Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Saudi State FC - FA Cup 3rd Round – Saturday 6th January 2024 - KO 12:45

No idea how it goes.

Calm heads needed I think. Personally think the game will be decided by who controls and keeps their heads in the CM area. We need Ekwah to really stand up to the ****house tactics of Bruno. But for me, that's where it gets decided.

 

On paper they should have too much for us. However the match isn't been played on paper and their away record is really poor.
As has been said this is a free hit for us, give them a good game and see what happens.
Nowt to be scared about, give it your best lads and avoid any injuries. Keep 11 on the pitch and hope the Ref has a good sensible game. HTL.

 

Why am I not shocked?

 

I will be surprised if the game ends with 22 on the pitch.

 

Agreed to a point, but I get the feeling that a dodgy ref decision in their favour will have a bearing! Just having watched some of the stuff they seem to be able to do this season. Feels almost like there’s a rhetoric to help them

 

That's where cool heads will have to play apart. Need to make correct decisions at all times.

 

Yeah absolutely, I just see Bruno getting away with some awful challenge or something! Just a feeling I have sadly

 

Well my most hated ref of the last decade is in charge so. Sure it's Pawson. Nearly gave myself a stroke when he reffed us once.

 

Oh ffs!

 

Sorry if already posted

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/67878118

 

I’ve only done the predictions on these threads in the last four games and have got every one of the predictions correct (including being the only person saying we’d lose against Coventry).

Unfortunately I think we’ll lose on Saturday however I’ve clicked a win just in case I actually have some mystical power and it’s my prediction that determines the result!!

 

Realistically they should wallop us.

But it means absolutely nothing if they do, as it's the Saudi state wearing Newcastle United as a skin suit.

 

Great post as always.

I’m not sure I can see us being that bold in how we set up. Our fullbacks were left quite exposed against Preston which was fine for that match but wouldn’t be ideal up against Gordon for example and how far advanced they get their full backs.

I’d go similar to the Leeds set up but with a couple of personnel tweaks:

Patterson

Seelt Ballard O’Nien

Hume Ekwah Neil Alese

Pritchard Rusyn Clarke​

Main concern would be that Alese is no Huggins from an attacking or ball carrying perspective so we may lose the attacking balance we had in the Leeds game. Bellingham could be in for Ekwah as he was in the Leeds game too.

Unfortunately I think Beale may not start Rusyn.

 

He needs to. We need speed and as much energy as possible. Their defence is on its arse, get at them. Allow them to play out from the back, into midfield and through to isak it's guaranteed defeat.

Press, full atmosphere and at them. They will drop their arse.

 

Agreed. Bit mismatch in CM IMHO. Neil and Ekwah need to play the game of their lives

 

As much as it pains me to say it my heart says 3-1 to us but my head says 1-3 to them. I think it is because of the importance and the atmosphere I am not sure how our squad will cope and I just think the experience of the older more experienced scum players may be the major factor, or I could be hugely wrong and we smash the camel shaggers

 

Fancy coming on here with sensible pragmatic statements like that its almost as if you did not know who we were playing. but you can have a few emojis as I am sure that you will enjoy the game as much as the rest of us. But I do agree a win at Ipswich would be more important in my opinion however emotionally beating these would be electric and if we lose I hope our fans still give these young lads the confidence to attack the rest of the season.

 

The gulf between us massive.but it was in 73 and about 330 milllion quid mightget hammered but still happy being in the to 6

 

I remember going to SJP with di Canio's relegation bound team 'as lambs to the slaughter'

Our 'defence' was Bardsley, Rose, Cuellar and O'Shea ...

... but we were fearless and they crumbled.

That's one possibility on Saturday but literally anything can happen. The 3-0 at the SOL turned on Coloccini being wrongly sent off although it was probably a penalty. But anything, from Vaughan's offside goal to a daft throw in can decide the game. Sadly I think this game has 'draw' written all over it and we'll have to go through all this again.

 

One of my main concerns is the game being turned on a refereeing decision since every time I watch the Mags they seem to get massively favourable treatment from the officials (I appreciate I’m not entirely objective when watching them).