Sunderland manager Gus Poyet says his side's season could hinge on their pre-Christmas run. Monday night's hard-fought 3-1 win at Crystal Palace moved Poyet's men two points clear of the relegation zone and victory over Everton on Sunday could propel them into the top 10, such is the congestion in mid-table. But then come back-to-back Stadium of Light clashes against Chelsea and Manchester City, and Poyet believes by Christmas he will have a good idea if the new year will bring another relegation scrap, or if he can aim higher. Different Poyet said: "I think it will depend on the next three or four games. It can set up a different situation where we are really pushing for something this year, or do you want to suffer all the time at the bottom? "It's very tight, there's a very small margin for error and you need to make sure you are not on the wrong side of those decisions. That's what we've been working on, how to make sure we are not making so many mistakes." Poyet is not reading too much into the win at Crystal Palace, and has not allowed his squad to believe the tough times are over, just two weeks after an 8-0 mauling at Southampton. "It's obviously been a totally different week, but the most important thing is to control emotions," he said. Balance "You're not that bad if you lose and you're not that good if you win one game. It's about maintaining balance and knowing what we need to do every week." Steven Fletcher: Back in form Sunderland will once again be banking on Steven Fletcher, whose two-goal performance against the Eagles suggested he is set to return to the kind of consistent form he showed when Poyet first arrived at the club a year ago. "Fletch has been great over the last four or five weeks and something is clicking for him physically and mentally," added Poyet. "I remember when I first came here he was so good in training it was impossible to leave him out. He looks so happy and sharp and the sooner he gets to double figures the better for the team."
He's bang on. The next weeks will be very testing but give me the same outcome as last season of these next few games and I'll be happy.
Things are so close at the moment that tiny things make an inordinate difference. If we'd scored one extra goal in any of those draws we had we'd be joint ninth the same as Everton. I hope Fletcher comes through the two internationals safely!
Everton, Chelsea, Man City. Owt can happen, and often does... I'm going one of each..win, loss and a draw..Starting with a draw this weekend.
We have a good chance in eaxh. Just need to make the most of it, whiöe Cit and Chelsea aren't firing on all cylinders. Hopefully the toffees are flagging after their Thursday night exploits. Need to smash them straight off the bat.
Leicester away in 13 days is a much win game now. Why the frig did he not get Whickham off earlier and amazingly he is there for 90 mins, some players strolling around again could not give a ****. And the fixtures were rigged again ! as well as that ref made up for what we got away with last week !
Incorrect, we are 2 points from the same total as new year last season, beaten once at home all season to 2 silly mistakes, aye we got gang raped at southampton, 2 extra points today would have put us on the same as liverpool, all in all, bar the saints its been an ok start for me, with players due to return and the jan window looming, get a grip man ya knacker And we have moved above mrs doubtfire
we are ticking along nicely, one more result better than the corresponding fixture last season, so far so good. Still needs a tweak or two, but am feeling much more confident than of late.
That bloke with the glasses didn't talk to me all game you know? I've seen to him, I conveniently upset him last game he was at and he hasn't uttered a word to me since Noticed your bruvs swapped places? Putting up with him in shifts? Just upset him he'll leave you alone.
Aren't all runs of games important? I would actually love it if a manager come out and casually said the next few games really didn't matter - "**** it lads, get bevvied up and let your hair down".
