So with Wigan taking the final spot in the bottom three, and Sunderland safe, its time to address whats gone right, and whats gone wrong with our season. Lets start with the bad. Pre-season 5 games, 4 defeats, 1 draw. 7 conceded and only 1 scored. Now a lot of people have hoodoos about pre-season, a great one can lead to a season of disappointment, whilst a poor show, can be the kick up the backside teams need, this was not the case for us. Seongnam Chunma, Hartlepool, York, Derby, Leicester. Hardly world beaters are they? yet we struggled against them all, a high number of goals flew past us with little in return, being played out of low level games was a big worry, however we all believed after a few decent signing this would be rosey, with the squad that responded so well to MON, 1 or 2 signing would surely complete our squad for a comfortable top ten finish we all craved. League Cup After two decent wins against lower league teams, our knack of crumbling against lower level opposition in pre-season was over. 2-0 wins against morecombe and MK dons, really let some of our new signings shine, especially Adam Johnson, who had high expectations after moving from title winners Man City. These small morale boosting wins gave us hope against our next opposition who we beat in the FA cup last season, Middlesborough. It was certainly a night to forget at the SOL, which a large crowd turn up, we got turned over by the smoggies after they had started the season brightly, and it showed, with no comeback made after Mcdonalds strike in the 39th minute. We had chances, but a strike partnership between Saha and Fletcher failed to make an impact, and Middlesborough won their fifth game on the bounce to go through to the quarter finals, and knock us out. FA Cup One of the biggest disappointments of the season. Another Championship side capitalized on our poor form and knocked us out. The first game saw us come back from 2-0 after the first half, with Wickham having a fine showing, and getting on the score sheet and having a huge impact on the team, with Gardner grabbing the second, with the score tied at 2-2 a reply at the SOL would surely mean victory. We dominated the in the stats and Wickham was handed a start, but failed to show the same performance from the second leg, a penalty and goal from open play from Sordell saw us crash out and end any sight of a trophy this year. MON summed up the supporters feelings over the last few decades perfectly. 'We're going to have to get it. This is a big club and we shouldn't be spending 40 years without winning something, we really shouldn't.' Martin O'Neill-Sacked 31 March 2013. A day to forget for MON and his faithful, myself including. I was sad and disapointed to see him leave, but Ellis Short saw it fit after a string of bad results and with just two wins since over 13 games since january, and defeats against key relagation rivals such as Reading and Qpr, and draws against Norwich and Fulham at the SOL, his number was called, and his time with us was over. Paulo Di Canio - Appointed PDC wasn't the first name on fans lips, and was a surprise when he was appointed as the new 'Head Coach' here at SAFC. The papers loved him, but all for the wrong reasons, with his previous stated Facist views, many were very unhappy, and PDC offered to leave the club due to the constant problems this bought, but Ellis backed him all the way, and he's been a huge breath of fresh air ever since, bringing passion and fire, and demanding a high work rate from all his players, Fans and Media soon forgot all previous qualms after some canny results that settled us all down. PDC is here to stay and we patiently wait for his new era to begin. Premier league - The Good Swansea 2-2 Sunderland - 1st September 2012 A hard earned point for the Black Cats here, with our new man Stephen Fletcher showing exactly what he can do and justify his £14m price tag, capitalizing on some Swansea errors and some good play, he bagged not only his first, but his second with the space 5 minutes in between them. A vital point here from just a handful of chances for us, told the PL that Fletcher is deadly when given the chance, he went on score 3 more over the next 3 games, handing us a vital 1-0 win against Wigan just weeks later. Fulham 1-3 Sunderland - 18th November 2012 A win at craven cottage took pressure off the Lads and MON here, after a run of some poor performance and loses, this was an important day for us. Fletcher added to his season tally in the 50th minute when put through on goal, but 12 minutes later we conceded and all was level. Step up Cueller. A corner in the 65th minute saw the Spaniard knock in a free header and restored our lead, followed up be a great goal from Sessengon, We were going home with all three points. Sunderland 3-0 Reading - 11th December 2012 This win lifted us out of the relegation zone, McClean settled early nerves with a goal in the 3rd minute with Fletcher and Sessengon grabbing the next, Fletchers goal with that classy back heel from Danny rose's cross. This was a comfortable and easy day for the us, a game many thought would be a lot tougher and harder than it was. Sunderland 1-0 Man City - 26th December 2012 A surprise win but a welcomed one. With a good record against the champions in the previous years, we all dreamed of a win but few expected it. Players often score against their old employers, and this trait continued when Johnson's Cross/Shot in the 53rd minute wrong footed Joe hart past his near post and sent us crazy. A rare and boxing day win that made our festive period even merrier. Newcastle 0-3 Sunderland - 14th April 2013 Arguably our best result of the season, a win against our nearest and dearest. PDC broke our hoodoo of 13 miserable years at St James' and without a win with spectacular fashion. 3 goals with no return showed us just what it meant to PDC, who was ever present and active on the touchline, even throwing in a few knee slides. Sessengon, Johnson and Vaughan provided three wonderful goals, that took us into dream land. This is a day that will never be forgotten. Sunderland 1-0 Everton - 20th April 2013 Two hoodoos in two weeks? Crazy! Sessengon almost mimicked his goal against the mags, and it was enough to grab all three points. Two wins in two weeks was incredible, something nobody would have predicted. PDC's reign was well and truly underway, and this win, in my eyes, was even more important than the week before. Premier league - The Bad Stoke 0-0 Sunderland - 27th October 2012 An awful day with few chances for both teams, most Sunderland fans would believe that a penalty should have been awarded after Robert Huth handed Fletcher's shot, but it wasn't. That was the only talking point in a poor poor game where we should have done considerably better. Sunderland 0-1 Aston Villa - 3rd November 2012 After Villa had showed a leaky defence all season, many fans, myself included banked on a SAFC win. It was a miserable day for us, with little being created before and after Agbonlahor capitalized on some piss poor defending. A day that won't live too long in the memory of many fans and 3 points dropped that we desperately needed Norwich 2-1 Sunderland - 2nd December 2012 Another wasted chance to gain points over teams around us. Norwich had hit form and we hadn't two first half goals were too much for us, Gardner got one back but we still lacked. The more noticeable part of the game was Connor Wickham, who was excellent when we came on, and was very unlucky not to get on the score sheet. Dropped points here. Reading 2-1 Sunderland - 2 February 2013 Wow, just wow, could this really be us playing? are we honestly that bad? This result for me, and a defeat to west brom the next week, was the final straw for Ellis, and he started looking for a replacement after this day. Jimmy kebe score early and late to take all three points, Gardner converted a penalty to get on the score sheet, but that was about as good as it got for us. A piss poor day. QPR 3-1 Sunderland - 9 March 2013 Awful awful awful. It started great, Fletcher scoring in the 20th minute to give us a comfortable lead. Things soon changed after Remy, Townsend, and Jenas all barged through our team and converted, the last two being great goals from outside the box, great if your a neutral. Dire loss against key relgation rivals. Terrible day. Aston villa 6-1 Sunderland - 29 April 2013 We almost made it didn't we? going a whole season without getting turned over. Wins over Newcastle and Everton had us in high hopes, believing we could at least grab a point at Villa park. I was there, it was ****. the opener was actually a good goal from their CB, Mignolet ushered the defence out the box after some pressure, and Vlaar Smashed it into the bottom corner. 1-0. We only had to wait a mintue for a reply, a clever lay off by graham saw the ball fall back to rose, who made no mistake, and blasted it past Guzan, nothing short of a brilliant season for rose, who's been outstanding, however he could do nothing about what happened next. 5 goals with no return, everything went through Bardsley, Cueller, and O'shea, a night to forget and our worst result, and performance for a very very long time. What a waste of £42....
Injuries and Suspensions Fletcher, Cattermole and Brown - All key members to our team, and effectively our spine, all missing, and boy does it show, the sooner these are back the better, Fletchers goals, cattermoles get up and go, and Browns individual performances are sorely missed on Wearside, Wishing all a speedy recovery. Gardner and Sessengon - with our top goal scorer out of action, and now our second, and third top scorer suspended, im amazed we've actually got on the score sheet these last two games. Sess was unlucky, never a red card ever - does the FA actually do anything useful? Gardner - it was just a bad tackle that was certainly a red card, it puts a downer on his season were hes been one of our better players. What next? We all anticipate what will happen under PDC, with saftey secured, we face spurs next, with a bare bones squad that we probably won't get much out of. Who will he bring in? who will be shipped out? Can we hold onto Mignolet, who has been utter fantastic this year. Can we get rose permanently?All these things we cannot control, or know, we can only sit back, hold on, and this magic carpet ride sets off one more. Heres hoping for more sucess in 2013/2014 Ha'way the lads!
****ing hell, a lot of thought has gone into that post, well done. The high, beating them cnuts up in the stables of ne1. The low, MoN screwing a good club, and looking at the table as it stands today.
Got to say the high for me is getting PDC, well OK ****ting on the Mags but only just. He may turn out a rubbish manager for us, non of us have a crystal ball (well I haven't anyway) but I just have a feeling that this bloke will drag this team up the league by the scruff of the neck if he has to. But I genuinley believe he will do it by getting in the right players and playing the right football. Maybe because he talks the talk I'm getting taken in a little but I just think this guy is going to succeed. Low......Bloody hell, so many but it has to be MON....
I think MON failing was a big blow to all of us, I couldnt see it happening at the beginning of the season, but we ended last season on a low, and that seemed to carry on into this on sadly, Hopefully PDC can bring back the fight, he's doing well at the moment certainly.
Great post. I think we can stop calling it a magic carpet ride though. More like a Hyundai in peak hour traffic. The job's only barely getting done in the weakest possible way and it ain't pretty or fancy. Perhaps we can upgrade to a Toyota next season? I think mon's performance was a bad (I still cannot believe I'm writing that, but it's true and I'm totally gutted), his sacking therefore a good (again, I cant believe I'm writing that) and pdc's performance a good as he kept us up with his passion and tirelessness.
Great thread Jimmy. The highs have to be, Newcastle, Everton and Man City wins. Lows: so many, but the main ones were MON failing, our performance in the match against the mags at home pissed me off and our atmosphere at home games.
Love the comparison between football and cars, its like Jeremy Clarkson likes football. Think most people can agree that we've got more points under PDC in these last 6 games, than we would of under MON
great post/thread the highs please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image The lows please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
Awesome post There there are three positives that came from this season and in order: 1 -The sacking of MoN - his abject tactics (I know some of you wont agree) were surely taking us down to the championship. He should have gone earlier 2 -The appointment of PDC - without this appointment I am sure we would have been relegated. His infectious desire to win was the inspiration that was needed to get those 6 points from NUFC and Everton 3 - The end of the season - cant wait for it. use it as a massive lesson on how not to do it, move on be better next season (fingers cross)
The Positive – Vaughan’s superb goal against the Nags will live long in the memory. The Negative – Definitely the failure of Martin O’Neill.
