KTF and

 

Think PVA heads been turned by BSA bid
Also my Moyes concerns are coming back - I really hope he's playing mind games with Short as not using a young bench in 2 successive matches where we're poor is unforgiveable.

 

Fast forward to 35 mins (4:08)

http://www.safc.com/news/team-news/2017/january/highlights-v-stoke-city

 

I'm not sure which one of these is worse...

Jack Rodwell has yet to be on the winning side in any of his 35 Premier League starts for Sunderland.
The Black Cats became just the second team not to use any of their substitutes in a Premier League game this season, after Hull against Leicester on the opening day.

 

Called an opinion. One a few share with me seemingly. Januzaj did very little wrong yesterday and, outside of Defoe's finish, was our stand out performer IMO

 

I agree mate. As is said before at least he was still coming looking for the ball making things happen.

 

From an outsiders view having watched your game it does seem like they aren't pressing as a team which is exposing the defence and the midfield just not picking the runners up.
What on earth Denayer is doing playing there is anyone's guess as he clearly doesn't understand the position.
You can understand the left backs frustration with januzaj as he was leaving him isolated because of his halfhearted tracking and at the very least it shows he cares
Hope you manage to get a couple of decent players in the window and keep hold of jermain,I like Sunderland very similar club to City growing up

 

Januzaj is ****ing **** like.
Still, big Dave sucks his cock so what can we do?

 

I left at half time, one bloke behind me shouted ****ing *hite I thought yep that summed them up.

 

.

You crack me up ya nutty ****a.

 

Do you mean that you left the settee to make a cup of tea or you'd finished your shopping and left Asda ?

Make yourself clear, man

 

I heard that the biggest cheer of the afternoon happened when they announced that the exit doors were opening.

 

To Monty's house or Asda ?

 

Even if I believed you why would you be happy to say you left when your team were 3-1 at half time? Score the next goal and it's game on!

People who pay to go to games can leave if they like, no problem with that but many of my favourite games were ones where my team has come from behind to win. When Newcastle were 4-0 down to Arsenal a few years back there were around 9000 fans left early (according to national media) which is about one fifth of the crowd and yet you'll struggle to find a single Newcastle fan admit they weren't there for the Tiote strike due to leaving early; they just have to live with the knowledge they missed one of the best footballing moments for their team in the last decade.

 

Was a cracking match that.

 

It was ridiculous but a combination of events. Arsenal player stupidly got himself sent off and then they caved in the way only the Arsenal team of then could. Both teams almost snatched it at the end but the goals were actually mostly poor (2 pens, one another crazy Arsenal player putting his hand out i think) aside from the Tiote one. Unfortunately from that moment on whenever Tiote got the ball around the box a section of our fans would always shout "shoooooot" even though it's clear that generally he was ****e at it. He's not an intelligent player and some fans suggest it ruined his career with us. But ****ing hell that stadium rocked that day.