Well. I haven't looked on here since I got home straight after the match because I would just get angry but here we go. First of all I don't think we were as bad as people are making us out to be. We battled and were the better team first half. Second half we were fairly poor but they were too. I thought Cattermole and Colback looked very good in the middle. Colback really did get stuck in and rose to the occasion IMO. Unfortunately Bruce for some unknown reason decided it was a good idea to stick Larsson on the left. What is the logic in that??? Elmo was very poor today and Vaughan has played LW so why didn't he start or even get on the pitch??? At the back I thought Ferdinand and Brown looked decent apart from Brown's two attempts at Nosworthy runs from the back. Richardson again looked way out of his depth at left back, Bardsley put in a typical performance and although I was adamant he shouldn't have been sent off, the replays show it was a potential leg-breaker. Sessegnon again impressed me. He looked lively and creative and got a few decent shots away BUT our major problem today (and it pains me to say it) was Gyan. He looked way off it today. Not lively. Not sharp. Not fit. Not interested even and that is what cost us the game. He looked so isolated but didn't help himself by getting into the mix. I like the guy and he can show flashes of brilliance but today was his worst game in red and white. Overall I'll say it again, we deserved at least a point and should have been at least 2 up by half time but when are we going to learn that in this league if you don't take your chances you will be punished?!?! The only time they ever looked a threat was from a set piece. Time and time and time again they were whipping balls into dangerous areas and we were lucky none of their players reacted quick enough. I'm not going to congratulate them because I genuinely thought they were poor and I think they would admit that but they took their chance and they won the game through it. I am absolutely gutted, I mean I've been devastated today and I know this post sounds too cheery considering what's happened but for me I think on another day we could have won and somehow I'm finding one or two positives from the day. In terms of the crowd from both sides, did anybody else think their support was poor today? Apart from a couple of renditions of the Blaydon Races there wasn't all that much noise. Also I've heard stories of Sunderland fans driving, flying, getting the train to the match from all corners of the world and I feel for them. They deserve better and we deserve better. But lads I'm an optimist and I'm trying my best just to look ahead to Swansea. This is game 2 of a 38 game season. Plenty of time to go...and another crack at them in March!!!! KEEP THE FAITH LADS!!!!
Another Sunderland fan who completely ignored the fact Larsson should have been sent off and we should have had a goal that never was. "The only time they ever looked a threat was from a set piece." Gosling was also 1 on 1 with Mignolet, a better chance than Sunderland had all game. Looks like you forgot that too..
I thought our fans were poor in the first 20 minutes, but we got in our rhythm and out sang you in the end. Don't think that can be denied. Glad you have admitted the Bardo challenge was terrible, deserved a straight red.
We rode our luck today but then so did Sunderland last year, so honours even on that one and yes Larsson should have been sent off, though Sunderland should have had a penalty in the 2nd half.
Probably the fact yous had gone 1-0 up might have played a part in that.... And yeah from my angle it looked like an full blooded challenge but fair. The replay says otherwise.
great post mate and i totally agree with you there is a long way to go yet, and one result was never going to make are season.. possitives out of the game for me were colbeck and catts both were fantastic today!
Sing when your winning in other words. Anyway, the OP, yes they may have been poor but they did what they needed to do. Away from home that is all you can ask for.
How about you check the time difference of when they were posted Having seen an image on our board, its quite clear to me that it was a horrible challenge, made me change my mind
have you seen it.. i won't put the vid on here but here's the link, its only short. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-c2zlZ6x6Y
I wasn't going to waste my typing on you but here goes. Yeah Larsson should have walked but Cabaye should have joined him. And just think of Larsson's save as making up for Steven Taylor's blatant dive in the derby a couple of season's back. And oops sorry, my mistake, you had one chance that came about in open play... We had a couple of balls roll literally a yard or two across the goalmouth, one touch from any player in those situations and we'd be sitting here discussing a Sunderland win...
Cabaye's challenge was a yellow, and that is what he got. Having seen it again, I stand by that. I have seen players go for it but he clearly went for the ball, Bardsley knew what he was doing. The way Larsson reacted pissed me off the most, saying it hit his head, Barton told him no way and he was acting out that it hit his head. You've got away with that situation twice in two seasons.
little bit like bartons reaction last wk no?? and taylor saying he was elbowed ?? and so on and so on have a think mate
