Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Huddersfield Town FC - Tuesday 26th August 2025 - KO 19:45

One day, we're going to win a ****ing match in the league cup. Feels like it's been ages.

Shame we couldn't get the second as we played well in the last part of the match.

 

Who’s woke the looney up!?

 

Poor first half setup from the coaching team. Hard to fathom. If indeed KLD wanted a cup run that is one of two chances gone and we arent out of August. Wonder if there are questions to be asked about selection and commitment to the tournament.

Some individual bright spots. Makiuele looka the part. I thought Neil was quality second half and probably MoM for us. Giui will benefit from his goal hopefully, and the minutes.

Once we put the round pegs in the round holes everything looked so much cleaner. Have to be honest and say I am really disappointed to be out so soon. Opportunities on a number of levels gone.

 

Positives
Mukiele and Masuaku showed their class at times
Guiu off the mark is huge
Aleksic impacted the game off the bench again (I'll not mention his pen)
Neil good throughout
Le fee was bright
Rigg looked more like himself in that 2nd half
We scored 5 pens in a row - the pick being roberts and Seelts ones

Negatives
Roberts - decision making is so bad and continues offer zero goal threat
RLB - system in the 1st half was shocking
Huggins - thought he was really poor and I could def see him being sold
Lack of clear goal scoring opportunities, we really lack creativity in the final 3rd

 

Terrible isn’t it. Whatever people think it’s a good opportunity to get fringe young players games. We might as well loan loads out now.

 

Playing a 2nd string team against a team from 2 divisions below is ludicrous. If we had won so what. How can you judge on that basis.

 

ah well. think without the crowd stoppage probably win it, hope all ok there.

more positives than negatives for me. the list that need to go (perm or on loan) has got longer though.

& we did score 5 pens!

 

I'm away so just catching up, sounds like the first half was a shocker...

Saying that I'm not too arsed about the result, only see the cups as a way of keeping the fringe players involved. Performance like that isn't fair on the fans that went however.

 

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I thought we created enough just out finishing let's us down from all quarters

 

As I said on Saturday, go and support that lot up the road you boring knacker

 

2nd half better …. Still not really good enough against a league 1 reserve team mind! … but much better in their better positions and formation. …. 2 new defenders look decent, and a shout out to Wilson on the wing! …. Definitely an option to consider again, especially if we don’t end up getting another winger in. Still disappointed with most of them though.

 

Just got in, Mukiele looks very good, hope he starts Saturday.
If thats our strike force minus Mayenda, really poor.Need a 30/40 mill centreforward sharpish.

 

Their whole team/squad is a who’s who of our time in L1. Whatmough, Herbie Kane, Kassamu, Dion Charles, McGuane etc etc

 

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Wilson looked canny on the left. But I think prem full backs would not get out of second gear to be honest. Maybe against tired legs. Really hoping Mundle gets fit soon tbh.

 

You could see Huddersfield have had more time together, that's for sure.

 

https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/re...f-the-mark-but-the-lads-lose-out-on-penalties
Anthony Patterson: 6/10
Didn’t have a genuine save to make during the game, as he had no chance with the Huddersfield goal, did spill a dangerous pass into the six-yard box that Neil had to bail him out for. Didn’t make a save during the shoot-out, despite getting close to a few of them.
Niall Huggins: 5/10
Never looked entirely comfortable up against a tricky winger and didn’t even show what he could do going forward.
Nordi Mukiele: 7/10
Bar one mishit clearance, he strolled through the game. Defended well and happy to go forward, should have scored after a diving header from a corner but a good debut.
Arthur Masuaku: 7/10
Another good debut in the middle of defence, sprayed some lovely passes around with his left foot and looked comfortable defensively.
Harrison Jones: 6/10
Out of position at left back again but defended well enough and was always getting forward to support attacks.
Chris Rigg: 6/10
Often guilty of overplaying, trying flicks when a simple ball would do. Looked much better when the pace picked up after the break but should have scored when set free down the right, tried to square it though and then hit the rebound into the side netting.
Dan Neil (C): 6/10
Used the ball well, without being incisive and did well to clear after Patterson fumbled a dangerous Huddersfield pass late in injury time.
Patrick Roberts: 6/10
Very poor in the first half, really struggled on the left wing but was much more like his old self when he switched back to the right. Lots of nice interplay on the right and played a lovely ball to set Rigg away.
Enzo Le Fee: 6/10
The game passed him by a bit before the break but heavily influential in the second half after the formation change, almost scored a free kick but for a great save by the Huddersfield goalkeeper.
Marc Guiu: 6/10
Had one good opportunity saved in the second half but then scored the equaliser with good movement and a good header into the far corner. Very quiet otherwise though.
Wilson Isidor: 7/10
Very quiet in the first half but came alive after the break when he shifted to the left wing, always causing problems for the visiting defence.
Substitutes
Jenson Jones: 7/10
Came on at half time for Huggins and looked much more at ease than the Welsh under-21 international, solid defensively and was always an attacking option down the right.
Milan Aleksic: 7/10
Replaced Isidor on the left wing and picked up where the Frenchman left off, kept driving at Gooch with his pace and created one goal with a lovely cross onto Guiu’s head. Unfortunate in the shoot-out, as he was the only player to miss his effort.
Jenson Seelt: 6/10
Replaced Mukiele at the heart of defence and played some good, driven passes up the pitch.

Man of the Match: Arthur Masuaku
Both Masuaku and Mukiele had fine debuts, defending well and providing a bit of quality in the build up but Masuaku edges my man of the match thanks to playing the full 90 and having a number of great passes to the wide right position.

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