Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Nottingham Forest FC – Friday 24th April 2026 - KO 20:00

  • Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
  • Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!

Your Prediction:


  • Total voters
    77
  • Poll closed .
RLB Presser Notes
Alderete and Reinlildo were ill running up to the Villa game, hence the substitutions
No decision yet on Cirkin future (sounded pretty non committal about it to be fair)
Barnes digging about RLB's future without asking him outright - RLB proud of what's been achieved and happy with consistency
We don't know if we are reading for Europe "you never know" (with a smile) - We are growing fast, but important to grow the foundations
Would be great to get to 50 points and above, but tough games ahead
"Second Season Syndrome" - pretended not to know what it is, but says we always need to keep improving

Team News
Nilson Angulo and Bertrand Traore back to full training next week
Jocelyn has been back in training with the team
(Sounds like none of them available tomorrow)
 
Last edited:
Thanks again RTB for your huge contribution, <applause> . your team looks good to me and close to what I expect, although I would like to see ELF to start inside and the inclusion of a wideman or striker to play off Brobbey. Its tough on whoever is left out after our display at Villa , but I think it would give us more of a cutting edge. However caution by Reg is perhaps the key to our success so far and long may it continue,, but with the stronger back up now available I would personally like to see more use make of them sooner rather than later. OaU
 
Fancy us to start this one strong and keep it going, I imagine the players will want to make up for the kick in the nuts that was the end of the Villa game. Ballard back in for me, not a reflection on Luke who did well but you've got to have Dan in there when fit.

It'd be nice to see him and Alderete menacing defences on corners again, they gave them the fear at the start of the season but it's all gone flat in that regard.
 
Brilliant thread again RTB. Thank you for your sterling work, as usual.

For all we got beat last weekend, there was very little damage done. We're still 2 points off Chelsea and with Brentford at Man Utd and Everton also away at West Ham, we have a very realistic chance to climb up to 8th (Joint 7th), with just 4 games to play.

Forest, like us, are a useful counter-attacking side, so we need to be wary of going too gung-ho. They don't defend set pieces too well, so I think this is an area where we can get some joy, particularly with Big Dan back.
Morillo will be a big miss for them defensively and without him, I can't see them being able to handle Brobbey.

I'm going 3-1 Sunderland with Brobbey and Ballard amongst the goals.

Can't wait to get in the stadium and shout myself daft. We need to ramp the volume up and roar the lads on to victory. I've no doubt they'll respond. Back to back home wins will really set us up for the final two games of the season at the SOL, and make our 3 defeats to Liverpool, Fulham and Brighton a distant memory. HTL!!!!
 
Superb as always @RTB. Thanks.
I also fancy us for 3-1.
I’m hoping that we have a clean bill of health so that we can go full strength, Ballard in for 09. Diarra to redeem himself. Enzo to start wide but drifting inside to overload midfield.
Talbi on for the last half hour.
Hoping and expecting the atmosphere to be superb.
HTL.
 
Superb as always @RTB. Thanks.
I also fancy us for 3-1.
I’m hoping that we have a clean bill of health so that we can go full strength, Ballard in for 09. Diarra to redeem himself. Enzo to start wide but drifting inside to overload midfield.
Talbi on for the last half hour.
Hoping and expecting the atmosphere to be superb.
HTL.

Id love to see Isidor come in for Diarra and see how him and Brobbey can play together. Its a match made in heaven on paper when we're at home, but I know we'll probably not see it in a starting lineup this season.
 
If we go behind (heaven forbid) and get to half time without a goal , I would like to see this or similar change made to the line up at half time.
Roefs
Mukiele Ballard Alderete Hume
Xhaka Sadiki
Le Fee
Mayenda Brobbey Isidor

There are goals in this line up . and we need to try it out sometime imo
 
https://www.a-love-supreme.com/post/le-bris-addresses-rumours

You must log in or register to see images

Regis Le Bris has responded to speculation regarding his own future as well as that of his players, discussing Dennis Cirkin in particular with the left-back out of contract in the summer.

FELLOW MANAGER SACKINGS

“This job is a bit specific. For me I don’t look around and I don’t look to far into the future. The most important thing is to stay focused and to work hard with a strong project, clear identity and clear teamwork because I am not alone. It’s an interesting job and the results can influence external judgement. It is often connected with the last emotion - you win, you are really good, you lose, they might say you are not the right man for the job. For me, the most important thing is consistency. At this club, for two seasons now, we have been really consistent. When we are struggling we are working hard to change things and fix problems, and when we are winning it is not the end of the project. We still have something to learn, to prove, to achieve, and we are in this mood. I am comfortable to be in this project and I want to work hard.”

CIRKIN FUTURE
“We’ll see. It’s a bit early to give a specific opinion, because we never know, but at the minute it is clear that we have three strong fullbacks and competition is high. It is hard to be the fourth (option) in that situation, and at the end of his contract too. So, I don’t know because the future is the future and it is important to stay focused on the league, and every game can give us new information. At the minute competition is high, I can say this.”

PLAYER TRANSFER SPECULATION
“I don’t really know. Rumours and noise, this is football. I think it is good for this environment because it creates interest and you want to read articles, but for us the main focus is always the same. In this noise, stay focused otherwise you won’t be strong on the pitch. This is our job.”

ATMOSPHERE IS GOOD
“I think it was important to be safe, that was our first target and it was good to achieve that early. After that we had a discussion around the squad, and you guys had it as well, are they still ambitious? And they are. They train properly and when we lost a few games they were not happy. When we’ve won, they’re wanting to play another game. It means something, it means they care about the season and the outcome.”

SETTLED
“I like the area because it’s really similar to my region in France. The people are kind, the connection is really positive. And I like the project of the club. From the start it was a key point for me and I think I can achieve the maximum because I am connected with the identity of the club and the way we are working together. This club is really well-aligned and powerful with its fans and its history, and at the same time really well-organised to achieve a strong future. This combination is really positive and I am proud to be in this project.”