Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Sheffield United FC – Wednesday 1st January 2025 - KO 20:00

Mundle has 6 and it feels like he's barely played this season

 

7. They haven’t given him the Derby assist to Isidor for some reason.

just to make him even better

 

I'd add a 10 for RLB
Thought the way he set up tonight was perfect given the players available.
Mayenda and Isidor absolutely terrorised them.
Defence solid to a man. Dark arts in abundance they're punching way above their age.
Dan was superb in midfield
Also Well done Bellingham sat in an outnumbered 2 in the middle but put in a very disciplined shift in far from his favoured position

Tonight RLB showed he's not a one trick pony
If we can add a couple in Jan and get players back from injury think we are in for a very interesting ride.

 

Ref was great tonight

 

Really good game plan from RLB and his belief in players and focus on development has paid off tonight for Mayenda. He really believes in letting players learn from experiences - hence the subs thing IMO. Will be tough to keep players connected once we get some back from injury due to lack of subs and rotation but that’s a problem for another day - and it will at least mean the players on the pitch grow from the experience.

 

I keep thinking about booking up Premier Inn for the playoffs in May, something is telling me not to bother - take that as you will

 

The way we set up today he’d have been devastating too, scary how good this side could be

 

From ALS Facebook page

RLB POST SHEFF UTD

Regis Le Bris spoke about his side's impressive victory over promotion rivals Sheffield United and singled out Eliezer Mayenda for the way he bounced back tonight.

MORE DIRECT PLAY
"It was a tough game. Sheffield played very good football today and with the players we had in the squad, we played with a different style. We had to control the way they play, especially through our lines. When it was possible to recover the ball, we knew that we had two quick players to run in behind and to threaten the space in behind their defence. We did very well in this part of the game."

FANS/SPIRIT
"At 2-1 they pushed a lot for a goal, and the spirit of our team was very good, we were connected with the fans and we felt their energy. And we avoided a late equaliser. We could have scored but but this was a balanced game, I think. We know that just one decision, one sequence can make a difference."

HAPPY FOR MAYENDA
"I spoke about it in the last press conference, young players deserve support. They can make mistakes and they have to learn from experiences, when they are not in their best moment we have to believe in the talent and that they will succeed. I think we showed the whole team, the fans, the staff, the club - that Eli could play like this. He played a good game I think."

REACTION AFTER STOKE
"I didn't say much after the Stoke game, we slept for two days to recover! There wasn't time! At the end of the Stoke game I just said, 'it's done, it's finished. Now it is the next game'. We deserved to win that game because we had many chances but we didn't. So we just had to stop, not overthink. Football is like this and we did well tonight."

 

Does anyone know where I can watch the sky interviews of the two managers and the MOTM?

 

Home wow two cracking goals, great performances from Dan but my nerves are shot to buggery. Hamer is a great player at this level mind

 

https://x.com/sunderlandafc/status/1874591415474475311?s=46&t=bFwez-5oi7CdxUG56_1QKg

club twitter is the best I can find

 

Might be a bit early but **** it

 

A great result but found myself really frustrated at times.

We MUST get 3 points off Pompey on Sunday.

 

I see and understand your point/angle (which is presumably the club’s and RLB’s too now) but we’ve a big squad of young up and coming players that all need developing and a tremendous academy that needs an ongoing pathway to the first team and I just don’t know how all that is achieved without minutes being better shared out.

As I say though, I can see the merit in what’s being done, you rightly point to Mayenda as evidence of its benefits but there’s Jobe and others too. I guess the disadvantage is the risk of disengaging and potentially losing other very good prospects but the flip side of that is the increased rate of development of your very best talent.

 

Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris told Sky Sports: "We played a different kind of game as we had a different line up with more speed, more pace, probably a little less control of the ball but were a big threat in behind.

"It was not only counter attack, the team worked very hard today, the fans were also impressive today, they helped us during the difficult parts of the game.

"Today we are happy, but it is a case of one more game at a time."

 

I wouldn’t want to play Mayenda outwide again and we won’t use 442 as our base tactic. So will we see Mayenda as more of an impact sub to come on upfront for Isidor in games?

 

4/4/2 who would have thought it. And we could even improve on this performance with the players available atm.

 

I agree completely, and it does make me uncomfortable tbf. My general thought would be to share as many minutes around as we possibly can (including using all 5 subs) to develop and involve all the players with potential that we have. I guess it’s just something we’ll have to get used to with RLB at the club - and at least there are positives to the approach too.

 

@JamesCopley_
⚽️ Sunderland's best goal contributors this season:

- Jobe, Roberts, Isidor, Mayenda (7)
- Mundle (6)
- Rigg (5)
- Neil, Cirkin (4)
- O’Nien (3)

#SAFC