Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Luton Town FC – Saturday 13th May 2023 - KO 17:30

I’ve not been this excited about the team for a bloody long time, KLD, Speakman and everyone else have been incredible so far. We will make mistakes and stumble but for once I no longer expect the worst.

I had reservations too, like how long it took to appoint a new manager…only for it to be Mowbray or not buying strikers in January…thankfully I was so wrong!

I also think there will be a queue of investors looking at the club and wanting to get in on the action, although I don’t think we need it!

 

Kenilworth Road: Field size 110 by 72 yards (100.6 m × 65.8 m)
SOL: Field size: 115 × 75 yards (105 × 68 m)

It is going to be harder to keep the ball in play.

 

Great post and spot on. There was a moment near the endwhen we were 2-1 up they got down the right. 2 in the centre, the winger, instead of trying to cross the ball, tried to boot off off our defender to win a corner. Missed the defender and kicked it out for a goal kick. Absolutely diabolical tactics!

How the hell Marvellous wasn’t sent off I have no idea! 2 standard yellow card fouls, and the ref didn’t even give us a free kick for the se one! He shouldn’t be playing on Tuesday let alone anything else

 

It was like he didn't give the free kick so he could get away with not sending the bloke off! To be fair he should have had 3 yellows as he had one before his first that was similar to Neil's yellow iirc!

 

Fair play to him admitting the past Mukamba should’ve been sent off!! Funnily only one person didn’t think that!!

 

Maybe, but the good thing about our side is we can play the short, passing style we need to in smaller areas so hopefully it won’t matter

 

I noticed the lass first time - she was class!

 

As it happens? That sounds a bit Saville to me mind.

 

For those who may have missed it, this report from a well-known SAFC afficionado is brilliant;

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/may/13/sunderland-luton-championship-playoff-match-report

 

This one from over the road was very good too...oops Preston match but still funny and informative

 

Nakamba was incredibly fortunate aye. He'd already niggled away a few times before actually getting booked, but the one second half on Clarke is as clear a yellow card as you can see. From behind, nowhere near the ball and chopped the player down. He was very fortunate.

This will be such a tough game tomorrow, they're going to ramp up all this physicality **** another few notches and press the life out of us. We're going to learn a lot about what these kids are made of thats for sure.

 

West Brom went out specifically to kick us up in the air, which they admitted ...

... our lads ran rings them and came out as winners.

 

Can contentious decisions not be looked at retrospectively?

 

I’m expecting a 30min onslaught from the off then it’s on us to play our game

 

Will we need any midfielders tomorrow. I can see them playing 4-0-6. They are just going to lump the ball up and punch, nut & kick our lads
and probably get away with a lot. I hope we get a decent ref tomorrow.

 

If it was missed by officials and it was a punch or a headbutt maybe, but not for a foul like that. They were moaning about Gelhardt flinging an arm at Lockyer in the 2nd minute, Lockyer holds his arm and Gelhardt seemingly shrugs him off and Lockyer goes to ground holding his face. The replay is from distance and isn't at all clear, but thats their counter argument to any mention that Nakamba should have gone.

 

Team talk done

 

That’s mint. “**** the bed!!”

 

Pierre Ekwah made the most tackles, won the most duels and was the most fouled player in the first leg against Luton Town.

He's an absolute gem and he's only 21-years-old. ✨