This will be a tough game, Rotherham play some really good football so hoping our strikers can take their chances. I’m going 2-1
Fancy Matete to prove his mettle in this one for no reason other than he might get a chance and he's better than some think imo. Get it done lad, you got this
Did you not think the same about Neil? A lot certainly did. I prefer to not jump to conclusions and let the proof of the pudding be on the eating. I don’t think many give any credence to the Boro link. None of it bothers me. He’s well thought of at previous clubs. That’ll do for me. As for the “crowd turning quickly “, I’ve watched Sunderland for 40 years, it doesn’t matter who is in charge, if things go wrong the crowd turn quickly
Going off last season, we are going to have to win the midfield battle. Hopefully Evans plays, maybe we sacrifice an attacker to shore up the middle the park?
The morning of the game and I can't wait. New manager in the dugout, new signings rumoured, team playing well and with confidence. I really think they will come flying out of the blocks tonight and try and dominate
HA'WAY THE LADS MACKEMS ATTACKEM After the initial shock of Niel suddenly fooking off, I soon got used to the fact. I'm glad the club moved quickly to replace him after the last saga. (was the writing already on the wall ?) Looks like Niel was a mercenary and better to get shot now early on. Hopefully TM settles quickly and we move on. Onwards and upwards.
Hopefully a home win. My first home match of the season, due to work and holidays. Looking forward to it.
Brilliant , thanks @RTB Their physicality our worry , hopefully TM ‘s experience will give us the antidote. However, think it’s a hard earned draw.
Midfield five must be a shoe-in Gooch, Neil, Evans, Pritch, Clarke big decision is whether to have three at the back and two up top Or four plus one to start the game. need to be more clinical in for the of goal
I think we will learn a lot from the substitutes used. If, at about 60-65 minutes and some of our players are showing signs of tiredness, the new manager starts to make changes, say 3 and then 2 ten minutes later, I will see that as a positive. I don’t want us to do what AN did and make 1 or 2 substitutes in extra time. It’s my opinion that we lose late goals because some of our lads are knackered for the last half hour. I know this is not an original observation but I reckon we’ve lost at least 7 points because of very late subs.
This is a sneaky tough game. Rotherham have started this season brilliantly and were the only team that convincingly got the better of us over both games last season. We've had a lot of distractions this week and our focus might have just been taken away from game preparation. I'll be very happy with a draw.
Teams have been lucky coming here this season so tonight i hope we get lucky they are ex league one as well, 2-1
Got a sneaky feeling we change shape tonight Pattison Gooch Wright Batth Cirkin Neil Matete Clarke Pritchard Roberts Stewart Subs - Bass ; Alese ; Bennette ; O'Nien ; Dajaku ; Embleton ; Simms
Cheers RTB, I fancy a good convincing win tonight, I have left it late to comment as it’s been a bit of a whirlwind of a few days, now the dust has settled I can see a good positive performance from the lads, I am going for 3-1, Haway Haway Haway
Just checked in with my dad and despite being 76 with a gammy knee and hip, the weather not being great and it being a late finish / home for him he is coming to the game tonight and to quote him "I wouldn't want to miss this one, got to get behind the new manager and the team"
Brilliant thread as usual RTB! This is a very tough game against a physical team who like to get the ball forward early. Please lads, keep free kicks and corners for them down to a minimum. But for a bizarre own goal, they would have done the double over us last season. So, along with their unbeaten start, they will fancy their chances. They didn't look good when they were forced back, so it's important that we press them high and put them under pressure. Then they'll buckle. Really important for us to get the first goal, then don't invite them on. Press for the second and we can pick them off as they take more risks. Going for 2-1 to the Lads and a first win for big Tony!
