Sunderland travel to Plymouth Argyle in the SkyBet League One. Last time out Sunderland lost to Blackpool and Plymouth lost to Oxford. Sunderland dropped to 4th place behind Lincoln as they extended their winless run to seven games. The Black Cats will have to battle it out in the play-offs, but will need to secure their place with two games remaining. A win at Home Park will guarantee a finishing position in the top six, although Sunderland could lose and still cement a place in the play-offs depending on what happens in the games involving Portsmouth, Oxford United and Charlton Athletic. More bad news for the Black Cats as Lee Johnson announced that Jordan Willis has undergone another operation after a set back to his recent surgery and will miss most of next season. Connor McLaughlin is in contention for a place in the squad this weekend, while Flanagan should step up his work on the training ground before the end of the week. A couple of players suffered knocks during the defeat to Blackpool, and Johnson admits that their situation is causing him a headache when it comes to his team selection for the Plymouth game. Plymouth are also on a torrid run of results with 9 defeats in 15 games, but they have already secured their place in League One for next season. Lee Johnson: “I understand the supporters’ anxieties, but all I can do is try to give off really positive vibes, which I fully believe in because I can’t be fake about it going into the play-offs. That’s the hard part at the moment – I can’t quite give the message that I want to because that part’s not guaranteed yet.” “The big rallying call can come after we secure that place, I don’t care who we play in the semi-final, but I fancy us. If we’re right, rested, prepared and focused, I’d fancy us over two legs against anybody in the division. That might sound a bit bullish. I’m sure that’s what the Sunderland fans would like to hear, but I also fully believe it.” "I am very confident that if we secure the play-offs and have the time to rest and work, we will come out of the traps like a greyhound" "I'm very confident about that. It gives us the ability to get back round pegs in round holes with the players we've got injured and coming back.” "Then the challenge is to try and get those guys at their peak performance having had a few weeks out. I'm talking about the likes of (Tom) Flanagan, (Conor) McLaughlin and (Jake) Vokins.” "To have those options will then create options in midfield as well that we currently haven't got. I'm very positive about the play-offs but there's no doubt that there's concern about our short term form and I'd be lying if I said that I was happy." Ryan Lowe: “I was pleased with the lads, I thought we had a reaction (from the 6-0 defeat by Charlton Athletic). We played some good stuff in the first half. We have got to have that killer instinct like Matty Taylor has got. When you are getting those chances you have got to put them away.” “Yeah, we are hurting, we don't want to lose any game, but our main aim was to stay in the division for next season and we have done that." Match Appointments: Referee: JAMES BELL Assistant Referees: Ravel Cheosiaua and Richard Morris Fourth Official: Paul Howard Team Line ups Sunderland: Burge; O’Nien, Wright, Hume; Power, Scowen, Neil, Hawkes; Jones, Diamond, Wyke. Subs: Matthews, Younger, Gooch, O’Brien, Leadbitter, Maguire, Stewart Injured: Xhemajli, Willis, Flanagan, McLaughlin, Vokins, Sanderson Plymouth: (4-4-2) Cooper, Edwards, Woods, Opoku, Law, Moore, Pereira Camará, Fornah, Mayor, Jephcott, Ennis Subs: Watts, Hardie, Reeves, MacLeod, Lolos, McCormick, Tomlinson Injured: tbc Betting Odds: Sunderland 4/6 Plymouth 18/5 Draw 14/5 Run-In: My two pence: Another defeat leaves us clinging onto 4th place, but we probably only need another point to secure a place in the playoffs. However, 3 points and a solid performance here would help to ease a lot of anxiety and build up some confidence. I’m going for a 0-2 away win Live stream £10 https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video Due to the EFL-wide social media blackout taking place over the weekend as we unite in the fight against online discrimination, there will be no social media updates for the fixture on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Ha’way the Lads
Well done for another great summary. If only the team could be as consistent. I am going for a win. Surely? On chances we could have won 2 or 3 of the last seven. I like the way you’ve brought in some youngsters in and I hope LJ includes one or two. We don’t know who is injured so the team could be anything. Time to start the resurgence.
Another brill thread mate, gone for the win but the way we have been playing and the injuries can only live in hope, just hope he gives the under 23 who are up for it a job
Great thread @RTB and good to see a few new faces in a different formation as well. I'd personally like to see... Patterson Younger, Wright, McLaughlin Gooch, Power, O'Nien Winchester, Hume Neil Wyke Whether McGeady injured or not, I'd rest him for this one and maybe Northampton as well so he's 100% fresh for play offs.
Plymouth have lost 10 of their last 15 games and have shipped 16 goals in their last 5 games. There are absolutely no excuses not to win this game. Surely, surely Johnson goes with wingbacks for this. For all Blackpool scored the only goal of the game after we switched to 3-4-3 we looked far better than Johnson's bizarre 4222 that we started with. He got his subs badly wrong. Not brining Diamond and Maguire on was criminal. Get playing 343 with McLaughlin and Flanagan close to rerunning. For Saturday --------------------Burge------------------ -----Power----Wright-----Onien----- Gooch---Scowen-Winchester--Hume Jones-------‐-----Wyke---------McGeady
Sadly this a bit meh for me, just get the job done and bring back the points, we've only been waiting seven games to get to this point and we're still waiting. I've not given a prediction for months but will go with RTB here so 2-0 to the lads.
Hopefully he'll make some wholesale changes here and give some of the kids a chance before our confidence gets demoralised even more. We need ONien and Power back in midfield where they belong.
Another fine effort RTB, I wager all the teams selected above will be preferable to the one picked by this system driven obsessive. We have had a raft of injury problems I agree but that's just the half of it imo. OaU regardless.
Agree with your comments like the recipe but not the contents, Scowen and Winchester in central midfield ?.
I think we've missed the boat in terms of giving Patterson a go but I like your way of thinking and your lineup. Johnson talking about getting defenders back meaning we can get more options in midfield, I hope he's talking about O'Nien there. Could also mean McLaughlin at RCB and Gooch at WB with Power in CM. Ideally both happen.
Great thread again RTB! I would love it if he played that eleven, but somehow I doubt he will It would be good to see McLaughlin back, but only if he's fully recovered. We can't afford for him to break down again. I just hope he has a bit of variety on the bench. Having 3 wide men on there, like Tuesday, was ridiculous. I'm going for a 2-1 win and then he can play Patterson, Hawkes and Neil against Northampton. I would have Neil in this Saturday too, with the other two on the bench. Younger has to start for me. Here's hoping!
I would love to see this line-up play, just why Younger has not started of late has me totally baffled and I have consequently lost all faith in this charlatan and anything he says, and just to annoy his acolytes I would go even further and rest Wyke, and play Hawkes. But as some say change cant happen overnight, so we just have to accept it, and expect more of the same s**t on Saturday. OaU