Sheff Utd and Burnley have been really poor in some recent games. Losing at home to Hull or grinding out endless draws and narrow wins would have the Sunderland forums in meltdown ... ... yet I'm sure some people would be happy with it if it meant being slightly ahead at this stage. I'm on the train for the next two home games and, in all honesty, I'm not sure I'd be going if it was to watch a team like Burnley or Sheff Utd. For me there's more to watching my team than grinding away endlessly with Plan A or throwing on three big lads as Plan B ... ... football is supposed to be thrilling entertainment and watching talented players in my opinion. I've really had enough of Plans A & B, because it's shyte ... but everyone's different I suppose.
Burnley only managed a 1 nil win against Oxford last night courtesy of an own goal. They are hardly the dominating force they were 2 years ago, the same goes with Sheff utd who are also hit and miss. Unfortunately we have a poor days aswell as we saw against Plymouth so everytime it looks like we can take advantage we feck it up for ourselves.
Annoys the **** out of me Burnley. Without question they are very good at back, but they ship so many chances that don’t get taken. We scored one in 2 games and could easily have had 7. They are solid AND fortunate and that’s one combo.
What's staggering in that Sky put them on then try to convince the viewers they should be admiring the latest grinding tedious clean sheet. Only people who are coaches, or pretending to be, can derive any enjoyment out of watching 10 players run behind the ball for 90 minutes. If they went up to the PL they'd contribute exactly what they did last time.
Its gonna be the first two clubs to blink..... I ( IMHO) think Leeds are the strongest of the 4.... So its between Burnley/Sheff Utd and us. We are...by far..the most technically gifted team of the 3 and if we keep the intensity of the 2nd half at Boro then I actually fancy us. Burnley grind out results, just don't think they can do that forever. Not convinced by Sheff Utd, The changes he is making to a team that was winning will take time to settle... We are now at the business end of the season, not the time to be pissing about with a winning squad. But, its going to be exciting and nail biting...just pleased we are in the mix whatever happens
Hopefully it could work against them. The longer it goes on, they may become obsessed with it, and set out each game with not conceding the main aim , more draws and then no matter how good a defence, bad bounces 1 in a 1000 striikes do happen, and oppositions may sneak some 1-0's against them
I've always said that the fixture pile ups in 2004 and 2019 caused us to fail yo get promoted. Our legs came off us at the wrong time in the league and we never got the form or momentum back when we ended up in the play off. It could easily happen to them and Burnley this season.
For me the vulnerable team are Sheff Utd, Wilder has bought some players in January for big money and needs to keep a big squad happy, while trying to win games and keep the fans and owners on side. He's under the most pressure for me and he's hardly known for his relaxed personality. Leeds, whilst having a good squad are also under pressure as they missed out last season and sky etc are bigging them up as promotion favourites, let's not gorget how they folded last season. Burnley whilst having a brilliant defensive record surely can't sustain it till the end of the season and it seems to me in the really big games they are **** scared to lose, so don't attack and it will be interesting what they do when they do concede 1 or 2 in a game. Then there is us, under the radar with the tv companies and pundits, just doing our thing and enjoying it. It feels like a bit of steely determination is running through the squad and club, couple that with the talent we have and we are a very dangerous team. In short, **** sky, the pundits and the 3 clubs above us, we are going up
The same as 2023 when Stewart got ruled out for the season in February against Fulham in the Cup. We would have been promoted that season if he was available imo
I think they've become obsessed with their clean sheets that it's impacting their ability to attack They still have individual quality going forward which will help them in some games. In the last 10 games, we've conceded 10 more goals than them but we've taken more points We 100% need to cut out the sloppy mistakes that's costing us goals but I want a team that can go and win games against any team in the league - which we have I am impressed with their defensive record as someone who has been involved in coaching but as a football fan I hate how they play and the lack of creativity they saw as a team. Football is about entertainment and they've been one of the least entertaining sides I've ever seen at this level They will still have a ridiculous defensive record come the end of the season but the question will be, how many goals will/can they score to win enough points to go up Going to be some run until the end
I agree with all of that. Their defensive record may be impressing people but even their own fans are complaining … … their ‘goals against’ record won’t count for much if they don’t go up, in fact it’ll become a millstone round their necks. What do they do next season, more of the same?
Nobody is giving an inch mate. The top 2 will fully deserve to be that, whether that’s us and Leeds playing good football, Sheffield in the middle of the road, or Burnley’s awful anti football. I back us against anyone in the playoffs if we need them, and I mean anyone. These lads are always up for the big games.
watched a few burnley, sheffield games and wondered, at first, if i just caught then on a bad day but now realise they actually play that way. i still think as long as we play 'our way' then we have an excellent chance of autos but if not, these lads have grown to like the 'big games' and i would have to like our chances in the play-offs.
Reminds me of my mates who are well into the UFC and reckon watching grown men roll around on the floor cuddling is better than watching them kick the living ****e out of each other because it’s “technical”.
The thing to me is if they were 5/6/7 points or more clear now, I'd say "fine, it's working for them". But they're not, they're in the mix , but just as likely to drop 2 points as gain 1. It makes them easily one of the most vulnerable teams as it only takes us and Sheffield United to pick up wins when they draw and the pressure is on them.
I had a lovely girlfriend Rowena, in the south of France, who was a top chef who worked on the big yachts, villas and big parties. Every meal at home was beautiful even if was just a simple salad. Going to a restaurant was an absolute nightmare … the starter would arrive and I’d have finished while she was still tasting and analysing it. We’d manage to get to the main course and she’d start asking the waiter questions about how much saffron was used, if the meat had been marinated and which country the olive oil was from. Inevitably the chef would come out and sit down while they discussed how he’d cooked the meal. It would get to the point where they’d be chatting about how long the carcass had been hung and whether the lamb was only milk fed before it was slaughtered I’d end up putting my cutlery down and f*cking off to the bar … … that relationship didn’t last long. I know that’s nowt to do with football, just wanted to get it off my chest
