Sunderland host Bolton Wanderers in the Sky Bet Championship Last time out Sunderland lost at home to Bristol City and Bolton drew at Fulham. Sunderland manager Simon Grayson is desperately in need of a confidence boosting win against bottom of the table Bolton Wanderers. A defeat would see the Black Cat's sink to the bottom of the Championship and would pile the pressure on Grayson. Bolton have now gone three matches unbeaten. Sammy Ameobi, who ended Bolton's 640-minute goal drought in their win over Sheffield Wednesday earlier this month, scored with their first goal in six away matches. Simon Grayson: "I am disappointed with the players and what they have done today. Yesterday we had a team meeting, designed to give players jobs and responsibilities. We repeated it again at lunchtime today and we have not been able to stop a player at 5ft 7ins getting a free header. We keep shooting ourselves in the foot.” "We did get a break and a real boost with the goal, and I said at half-time we wanted to go on and impose ourselves but we kept on making really bad decisions. Even in the last 15 minutes we huffed and puffed without being effective and lost our shape. We have to carry out our game plan." "There has been a lot of obstacles in the way in the past and since I have been here and other obstacles I didn't realise were going to be put in front of me that I have had to deal with and that is why I will come through this and we are all looking at a different club in the near future." Phil Parkinson: "It's disappointing we haven't got all three points. I felt our performance warranted it today. The lads gave absolutely everything. "It was more than a battling performance, we had other chances to get that second goal. We just couldn't kill the game off. "Obviously there's an air of disappointment in the dressing room but we've got to make sure that the late goal doesn't knock us because we're unbeaten in three games." Match facts: Sunderland are unbeaten in seven league matches against Bolton (W5 D2) since a 4-1 defeat in the Premier League in November 2008. Bolton did, however, win their last match against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, a 2-0 FA Cup victory in January 2013. Sunderland are winless in 18 home games in all competitions (D7 L11), just one game shy of the record for an English league club held jointly by Dagenham & Redbridge, Derby County and Nottingham Forest, who all went 19 home games without winning. Aiden McGeady has scored more goals from outside of the box (4) than any other championship player this season. In fact, only Charlton's Ricky Holmes has scored as many goals from outside of the box across the top four English leagues. Form: Sports Analytics Machine – Meh Prutton predicts: 0-1 Referee: DARREN BOND Assistants: Matthew McGrath and Tony Peart Fourth Official: Martin Coy Team Line ups Sunderland: Substitutes: Ruiter, Jones, Wilson, Cattermole, McNair, Gibson, Vaughan Injured Browning, Maja Bolton Wanderers: Alnwick, Little, Wheater, Beevers, Robinson, Pratley, Henry, Ameobi, Vela, Armstrong, Madine Subs from Fondre, Noone, Derik, Morais, Darby, Howard Injured Taylor Betting Odds: H 4/5 A 7/2 D 13/5 My two pence: The defeat to Bristol City just highlights how shocking we are at defending. We dominated the game from the start, but let them take the lead, and having managed to get back into the game before half-time we just threw it away again in the second-half. Bolton have a few familiar faces from up the road so I’m expecting another home horror show given that it’s Halloween. Not sure about the result, either 1-0 home win (Alnwick o.g.) or 0-1 (Ameobi or Armstrong) Ha’way the Lads
Totally agree with the OP line up apart from I'd have Ruiter back in. I'm still hoping Grayson is sacked in the morning after he arrives at the AOL. He doesn't deserve another game and It mortified me that if we sneak a win against the one team below us he will carry on this reign of terror. This isn't going to improve under Grayson even if we win this. We won't win another game under him in 2017
I'd rather have Ruiter but he seems to be sticking with Steele. His post match quotes seem to indicate that the players are not listening or just don't understand what he's saying - either way I can't see him being in the job if we lose this game.
I say this every match but surely McNair must be ready to start. Bolton are probably the only team worse than us so I can see us fluking a win.
He's had his January budget discussion with Bain. Grayson ain't going anywhere. Learn something about our club and how it operates. More chance of me ****ting gold bullion than there is of Grayson being sacked tomorrow. Anyway, ****ing well sick of our **** house defence. I'd go this and start making the point that if you play **** and keep making mistakes then you're dropped. Ruiter Mathews----McNair----Wilson----Oviado Ndong------Honeyman Watmore----------Williams---------McGeady Grabban
I'm sure Bolton were ahead in their last 2 games before conceding a late goal which meant we didn't go bottom. They're not conceding goals as much now, they're like us when we've been ahead, couldn't close the game down. It'll be a close game. It's got a draw written all over it!
That discussion was pre Bristol City and part and parcel of ongoing business. Doesn't mean his position can't change. You really think he'll still be in charge Wednesday if we get thumped by Bolton?
I'd have McNair in midfield with N'Dong - he's no centre half and is mobile enough to get forward from there (and seems determined not to be a centre half from everything I read from him) Only problem is who do we play at Centre half with Wilson (Is wilson definitely fit? He certainly starts if so!!) - step up Jack Rodwell??????? (Sorry!!) Matthews was so nervous last home game! Jones is ****e but at least he has some shred of confidence on the ball - Matthews had none at all (and the crowd certainly didn't help with that!) Which is the lesser of 2 evils at right back? No idea!!! God I'm just sick - **** it lets just go and get pissed and not care!!
Yeh mate I felt sick Saturday Just couldn’t get my head round it Then we scored and I unwittingly felt we have chance now get stuck in the second half. Then it went belly up again
Beadling and Rodwell should have had a decent run together in the U21's early season, to test the water for just this sort of situation, which was always on the cards, JoS and Kone look as though they cant stand the sight of each other never mind forming any sort of partnership, this shambles cannot see beyond their nose-ends, no wonder its a ****ing mess.
Yes, I think he will. I can feel the vibes coming off the club. I told everyone Moyes wasn't getting sacked under any circumstances and we didn't(Seem to remember you calling that he'll be sacked after every game just like you're doing with Grayson) . Can read our club like a book at the moment, and not a very good book, certainly not Bravo two zero by Andy McNab which actually improves with every read. If we can get a reliable cb in or 2 then Larry will be laughing cause we'll fly up the league.
I don't know who you can say he's no cb. He's barely played there but it is his natural position so he obviously can play there. I don't want O'shea or Kone playing soI'd defo give him a short. We only need him to do a beter job till january. I wouldn't pair him with Ndong, we need a more forward thinking Midfielder, Honeyman for me, in his natural position, well my team is there. Matthews was dropped for our last home game mate, dropped for Jones. Hopefully Love is nearly ready, an extra option to look at.
Sunderland have 70% of play one or two cast iron penalties and Ben Alnwick players a stormer. We lose to a couple of breakaway goals Sorry for this negative post but my mindset is in a downward spiral
