Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Fulham FC – FA Cup - Wednesday 8th February 2023 - KO 19:45

Bit harsh! Neil did find it difficult last night,but on the whole he's been excellent lately.

 

Leave out Neil? He's one of our best players.

He was up against a premier league quality midfield who started the game firing on all cylinders and it took him some time to catch up but he did before half time. You have to give talented young players time on the pitch it's how they learn and develop, wouldn't have thought that was news to anyone.

 

Dropping Neil because he didn’t put his best performance in against a Portugal international who has been one of the better midfielders in the prem this season, and Tom Cairney who is an excellent footballer would be absolutely ridiculous.

 

Really good game of football last night. We gave a very good side a very good game. Add Stewart to that side and we quite possibly could have won it.
Fulham were a very good side, was really impressed with their work off the ball and how they smothered us in midfield, especially in the 1st half. Their No.26 was a beast up against Neil and Michut
I did think we handed them a couple of goals with some soft defending and should have done better

Having said all that I was really impressed with the fight and guts we show. Both goals were quality finishes and some really good cameos from Ekwah and Bennette
There is much to be excited about as a Sunderland fan right now

The ref was a knob though

 

Brilliant summary

 

No shame in that, although I think he improved a lot in the 2nd half. Michut was good too

 

Harsh on Patto I think, but agree with the rest

 

That was a good performance against a very good Premier League team, and a good guide to our progress so far, and I'm very pleased . . . . we are not in the wilderness anymore, thanks to, as well as others, KLD and Speakman, who deserve absolutely massive credit from us all. If it wasn't for them we'd still be in the wilderness

The applause at 10 minutes was outstanding and a good mark of respect for Chris Collier (Sunderlad)

Fulham fans . . . . Marcus mentioned them earlier and I'm amazed at his suggestion that there must have been about a quarter of the amount of our fans that went to the first game, cos I would have guessed at about 1% of the 5,000c with the noise that they didn't make. I honestly presumed that they had about 50 altogether, they were that quiet

People whingeing about a lack of strikers (again)
We are ALL well aware that we are 'short up front' (pun intended), thanks to our hierarchy not wanting to send us back to the aforementioned wilderness 'cos of idiotic 'anyone will do' recruitment, and most of us would rather we all focussed on the many positives that are obvious now rather than looking for something to complain about, so we don't need to be reminded regularly (mostly when we haven't done as well as we'd have liked).

Quite a few of our fans giving up and leaving when they scored their third was really embarrassing

Lastly, the half-time guest was a good choice

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The most disappointing performance of the night for me wasn't Patto not saving the first goal, or the lads not clearing the ball for the 3rd. It wasn't Neil and Michut being outclassed. They were all lessons and good experience which the lads will come on for... For me, the crowd going home with a good 10 minutes to go was the only dampener. This team have never give up all season and I dont think they deserved the fans giving up and folding like that.

Ekwah showed last night he could be a real asset. His size and physicality will be needed against tougher opposition. I thought we were a little bullied at times last night. The first half hour was very poor, but the lads were just finding their way again playing without a striker. No big deal.

Haway the lads.

 

Any mention of why Huggins wasn't in the squad? Please tell me he's not injured again

 

I think refers to momentum, it happens in reverse when a penalty is missed.

 

Fulham have never had any decent support. It was always like that. I went a couple of times with a mate in the eighties when I was working/ living down there. They were a poor team but ye God's no wonder. It was like being at a crown green bowling match.

 

I got some right looks from people around me, their third went in and up people got. I started barracking them saying the lads have been excellent and deserved every person to clap them off. Utterly ridiculous some of our “fans”.

I stayed. I clapped every single one of our lads down the tunnel. Wtf they leaving for? To miss the shopping traffic? To get to work? Idiots the lot of them.

Was funny as there were literally people coming back in after we scored the second!

 

And guess which fans would moan the most if they couldn’t get a final ticket

 

Aye, couple of daft lads in front of me suddenly appeared after Bennette's goal. Same happened for the Chekatrade final back in 2019

I never understand it to be honest, not in a tight game or after a good performance. Every one of those players deserved to be applauded off the pitch last night and it's disappointing that people couldn't stay an extra 5 mins to do that. Each to their own a guess, but it curious because this happens at every game

 

Nope disagree about Neil...

 

It's baffling! They should be made to scan out the same as to get in. Then if they leave early too often,they get docked loyalty points.
Cue the **** I'm going to get for this!

 

I’m glad I’m not the only one who left with a good feeling. It’s great isn’t it !

 

Tend to agree

I get there are folk with young kids, or older relatives who want to get away before the rush, but that will be the minority. What's the motivation? Getting a seat in the pub? earlier metro?
Personally I like to wait until the stadium is almost empty. My Dad struggles with mobility, so we wait until there is plenty space for him to manoeuvre his old bones.

Everyone has the free will to do what they want right? But surely staying to applaud the players off the pitch after a good performance is the minimum? Maybe it's the difference between being a fan and being a supporter.