Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Reading FC – Saturday 11th February 2023 - KO 15:00

Sat around a pool in Costa Rica, was out on a boat safari when the game was on ?

Would anyone like to give this poor bastard a summary so I don't have to scroll through all the comments? Busy drinking gin here, don't want to break my rhythm here

 

I haven't seen it either but I think ****e game against a team of professional time wasters with a great individual goal from Roberts sums it up.

 

very slow struggle of a game, we looked knackered and they wasted time from the off...we picked up when the subs came on and they wasted time, the gypo did nowt and onien put him on his arse...they consider they were robbed.

 

First half was awful, they were wasting time whenever they could, we had a lot of possession but they probably had the better chances.
Second half we picked up a bit, we had a few great chances but couldn't score. Pritchard and Onien came on and we looked better. Roberts nicked the ball off the Reading defender as he tried to turn the other way then beat his man and slotted it in the net.
Game over

 

On a side note....
The free wi-fi at the Freeman hospital is class.....watched the full game on my phone through my IPTV app.

Love watching this team, they are fearless and just never give up.

 

@RTB @Nacho @samwise_new

Cheers lads.

3 points is great, especially when we need to grind it out. For a bunch of young lads it shows great character

 

Hope you are well mate

 

Great drop of the shoulder. He does that so well.

 

Didn't realise that Shane Long was playing for Reading ffs. Halfway thru the 2nd half I remarked that in times gone by,it was usual that he came on for them. Nee wonder I got zero response. How old is he now?

 

I'll go so far as to say that if we don't reach the PL, he will be playing in it.How much did we pay for him as its the best business since SKP. Best CH I've seen in donkeys at Safc. Batth is no doubt a key cog in that with his know-how as well.

 

Scruffy game against a bunch of hoof ball merchants and time wasters. Reading supporters must feel sick coming all this way to watch that type of performance from their team. The wizards that are safc supplied only glimpse of wizardry today but stuck to the task and finally and rightfully got the little break they deserved. Well done Roberts for never giving up. Some cracking performances again today Ballard Bath at the back Hume is fast becoming a big player but for me I think we have a great talent on our hands in Michut, this boy I hope is going to be some player. Hopefully we take up the option to buy him as I only see him getting better and better. Winning scruffy games like that and never giving up show a great mentality and attitude. Take the points and move on. Happy days.

 

The transcript of Jeff Brown's interview with Ince yesterday

https://www.si.com/soccer/sunderlan...y-accuses-reading-paul-ince-grim-time-wasting

 

Well said JB. Wish a few more reporters would say it as it is.

 

Agree. Almost no point in playing at all if you just back up, waste time, niggle all day and get a shift on when you go behind.

We are a canny side, but this was not away to Arsenal or Abhu Dhabi, we are without our main goal threat and we have had plenty of days at home that weren't wins.

No excuse to go on like that at all.

 

Thats a very good suggestion, makes you wonder why they don't give it a try.

 

My tuppence worth....

First half might have been more interesting if they had left the ball on the centre spot and just had warm-up and training sessions. Except that Reading would probably have taken 10 minutes to lay out the cones and poles.....

Assume that at half time Tony pointed out that this lot were useless and not going to score in a month of Sundays, so get out and just play. We had more chances in the first 5 minutes of the second half than the whole of the first. Roberts never gave up, just kept going at it. Is there a stat for number of nutmegs in a season? If so, he must be up there.
Clarke made a few good runs, but wish he would stop with the pull-backs etc. when he loses the ball; gives away too many cheap free kicks.
Reckon Alese has got a teleportation device. Up as striker, loses the ball, then appears at left-back to make a tackle. Assume this is a planned tactic as Michut covered when Alese went hunting.
Amad didn't play badly, but just lacked his usual spark. Good move to sub him to recover in time for QPR.
Subs brought on some energy and movement, kept the pressure on and eventually the goal came. Needed a mistake from the Reading defence, but faced with fast passing and dribbling, it was always a matter of time before a chance came up.
Lihadji seemed to settle quickly, could be interesting over the next few weeks to see how he develops.

And what has happened to the pitch?

 

Alese looks a big unit on that Roberts goal video. If that lad says it’s Wednesday today that’s fine with me….

 

Was Alese hiding the ball there to waste a bit of time