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Match Day Thread Plymouth Argyle FC v Sunderland AFC – Saturday 25th November 2023 - KO 15:00

Discussion in 'Sunderland' started by RTB, Nov 22, 2023.

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Your prediction:

Poll closed Nov 25, 2023.
  1. Home win

    6.3%
  2. Away win (safc)

    79.4%
  3. Draw

    14.3%
  1. Arlyman

    Arlyman Well-Known Member

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    I'm a massive Mowbray fan (an MMF) but I still think I'd like to see Seelt in for O'Nien (don't hate him, but I'd like to see if that change would help the team), and I'd like to see a way to get Aouchiche into the side, either by dropping roberts or droping ekwah and moving someone back.

    The main thing I would like to see though is Amad back in January, which would light up roberts again and unlock all these close games that we were not edging at the moment.
     
    #641
  2. marcusblackcat

    marcusblackcat SAFC Sheriff
    Forum Moderator

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    Nope. We’re winning every other week. But you decided that you’d rather say we’re losing every other week.

    if we’re winning every other game, then surely these things do work every other game? Or do we fluke the wins?

    You seem to know for certain that we have much better players. O’Nien is the worst we have seemingly from your post. He must be the one missing all of those chances we created yesterday then!

    Think there was something on twitter, 49 shots last 2 away games 8 or 9 on target. You get that up nearer 20, which isn’t unreasonable, you probably score more than the 0 we scored. You simply can’t blame O’Nien for that, or for losing at the weekend! Second goal he could’ve done better, but so could at least 2 others (Patterson should’ve chucked his cap on it)
     
    #642
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  3. Chunksafc

    Chunksafc Well-Known Member

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    Interesting point was mentioned on the radio yesterday during the man utd game. Rashford had only scored 1 goal for utd in the league until his penalty yesterday.

    Not just us who's forwards are struggling to score
     
    #643
  4. flandersmackem

    flandersmackem Well-Known Member

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    Staggers me that each an every hiccup our team endures...a select number jump straight on the bandwagon. I sense an anti-Mowbray vibe now ( more on Facebook than here tbf) which is so unfair. The guy is a coach and has to work with what the recruitment team give him. I for one am very happy with what he is doing...so we got beat against Plymouth...so what.... sh it happens now and again.
     
    #644
  5. smithy in nl

    smithy in nl Well-Known Member

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    but he’s not working with what he’s got imo, that’s mostly why people are moaning!
    He’s not changing the team around or formation, just sticking with the same team regardless of form and then throwing everything on in desperation.
    Why have dack and Pritchard on the bench?
    Why take a striker off for a striker after a half?
     
    #645
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  6. flandersmackem

    flandersmackem Well-Known Member

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    He works with these guys every day, he and his staff will know which players are fit, on form or in the right frame of mind for the game. Just watching the change in Sunderland over the last couple years, I am betting that if the owner or Speakman were unhappy with what Mowbray is doing, they would get rid in a heart beat..so, I assume they are satisfied with the progress we have made in his short time as head coach
     
    #646
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  7. Smug in Boots

    Smug in Boots Well-Known Member

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    Your ideas may be better than Mowbrays, fair enough.

    But for everyone like you there's someone equally sure that their ideas for change, which contradict yours, are better as well ... you can't all be right.

    I've seen people, who are demanding change, wanting Ba in or Ba out. The same goes for O'Nien, Neil, Jobe, Ekwah, Pritchard, Dack, Roberts, Rusyn, etc.

    In reality demanding change, on a chat forum, is fun but like pissing into a hurricane. It sometimes seems that demanding change, even if everyone disagrees on what that means, somehow makes you immune from 'accepting mediocrity' and not to blame.

    Southampton were struggling but kept repeating the same things and are flying. This proverb that's always trotted out, about 'repeating the same mistakes and expecting a different result' doesn't always work in reality.

    Sometimes 'practice makes perfect'.
     
    #647
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2023
  8. alcoauth

    alcoauth Well-Known Member

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    Now the emotions have disapated, we can look at this result in the cold light of day. We played well and dominated the bulk of the match, one of the drawbacks of having such a young squad is the lack of experience in managing the game, when to take the man on or when to take an easy pass, when to clear the ball up field and when to play the risky pass etc. On talent alone our squad is definitely top 6, getting there is a different task altogether though.

    Overall this one was more frustrating than most because we were genuinely the better side, but I'm convinced they learn from results like these.
     
    #648
  9. smithy in nl

    smithy in nl Well-Known Member

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    fair point but surely him and his staff can see when a players had a **** game? Or when a players out of form? Because it doesn’t seem like form matters atm if your face fits your in the team.
     
    #649
  10. smithy in nl

    smithy in nl Well-Known Member

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    Not for one second saying I’m better than anyone! Or that anyone has to listen to my ideas. And I’m certainly not demanding anything.

    just saying where I think we maybe need to freshen things up and I’d say this is the perfect place to do it?
    Just because im questioning things and saying my bit doesn’t mean I’m wrong either.
     
    #650
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  11. TopCat.

    TopCat. Well-Known Member

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    Completely disagree. For any football manager its about the faith and trust you have in players who have performed for you in the past. It should be just as hard to get out the team, as it is to get in it.
     
    #651
  12. smithy in nl

    smithy in nl Well-Known Member

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    But let’s look at two players for example.
    Ekwah absolutely brilliant then gets an injury and is out for a good while. Straight back in the team and playing 3 times a wk which in itself is madness imo as we don’t need to risk another injury, now his last two games been awful.

    Roberts has been a shadow of himself all season hasn’t produced anything bar one assist yet has played almost every minute.

    so I’d say your right it is probably harder to get out of the team then it is to get in it.
     
    #652
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  13. TopCat.

    TopCat. Well-Known Member

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    I wonder if it's time to solve our "strikers haven't scored" problem by putting 2 of them on the pitch from the start. As abhorrent an idea as it seems to be these days, why not play 4-4-2 and give Rusyn half a chance by getting someone to play close to him....

    Patterson
    Hume Ballard O'Nien Huggins
    Roberts Neil Ekwah Clarke
    Rusyn Mayenda

    Tell Roberts and Clarke they have to track back and help out their full backs. Ask O'Nien to step into midfield at times to help Neil and Ekwah.
    As suggested elsewhere, maybe have Roberts and Clarke swap wings occasionally and just fire some crosses in.
    It'd be nice to have a plan B
     
    #653
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  14. TopCat.

    TopCat. Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, wouldn't disagree that Ekwah has been poor since his injury but there is a serious lack of alternatives (shouldn't necessarily be a reason not to make a change but Mowbray clearly sees Jobe as a 10 and trusts Ekwah to get back to the form of last season)
    Roberts - again, has been poor but over 90 mins I'd say he makes things happen on a more consistent basis than Ba who can go missing at times. The problem we have is that Roberts' doesn't seem to produce anything in the goals/assists columns, but is he worth keeping in the team for his sheer ability on the ball? Even if it means that he occupies a couple of defenders that gives Rusyn/Neil/Jobe more space? I don't know what the answer is here, but I know for certain that if Roberts could finish he wouldn't be at Sunderland
     
    #654
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  15. smithy in nl

    smithy in nl Well-Known Member

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    all my point is, it needs tweaking imo and we’ve got plenty players to do it.
    No need to play players with knocks or over play them or let them play through bad form we will end up with a load of tired or injured players and a load of players nowhere near match fitness.
     
    #655
  16. TopCat.

    TopCat. Well-Known Member

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    I think a change in midfield is needed. Not sure what the issue is with Ekwah, but we are being overrun too often and Dan Neil can't do it all on his own. What I'd give for a fit Corry Evans right now......

    Think it's a priority for January to get a midfield general in - someone with 300 games at this level who can add a bit of ****housery in there too.

    Won't happen like, we'll sign a 17yo midget from Le Harve who is technically gifted but has very little experience and physical presence
     
    #656
  17. WorkyTicketFTM

    WorkyTicketFTM Well-Known Member

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    Good post this
     

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    #657
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  18. Smug in Boots

    Smug in Boots Well-Known Member

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    Not saying that mate,but you're clearly convinced Mowbray is wrong and equally convinced that he could do things better.

    In my view this 'freshening up' idea or resting players, after half a dozen games, would be demoralising for players.

    They'll see it as being dropped imo.
     
    #658
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  19. WorkyTicketFTM

    WorkyTicketFTM Well-Known Member

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    No you’re right we need to be better up the other end of the pitch of course we do - but how can other teams defend 20+ attempts before conceding yet we can’t defend 2?

    I think there’s work to be done all over the pitch I’ve never said just replacing O’nien will do that but it’ll certainly help us stop conceding so easily imo. Having a proper DM will also enforce that.

    We’ve neglected the spine of our team and it’s showing. You can have all the talent in the world but without the discipline and organisation it leads to inconsistency where you see us torture teams one week then struggle against poor but well organised teams the next.
     
    #659
  20. samwise_new

    samwise_new Well-Known Member

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    for some reason i tend to think back to the reidy times, took a wee while for SKP and SNQ to 'hit the heights' but when they did it was great..even then there were games that were annoying even after a win, one game we battered some team (might have been reading) and at the end it showed we had something like 28 shots on target but we 'only won 4-0'.

    currently, we can enjoy watching these young lads grow and develop and just see what happens but however good they get it will never be good enough for some.
     
    #660
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