Sunderland visit Blackpool in League One Last time out Sunderland drew with Shrewsbury and Blackpool drew with AFC Wimbledon. A big atmosphere is expected at Bloomfield Road, with the visitors travelling en masse for the first meeting between the sides for eight years. The Black Cats travel to the west coast on New Years Day along with 7700 away fans. Sunderland could be without Bryan Oviedo who went off injured against Shrewsbury, and Watmore and Wyke will be looking to start. Blackpool have 6 first team players unavailable due to injury and suspension. Jack Ross: “From a player-to-manager relationship I would still believe he (Josh Maja) will stay, but as time goes on, and there’s no commitment, you have to have some doubt.” “I have said this to him, I will never take things personally. I get both perspectives on it, his and the club’s, and he knows it. This is the best place for him and I hope he believes that.” “I suppose the consequences of a deadline passing are out of my control, I won’t treat him differently. It may be out of my hands even if I have a good relationship with him." “It sounds as if I am absolving myself of any responsibility but I am not. Naturally, I would say keep him here, but that might not be possible.” “I believe the deadline to be Friday. I can’t give an exact date, other than to say it’s before the Charlton game.” Terry McPhillips: “It’s a clean sheet, which is a positive, but if we want to win games we’ve got to start scoring goals. It’s just that little bit of extra quality that we lacked today, not for the want of trying. One or two were not quite on it today, but I still thought we played some good stuff and made the best chances.” “We were really at bare bones today with the squad and the lads that are injured and suspended. Fair play to the squad for churning out a performance like that at such a tough place to come. The timing of playing Wimbledon was wrong for us.” “He just tightened up. He’s had a little problem with his calf so that was a precaution. We also wanted to put Davo on and see if we could win the game.” Form: Match Appointments: Referee:DARREN DRYSDALE Assistant Referees:Richard Bartlett and Duncan Street Fourth Official :Chris Isherwood Team Line ups Sunderland: McLaughlin, O’Nien, Flanagan, Baldwin, James, Cattermole, Maguire, Power, Watmore, McGeady, Maja Subs: Ruiter, Ozturk, McGeough, Mumba, Gooch, Wyke, Sinclair Injured: Love, Hume, Robson, Loovens, Honeyman Blackpool: Howard, Nottingham, Heneghan, O’Connor, Bola, O’Sullivan, Spearing, Guy, Taylor, Gnanduillet, Delfouneso Substitutes: Pritchard, McLaughlin, Feeney, Davis, Mafoumbi, Bunney, Shaw Injured: Daniels, Tilt, Turton, Dodoo, Cullen Suspended: Thompson Betting Odds: H 21/10 A 13/10 D 21/10 My two pence: After going to the last 3 games, I’m giving this one a rest, so there will most likely be a huge upsurge in form and we will thrash them. From what I’ve seen I’m still confident that we can get out of this league at the first attempt. My guess is a 3-1 away win. Ha’way the Lads
Has to be away win for the lad's, used to love Blackpool away in the 70's, easy 3-1 for the lad's in red and white,k.t.f. Hawwwwwwayyyyyyyyyyy the lad's, and a happy new year to all.
Above and beyond the call of duty - great that you do this for us on N Y Eve RTB. Will be watching the stream 2morrow and hope I’m not too hung over and get to see a more incisive SAFC NET 3 valuable points. KTF
Some tough games in Jan, and if we lose this one, the pressure will be on!! I reckon we will come through - they have a lot of players out - 0-2 to the lads!! Bart
Watched Blackpool in FA Cup round 1 and they have several really big lads. Corners and freekick's have been our Achilles heel this season and this lot will fully test us tomorrow. If we can defend them then I can see us winning but it will be tight. come on lads start the New Year in style.
Jack Ross update: "It is a game we were always likely to do that [make changes] irrespective of whether it was a win, loss or draw against Shrewsbury," "It was the one we'd need to freshen it up, away from home as well and I don't think the surface is great there at the moment, we need to pick a team that will help us win the game." "A bit of freshness will help us. For every team in the league it is a challenging period." Possible return for McGeouch / Honeyman or Mumba ?
TEAM NEWS Sunderland: McLaughlin, James, Flanagan, Baldwin, O’Nien, Power, Cattermole (c), Gooch, McGeady, Maja, Wyke. Subs: Ruiter, Ozturk, Maguire, McGeouch, Sinclair, Mumba, Mbunga-Kimpioka
Wyke keeping the central defenders busy while dishing to Maja, who delayed his run into the box, just enough.
Just to throw into the mix - if I were J R perhaps a tweek using the same personel:- 3 - 2 - 3 - 2 Flannagan Baldwin James Catts Power O9 Gooch McGeady Wyke Maja Or am I still inebriated after last night ? KTF
