Match Day Thread Who will Sam play Saturday?

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Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce says Premier League relegation would damage the club more than his own career.

Allardyce, 61, is in charge of his fifth top-flight team but has never been relegated.

The Black Cats are third-bottom of the table, four points behind Saturday's opponents Norwich with a game in hand.

"If I had that one relegation against my career from the Premier League it would hurt, but it's more important for the club than me," said Allardyce.

When Allardyce replaced Dick Advocaat in October 2015, Sunderland - last relegated in 2006 - were second bottom and without a win from their opening eight games.

They face Norwich at Carrow Road having taken only four points from the past six games.

"It would hurt immensely if the club got relegated, for the club's sake first, not mine. I've had a fantastic career," added Allardyce.

"My career will take whatever way and whatever form it needs to take.

"The players - most of them - will never get a club better than this, with its facilities and its supporters, playing in the top league in the world, and they really need to realise that.

"That's their big challenge in the next six games.
 
Norwich v Sunderland (12:45 BST)
This is a huge game at the bottom of the table and it is one of those that could be decided by which team do not freeze on the day, rather than who are actually the better side.

They are both struggling because they have lacked quality over the season and continued to make mistakes, although the good thing from Sunderland's perspective is that at least they have started to tighten up defensively.

A win for Norwich would put them clear and leave Sunderland in big trouble, but I think the main priority for the Canaries will just be to avoid defeat.

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So I am going for a draw, which Norwich will be happier with because they stop Sunderland from closing the gap on them, with one game less to play.

Lawro's prediction: 1-1

Idris Elba's prediction: 1-2
 
Norwich will be happy with a draw...And how many times have we heard similar ****e from SA about our results?



Sam Allardyce believes Norwich City will happily take a draw from tomorrow’s basement showdown – even if the Canaries have a chance to virtually secure their Premier League status.

Sunderland’s fate in the relegation battle will become clearer this weekend, with a victory at Carrow Road leaving the Black Cats just a point behind Norwich with a game in hand, while defeat would create a potentially unassailable seven-point gap.

Even a draw may be insufficient for Sunderland, with Allardyce’s men failing to take a chunk out of the four-point buffer with Alex Neil’s fourth-bottom side.

Allardyce believes that puts far more heat on his Sunderland side tomorrow, with Norwich aware that a draw would preserve their healthy advantage over the drop zone.



“The pressure is on us,” he said.

“Norwich wouldn’t be too disappointed in a draw, because one more game ticks by.

“They’ll still be four points ahead of us with five games left, instead of six.

“But we both want to win.

“Their results have been better than ours recently with one draw, two wins and one defeat.

“We’ve had just too many draws.

“It won’t matter how we play as long as we win.

“If we have to win ugly, let’s win ugly.

“Within the rules of the game, let’s do whatever we have to do to win.”

Backed by a boisterous crowd, Norwich are likely to make the early running and Allardyce won’t be too upset if the Canaries continue to push forward in search of a vital victory, if Sunderland can take advantage on the counter-attack.

“The focus on defending, when somebody is throwing everything at you, is 100% so you can keep them out,” he added.

“It’s a bit like Athletico Madrid and Barcelona the other night (the Champions League quarter-final).

“Norwich can have 77% possession if they want, as long as I get a clean sheet.

“Because, even though I have been concerned that we haven’t scored a goal in the last two games, if we keep a clean sheet I am always convinced we have enough threat to get a goal.

“If they throw the kitchen sink at us, we can absorb the pressure and then when we get the opportunity, we can expose them if they over-extend themselves.



Read more: http://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport...aw-against-sunderland-1-7854169#ixzz45sYU1fdK
 
commachio1 said:
Are you confident like?
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Not confident at all.
The way the season is going anything can happen.
I think (hope) Norwich's little run of form may have come to an end at Palace, its up to us now to capitalise on that.
Just hope that whoever Sam puts out don't bottle it as the pressure must be immense.
Can Norwich contain their nerves? We've been there and done it so we know what its like.....they don't.
bring it on and bring the 3 points home.....haway the lads :emoticon-0107-sweat
 
This is going to be a season defining game, lose it and we're pretty much gone, draw and we'll need to do something pretty special in the remainder of the season and a win gives us a good chance of staying up. Norwich fans will expect a result against us as well which will put pressure on them so could be a cagey game but it's one that we need to come out on top in.

I think that he'll play the same team as last week keeping cats in there for his attitude but if it was up to me I'd rather have Larson or even Rodwell in the team ahead of him as they are more likely to get into the Norwich box than cats is. I think that Borini and Khazri looked lively last week and against a lesser defence I'm fairly confident we'll create chances. The only other change I'd make is I'd have Pickford in goal, Manones distribution last week was horrendous particularly in the later part of the game when he had N'Doye to aim at and he made it easy for Vardy's first goal as well.

This is one of them games where you could make a good case to predict a win, loss or a draw, just got a feeling that we'll be able to have a good go at there defence and we'll outscore them, that might be blind faith though.
 
grimsby mackem said:
This is going to be a season defining game, lose it and we're pretty much gone, draw and we'll need to do something pretty special in the remainder of the season and a win gives us a good chance of staying up. Norwich fans will expect a result against us as well which will put pressure on them so could be a cagey game but it's one that we need to come out on top in.

I think that he'll play the same team as last week keeping cats in there for his attitude but if it was up to me I'd rather have Larson or even Rodwell in the team ahead of him as they are more likely to get into the Norwich box than cats is. I think that Borini and Khazri looked lively last week and against a lesser defence I'm fairly confident we'll create chances. The only other change I'd make is I'd have Pickford in goal, Manones distribution last week was horrendous particularly in the later part of the game when he had N'Doye to aim at and he made it easy for Vardy's first goal as well.

This is one of them games where you could make a good case to predict a win, loss or a draw, just got a feeling that we'll be able to have a good go at there defence and we'll outscore them, that might be blind faith though.
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Of course it's blind faith mate. If it wasn't it'd be because we were higher up the league.

A belief that our team can suddenly fulfil our expectations in just 6 games, when they haven't done so far, is just that. Blind faith.

But I'm as blind as the next guy, so what do I know?
 
I'd go with this line up then later swap out Karzi for Tov, as undoubtedly the ball will get lumped up and he's great in the air.....SKP/SNQ = Defoe/Tov


Wearside Giacch said:
I'd go
Pickford
Yedlin kone kaboul pva
Seb Kirchhoff Mvila
Borini Defoe Kazhri

Don't think Sam likes Seb or would risk Pickford so can see those being replaced with rodwell and mannone....[/QU
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Having played well enough to have got better results of late I wonder just how much we are missing JOS for his defence marshalling experience. There have been a couple of times recently where our defence has lost its concentration and when you look closely at the back four it is relatively inexperienced. Someone to keep them focused may be of more use than having a potrolman playing just in front of them.
 
Nostalgic said:
Having played well enough to have got better results of late I wonder just how much we are missing JOS for his defence marshalling experience. There have been a couple of times recently where our defence has lost its concentration and when you look closely at the back four it is relatively inexperienced. Someone to keep them focused may be of more use than having a potrolman playing just in front of them.
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Tricky one mate.
 
Nostalgic said:
Having played well enough to have got better results of late I wonder just how much we are missing JOS for his defence marshalling experience. There have been a couple of times recently where our defence has lost its concentration and when you look closely at the back four it is relatively inexperienced. Someone to keep them focused may be of more use than having a potrolman playing just in front of them.
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Is that an old DC3 in your avatar mate?
 
Nostalgic said:
Having played well enough to have got better results of late I wonder just how much we are missing JOS for his defence marshalling experience. There have been a couple of times recently where our defence has lost its concentration and when you look closely at the back four it is relatively inexperienced. Someone to keep them focused may be of more use than having a potrolman playing just in front of them.
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He certainly does a good job organising the defence, got caught cold against Leica but Norwich haven't the same type of threat.
Who would you drop though to include him.
 
Blunham Mackem said:
Is that an old DC3 in your avatar mate?
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Got it in one. Been playing around with photos for an avatar for a while. It is actually a coffee stop on the main highway on the north island north of Wellington. When I saw it the cockpit was intact but the body just a shell. It certainly catches the eye and was up for sale when we saw it but the wife was with me so no chance of putting a bid.
 
Nostalgic said:
Got it in one. Been playing around with photos for an avatar for a while. It is actually a coffee stop on the main highway on the north island north of Wellington. When I saw it the cockpit was intact but the body just a shell. It certainly catches the eye and was up for sale when we saw it but the wife was with me so no chance of putting a bid.
Click to expand...

The plane is a coffee shop/
 
crumble bungle said:
He certainly does a good job organising the defence, got caught cold against Leica but Norwich haven't the same type of threat.
Who would you drop though to include him.
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From the off either Kaboul or Kone since they have both been of equal value but without JOS's decades of experience.The trick will be to keep Yedlin and PvA focused on their defensive duties. Leave the up and down the line stuff to Khazri and whoever, at least Norwich do not have anyone resembling Vardy for speed.
 
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