Match Day Thread Sunderland v Hull City

Interview: Hull fan Luke says ex-Sunderland captain “Honeyesta” is “absolutely unbelievable”
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Honeyesta, eh? That’s what Hull supporters are calling the man who now adorns an orange & black striped shirt. Tigers fan & Podcaster Luke Flanagan is here to give us the lowdown on Sunderland’s next opponents!

By MatthewCrichton@MattyCrichton Jan 8, 2021, 11:08am GMTShare this on Facebook (opens in new window)

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Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images
Sunderland face Hull on Saturday at the Stadium of Light, with the match being selected for broadcasting by Sky at 7.45. The original fixture, which was originally meant to take place on Boxing Day, was postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Sunderland squad.

The Tigers currently sit second on the League One table and will be looking to retain their automatic promotion place, whilst the Black Cats will be looking to find the consistency that will push them back into the playoff positions.

Ahead of the match, I spoke to Hull fan, Tigers Blah Blah Blah podcast host and VAVEL EFL Deputy Editor Luke Flanagan, to discuss how Grant McCann’s side have faired so far this season, as well as how Sunderland’s former captain George Honeyman is performing.

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Sunderland did the double over Hull when the two sides last competed in the Premier League during the 2016/17 season.
Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images
MC: After a highly impressive start to the League One season, Hull have only won one of their last five league games but still sit second in the table, what are the main factors behind that dip in form?

LF: A few things. In the main, we played teams who I think had worked us out. In particular Shrewsbury knew that we’d play 4-3-3 so they went 5-4-1 and defended so deep we couldn’t break it down.

Portsmouth were very negative as well and that was an awful game. Should have been 0-0 but we scored two own goals - they won 2-0 having no shots on target! We also missed Honeyman for three of those defeats. He is integral to all that we do going forward and we missed his influence massively. We looked flat without him.

MC: Many pundits were shocked to see Hull stick with Grant McCann after your collapse in the Championship last year which led to relegation, has the club’s start to this season shown that decision was correct?

LF: On the whole I think yes. He knows this division having done well with Doncaster and I actually think it was that the owners didn’t want to spend money to sack him - they knew McCann wouldn’t walk.

He annoyed a lot of fans obviously but I think he’s doing his best to turn some round. The “McCann out” clan are always out on twitter after a defeat obviously, but I think he’s got a good chance of taking us up.

MC: We cannot discuss Sunderland and Hull without mentioning George Honeyman - how has he performed this season back playing in League One?

LF: Absolutely unbelievable. He is so important to us - free kicks and set pieces are quality for this level and his energy on the pitch is amazing to watch. He leads by example and I can’t believe some Sunderland fans didn’t take to him. He’s one of the players of the season so far for me.

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Hull manager Grant McCann possesses experience of managing in League One, through previous spells with Peterborough and Doncaster.
Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
MC: 19-year-old winger Keane Lewis-Potter looks a real prospect this season, do Hull have a special player on their hands who can help fire the club back to the Championship?

LF: Oh yes - only if the owners stop playing about, though. Championship teams will be looking at him and there’s problems agreeing a new deal. The fans are most upset by this and it needs to be sorted ASAP. Nothing better than a home town boy banging in the goals for his club - but McCann is benching him at the moment. That needs to change.

MC: The January transfer window is now open, but League One are heavily restricted due to EFL wage cap rules, are there any Hull players you are concerned about losing this month?

LF: All of them. After losing our two playmakers (Bowen & Grosicki) last year I won’t rule anything out. We’ve already lost Adelakun, but he was a loan and has been recalled. We could do with a new striker and I’d take a swap for Tom Eaves as it just doesn’t look like it’s going to work for him at Hull City.

MC: Winger Hakeeb Adelakun was recently recalled by Bristol City after spending the first half of this season with Hull, he has been linked with Sunderland through his links to Lee Johnson - what did you think of him during his spell?

LF: He’s inconsistent. Definitely a player in there, and some real quality touches - a couple of good goals - but he can go missing big time. KLP is a far better player, as is Wilks - but he’s a good option to have.

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19-year-old Keane Lewis-Potter has scored five goals so far in League One this season.
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
MC: This match was rearranged last minute following cancellations to other fixtures due to COVID-19, do you think quick fixture changes like this to prevent congestion should become a norm this season?

LF: Absolutely. More should be done to rearrange matches - otherwise there will be too many injuries when we’re trying to play three games in a week. This is the first time I’ve been impressed by a decision that the EFL has made!

MC: Who are the eleven Hull players you believe McCann will select against Sunderland, plus what style of play can Johnson’s men expect to face?

LF: 4-3-3. Always! Lots of passing and overlapping full backs getting crosses in the box. Also some ****housing if we go one up - lots of blatant time wasting.

Long (GK); Emmanuel, Jones, Greaves, Fleming; Smallwood, Docherty, Honeyesta; Wilks, Eaves, Scott. I don’t think he’ll play KLP and we had some positive tests of other players so they might not be back in time.

MC: The two clubs were only separated by penalties in the Carabao Cup earlier this season, what is your honest prediction of the final score this time around?

LF: Score draw. I think we’ll come alive once KLP comes on but Lee Johnson is a good manager to have at this level so it should be interesting!

 

Which of you twats showed Chazz how to cut and paste? He's going barmy with it now ffs.

 

HOLY **** HAS HE GONE 3-5-2?!?!??


3 Centre halves, Emmanuel and Fleming as WBs, TWO up front?!

Good job I'm ****ing sat down.

 

I remember a minibus full of Sunderland fans coming on our coach on the way home from Reading in 1993 and handing out sweets from a massive bag. Didn't ask if they'd pinched them from services or anything, though.

That spell between 2013 and 2015 when we had some great games against them, including the cup game and the comedy 3-1 win at the SoL in 2014, when we'd been **** for weeks before the game and they made Gaston Ramirez look like a proper footballer.

No real idea what will happen tonight, but Honeyesta either scores the winner or gets a red card. Or both, even.

 

How the fcuk do you take anyone seriously when they think we play in Orange?

 

On the formation thing, it's ****ing ridiculous that the club would rather break from the 4-3-3 philosophy, something we haven't changed in over 50 matches straight, than play one of our best players because he'll get some money if he does.

State of it.

 

Aye, everyone knows we've played in Sonic Gold for years.

 

Or our gaffer thinks it's the best way to set up to win the game and has learnt that 1 set up doesn't suit all. Or he's finally grown a pair and is doing what he thinks rather then told. Or it could be the KLP situation. Or it could and probably is a mixture of all of the above

 

Hopefully Sunderland will be as confused as we are.

 

Disgraceful dive by the Newcastle player there with a blood curdling scream

really sickens me now all this diving ****e

 

Still think a blatant dive should be retrospectively looked at and players heavily fined and banned for 5+ games. it would soon sort it out

 

Agreed.

Unfortunately officials dislike admitting they’ve ****ed up.

Let’s face...it’s taken VAR to expose that fact..

 

Fleming deservedly keeps his spot.

 

Hopefully his form sticks and he keeps his place long term

 

****ing eaves playing and klp on the bench.
Ffs stand up to ehaw

 

Good common sense from the pundits about klp

 

Paul cook speaking about KLP on sky now and got to admit he's absolutely spot on

 

What are they saying?

 

He can't really. He probably wants to keep his job.