Sunderland welcome Stoke City to the Stadium of Light in the Championship. Last time out Sunderland lost at home to Hull and Stoke lost at home to Birmingham. The Black Cats dropped to 10th place after another home defeat and are 3 points off 6th placed Coventry. Michael Beale brought in Rusyn and Seelt in place of Ba and the injured Aji Alese. Alese is expected to be out for 5 weeks with a muscle strain and joins Cirkin, Dack, Huggins and Evans on the injured list. Stoke lost 2-1 at home to Tony Mowbray’s rejuvenated Birmingham. Steven Schumacher’s side had been on a decent 7 match unbeaten run since he arrived from Plymouth. Lynden Gooch will hope to be back in the starting 11 as he makes an emotional return to the Stadium of Light. Mick Beale: "I think we lacked quality in the final third, I thought it was a game where we were clearly, probably the stronger team in terms of statistics and things like that but where it matters in the box we’ve not been able to trouble their goalkeeper enough” “ We conceded the corner in a poor way and have had one or two chances to clear the ball and when we are having corners, they (Hull) are putting their bodies on the line, listen it’s really cruel on us tonight and we are all bitterly disappointed, we can see it feel it and sense it in the crowd as well” Aji has a thigh problem, it’s not the same as he had before he was just running in training unopposed and felt an issue and he’s going to be out now for 5 weeks” “They’re (Stoke) in a good rich vein of form, they are doing quite well so it’ll be another tough game so we need to find a solution to the problems that we are facing, tonight we faced a stubborn team who came to take a point and we allowed them to take all 3.” Steven Schumacher: "I felt for large parts of the game the performance was really good. We created loads of chances and some of the play to get to the final third was excellent - that was clear for everyone to see. "But we didn't do enough with it. That's something we need to improve on; it's been an issue all season. We are creating chances fine but have to find a way to stick them in. "We have to keep sticking to the plan, working on it, keep getting into the right areas. At times the final balls weren't great and some of the finishing didn't hit the target for the chances we had. "The character was there and we looked strong and had loads of energy. Birmingham have had to defend really well. We put them under loads of pressure. "We have been on a nice little run and built some nice momentum but today is one that got away from us." Match Appointments: Referee: ANDY DAVIES Assistant Referees: Graham Kane & James Wilson Fourth Official: Anthony Backhouse Team Lineups: Sunderland AFC: (4-2-3-1) Patterson, Hume, Ballard, Seelt, Pembele, Neil, O’Nien, Ba, Clarke, Pritchard Rusyn. Subs: Bishop, Triantis, Mayenda, Aouchiche, Matete, Rigg, Jobe, Bennette, Hemir Injured: Evans, Cirkin, Huggins, Dack, Roberts, Alese Stoke (4-2-3-1) Iversen, However, McNally, Rose, Thompson, Cundle, Burger, Baker, Bae, Mmaee, Cunha Vidigal Subs: Gooch, Pearson, Campbell, Johnson, Bonham, Wilmot, Haksabanovic, Léris, Lowe Injured: Laurent, Fielding, Tezgel Unavailable: Tchamadeu Betting Odds: Sunderland 19/20 Stoke 11/4 Draw 5/2 Prutton Predicts: meh My two pence: Another tough game against another side with ambitions of reaching the play-offs, at least the snake (Alex Neil) has left them now. Unfortunately they appointed a good upcoming manager in Steven Schumacher who has improved results since he came in. We’ve conceded some unlucky goals recently but we are definitely not creating as many opportunities as we did under Mowbray. Beale is already under pressure and needs to fix that as soon as possible. It might be as simple as getting a bit more bite in the midfield, playing a proper right back and someone who stays out on the right wing, oh and maybe resting out of form and tired players. I’m going for a 2-1 home win Live Stream: Available to overseas fans https://safc.com/news/team-news/live-video Press conference for this fixture will take place on Thursday Ha’way the Lads
Great thread as always @RTB thank you again. Still don't think I'm ready to see Gooch in a different shirt....... Like the look of your line up, we have to try something different imo. Praying as always for a fast start and a really high tempo from the lads
Another great summary RTB ...Goochs accent is even stranger now he almost sounds Irish... It would be nice to play Pembele at right back if he is at last fit enough to start. We need to make changes as the system being used isn't working. I'm hoping Pembele and Ba " if they start " will add some pace down that flank. I'm going 2- 0 the lads...no idea who scores the goals !!!
Couldn't agree more Chunk...we need to start fast and put them on the back foot and keep at them for the whole game. The fans are owed a good result and performance
We look so much more dangerous when we play a higher tempo. Press from the front and dont let them settle
Got a massive feeling the MB is going to galvanise the team this week, who will respond by putting in a top notch performance, giving a very welcome 4-1 victory. Dunno why, I just think it will be typical of SAFC, always doing the unexpected. Bart
Thanks RTB for the great thread. Agree with Bart, MB could pull a rabbit out of the hat... Looking forward to getting back to the normality of a 3pm Saturday k.o with a few beers pre-match with the lads. Hhhaaawwwwaaaaayyyyyyy the lads
Like that line up! Worried we see Rusyn out for ba with Jobe up top though, either way let’s get stuck into the ****ers time we turned these over
Like the look of your line up RTB just really hope he rests the boy cos we all know he needs it, I’d be tempted to start Clark on the right and try Bennette on the left just to mix it up anyhow hopefully we can get the show back on the road,thanks for all your efforts in producing these great threads COME ON
Nearly matchday, come on! Time to put all the transfer talk and head coach chatter to one side and back the lads as im sure we all will. I'd love to see him go for the changes in your line up RTB, maybe even get Rigg in alongside Neil.
Our recent record against these is awful, and against Hull it was good and we all know what happened there. MB is in danger of painting himself into a corner with no where to go if he doesn't get this one right. No idea what his team will be just hope we get the right result.HTL.
I wont be able to watch this or get any news until I land in Dubai on a layover but will be checking when I get there. I have been trying to stay positive this week but the truth is I fear another bad result coming which will only intensify the scrutiny not only on Beale but the rest of the coaching team. I will however go for a 1-1 draw and hope even if the result is not great that the performance may offer some optimism as lately optimism has been in short supply.
Thanks again RTB I can't believe the number of 'fans' on social media that are actually hoping we lose!! The mind boggles!! As for me? 3-1 win to the lads
I'm just hoping that the grandson finally gets to see us win! I wish I had his logic, according to him we should win cos of where Stoke are in the league! If only it was that easy!!
