Match Day Thread Sunderland v Bristol Rovers - Saturday 12th September - KO 15:00

Last time out Sunderland scored 8 goals for the first time since 1956 and set a new club record (It was the first time Sunderland had 7 different scorers in a competitive game), and Bristol Rovers drew with Walsall before losing the penalty shoot out.
Sunderland host Bristol Rovers in the opening game of the 20-21 League One season, the Gas being the last League One opponents from the Covid affected 19-20 season where they dealt the Black Cats what turned out to be a killer blow with a 2-0 defeat. The following week all matches were suspended and the season was decided on points per game, and the rest is history.
Jack Baldwin is set to make a return to the Stadium of Light having signed for Rovers.
Phil Parkinson:
“It’s good to have selection dilemmas going into the weekend. We were pleased to get the goals on Tuesday and it’s important that the likes of Aiden and Danny got off the mark."
Max is a good professional and he sets a good example. He’s very vocal and that’s important. Grant remains club captain, with Bailey also a part of that leadership group. We have a variety of leaders who will set the culture that we need in the dressing room."
‘We're getting there, another one would be great for us in the next week or so and we're working towards making the right addition to compliment what we've got."
We'd like Aiden to move on. We've got young players that we want to give opportunities to. Players move on and younger players emerge"
https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/2020/september/bristol-rovers/press-conference-bristol-rovers
Ben Garner:
“Lots of positives from Tuesday’s performance”
“We look ahead to Sunderland now and we have to get on. We hope to get off to a good start in the League”
“We played them last time out in terms of the League, had a good result and put in a good performance at their place for 30 minutes before the sending off”


Prutton predicts: meh
Super Kev: 3-0

Match Appointments:
Referee: ANTHONY BACKHOUSE
Assistant Referees: Gareth Mellor and Simon Clayton
Fourth Official: Matthew Dicicco

Team Line ups
Sunderland: Burge, O’Nien, Willis, Wright, Xhemajli, Hume, Scowen, Power, Maguire, Gooch, Wyke

Subs: Matthews, Feeney, Dobson, Diamond, Grigg, Graham, O’Brien
Injured: McGeady

Bristol Rovers: Stappershoef Little, Emher, Baldwin, Kilgour, Grant, Nicholson, Hargreaves, Westbrooke, Ayunga, Mitchell-Lawson
Subs: Jaakkola, Leahy, Hare, Harries, Upson, Walker
Injured: tbc

Betting Odds:
Home 3/4 Away 5/2 Draw 9/4

My two pence:
At last the League One season finally gets underway. Let’s all hope that we make it through to the end this time and that we start the journey back to where we belong.
Our last game against Bristol Rovers probably cost us a spot in the playoffs so it would be nice to put one over them.
I’m going for a 3-1 home win.

Live stream £10
https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video

I’m away for the weekend and won’t be able to watch the stream, but I’ll probably follow it on here so keep me updated

Ha’way the Lads

 

Very confident for this one. Think we'll have a good season and think we'll see these off about 3-0

 

Really fancy us. I like what we’ve done squad wise, and midweek, regardless of the opposition, will have had the lads buzzing in training and right up for it.

That early season optimism and that, I’m going for a resounding win for the lads.

4-0. You heard it here first.

 

Can't disagree with either of you, so I'm going for a 3.5 - 0 home win

 

Cracking thread as usual RTB; thank you. I'm going for a tight 3-1.

 

Ill take it

 

Need to win this one in case Boris calls a halt to the season!

 

Off up to Fife for a week. Cottage has wifi so dogs to kennels early and cottage ours from 3pm so hopefully get to stream most of the match. As usual go into the first match full of optimism especially after Tuesday. Not really bothered about the score as long as we have a reasonably comfortable win.

 

this is the start, no predictions from me cos if we lose i blame myself.

suffice to say, i like the look of the current squad and the way they play...if you understand what i mean here they look happier on the pitch, heres to a good start, we are well overdue one.

 

i am expecting a good performance and a lot of goals for us. As this is Sunderland i pray please don't do your usual and **** it up, remember the whole city is rooting for you lads.

 

Great thread as usual. However, I hope your front 3 are all wrong.

 

4-0 the lads

 

Post it on here as well - has anyone had their streaming pass voucher yet?

https://www.safc.com/news/club-news/2020/september/season-card-and-streaming-update

 

I've changed my mind. Maguire can start. Just seen someone on RR do a starting 11 which I agree with, with a couple of players unlucky not to start;

Burge
Willis Wright Kosovan
O'Nien Power Scowan Hume
Maguire
Grigg O'Brien

 

The excitement of the new season very truly kicking in now.. It will be painful for me not to be able to attend that's for sure..
Ha'way the lads.. Let's get off to a positive winning start..

 

2-0

hopefully be same team as Hull game expect Xhemmali instead of Flanagan

 

If we start with someone other than wyke then I can see us getting off to a flier.
5-0.

 

looks good to me that one, only possible change imho would be start diamond instead of onien...i like onien in the team as he brings a nice raw energy but diamond has been on fire and i think deserves a start, really think scowen/power is worth sticking with but leadbitter has looked sharp as well so would not worry there...first time in a good while i am not worried if a players picks up an injury as we seem to have good cover for all positions.

 

5-1 simples

Bart

 

That’s the ****ing spirit lad!

As we’ve both said it must be happening.