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

If you watch the Leeds fan review posted earlier he referred to O9 as our hand grenade (if I recall words correctly), saying every team including Leeds has player like that at this level. Love O9 but he has the occasional mistake in him, as many do at this level. Always going to stand out more in defence. But he saves us so many more times too.

 

Probably mentioned many times but how good were Mayenda and Isidor together. Too hot to handle. Dragged defenders all over the place. Sheffield had the ball in our box a lot percentage wise but these two were carving up chances galore. Better final balls from AA and we’d have finished that off sooner.

 

Yeh O’Nien had a poor first half. Don’t think he can do anything about the OG but the penalty was really silly from him and I genuinely think he was lucky not to see red for it (letter of law denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity without attempting to play the ball).

But he also struggled positionally and was unable to cope with Moores hold up play.

Second half he did much better which I think shows his elite mentality.

He’s still along with Mepham in my first choice centre back pairing.

On Roberts, thought he was excellent. What he did a lot of was getting the ball and playing it quickly rather than holding onto it and slowing our game down. He slid quite a few balls through to strikers. Really liked it. Also defended very well

 

I agree mate but every team I watch in this league regularly wrestle each other to the ground with no action taken And Moore is a bit of a hand full in the box

 

Pace is always the equaliser when used effectively. Last night was the perfect example.

 

Who said it did? I agree that it was a mistake for the goal, he's usually good at getting away with stuff like that but it was too blatant that time, needs to be more careful.

Having said that, have a look at the late corner they had and how much shirt pulling is going on, Mepham included I believe, none of it punished. That's the norm.

 

People are always pulling and shoving in the box, but blatantly pulling back a player swinging to take a shot when there’s nobody around you blocking the view is just asking for trouble.

“we didn’t get a pen for the same thing last week” (as I keep seeing on twitter) isn’t a defence

 

Wrestling I get but that implies it's both ways. This was a pure mortal combat drag back with no intention of playing any ball

 

Just reading back through the thread to see if anyone mentioned this. Absolute carbon copy, I’d love to see them played back alongside one another frame by frame. Funny how things like that happen in football.

Everyone around me was raging at the ref pretty much all game last night but I thought he was very good.

 

He got the wrong side on a couple of occasions first half. Sometimes pure physicality. I think that’s why they selected big lads.

 

Ref was the best I have seen this year, in our games anyway. I had to watch from home so had no other distractions and watched replays etc. He was very very good. Thought he might have been a PL ref TBH. Only big error he made (objectively) was in our favour. Didn't even card 09 for the pen. Would have seen red with the second yellow second half.

 

Again, had one at Stoke where if he’d gone down under a challenge from Gooch then he’d have given the ref a decision to make.

I personally like the honesty though, would rather everyone else conformed to what Mayenda did than vice versa, refs of course can give the decision without the man going to ground.

 

Aye he did. That's why I would have preferred Ballard last night. He won zero tackles and only won 33% of his duels on the floor and in the air.

Lots of clearances and defensive actions though.

 

Getting away from the O9 debate I thought we saw the best and worst of Patterson last night. Overall he played well, but his distribution seems to be getting worse with each game.
Brilliant shot stopper and kept us in the game.

 

Yeah agree. I was having mini strokes each time the ball was at his feet.

That said, his bravery with diving into the feet in the last seconds, was a great bit of goalkeeping.

 

He wouldn’t be the player he is without that personality trait …

… he’s picked by every manager, loved by the fans and respected by his teammates.

Not everything can be perfect or measured in cold hard facts and stats.

 

Anyway, team for Pompey?

I’d go exactly the same but with Cirkin in for Alese

 

I love him as a player Smug but he really needs to cut out some of the holding in the box. First half I agree he wasn't at his best but vastly improved in the second but still could have given away a daft second penalty for grabbing - he needs to be carful as refs will look for this as it gets highlighted

Still I am buzzing after last night - even if I tested my blood pressure tablets last night!!!

 

Tbf Alese ran himself to a virtual standstill last night

 

One more note on the penalty that O'Nien gave away. The initial cross in was missed by Jobe which led to the ricochet to Moore. Really thought he should have got up better and cleared it. Something for Jobe to work on as he has the height and athleticism to dominate at set pieces.