Questions from the game. Was Stewart's header harder than the one he missed at Wembley Was the 'Gooch goal' actually offside Is Pearson the most miserable man on earth How many teams will score three open play goals away from home this season Should we avoid pitch invasions or are they all part of the experience
Morning mate. No. 1 very similar but seemed to be a little more central. No. 2 not sure was at the other end. No. 3 Yes No. 4 Fans just get caught up in the excitement and react instantly. I don't do it but couldn't clamber over the hoardings with my knees. Hope ya well. Catch up soon.
Just watched the highlights back. Regarding the first goal, its absolutely BRILLIANT by Stewart. I've lost count now of the number of goals he's been involved in where he has knicked the ball from a defender like that. Fans of other clubs put it down to howlers from their players, and don't get me wrong its poor from them. BUT he has a RIDICULOUS reach with those legs. It was the same in the play off semi at Hillsborough last season. I think nobody quite expects it. Works to his advantage so much and long may it be a secret that others put down to their errors rather than his physiological brilliance.
I love that part of his game, he never gives the opposition back line a minute. He is always chasing them down and as they try to pass around him he quite often gets something on it.
I think you are right mate. Stewart also reads the play so well and that anticipation, alongside his pace, gets him into a great place to pinch it. A good press is all about anticipation, but you need the pace and agression to back it up. Neil got done against Coventry in a similar way. He got some stick, and that is fair enough. Their centre half is probably getting stick as well. The thing is though in both instances the keeper is the one that can see everything, and they call the play. As a coach you work really hard on getting that first triangle set to play out, two centre halves split and a midfielder drops in. The aim is to play to the midfielder who has dropped in and attract the press to then play through it via the split centre halves, or play on the half turn and get them turned quickly. The keeper has to call if the attackers are too close already in which case, play wide or into midfield directly. I would be amazed if other teams havent looked at Stewart against Bristol City and are now wary of playing out in that way. I would also be amazed if Alex Neil isnt telling Dan Neil to keep dropping in to receive the first pass and get us playing from the off. He is brilliant on the half turn and that sort of player, in terms of making a team play front foot football, is worth their weight in gold. At times it will look like they have made a mistake, like you say, but the risk / reward is in the favour of playing through and not over the press, in my opinion at least. It is a very fine balance to strike as a coach but I know how I want to see the game played.
On Saturday I took my 8year old Grandson to his first City game. He been begging me for ages to watch a match, I tried to put him off, as I warned him I'd ruin his life supporting my lot. However he loved the day, he's still buzzing and today is still wearing the full City kit. Credit for the Sunderland support and that you thoroughly deserved the 3points.
Sunderland striker Ellis Simms said that the travelling Black Cats support gave him “a massive lift” in the 3-2 win against Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Saturday. He said: “It was nice to hear them singing my name, I’ve only been here a week! “It gives you a massive lift. Sometimes it can take you a bit of time to get up and running when you’re on loan, but I thought that I did well today and hopefully I can build on that. “Hopefully I can keep them singing. It’s a great group of lads here, and I already feel settled. “We just want to kick on.”
