Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Aston Villa - Sunday 21st September 2025 - KO 14:00

We’re not looking out of place are we.

Can it be a coincidence that WHU, Brentford, Palace and Villa all seemed to have poor(ish) games against us or can it be that we have a decent squad.

 

I'm trying REALLY hard not to get carried away but no team in this league is really scaring me and that includes the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City. Yes all of those gave superb players but I'm not looking at them dreading them when we play them. We've shown we can play in this league and look comfortable at times against teams that are classed as good premier teams. There will be times when we have off due but those lads gave everything in the pitch today and will do in other games

 

I like Noah, keep smiling kid..

 

We sit right behind the goal and the amount of late swerve was insane as Roefs was starting to go to his right at first. No chance with it imo.

 

Our goal came from him going at his man on the left side, doing him, cutting inside and shooting which led to the block for xhaka to header back over

 

Seeing it again on MOTD and the swerve is ridiculous. He's set to save it comfortably, but it moves another 6 inches and although he gets his hands across, it's not enough. Saying that he went to punch it, if he'd went to palm it his hands would have been open making a larger target and he probably tips it over the bar. It's a mistake, but not as bad as it looks at first. The swerve definitely caught him out.

 

It's no surprise he had cramp. He must have covered every blade of grass on that pitch half a dozen times. Immense signing.

Defence was excellent again - barring Reinildo's rush of blood. Masuaku looked as good as Mukiele against Huddersfield, so no worries about losing Reinildo for 3 games. Currently conceding an average of less than a goal a game, which is magnificent for a newly promoted side.

Felt for Riggy, as he was playing well, but it was the correct decision by RLB under the circumstances.

Aldarete was unlucky with his effort that hit the bar. Brilliant cushioned header by Xhaka and a very tidy finish from Isidor. That's 3 in 5 for him this season. You can see he's loving it.

The thing that is most noticeable to me, is how comfortable we look as a Premier League outfit. Our side is jam packed with players who are made for this level. We possibly need to work on our composure in the final third, and picking the right pass but that will come in time.

Immensely proud of the boys today and our fans, who backed the team to the hilt. Happy Days!

 

Regis the man, he’s got us so well drilled. Never flustered.

buzzing for Neil too, another academy lad getting us here making his prem debut. Still think he has a part to play, hopefully get him tied down

 

The body language from Emery during the post match interviews was telling. Very twitchy and came across as high strung. Definitely gave off the impression of someone under massive pressure right now and if he's calling his players out as "lazy" it doesn't bode well. It'll only fuel rumours that there's something wrong behind the scenes. No wonder they seem devoid of confidence and just "off" right now. I rate Rogers and Watkins, but both looked at least a yard off the pace, Rogers looks a totally different player to the one playing for England against Serbia only a couple of weeks ago.

 

In full voice with my grandson

 

Pleased with the point.

Delighted to see Wilson looking like a premier league goal scorer. Must admit I didn't see that coming.

Actually not as fussed as most seem to be by Reinaldo's brain fade. I guess I see it as the price of having a combative player. Overall that aggression is a net positive in my eyes.

 

He has that clutch gene every good striker has. Can score a goal out of nothing

thought he had shown a huge improvement in his hold up play and winning headers today. Something he’s needed to work on too. Shows he wants to stay as our 9

 

Proud as punch.

 

That’s what really annoyed me! If Cash does not commit the foul then Reinaldo is not sent off. His reaction is a red card but cash was so late he could have caught a bus to foul him. It should have been a yellow to Cash as well.

 

When you talk about players stepping up from the championship so far, RLB has made the biggest step up so far imo. Looks to be the perfect man for where we are right now, early days but can only judge on what I’ve seen

 

I know some had concerns so many new faces would disrupt last years spirit, so glad it’s still there with the added bonus of some top level players, they’ll elevate those here from last year, rigg looked sharp shame he had to go off because of the brain fart, even Neil’s little cameo was encouraging won us a foul late on to relieve pressure and almost broke away on a counter, we have one hell of a chance of stopping up then watch us go, build the extension Kyril

 

I think they **** themselves when they realised we were going for the win
What a performance that was and last season’s’til the end’ spirit has carried on with the new players.

 

I don’t know whether I really care as I want the media and other fans to under estimate us but despite villas form they are on paper the best side we’ve played and despite said form the gulf between them and a promoted side should be sizeable.

id argue that whatever problems they have in closing that gap were a fraction of what we offered when closing that gap

pundits last week were saying palace battered us as they purely looked at the stats, hope they continue to do it.

we’ve signed some serious players and whilst I don’t want to single anyone out for praise amongst a myriad of good performances, Mukiele is a joke, the fact he’s here, at a promoted side, wow. Maybe we are a special project.

Additionally a word for the gaffer, I made a comment about his system last season along the lines of ‘I wonder what this would like like with a higher calibre of player’, players who’ll buy into the high energy side of it but have that added quality to make things count more often, and look at it.

it’s very very promising and in our 4 team mini league with wolves, I’m confident.

 

back loaded potential

young lad in a foreign environment, cuts the mustard in the scouting, have to persist, far to early to write him off.

 

Just catching up on the game as I've had one of the worst weekends of my life having lost my 15 year old labrador that I've had since he was a puppy on Saturday morning so I really didn't engage at all with the game until now.

I've watched it back now and like many others have mentioned the passion and desire showed was immense but not only that the skill levels of these lads is amazing. You have to pinch yourself sometimes that these lads are wearing red and white.

I'm not sure it has been mentioned, or if it has I don't think it's been mentioned enough, but I don't think you'll see many better assists this season than that cushioned header by Granit. The vision and execution was world class in my opinion - nice finish by Wilson but the ball in was undefendable.