Tremendous as always this thread.
Two in form sides, but you have to say the level of our play has to be something to marvel at. The level of control we had at Preston in the second half was unreal. Not the first time either. If Neil and Ekwah can produce the level they produced at Preston then I think we can win over the two legs. I think the midfield is key, as usual, to our control of the ball. Keeping our front 4 or 5 players out over 180 minutes seems unlikely to me. The fact we can score at anytime, and either on the counter or through sustained pressure, means we are so hard to play against at.
Luton are a very good side, I dont doubt that at all. Over 2 legs they will have times when they are on top. That is when our heart and guts must shine. The likes of ONien, Gooch and Hume, along with Neil and Pritchard must then rally everyone and keep us going. Unlike most teams we are just one flash of a left foot from Amad or Roberts, or a Jack Clarke run inside away from a goal. And we always go to the end, these lads never give in on us. In fact I dont remember a team who have played the last 10 minutes of the match so determinedly as these young uns.
My head says this is going to take two legs of massive effort and quality. My head also says these lads will leave nothing on the pitch to do it. Whatever the outcome we can be proud of every last one of them.
My heart says Pritchard is going to become a real Sunderland legend over these next 3 games. There was something about his performance last week that was beyond the norm. He is always a leader and a dangerous player. He looked to me like a man on a mission though, someone determined to force the game and win whatever it took. I have thought this would be his last season with us. I now have a feeling there is a real fire burning in him to get us to the prem and have another crack at it. He just had that mentality on Sunday.
Haway the lads.
