Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Swansea City – Saturday 24th February 2024 - KO 15:00

Prehab26 said:

Getting back to the match.

We were so poor mind. So open. The set up clearly didn't work, especially first half. Even Dan Neil looked like a poor player.

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They were really poor first half, but he changed it and we were a lot better 2nd half, had a lot of the ball but didn't threaten enough

Prehab26 said:

Absolutely. That's the issue with the model. It's wait wait and then sell. Impactful is a great word for it. You're correct too. Some of the players we have are vastly over rated and the team is crying for experience, to dig in. We are very soft and easy to play against IMO.

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The ‘model’ doesn’t need scrapped, it needs tweaked.

At the head of that you need a ****ing ballsy coach who knows how to build teams.

More concerning is from this summers batch only Rusyn and Seelt looks like they could be impactful at this stage.

Seasons well gone imo, Dodds tried to be too clever yesterday and the players were just all over the shop.
The amount of times there midfield got the ball and they had 10 yards of space at least all around them was shocking.
Better in the second half but that was very very poor. We definitely need a bit of a figure head in there to keep everyone calm.

Nads said:

I don’t see why not.

We are a bigger club than Forest and we are in a better place than they were when he went in.

Their owner is a lunatic and he handled that well.

He had players launched at him from all angles and managed to tune it and make a team.

He hasn’t done enough in the PL to land one of the bigger jobs and we are as big if not bigger than 12-14 PL clubs.

Ambitious move but for me it looks like ‘opportunity knocks’. He is sitting there available and even if we moved now and treat this season as groundwork.

I can’t see past him right now personally. This isn’t the time for a gamble on a young coach who may be the next big thing but may just as well be the next big compensation payout.

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100% agree mate, would be seen as ambitious and might cost us a couple of quid, but like you I think we are perfect for him

FellTop said:

My point really was mate he tried a formation that I dont think can work win we are needing a win, because the players arent there for that. I dont see Hume as that pacey overlapping full back for example. He changed back to a formation that we nearly always play.

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I don't think it was the formation as much as it was the tactic of the fluid front three, nobody knew what they were doing and there were gaps everywhere especially on the left. It was the same formation that worked against Leeds wasn't it? Difference then was everyone knew their role.

I think we could try two up top with a high press with the players we've got and it wouldn't be a problem for us.

Chunksafc said:

100% agree mate, would be seen as ambitious and might cost us a couple of quid, but like you I think we are perfect for him

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We want a head start on next season now. We need to hit the ground running.

We will, cos that’s what we do, keep convincing ourselves fat lady isn’t singing, but if we honest, she finished, had her dinner, had a shower, a good kip and is now on holiday.

Nads said:

First half was one of the worst I’ve see we could have been 4 down.

Concern now is this regression is starting to look permanent and it’s now in my head ‘are our players as good as we think’.

We sat after and tried to fathom how many players we have would get a game at Leeds, Leicester and Saints, and could only agree on Dan & Jacky.

I know that’s extreme as it’s the 3 relegated teams but it shows we are levels off, absolute levels.

We haven’t made a truly impactful signing for 2 years now and that is horrific.

New coach needs to be one who’s shown they can build, live in a pressure cooker and mould.

It screams Cooper. Absolutely ****ing screams it.

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Cooper's reputation rises as Nuno's Forest slips further down.

Smug in Boots said:

Cooper's reputation rises as Nuno's Forest slips further down.

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It does. Not enough to make him unobtainable though.

If we somehow get the ‘right man at the right time’ for the first time since Keane we could really soar.

If we **** it again them the downside is terrifying.

Nads said:

The ‘model’ doesn’t need scrapped, it needs tweaked.

At the head of that you need a ****ing ballsy coach who knows how to build teams.

More concerning is from this summers batch only Rusyn and Seelt looks like they could be impactful at this stage.

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I agree. I have been calling for greater flexibility in the model for well over a year.

Our club will always be a bit ‘basket case’ and we wouldn’t want it to not be really, it’s a part of our DNA and culture.

Doesn’t mean we can’t occasionally be smart and get it ****ing right.

Prehab26 said:

I agree. I have been calling for greater flexibility in the model for well over a year.

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I'm hoping we see that flexibility in the summer. That doesn't mean I want millions and millions thrown at it

We can't keep putting all our eggs in the same youth basket, there needs to be a sensible mix and that should be achievable with selling one or 2 each year and adding to the squad with a mix of ready now and potential

Nads said:

Our club will always be a bit ‘basket case’ and we wouldn’t want it to not be really, it’s a part of our DNA and culture.

Doesn’t mean we can’t occasionally be smart and get it ****ing right.

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Clubs like Everton and Newcastle are finding that success is difficult to buy/find ...

.... only a dozen clubs are successful every year and sadly they often tend to be the same ones.

Clubs dropping from the PL are becoming increasingly likely to be promoted straight back.

Finishing third in the Championship just puts you into a lottery that, if you don't win, can mean you're in financial trouble.

But we are a big club, with great support, and have become somewhere players are less likely to turn down.

We need to capitalise on that and hire a proven coach, simple as that ...

... except picking the right one isn't that simple.

Moyes was proven

Smug in Boots said:

Clubs like Everton and Newcastle are finding that success is difficult to buy/find ...

.... only a dozen clubs are successful every year and sadly they often tend to be the same ones.

Clubs dropping from the PL are becoming increasingly likely to be promoted straight back.

Finishing third in the Championship just puts you into a lottery that, if you don't win, can mean you're in financial trouble.

But we are a big club, with great support, and have become somewhere players are less likely to turn down.

We need to capitalise on that and hire a proven coach, simple as that ...

... except picking the right one isn't that simple.

Moyes was proven

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Even he was ‘wrong time’ though, bitter after 2 failures.

Definite improvement yesterday, we didnt concede from a set piece

clockstander said:

Good post . I suggest we revert to a more cautionary line up asp to halt the slide, some careful consideration of what succeeded against WBA and Leeds might be a start, or when we can move our captain into the diamond in front of a back 4 in a 4/4/2 set up , these formations can work with the right players, and players that we already have at the club imo.

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I have scribbled down a couple of 442 options, or 4411 that might just be worth trying. It feels a dated system these days, but might help us in the short term. A simple system which players should understand.

cheers again RTB...

read through most of the posts and finding it hard to disagree with most, dodds at least tried to shake it up a bit with 4 changes (two had to be made) and different formation/tactics, unfortunately he struck out on every aspect and swansea had a clear first half to basically keep attacking...will be the easiest 45 they have played.

dodds did try to change things around during the game rather than leaving it till half time but the damage was done and it could have been much worse.

'the model' keeps getting brought up, i have said i like the way the club is doing the recruitment now and i stick by that as on their day (fewer of them lately) this is an exciting squad to watch...but, there has to be some flex in there and to my mind it needs to be in the middle, players with that awareness that can not be trained/coached into lads, it only comes with experience of game time as it develops like some kind of 'sixth sense' plus the ability to keep himself consistent and not put way too much into one game then have two or three where he just does not have the energy.

we have seen dodds 'do the job' much better and with clarke/roberts/ballard back and raring to go plus hopefully a couple more of the 'long termers' in the squad as well we might just finish the season with some hope for next season.

MotM goes to rusyn, he always tries, always is running, never shirks a tackle, just wish he was getting better service.

don't think KLD goes unless he gets his money he wants, he might not take the rest of the shares, but one thing im sure of is we are in for a massive summer, and i'm feeling positive about it got a little feeling we are really going to go for it next season i think this season has been more about building the squad up and next one go all out, i think try and enjoy the end of this season, because i recon we are all in for a total different ball game next season and a one to remember ......

I know there’s a couple of lads on here that’s done coaching can you explain for me why we don’t leave a man on the half way line for the oppositions corners,everyone yesterday Swansea had all there outfield players in and around our box. Sorry if this has already been mentioned I just skipped through the last 15 pages or so

Magnus said:

don't think KLD goes unless he gets his money he wants, he might not take the rest of the shares, but one thing im sure of is we are in for a massive summer, and i'm feeling positive about it got a little feeling we are really going to go for it next season i think this season has been more about building the squad up and next one go all out, i think try and enjoy the end of this season, because i recon we are all in for a total different ball game next season and a one to remember ......

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Have they put you in charge of selling next year's season tickets.