Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Watford FC – Saturday 8th February 2025 - KO 12:30

[Prehab26]

Dunno if he’s been shafted. It’s a game state thing. He’s not usually gonna get to take Isidors role as Wilson is always a goal threat, and we’ve not really needed the 4-4-2 recently. Also Pat had been doing okay. It’s all back to Regis and subs. He’s never gonna change to manage minutes. He’s unlikely to change a team that’s winning or drawing. He just views it as disruption imo. Probably changes what speakman needs to do from a squad perspective a bit going forward. Smaller squad but higher quality and more versatility feels like the way to go with RLB in charge.

I just think, that in no game, should Poveda get ahead of him.

 

[Hudson92]

Yeah I get that but cmon some of the stuff he comes out with deserves to be challenged and called out.

That’s fair enough mate and you have every right to challenge any opinion you don’t agree with, it just seems he gets targeted more when other posters are saying similar things, the way he gets his point across isn’t for everyone but I hear the same things said in far worse ways when I’m coming out the ground at times, emotions are always higher in the immediate aftermath of the game too

 

[Frazier the Lion]

Yeah i agree, its sh@t we have no other natural LB to come in for Cirkin when he plays like he did today. Unfortunately he's guaranteed to play next game aswell and the one after despite of any performance he puts in.

Think it would take a sustained run of bad games to see any of our back four get dropped. Regis values a consistent XI and has barely ever changed his back four unless forced.

 

[E.T. Fairfax]

It’s looking that way, we need a big turn around in the way we approach games to catch the top 2 now.

Its getting to the point now where i feel we have just as much chance in beating decent teams away than we have beating poor/out of form teams at home.

 

[Confucius]

We were awful but that ref was worse, everytime we fouled we seemed to get a booking. Their centre half was pushing Isidor all game, the one time he reacts he gets booked. He was clearly fouling Wilson in the box, the ref even signalled that he was holding, well Isidor wasn’t. He gave them a free kick when no one was within a yard of the player and number 20 went rolling around everytime he was challenged and managed to get up before a trainer came on, plus getting two of our players booked in the process .The ref then stopped the game when the bloke clearly held his back.
Like I say we were shocking but he was pathetic, all he did all game was hold his ear as if he was getting information. He was one of the worst I have seen, he did get the penalty right though.
They looked canny on the ball but Cleverley has them playing the cheating game. ****ing pathetic and I hope he never makes it in the game. That’s my pissed up, pissed off viewpoint

 

[Frazier the Lion]

I just think, that in no game, should Poveda get ahead of him.

I don’t love Mayenda wide. For me it’s not his position. He can do a job there but I’d always prefer him centrally.

 

[Prehab26]

I don’t love Mayenda wide. For me it’s not his position. He can do a job there but I’d always prefer him centrally.

Me too. However, you would be better than poveda.

 

[J Flash]

Massively missing mundle mind, Watson too. Massively unfortunate to have them both out for 3 months. Got to sort out these slow starts out and learn how to dominate games, for a team in our position it’s really uncommon to have as many tight games as we do.

 

[Frazier the Lion]

We were awful but that ref was worse, everytime we fouled we seemed to get a booking. Their centre half was pushing Isidor all game, the one time he reacts he gets booked. He was clearly fouling Wilson in the box, the ref even signalled that he was holding, well Isidor wasn’t. He gave them a free kick when no one was within a yard of the player and number 20 went rolling around everytime he was challenged and managed to get up before a trainer came on, plus getting two of our players booked in the process .The ref then stopped the game when the bloke clearly held his back.
Like I say we were shocking but gone was pathetic, all he did all game was hold his ear as if he was getting information. He was one of the worst I have seen, he did get the penalty right though.
They looked canny on the ball but Cleverley has them playing the cheating game. ****ing pathetic and I hope he never makes it in the game. That’s my pissed up, pissed off viewpoint

He gave much softer holds than the one Isidor received second half when they were outside the box. By rights should have given that one too. So much easier to give soft fouls outside the box - even if he was perfectly happy to give cirkin’s soft one the other way.

 

[Frazier the Lion]

Me too. However, you would be better than poveda.

I thought Poveda was decent today tbh. Nee support and nee movement and he still managed to create a few opportunities to attack.

 

[Scout73]

I thought Poveda was decent today tbh. Nee support and nee movement and he still managed to create a few opportunities to attack.

Aye poveda was fine today, can see he's rusty but thought as the half went on he was a threat

Still think he will be a good player for us, it's all about his fitness

I wanted 3 subs done at the same time, Aleksic Poveda and Mayenda, still think mayenda should have come on at the same time as the other 2

 

[Smug in Boots]

Massively missing mundle mind, Watson too. Massively unfortunate to have them both out for 3 months. Got to sort out these slow starts out and learn how to dominate games, for a team in our position it’s really uncommon to have as many tight games as we do.

I suspect it’s because we're playing as well as we're able in every game …

… we battled to the death at Boro and today.

Perhaps this is as good as we are which makes the wins all the more impressive. We obviously don’t have the money to match teams financially so have to do it in other ways.

 

[Frazier the Lion]

Aye poveda was fine today, can see he's rusty but thought as the half went on he was a threat

Still think he will be a good player for us, it's all about his fitness

I wanted 3 subs done at the same time, Aleksic Poveda and Mayenda, still think mayenda should have come on at the same time as the other 2

Yeah agree. I’d have been okay with Samed staying on tbh as I don’t think he was doing all that badly. Think a move to 4-4-2 earlier was warranted though. And by the time we did it we’d kinda left ourselves a bit of a mess in terms of what was left on the pitch.

 

[TopCat.]

Poor that today, but bizarrely we should have won. 2 poor home performances in a row now, need to put that right on Weds.

 

[Prehab26]

Aye poveda was fine today, can see he's rusty but thought as the half went on he was a threat

Still think he will be a good player for us, it's all about his fitness

I wanted 3 subs done at the same time, Aleksic Poveda and Mayenda, still think mayenda should have come on at the same time as the other 2

Didn't see it personally. Just looks no where near enough to be conditioned or consistent to do the right thing.

I mean he once again, made a big mistake then just wiped someone out with a yellow.

 

[Hudson92]

I suspect it’s because we're playing as well as we're able in every game …

… we battled to the death at Boro and today.

Perhaps this is as good as we are which makes the wins all the more impressive. We obviously don’t have the money to match teams financially so have to do it in other ways.

All I want from my team is 100% effort and we’re getting it we’ve done incredibly to be where we are, no one was predicting autos so to have virtually securely play offs already is incredible, sometimes we need to take a step back to really appreciate the job we’ve done with largely the same playing staff that finished 16th

 

[J Flash]

I suspect it’s because we're playing as well as we're able in every game …

… we battled to the death at Boro and today.

Perhaps this is as good as we are which makes the wins all the more impressive. We obviously don’t have the money to match teams financially so have to do it in other ways.

Maybe true and maybe it’s just me looking through red and white eyes which I always do. But I think a lot of this team, at our best I think we’re better than Burnley and sheff Utd. And I think we’re more than good enough to put Plymouth and Watford away. But hey ho still a good season and a lot to be happy with, just have a lot of hope with these lads so disappointed when we don’t get the result we thought we would.

 

[FellTop]

Unlike me I was very disappointed so havent posted. Spent a couple of hours down the allotment digging and listening to some Reggae. Bit calmer now.

Today felt very much like after the lord mayor show. I struggle to pick any player that played to their level tbh. It was just frustrating all round. The back 4 looked really unsettled by that young lad they had up front and I am not sure why. Cirkin lost his head first half with him. I know folk will say he needs time but based on what I have seen of Samed so far he isnt what we need. He slows us down in possession too much, he just doesnt look to have the speed of thought on the ball. He could be a great option to help see out a game. Neil is not an 8 and has never been one. Have said it forever, he is a modern day 6 and must start there. We are much better side and he is a much better player there. I have defended Roberts, but today was really really poor. Poveda wasnt a lot better, but he was better. Isidor looked lost when on his own. Le Fee looked off it and Rigg struggled in possession. Aleksic looked good I thought, and Mayenda really has to be in our best 11 for me. He makes things happen. Biggest gripe is the two chances at the end. We have to be scoring them, have to.

There isnt a lot of room for error now. I think today we made one. Keep Neil back at 6 and let Mayenda play alongside Isidor against a side like Watford. We need to be a bit braver in our selection against some of these teams. In my opinion anyway.

Hopefully they pick up against Luton. You would have to think anything other than 3 points and we have made it very difficult for ourselves.

 

[Mackem74]

That’s fair enough mate and you have every right to challenge any opinion you don’t agree with, it just seems he gets targeted more when other posters are saying similar things, the way he gets his point across isn’t for everyone but I hear the same things said in far worse ways when I’m coming out the ground at times, emotions are always higher in the immediate aftermath of the game too

OK, everyone is entitled to an opinion but like a lot of football fans their opinions are very emotive and not nuanced. I was like that when i was 16. I see he's written off poveda as well...

 

[Prehab26]

Massively missing mundle mind, Watson too. Massively unfortunate to have them both out for 3 months. Got to sort out these slow starts out and learn how to dominate games, for a team in our position it’s really uncommon to have as many tight games as we do.

I heard something today. Not sure if it's accurate but apparently we have only won once since October by more than 1 goal (Oxford) that's really insane if true. For me it's tooo much control and we will lose out because of it.