Last time out Sunderland drew with Preston and Blackpool lost to Norwich, and tomorrow night Sunderland welcome Blackpool to the Stadium of Light in the Championship. The Black Cats slipped one place to eighth in the table after a frustrating 0-0 draw with Preston. Tony Mowbray named an unchanged starting XI, sticking with the same side that began the draw at Watford heading into the international break. Blackpool are in 19th place with 11 points from 11 games, having lost their last three games. Liam Bridcutt returns to the Stadium of Light after following his former Lincoln manager to Blackpool. Another familiar face is on loan midfielder Charlie Patino who scored on his debut for Arsenal against Sunderland in the League cup last season. Tony Mowbray: "I don't want to get hung up about the lack of strikers because we've found a way in the last two games, but today we didn't get those spaces that we thrive in because they are a well organised team. We've got players in the side and on the bench who can score goals, so we'll keep going." "It was a frustrating afternoon. You have to put it into context, with the team that we played against - I don't know how many clean sheets they have had but it's a ridiculous number. I think that they kept seven in a row at the start of the season. "They set up well defensively, they carry a threat particularly from set-plays because there was a huge difference in the physicality of the teams, but we managed to see that threat off. We probably didn't have many clear-cut chances but we got in behind them quite a bit, and that final pass or that little run inside the box that finishes with a hit on target just wasn't there today - we couldn't pick out that last pass. "Even Patrick (Roberts) cutting in off that right-hand side, the ball was whizzing past the post rather than going in off the post into the bottom corner. It would have been nice to be sitting here saying how hard we had worked for it, but let's put the point in the bag and move on, because there's another game (at home to Blackpool) on Tuesday." Michael Appleton: “It’s really frustrating - the way we started the game in the first 15 to 20 minutes was fantastic. We really put them on the back foot. We got in many opportunities where we were 3v3 or 4v3 before it fizzled out, but we had some big moments.” “The goal was a big blow, you could tell that. It gave them a boost and for 20 minutes you could see what they were capable of as a former Premier League team with the quality they’ve got. “The players did well to dig in though and once we got them in for half-time it was a chance for us to settle them down. “In the second-half, I couldn’t have asked for anything more from them. Other than putting the ball in the back of the net, which is the most difficult thing to do, they pretty much did everything I asked of them. Even the players off the bench, everyone played their part. “They never really looked a threat (in the second-half) or I didn’t really feel like they were going to score. I know they had a couple of opportunities on the break but I felt quite comfortable.” Match Appointments: Referee: JEREMY SIMPSON Assistant Referees: Matthew McGrath and Geoffrey Liddle Fourth Official: Matthew Donohue Team Lineups: Sunderland AFC: (4-4-2) Patterson, Alese, Batth, O’Nien, Gooch; Neil, Clarke, Evans, Gooch, Roberts; Pritchard, Embleton. Subs: Bass, Cirkin, Matete, Bennette, Ba, Dajaku, Diallo Injured: Huggins, Ballard, Stewart, Simms Blackpool (4-3-3) Maxwell, Gabriel, Ekpiteta, Thorniley, Thompson, Wright, Dougall, Patino, Poveda-Ocampo, Yates, Corbeanu Subs: Connolly, Madine, Carey, Lavery, Hamilton, Grimshaw, Bridcutt Injured: Williams, Anderson Betting Odds: Sunderland 10/11 Blackpool 3/1 Draw 5/2 Prutton Predicts: meh My two pence: Not the best performance but still some good signs against a very well organised Preston defence. We still managed to create a lot of chances but without troubling their keeper. Corbeano caused us a few problems when he played for Sheff Wed last season. Blackpool are on a bad run and need to find a win from somewhere, and hopefully they won't park the bus like their local rivals. I’m going for a 3-0 home win Live Stream: *** It's on Sky Football - via the red button *** Ha’way the Lads
Marvelous stuff. Love games under the lights, ****ing ha'way the lads. Can't see us not scoring so I'm going 2-1.
6-0. Complete free for all and loads of chances going in. Has to happen eventually. Were just too good. Cheers RTB another informative write up.
Can't wait for Tuesday's game. All the good things from Saturday and the last few games added into a bit of luck in and around the box and we could batter them. 2-0 Neil and Clarke
1700 additional tickets were sold as part of this offer for the Preston game according to Chris Waters. Hopefully a fair few have doubled up for the Blackpool game as well.
remember it a sky sports red button game so won't be available to stream don't think Blackpool will come for a 0-0 like Preston did 2-0 win
The games come thick and fast this month and I can see TM tweaking things for this match especially on the attacking front. Our record at home isn't brilliant against these similar to Preston but we need to find a way to make our attacking intent bear fruit. Roberts back on the scoresheet in a 2-0 home win HTL.
nope it wont be International supporters Supporters living outside of the UK, Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man and Russia can access the SAFC Live stream for eligible fixtures. Any fixtures selected for television or international broadcast as well as Carabao Cup fixtures, FA Cup fixtures and Sky Bet Championship play off matches are excluded from the SAFC Live stream for international supporters.
Fair play to the OP for doing these every game, must have the patience of a saint! Surely a home win on Tuesday, would be disappointed with anything less.
Really wish I could be in the ground for this ... ... with two teams trying to win the game the atmosphere will be better than the Preston game. Sunderland are playing some lovely football and I'm sure we'll score. The defence is performing well and I can't see many changes although Cirkin will be back, perhaps for this game. Mowbray has some big decisions with so many players doing well consistently ... ... does anyone deserve to be dropped, not imo. However I don't believe Embleton should be playing up front when we have Diallo and Dajaku available.
Completely agree with the Embleton comment, but if I’m honest, I’d rather have Dajaku as far away from the first team as possible. Seems a decent lad, but he’s no where near championship standard. Even league one standard was debatable at times. Would love him to prove me wrong.
I reckon he'll make a couple of changes for this game. Whether that be Cirkin in and move Clarke more in field or starting Diallo up front, I don't know.
I was surprised when we signed him tbh., and like yourself I want to be proved wrong but he has had a few games now and never really impressed, not sure Thompson is ready yet either, but he is a goal scorer at U21 level. I think we have to leave this one to the manager who I am sure will be well aware that we need to improve on our finishing, and whose judgement I trust.
