Hi guys - Swans fan in peace! Got back late last night after the game so didn't have a chance to catch up on the forum - just read the 'closed' match thread and the thing that really stuck out for me was that a decent thread descended very quickly into name calling and sour grapes. I thought we deserved to get something out of the game, but our finishing was poor and that cost us dear - whilst Sunderland scored two top class goals worthy of winning any game. It amazed me that some of my fellow Jacks accused Sunderland of thug tactics - they must have been watching a different game in some weird parallel universe because what I saw was a well organised team who pressed us well in our own half, and stopped us being effective in theirs! Thought you were in trouble at the beginning of the season and tipped you for relegation - but as soon as I heard O'Neill was gonna be appointed your manager I knew that you would start climbing the table - O'Neill teams don't get relegated - the guy is a master at motivating players; setting each of his squad individual goals and giving them the confidence to achieve them. I would hope that you realise the fact that the Jacks who accused you of thuggery are not in any way representitive of the vast majority of our support. Most of us are very knowledgable and appreciate the different styles that are in evidence in any league. Football is a contact sport for God sake and long may it continue to be, and yesterday I saw no evidence of thuggery; yes there may have been a couple of challenges from both sides that were a little suspect - but none of them were nasty or cynical - the fact that there were no cards proves this (OK, refs miss things on occasion, but I really didn't see any evidence of thuggery, bullying or nastiness from either side). I would also like to take issue with the minority of Mackems that said we play boring tippy tappy football! I thoroughly enjoyed yesterdays game even though we lost - okay, our passing game didn't work for us against you - but when it does it is a joy to watch and I for one am glad we stick to our footballing philosophy - it has taken us this far and it would be madness to change it; we are a small club with very limited resources and have to play to our strengths. In a way it was quite amusing that a match day thread that started with much camaraderie between both sets of fans went off track so quickly after the game, but I hope that each set of fans aren't judged by the minority of muppets that we both have in our respective camps! So there we are - have got that off my chest; am not a prolific poster on these boards because usually by the time I get to the threads they have descended into name calling and crassness, but if I feel strongly enough about something then I will post. Hope this rambling tippy tappy thread hasn't bored you too much but would just like to say good luck for the rest of the season - the Mackems I have encountered (and I've met quite a few) have always been a credit to their club and I hope that I get to make the trip to the SoL next season - with O'Neill in charge there is no way you are going down and I hope that we stay up with you!
Thats the way it goes, all starts well then one team loses and it turns nasty, mind the day of the game is always a bad time to post, emotions running high. What a lot of people forget is that MON is having to make the most of what he has, will be next season before he can start working with what he wants and results would suggest he is doing a good job. Good luck for the rest of he season
Thanks for the kind words mate, thought you equipped yourselves very well yesterday and yes in hindsight probably deserved a draw overall. What I will say though, is that we are made of more sterner stuff these days and late goals are starting to become the norm with us, I kinda guess new found motivation, confidence and a wee bit of luck (something we had very little of under Bruce) does for you.As for the Jacks, ive always had a soft spot for them and met some real nice folk from Swansea when I was working the Everton v Swansea game a few weeks back.From what Ive seen of yer, you will have no probs this season and you will consolidate iam sure. Furthermore I am sure I speak for alot of the folk here on the Sunderland Forum in wishing you good luck for the rest of the season
I've just went back and read the thread (I hadn't read it last night), and have to say i'm surprised at it. We didn't have to play well, it's that simple, you only have to beat what's in front of you. The possession thing means nothing, as bar Sinclair's miss, we were never threatened at all, that is not being dominated, that is keeping a side at arms length. Anyway, I like many have enjoyed watching Swans, I maintain that you will stay up, and wish you all the best for the season
Thanks guys - just wanted to get that off my chest as I said in the original post - love the banter on these forums but get royally p***ed off when the muppets hijack decent threads with their bile and insecurities. This should be a place to discuss football in all its glory; not to sling mud and sulk! Yesterday was a great contest between two proud and committed clubs and I enjoyed every second despite the result - some great football and two outstanding goals - what's not to enjoy - football is entertainment, not life or death whatever Mr Shankley said. So cheers and good luck for the rest of the season - you got a diamond in Martin O'Neill!
I was one of the swans fans that mentioned thug tactics yesterday on the thread, after watching it again i hold my hands up and addmit that i was wrong. heat of moment and all that, sorry i was out of order.
Apology accepted, and fair play to you mate. I reckon if you get Graham enough service, he'll get plenty of goals for you, I fancied the lad for us in truth.
Agree MONs - very impressed with Grahams work rate and commitment - only a matter of time before he starts knocking 'em in for fun (is difficult to type with fingers crossed so tightly!)
I liked the look of your left back.......we can offer George McCartney as a swop.......i swear he is class
Kept an eye on him the last couple of seasons at Watford, and the lad has more than a hint of our legendary Kevin Phillips about him, very natural from anywhere within 30 yards. He's done ok, but I reckon with a full season at the top level under his belt, he'll be a real handful next season. He'd benefit from you moving the ball forward quicker on occasion, hardly a Swansea trait though!
Is something I'm sure we will work on MONs - Brendan Rodgers is a canny manager and has worked wonders with the players we have - is very similar to O'Neill in many ways; knows how to motivate players and get the best out of them!
Yeah, I remember Rodgers being massively rated by a certain Mr Mourinho. You've comfortably got the means to survive, and that's all you can ask for first season.
It's very admirable to want to play the passing game all the time but I'm afraid you're not Barcelona my friend. You have decent players but not world beaters and your game now is getting much easier to stop. You will have to develop a harder edge if you want to stay in this league beyond 1 season. You also need to shoot more. I wish yet well though and good luck for the rest of kid campaign.
Agree Cestria - and have seen enough this season to convince me that the 'harder edge' is there! The Arsenal game was the one that got all the plaudits, but was more impressed with our performance against Spurs - we may be perceived as a 'pretty' team but there is a lot of grit there as well! And the Barcelona tag is one that has come from the media, not us - is getting a bit tiresome to be honest; all realistic Jacks know we are not Barcelona - we just adopt a similar style because that is how we have got to where we are - from the brink of relegation from the league system to the Premier League within a decade; with a budget that wouldn't keep the glory boys of the EPL in half time oranges for more than three matches! We have stuck to our footballing philosophy and found bargain basement players who fit into our system - we have no delusions of grandure - we know that we are viewed as a 'feeder' team that will develop players that will eventually be snapped up by the billionaires of the EPL but, rather than moan about it we embrace it; we know who we are - we know we are punching well above our weight - but we also know that on our day we can match teams whose substitutes bench cost more than our entire squad and stadium! In these days that the likes of Man City think they can buy trophies with their billionnaire investors I am quite happy to support a 'little' team that lives within their means and can give the heavyweights of this division a game regardless of the obscene amounts of money that are spent on the supposed superstars in the division! Write us off if you want - but don't criticise us for playing the game the only way we can! It's taken us this far and I wouldn't have it any other way - if it's not enough for survival in this division then so be it - but I would rather go down playing the beautiful game than go down playing a brand of hoofball that is alien to us!
Excellent thread - as was the discussion on the Match Day thread until a minority of morons (on both sides) had it pulled. I thought that Ivor (?) had balanced views and I generally agreed with what he wrote. FWIW I thought Swansea had us under the cosh for large parts of the game yesterday and deserved a point - but it's goals that count, and as we lost at Chelsea through missed chances Swansea lost at the SoL through missed (or uncreated) chances. That little bit of quality is unfortunately what the PL is all about.
Swansea... what can you say? You are an excellent team who were beat by two world class goals and probably did deserve something from the game, but unfortunately football isnt always fair. You gave the best performance I've seen at the SOL this season. Maybe's a little naive and slightly lacking a cutting edge but nailed on to stay up and will likely get a top 10 finish IMO. A credit to the Premier League.
