Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Luton Town FC – Wednesday 12th February 2025 - KO 19:45

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Your Prediction:


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Sorry was out tonight so only saw the highlights. By all accounts Luton very poor. The only chance sky highlights showed was a Morris header with 09 falling over trying to defend him. I read other comments saying that Luke should not be marking Morris, strange considering many think he is our No 1 CB.
Ballard by all accounts had a good game. Many saying MOM.
Clean sheet so all good. I think Ballard and Mepham are our best CB but if you think different who cares. Football all about opinions, as long as team won.
Ok, then just believe the people who were there to the full match. O’Nien was very very good. His defending was as solid as you’d want and his creativity from that back line exceptional.
 
What a grim outlook on life he must have
“Dad I’ve gotten into Leeds university”
“Shame it’s not Oxford son”

“that’s it I’ve cured Alzheimer’s and Dementia !”
“Shame you didn’t cure Cancer”

Sunderland 2 - Real Madrid 0
“Sunderland were pap”

there are a few more cracking takes like that.

incredible
 
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And yet he had a harder game than O'Nien and was on the losing side!

I assume you rated Pritchard more than O'Nien - where's he playing again?

Some people can't wait to be proven right - even it's at the detriment of the team they say they love! And they call themselves supporters

Whether O'Nien is the worst player in the team or the best player, the fact is, he plays in red and white stripes so whether you like him or not he deserves your support!

What on earth does that have in relation to my comment? I never once said anything bad about O’nien you cracker :emoticon-0102-bigsm

You said O’nien has our 5th highest goal contributions this season with 4 and then had a dig at folk on here who dare claim he’s not as good as Maldini… so I simply said Luton’s CB, who is ****e, has 2 more goal contributions this season and stated that doesn’t make him great defensively. Defenders are judged on their ability to defend first and any contributions to goals are a bonus.
 
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https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/s...sees-enzo-le-fee-sunderlands-x-factor-player/

REGIS LE BRIS feels Enzo Le Fee is the “X-factor” player that can make a crucial difference in Sunderland’s promotion push....

"I think we had good control,” said Le Bris. “We were mature in that game. That is very important because it was a new challenge against a team that can be dominant in the air, with many set-pieces and direct plays.

"I thought we were good in that part of the game, we were dominant. After that, it was a question of disturbing their mid-low block to create chances. In that situation, we needed an X-factor, and so it was important to have a player like Enzo today, to make the difference.”

Le Bris changed his defence in the wake of Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Watford, bringing in Dan Ballard for Chris Mepham.

Ballard’s stature was a factor in his recall, with Luton skipper Carlton Morris offering a physical challenge as he led the visitors’ attack, although Le Bris has suggested he will chopping and changing his starting side with increased regularity in the remainder of the season to ensure everyone remains fresh.

The Black Cats boss was delighted with Ballard’s performance as Sunderland kept their first clean sheet in four games, with the centre-half producing a polished display.

“That (Ballard’s physicality) was a good reason (for his return to the side), but at the same time, he was ready to play and, in that part of the squad, we have a bit more depth now,” said Le Bris. “So it is possible to manage different players according to the challenge we have."

“He worked very well behind the scenes, even though he didn’t play so much in the last few games. He was ready and today he showed his good qualities."
 
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https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/s...sees-enzo-le-fee-sunderlands-x-factor-player/

REGIS LE BRIS feels Enzo Le Fee is the “X-factor” player that can make a crucial difference in Sunderland’s promotion push....

"I think we had good control,” said Le Bris. “We were mature in that game. That is very important because it was a new challenge against a team that can be dominant in the air, with many set-pieces and direct plays.

"I thought we were good in that part of the game, we were dominant. After that, it was a question of disturbing their mid-low block to create chances. In that situation, we needed an X-factor, and so it was important to have a player like Enzo today, to make the difference.”

Le Bris changed his defence in the wake of Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Watford, bringing in Dan Ballard for Chris Mepham.

Ballard’s stature was a factor in his recall, with Luton skipper Carlton Morris offering a physical challenge as he led the visitors’ attack, although Le Bris has suggested he will chopping and changing his starting side with increased regularity in the remainder of the season to ensure everyone remains fresh.

The Black Cats boss was delighted with Ballard’s performance as Sunderland kept their first clean sheet in four games, with the centre-half producing a polished display.

“That (Ballard’s physicality) was a good reason (for his return to the side), but at the same time, he was ready to play and, in that part of the squad, we have a bit more depth now,” said Le Bris. “So it is possible to manage different players according to the challenge we have."

“He worked very well behind the scenes, even though he didn’t play so much in the last few games. He was ready and today he showed his good qualities.

Ballard is class, people forget his quality IMO. He has a couple of dodgey games. But the supreme partnership IMO is still Mepo and Ballard.
 
Ballard is class, people forget his quality IMO. He has a couple of dodgey games. But the supreme partnership IMO is still Mepo and Ballard.
I’m not sure they’ve played together enough to prove that. I know you’re not having a pop at O’Nien and the debate about him is tedious now with people entrenched in their views. However, RLB keeps playing him for a reason and he’s a very intelligent manager. I keep seeing the argument that a defenders job is to defend and therefore Mepham and Ballard are better. Maybe so but who is best for the team on balance with everything they all offer? O’Nien creates a lot of attacks for us because he can move forward with the ball, he identifies opportunities and his passing is excellent.. This is worth a massive amount to overall team performance.
 
you do see them given, and possibly with VAR it might have been looked at
I thought red when it happened at the game. Looked like he jumped in. Probably a red for us and yellow for
Others judging by recent foul/card stats!

Cant remember the last game we didn’t get a booking mind.