Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Bournemouth FC - Saturday 29th November 2025 - KO 15:00

I'd be disappointed with anything less than three points

 

Well I had the glasses, slightly confused look and the sidling up to people cracked ...

... all I needed was a paper bag and I think I could've pulled if off

 

Ditto

 

What’s the yellow card situation with Granite and Sadiki.
I know they are on 4 each but when does the ban at 5 end?
How many games before they can play until the 5th card doesn’t matter?

 

Absolutely superb performance, the third goal was crucial and at half time I said we’d win it.
And that game proved we don’t always need to concede possession to hit teams on the counter, it was end to end against a good side.
Terrible refereeing again and the Bournemouth bench are utterly embarrassing.

 

Yep we want them for the skunks game.

 

What a day. Bring on Liverpool

 

A "Kiss me quick' hat, and 100% ya did

 

The Bournemouth team were embarrassing. Kroupi, number 22, spent most of the game shouting in the refs face. He should have been booked the first time he did it. The ref was weak.

 

The most shameful thing was when their defender, Smith, ran the ball out for a corner without a challenge ...

... then threw himself to the ground clutching his ankle.

Delicious justice when we scored from the corner and broke his little heart

 

I hope yesterday's mistakes can be blamed, to an extent, on the conditions.

If Hume had given away the first goal people would've said he's not up to PL football.

I always knew Roefs would concede a goal like the second, it's been coming for weeks.

We had all the big lads up, in terrible conditions for a keeper, so Xhaka tries an intricate corner routine.

All that said there was obviously a lot to praise ...

... Traore started and finished the second goal, Le Fée recreated the 'Ballard' corner for the winner and the whole team kept going til the end.

It must've been an awful journey back for the Bournemouth manager and staff

 

I’ve never seen owt like him mate. Knew he was a quality player and a bit of an alpha lad. We’ve had plenty over years.

What I have never seen is the intense and complete involvement. Every decision, lads look to Granit. Every goal celebration, he’s amongst it talking. Every decent bit of play, applause or quick word. Every mistake, he’s speaking and directing and encouraging.

We knew we were getting a level up player. We got so much more than that.

Having had him for a few months the now I understand how Leverkusen did the unbeaten season, the talent they had with that direction and encouragement must have been, and dealt was, dynamite.

He feels everything, he kicks and heads every single ball, and I’ve rarely seen a player so engaged and invested. The rest of the new signings have followed his lead and having him there has engaged the whole unit. It’s crazy to look at Nordi, who played a lot of games for PSG not just performing, but similar to Xhaka feeling it all.

The most stunning of signings. The most perfect of signing and the key to it all.

We have leaders behind him already, and we have visible leadership growing throughout the team, all driven by the inspiration of Xhaka.

Honestly, Big Dan, Omar, Trai, and the one that come up the most Enzo could all be seen as future captains. Enzo has developed and edge and determination this season that can only have grown from learning for Capitano.

It still happens yesterday, I’m still not over seeing him first out the tunnel for us. Best captain in the league. Best fit and box ticked for any club.

 

The one thing that really made me smile yesterday was Brobbey. Not his goal but the way he ran to the side lines near the end and was engaging with the fans and getting them.pumped up even more.
I remember the guy who held the ball up for Talbi at Chelsea but he was reluctant to celebrate and looked a little bit out of place just a few weeks ago and now he is looking transformed to the point I can't wait to see him again.

 

He is quite unique Brobbey, he’s proper finding his feet and he’s gonna be major for us.

Just watched MOTD and th thing I loved most was Enzo absolutely eyeballing their keeper before he takes the penna. Proper stares him down then just smashed it in. Beautiful.

 

I think this what we all have to appreciate, it's not easy coming to a new country/team/area/management.

We can't be dismissing players, out of hand, without giving them the time and space to acclimatise.

Traore, despite his extensive experience, looked lost at first and still does to an extent.

The two of them totally transformed the game yesterday ...

... but I still don't believe they, or the team as a whole, are anywhere close to playing as well as we can.

 

The first goal was 100% a Mukiele slip. Semenyo was good though. He’s fast. The Hume was to double up then they swapped him to the other side. Their second was also condition based, they tried something intricate at a time when the ball wasn’t running freely on that side of the field .Bit sure why but down our right side (first half) looked more slippery than anywhere else A few went over including Mundle late on.

 

@Smug in Boots . That's made me laugh more than it should. Looks like something out of Candid Camera

 

I think it’s after 19 games so a while to go yet. The worst case scenario is they both get booked in the same game and miss a game together. Losing one will be tough but both a nightmare. I was almost hoping one would get one yesterday and then get a rest/ suspension for Liverpool.

 

It was hilarious in real time to be fair.

You could see the two lads thinking 'What's this idiot prowling around for, could he be deranged and dangerous'