Sunderland travel to Swansea City in the Championship. Last time out Sunderland drew with Bristol City and Swansea won at Plymouth. Sunderland made two changes against Bristol City. Chris Mepham replaced Luke O'Nien, who was absent because of illness, and Eliezer Mayenda started ahead of Patrick Roberts, who dropped down to the bench. The Black Cats started quickly attacking down both flanks but were unable to provide the vital final touch. Alese had a penalty appeal waved away by the referee and it finished level at the break. City took the lead after a defensive mix up was dispatched by McNally but Patrick Roberts grabbed a 94th minute equaliser to secure a valuable point. Tommy Watson is out for 2 months after being forced off in the first half with an ankle/knee injury. Luke O’Nien should be available after illness and Dennis Cirkin could return to the starting eleven. Huggins, Seelt, Samed, Poveda, Mundle, Browne & Abdullahi remain injured. Swansea are up to ninth in the table having become only the second visiting team to win at Plymouth this season. The Swans led at half time thanks to a composed finish from Jay Fulton. Liam Cullen turned the ball home from close range on the hour to double their lead But Plymouth set up a tense finale when Mustapha Bundu headed home after a goalmouth scramble. Ex Black Cat, Jon McLaughlin will be on the bench for the Swans. Regis le Bris: "We dominated the game, starting well with a good tempo and playing the way we wanted to play, with many switches and playing into the triangles. "We had a lack of bodies in the box to receive the crosses and to deal with the counter-pressing to recover the ball quickly and create the second chance. "The first half was positive and the second half was different as they changed their shape and defended in a different way. "We struggled a little bit for 15 or 20 minutes and they obtained some situations and finally, on a set-play, found a solution. "We had the character to score at the end but we can be frustrated because against a low block we struggled to find a solution." Press Conference: Luke Williams: "The opposition were very aggressive, pretty much full-court press. The players handled that so well that they made it look comfortable, but I don't think it was as comfortable as it appeared. "We started really well, then had a couple of sticky moments, then managed to get a foothold again and I am so happy for Jay [Fulton] because he is such a terrific guy who has been brilliant for the group. "You can see why Plymouth [are hard to beat at home]. It speaks volumes for the group, the strength of character, to be able to go away from home and be able to win at tough places. "I am very impressed with the group." Form: Match Appointments Referee: ANDY DAVIES Assistant Referees: Lee Venamore & George Byrne Fourth Official: Ollie Yates Team Lineups: Sunderland AFC: (4-3-3) Patterson, Cirkin, Mepham, O’Nien, Hume, Neil, Jobe, Rigg, Mayenda, Roberts, isidor. Subs: Moore, Hjelde, Alese, Ballard, Aleksic, Ba, Aouchiche, Rusyn, Connolly. Injured: Huggins, Seelt, Samed, Abdullahi, Browne, Mundle. Watson. Swansea City (3-4-2-1) Vigouroux, Key, Cabango, Darling, Tymon, Fulton, Grimes, Cullen, Eom, Peart-Harris, Bianchini. Subs: Jon McLaughlin, Vipotnik, Franco, Tjoe-A-On, Christie, Naughton, Abbey, Ronald, Abdulai. Injured: Parker, Cooper, Fischer, Ginnelly Betting Odds: Sunderland 17/10 Swansea City 8/5 Draw 21/10 Prutton Predicts: meh My two pence: A decent performance against Bristol City but again we failed to convert our chances. Really bad luck for Tommy Watson to get injured just as he was starting to play the way he does for the U21s. Swansea can play some good football so I’m expecting another tough game at their place. We don’t have a great record against them over the last few seasons. I was going to go for a draw but I was swayed by the team characteristics and their weaknesses seem to be no match for our strengths. I’m now going for a 1-0 away win. Live Stream: https://www.safc.com/live (Available to overseas fans) Ha’way the Lads
Just think we are toiling and will lose this. RLB needs to use his squad better. If he doesn’t we’ll finish outside the top 6. Leeds Sheff U & Burnley do this far better than us. if something doesn’t change we’re on the slippery slope to mid table. 2-0 home win I’m sorry to say. Bart
Despite your previous appalling threads you seem to be getting the hang of it and knocking out summat half decent ... ... God loves a trier As you know, despite being a fortnight off Christmas, we have another sold out allocation. We're blessed to have that when you consider it's a 7 hour drive for people. Whether it's in the ground or coming across on TV the supporters are absolutely magnificent and deserve every bit of praise. Swansea are a tedious club who'll eventually drop to L1 when their luck runs out. In their last home game they were lucky to scrape a point against Portsmouth with the help of an OG and conceded 4 home goals in the game before that. They'll have lots of possession, which is nine tenths of the law, but that doesn't win you football matches. It's time for us to lay the law down and turn our superior football into wins. We just need to play a fraction quicker, keep the ball in their half and convert chances into goals ... ... good luck to everyone going, hope you're singing all the way home with a 3-0 win and back up the table.
Derby were the better team tbh, Watford scraped a draw at Hull who are bottom of the league ... ... lets not get despondent because of a bad run, all teams have them. Before the end of the year Burnley are at Norwich, Boro and Sheff Utd with only Watford at home. There's a bad run if I ever saw one although draws would probably suit us better. There are dozens of 'six-pointers' so plenty of hope if we can grasp it. In the next month Leeds have Blackburn, Norwich, Burnley, Watford, Sunderland and Sheff Utd. Someone is dropping points ...
IMO Jobe seems to be playing 10 yards deeper than he did at start of season which makes our press less effective. Is this by design or just something that has happened I am not sure. We do seem a little bit more defensive minded and seem to have lost a bit of sparkle and think we need to find that from somewhere. The new guy that came in from Portugal maybe has something to do with the slight change in tactics which in the long run may be of benefit but his appearance does seem to have coincided which a change of momentum and a tweak of our style. As for the game I still think we can get a result against these and will predict a 0-4 score line as I think RLB coming out and saying we did not have enough bodies in the box may well trigger a response from the players.
We could shock a few Saturday, it may be down to Le Bris changing things ever so slightly, I think Mayenda down the centre would've been a good option, but with Watson seemingly out, he may have to stay on the left.
Normally would be happy with a point but given our 1 win in 8 and losing touch with the top 2, we need to win. At some point of we are going to consolidate the top 6 or keep in touch with top 2 then 3 points are needed on the road. Hopefully it starts here. I have to say, I smell a defeat incoming though.
Funny team these, not sure what we face on Saturday but ever hopeful of getting the three points. Feel we're so close to getting things right in the final third we've just got to execute our finishing more clinically which is easier said than done. A win would set us up for the Christmas rush. HTL.
Going to be interesting how we line up for this one, I have a feeling we might see connolly start with Mayenda left and Roberts on the right? I'm going to this on, my first away game in years so praying we can get all 3 points.
Patrick Roberts hails Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/s...-roberts-hails-sunderland-boss-regis-le-bris/ PATRICK Roberts has opened up on his "great relationship" with Regis Le Bris, praising Sunderland's head coach for his honesty and his role in creating such a positive mood behind the scenes. Roberts has worked with plenty of different managers during his playing career but has been struck by Le Bris' desire to understand his players' wants and needs…. "I've had many managers, and you can have different relationships with certain ones and from day one, he's always had a conversation with me and asked what he wants for me as a manager and how he can do it differently or how he can improve, and it's nice to see," said the former Manchester City youngster. "And he has honest conversations with me, and it's all I can ask for, really. Yeah, we have a good relationship and he's always there for a chat. He's always very bubbly as well, which is nice to see, and obviously, when things aren't going right, he will be stern, honest, and that's how it should be if you want to be a top team. "I have a great relationship with him. I talk to him. He's always very honest with me. I'm very honest with him. We have great chats. I have a lot of respect for how he handles not just me, but the rest of the team. "He's not just a great guy but he knows what he wants. You've got to perform every day. "I have a good relationship and he expects a lot, not just from me, but from a lot of the players. He'll tell me honestly how things are going or if I need to do more. We'll have an honest conversation, which, for me, is all I want from a manager to be honest. "He's a great guy and a great manager." Roberts says Le Bris has also set extremely high standards, and while the Black Cats were relieved to snatch a point against the Robins the head coach won't let the players rest on their laurels. "He knows we can do much, much more, which I think is part of the disappointment, but you can be proud and take the positives," said Roberts, who told of his desperation to play a leading role for the Black Cats and build on his recent goal against Bristol City and assist against Stoke. “Ever since I've come here, I've been trying to do my best for Sunderland and every time I'm proud to wear that shirt," he said. "It’s nearly three years now, I know I could probably do a lot more. I know myself. I'm very hard on myself, at the same time, I'm trying to try my best. “The first thing for me is Sunderland winning games, and I'll take that any day over a goal and assist, but I know you need those things to win games, so I understand that point as well and I'm hoping I can add more to my game. I should be. I do believe a lot of myself, and I want to reach levels I've never reached before."
Big shift needed then thankfully no midweek game next week, would like to see rigg given a break and start Connolly in the ten behind Wilson, mayenda got at his full back well as the game went on just lacked the final ball, our record against these is poor so it’s time we turned them over 2-1 Connolly and Wilson
Swansea's form isn't too great either tbh. They were recently two down, at home to bottom club Portsmouth, and only got back into the game with a fluke own goal. They had something like 75% possession but only had half a dozen efforts on target. If the bottom club can draw there I think we can go there with some confidence. I think you smelled a defeat at Millwall so I'm hoping it's just something in the air
Feel like this might be the kind of fixture we need to get back on track. They not in good form but are at home so have to try and take the game. They like the ball which means we can nick it and have a bit of space if we move it quickly. We haven’t played badly last few games if we step out of the doom and gloom view and have chances galore in the last 3, we won’t miss chances forever. I fancy a win on this one, I really do. 2 zip the lads.
Swansea another championship side with plenty of experience in their ranks, especially in the middle of the park with Grimes and Fulton. Need our lads to be at it
Lovely little read. I often think Paddy might be one of those players that needs an arm round the shoulders and to be told he is a match winner. I got the impression Mowbray did that with him. Sounds like he loves being here, and is as critical of himself as supporters can be. I hope the goal lightens the weight on his shoulders a little and he can really have a strong second half of the season. Half a dozen assits and a hand full of goals could a huge difference to us.
