Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Wolverhampton Wanderers FC - Saturday 18th October 2025 - KO 15:00

It’s immense and scary how quick its kept improving.

 

I see things a bit simply. Maybe being a bit long in the tooth and all that.

But the thing I look for above all other things in a team is players looking after each other on the pitch. Someone drops a bit of a rick or gets out of position, another helps to sort it. Someone in a tight spot with the ball, he has two options or more. Without this a team is nothing more than just some talent on the pitch.

We have this in oodles and there were a lot of examples today. No judgement, no theatrical waving of the arms at team mates, just on with the business of trying to sort it. It seems obvious, but you really don't see it all that much and we have seen plenty of teams in our shirt lacking both.

We might have been out of sight in the first half, but being able to show the humility and fight when it was needed was fantastic today. You don't win games at this level without those two things.

How the feck did from where we were to here in less than four years?

 

Just to note, 5 of the starting 11 & 2 of 4 subs brought on all played last year in the championship.
Not quite half, but 46.7% managed 3 valyable points today.
Just saying like
KTF

 

Nordi did that with Riggy second half. Riggy tried to play out and lost it, I think Nordi had a little go at first as if to say 'just clear it', but then he went over to Rigg and had a word and patted him on the back (might have slapped him on the arse tbh ).

 

Very definitely. He's the boss on the pitch no doubt. But no obvious ego, (or frankly he maybe wouldn't have been here). Great that we have a manager with no ego and a captain the same.

 

Yep. Helps when he's needed, then backs right off. He's some bloke that for a 28 year old. Hard to fathom.

 

It really was some effort from Riggy that. He spotted it early too, which was the main thing, and showed a serious bit of pace at the right time too. All the world to come from that lad.

 

I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
Well worth the long trip
The second half was a bit of a hard watch and not good for the blood pressure.

 

What's particularly encouraging about all this is that it doesn’t feel like we’re just flying at teams, getting the breaks and picking up points against the odds …

… we're plotting games and sitting back if we feel that's what we need at the time.

Teams are being beaten through guile and not just adrenaline. That's why I always felt Reid would eventually fail, you just can’t keep sending the same players out to do the same things.

RLB seems capable of sacrificing 90% of possession if that’s what he thinks will get a result …

… it’s sometimes a hard watch but the supporters seem to be buying into it.

 

Motm for me Nordi.

 

There was a few around us complaining we weren't flying into tackles or pushing right up all the time, they couldn't see the shape we were holding and the discipline we had all game.

Thankfully a very very small minority

 

He's definitely got a plan for each opponent. It will be interesting to see what he does at Chelsea, we have Reinildo back available, but we defended very well today with Hume doing well at LB and Nordi moving to RB.

I trust RLB and will back whatever XI he picks.

 

I’ve can understand it tbh, it’s hard to see your team sit on a 1-0 lead.

 

This is the thing I keep coming back to.

 

They are probably concerned because as we know one nil up with ten minutes to go and our backs were against the wall an equaliser was on the cards sitting deep tends to bite you on the arse.

 

Fantastic seeing people enjoying themselves in Keel Square.
Brilliant fun walking over the bridge in the parade.
People in early due to bridge I think, so decent atmosphere in the build up.
Played well, dug in and won all three points.
Mags got beat by an ex-Sunderland player.

Can't ask for a better Saturday really

 

This was most of the second half, thankfully only a few people the majority could see what we were doing and were supportive.

 

The thing is, to do what we sometimes do takes very high level defenders, very well coached. . And we're not used to having this at all! i think that's where the nerves come in. They know what they are doing, and we aren't used to it, especially after the days of losing to Fleetwood and the rest, and doing that not a very long time ago.

 

Oh without a doubt, its brilliant to watch our defensive work, its unbelievable at times