SUNDAY please log in to view this image Sunderland v Leicester (13:30 BST) I still fancy Sunderland to finish above Norwich and Newcastle and stay up. The Black Cats are the best out of those three teams and the thing about them is that they have been playing well but just have not got the results to show for it. So I actually think this is a really tricky game for Leicester, who I just feel are being a bit too over-reliant on how good they are defensively. please log in to view this image Their manager Claudio Ranieri seems to have turned to the Italian approach of defend, defend, defend and try to pinch a goal, which means Leicester have lost a bit of their edge. That is completely understandable given the position they are in, but they have got to be a little bit careful that they do not go too defensive in the final weeks of the season - if you just keep getting over the line - as they have done in with all those 1-0s in the past few weeks - sooner or later you will get caught out. Lawro's prediction: 1-1 Aspell's prediction: Leicester have been a joy to watch this year and their good run will continue. 0-2 Lawrenson's prediction for Sunday?
‘We just can’t score!’ – Sam Allardyce urges Sunderland to rediscover scoring touch to boost Premier League survival hopes [paste:font size="5"] Sam Allardyce has urged his Sunderland side to rediscover their scoring touch as they aim to reel in their relegation rivals and boost their hopes of The Black Cats currently sit in the bottom three, occupying 18th place in the table, and are four points adrift of safety after a run of four consecutive draws. It’s been a frustrating run for Allardyce, qwho have seen his team come out the better side, but their inability to find the net has cost them vital points in the fight against relegation. Sunderland face Leicester City on Sunday and a meeting with the league leaders, who have plodded along with 1-0 win after 1-0 win in recent weeks, presents an opportunity to claim what would be a surprise victory for the luckless Wearside team. And Allardyce has told talkSPORT it’s only a matter of time before their spirited displays start yielding results. “We can’t play any better than we ARE playing,” the Black Cats boss told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast. “The disappointing thing is the number of draws we’ve collected during that spell, where we should have secured victories but we haven’t. “We’ve got the first goal in most of the games and not gone on to win, and then when we finally get a clean sheet [against West Brom last week, a 0-0 draw] we get 24 attempts on goal, 12 on target, a goalkeeper in brilliant form an offside goal in the last minute! “We’ve never been as consistent in our performances as we have recently. Over the last seven or eight games we’ve only lost once, but we’ve also only won once. Draws can be important to you but as this stage of the season we’ve GOT to get victories. “Last week was the biggest disappointment of all. Unfortunately we couldn’t just find that clinical touch, even with a player like Jermain Defoe on the day. You would have expected him to score two or three goals, but even he couldn’t quite do what he normally does. “The rub of the green just isn’t going our way, but we’re playing exceptionally well at the moment.”
Maybe just because the Mrs' family is from Leicester but for some reason I fancy we`ll get something from the game (when mentioned to my lad - he said "yep - a beasting" - little sod - I`m going to force him to put his red n white on for the game rather than the blue dishcloth that has been given an airing this season from time to time
Sunderland's 4-2 defeat to Leicester on the opening day of the season was their first loss in eight league games against the Foxes (W4 D3). Leicester have scored just once in five Premier League visits to Sunderland (D3 L2). Marc Albrighton scored and assisted two further goals in Leicester's 4-2 win over Sunderland in August. The Black Cats have enjoyed just one win in their last 10 Premier League games (D6 L3). Leicester have never kept five consecutive clean sheets in the top-flight, last keeping five in 1979/80 in the second tier when they kept six in a row. Sunderland have now drawn their last four league games in a row; only once before have they registered five consecutive Premier League draws (Sep/Oct 2010). Claudio Ranieri has used the same starting line-up in 11 different top-flight games this season; no other starting line-up (from any side) has appeared more than five times. Sam Allardyce has averaged just 1.04 points per game with Sunderland this season, his lowest average return from a single Premier League campaign. 18 of the Foxes' 20 Premier League wins this season have come despite having a lower share of possession. Leicester's last four top-flight games have all ended in 1-0 wins; only once before has a team registered five consecutive Premier League 1-0 wins (Everton in November 2002).
Wouldn't rush him back, keep him for next year. He is a long way from this level yet. Borini, Defoe and Khazri with Lens as back up for me.
Norwich/Palace Ston/Mags Sunderland/Thai foxes. Fingers crossed. Villa could be relegated this weekend.
@Enfield mackem I see you reading every single day. Why do you never post? I can see you reading this thread Why not say howdy?
We could really do with some kind of result this weekend, obviously a draw against the likely league winners would be a great result they will be hard to break down and have the players capable of tearing into our defence. That being said they are a team that rely on counter attacks and I can't see us going gung ho, the middle of the park where they are very strong with Kante and Drinkwater are at their best against an attacking midfiled which we certainly haven't got so I don't see us as being the sort of side Leicester will enjoy playing against. We've still got to keep Vardy and Mahrez quiet and find a way to nick a goal or two against a very well drilled defence. My heads telling me the league leaders at this stage in need of points will beat us but I've just got a feeling that we'll get a point or maybe even nick all 3, obviously I'm ignoring my head and predicting that we'll get some sort of result.
As we struggle to score he is one of limited options. Definitely something amiss if he can't make the bench.
I was over the stadium this morning renewing my eldest son's season ticket for next season as he will be finished Uni then, and it looks like there was only single seats left for tomorrow's game...Let's hope that this big crowd is well up for it which will improve our chances of victory..
Changed my prediction to a draw. With Norwich getting beat off Palace I reckon Sam will be thinking "point off Leicester, beat Norwich, job's a good'un". We'll sit back tomorrow.
Could be another bore draw on rhe cards. As for Lens, he has never done owt to win Big Sam over in terms of his attitude. Shame, coz he has the ability we could do with. but i don't see him appearing for us again.
I'm not so sure, he was playing regularly for Sam before he got injured. I'm hopeful he simply wasn't in the squad last week as Sam didn't want to rush him back ...
Today has gone incredibly well for us, and if we somehow lift 3 points out of this Norwich will be facing all of the pressure next week. If we can go there, lose, and still be in a position to get within 1 point winning the game in hand, Norwich are under massive strain to try and beat us, anything else and they have no margin for error. Leicester, as we all know, what a ****ing story, what a season, what a joy, and hopefully for a few of us clubs that seem to do **** all what an inspiration. The top 4, the big top 6 won't be as weak again but ****ing hell, impossible has been blown away by Leicester. I truly hope they go on and win the league, but I think maybe, just maybe, this is the week we start the annual wander up. A nervy as **** 2-1 the lads I'm having. Leicester to get over the line and write that incredible story. I hear there's only 800 unsold, Leicester of course have sold out, such be a fantastic atmosphere, buzzing for it after Norwich loss.
