Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Preston North End – Monday 1st January 2024 - KO 12:30

  • Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
  • Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!

Your Prediction:


  • Total voters
    61
  • Poll closed .
Well done Beale. Made the right choices and correct subs.

Prichard showing again, he needs to start and the myth of the bench is a fallacy.

Thought Ballard was unbelievable and Neil had his moment. Prichard gets MOTM for me. Rusyn was also a good performance and glad he got his goal. Nice to see a strikers run across the goal.

Pembele looked like a semi pro when he come on. Got cooked every time and was was blowing out his arse. Need to be careful there.

Think he needs game time otherwise he'll never be ready. Pushing him up on the wing with Seelt behind was probably to protect him.

Think he'll be excellent if he gets up to speed in the next 6 months.
 
A win was important today. Ive just realised these are our next games after the scum... :emoticon-0107-sweat

You must log in or register to see images
 
Think he needs game time otherwise he'll never be ready. Pushing him up on the wing with Seelt behind was probably to protect him.

Think he'll be excellent if he gets up to speed in the next 6 months.
Likely wont see the best out of him until next season, just coming back from a big injury and adjusting to a new league
 
Don't like the moans and groans that ring out when he gets the ball. Misplaced a pass to Neil, which would have been perfect if Neil had read it better. He's a young lad, needs to feel loved, not like he's under pressure.

Aye it doesn’t help anything, saying that the lad must play like Messi in training to keep getting a chance in the middle of the pitch. Baffling
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dorset
Just about to say Ba looked all over the shop and glad to see I’m not the only one. The kid needs some coaching to get back to basics.
Creating problems rather than helping the team and his tracking back was woeful. Got to be Auoichie on ahead of him in next few games until he sorts his game out.
I’m not having a whinge but he did take the shine off a very good, well managed performance.
 
I think Pritch is such an asset that he needs to start more, it's malpractice to leave him on the bench so often, I know we have all this young talent we need to develop and that means minutes in the pitch but quality wins points and we need to try and get a top 6 spot.
 
Good win, buzzing for rusyn to get off the mark (buzzing for myself as had him to score anytime)!!

Average performance though, 1st half we looked good, good movement in the final 3rd with jobe n pritchards movement causing them problems. Loved rusyns runs in behind, he didnt get the ball much but he was creating extra space for pritchard jobe n clarke. Pritchard was jjst class in the 1st half. Concern in the 1st half was our attacking 3 midfielders just not covering the space or runs defensively, luckily didnt lead to anything.

2nd half was really poor, just no tempo whatsoever but thought the defenders did well - ballard n o9 were class 2nd half. Thought Neil n Ekwah were really good at covering the ground n breaking up the play. Needed more from jobe n pritchard in the 2nd half, both looked totally done in and just couldnt get on the ball

The most important thing is getting the 3 points, back in the top 6 and undefeated in 3 games so lets take the positives and move on to the next game

Happy new yr to all on here, wishing you n your families all the best

Don't usually disagree mate, but that was a classic performance.

It's the third game in a week and a big game on Saturday ...

... scored twice and killed the game imo.
 
I think Pritch is such an asset that he needs to start more, it's malpractice to leave him on the bench so often, I know we have all this young talent we need to develop and that means minutes in the pitch but quality wins points and we need to try and get a top 6 spot.

He's got to be very carefully managed and protected. If he was fit and physically robust he'd be in the PL.
 
  • Like
Reactions: clockstander
No gripes from me with that. Fluid first half and some real goal threat.

Game was done second half. Preston had nothing to offer. Easy training ground routines for us to be honest. Kept the ball when they sat off, defended when we had to. Patto not breaking sweat.

Pritch mom for me, tremendous. Ekwah and Ballard great too. Hume is some player and back in the groove for me. Oh aye, Rusyn looked canny as well :1980_boogie_down:
 
Don't usually disagree mate, but that was a classic performance.

It's the third game in a week and a big game on Saturday ...

... scored twice and killed the game imo.
Thats fair enough

Still thought it was an average performance, i get not commiting loads of players forward in the 2nd half but had to move the ball quicker than we did. At the end of the day all that matters is the 3 points and we showed glimpses in the 1st half of the team we were last season.

More positives today than negatives, im always bad for looking, and commenting, on the areas i feel we need to improve for the next game
 
Andy’s Player Ratings: Sunderland 2-0 Preston North End - Pritchard starts the year with a bang!
Alex Pritchard scored a screamer and even a striker scored as we start 2024 with three points!

By Andy Tomlinson@SAFCsource Jan 1, 2024, 2:28pm GMT
1 Comment

Anthony Patterson: 7/10
Another good game from Patterson, made some good saves - although nothing that overly stretched him - and always looked assured.

Trai Hume: 6/10
Troubled a few times by Millar and not his best game on the ball but showed good determination to recover when he was beaten.

Dan Ballard: 8/10
Was up against some physical strikers today but was never troubled by them and comfortably came out on top.

Luke O’Nien (C): 8/10
Got us out of trouble a few times when Preston were pressing with quick feet and a pass around the attacker and was solid defensively.

Aji Alese: 7/10
Really comfortable at left back and no signs of rustiness after his long lay-off. Good in the air and Preston struggled to stretch him due to his pace and also made a good block with his shoulder after the break.

Dan Neil: 6/10
A quiet but tidy game from Neil, kept the ball ticking and put a lot of work in defensively.

Pierre Ekwah: 8/10
A big presence in the middle of the park, won the ball often and set up a lot of attacks with his vision.

Jobe Bellingham: 6/10
Worked hard just ahead of Neil and Ekwah but not a lot of forward drive from him, other than one instance when he drove ahead of Clarke and got a cross in.

Alex Pritchard: 8/10
Started the game and year off with a bang with a screamer to put us 1-0 up but as is typical we played much better football with Pritchard on the pitch, had another couple of chances he could have done better with but showed why he should be starting.

Jack Clarke: 7/10
Did absolutely brilliant to put a chance on a plate for Rusyn after a driving run up the left wing but a relatively quiet game, did have one good chance very early on but curled just wide of the post.

Nazariy Rusyn: 7/10
Off the mark with a really well taken goal, showing great movement to get ahead of the defender and tuck in Clarke’s ball. Also played well in general despite no other service, ran the channels and defended from the front.

Substitutes
Timothee Pembele: 6/10

Gave the ball away cheaply at one point but recovered well.

Abdoullah Ba: 5/10
A bit careless on the ball when attacking, looks low on confidence.

Jenson Seelt: 6/10
Put a good tackle in when Millar was in a dangerous position and came away with the ball.

Eliezer Mayenda: 6/10
Not much chance to shine as we saw the game out.

Man of the Match: Alex Pritchard
Some good performances today but the man of the match has to be Pritchard, scored an absolute screamer but was always dangerous on the ball and could even have had one or two more. Buzzed around between the middle of the pitch and the right and showed why he is still a most creative outlet.

You must log in or register to see images
 
If QPR can go to Ipswich, have more shots and come away with a draw, without conceding, no reason we can't ...

... create a few chances and we could even win.
We were comfortably the better side against them up here, not clinical enough which cost us, matched Leicester away again not clinical enough, we’ve battered Southampton, did a job on Leeds, absolutely no reason we can’t beat anyone in this league, likewise no reason anyone can’t beat us either that’s the beauty of it
 
He's got to be very carefully managed and protected. If he was fit and physically robust he'd be in the PL.
Yep thats the thing for me, no1 doubts that when he is on form he should be starting. Its the consistency we need to see, he was done in, in that 2nd half and was ineffective but wow that 1st half performance was just a joy to watch

He is up there with my fave ever sunderland players to watch, just makes it look easy.

I would love him to be consistent when starting games and if he is i will happily admit i was wrong. Still think he can only start games in a row when he has a week between them to rest
 
Good win. Work in progress great on the ball would like to see a bit more control and press when we lose it. But lots of positives definitely something to work on Onwards and upwards
Good win, buzzing for rusyn to get off the mark (buzzing for myself as had him to score anytime)!!

Average performance though, 1st half we looked good, good movement in the final 3rd with jobe n pritchards movement causing them problems. Loved rusyns runs in behind, he didnt get the ball much but he was creating extra space for pritchard jobe n clarke. Pritchard was jjst class in the 1st half. Concern in the 1st half was our attacking 3 midfielders just not covering the space or runs defensively, luckily didnt lead to anything.

2nd half was really poor, just no tempo whatsoever but thought the defenders did well - ballard n o9 were class 2nd half. Thought Neil n Ekwah were really good at covering the ground n breaking up the play. Needed more from jobe n pritchard in the 2nd half, both looked totally done in and just couldnt get on the ball

The most important thing is getting the 3 points, back in the top 6 and undefeated in 3 games so lets take the positives and move on to the next game

Happy new yr to all on here, wishing you n your families all the best
Was a good win and lots of positives. The lack of tempo and movement second half and especially when we don't have the ball is still a bit worrying. This was Beales issue at Rangers. Is it a Beale tactic or are the players just getting used to a new style time will tell. But that's probably being a bit picky some massive positives to take out of today and a full week for them to work on the training ground.
 
Andy’s Player Ratings: Sunderland 2-0 Preston North End - Pritchard starts the year with a bang!
Alex Pritchard scored a screamer and even a striker scored as we start 2024 with three points!

By Andy Tomlinson@SAFCsource Jan 1, 2024, 2:28pm GMT
1 Comment

Anthony Patterson: 7/10
Another good game from Patterson, made some good saves - although nothing that overly stretched him - and always looked assured.

Trai Hume: 6/10
Troubled a few times by Millar and not his best game on the ball but showed good determination to recover when he was beaten.

Dan Ballard: 8/10
Was up against some physical strikers today but was never troubled by them and comfortably came out on top.

Luke O’Nien (C): 8/10
Got us out of trouble a few times when Preston were pressing with quick feet and a pass around the attacker and was solid defensively.

Aji Alese: 7/10
Really comfortable at left back and no signs of rustiness after his long lay-off. Good in the air and Preston struggled to stretch him due to his pace and also made a good block with his shoulder after the break.

Dan Neil: 6/10
A quiet but tidy game from Neil, kept the ball ticking and put a lot of work in defensively.

Pierre Ekwah: 8/10
A big presence in the middle of the park, won the ball often and set up a lot of attacks with his vision.

Jobe Bellingham: 6/10
Worked hard just ahead of Neil and Ekwah but not a lot of forward drive from him, other than one instance when he drove ahead of Clarke and got a cross in.

Alex Pritchard: 8/10
Started the game and year off with a bang with a screamer to put us 1-0 up but as is typical we played much better football with Pritchard on the pitch, had another couple of chances he could have done better with but showed why he should be starting.

Jack Clarke: 7/10
Did absolutely brilliant to put a chance on a plate for Rusyn after a driving run up the left wing but a relatively quiet game, did have one good chance very early on but curled just wide of the post.

Nazariy Rusyn: 7/10
Off the mark with a really well taken goal, showing great movement to get ahead of the defender and tuck in Clarke’s ball. Also played well in general despite no other service, ran the channels and defended from the front.

Substitutes
Timothee Pembele: 6/10

Gave the ball away cheaply at one point but recovered well.

Abdoullah Ba: 5/10
A bit careless on the ball when attacking, looks low on confidence.

Jenson Seelt: 6/10
Put a good tackle in when Millar was in a dangerous position and came away with the ball.

Eliezer Mayenda: 6/10
Not much chance to shine as we saw the game out.

Man of the Match: Alex Pritchard
Some good performances today but the man of the match has to be Pritchard, scored an absolute screamer but was always dangerous on the ball and could even have had one or two more. Buzzed around between the middle of the pitch and the right and showed why he is still a most creative outlet.

You must log in or register to see images
Don't agree with the 6s for Dan and jobe, thought both of them had solid games.