Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Coventry City – Play-off Semi Final 2nd leg Tuesday 13th May 2025 - KO 20:00

Not to be too much of a miserable bastard and overshadow a brilliant night, it was the worst I’ve seen him play for 90 minutes. Wasn’t for trying because he was putting himself about but he was second best to absolutely everything and misplaced what seemed to be about 4 or 5 really simple passes on the counter and gifted them the ball back. Really difficult for a midfield 2 to go up against a solid, experienced championship midfield 3 though. Grimes was absolutely excellent in dictating the game for them.

 

During the last 15 minutes, of a game in 1977, Jimmy Hill instructed Coventry to pass the ball around aimlessly, get to the end of the game and avoid any meaningful attempts on goal …

… how ironic that ‘the ghost of Chinny’ looked down on them last night and guided them through it all again.

And doubly ironic that their partners in crime, Bristol City, were also introduced to a little karma

 

Thought Grimes was really poor personally. Him dropping between the CBs and Rudoni pushing extremely high meant they only had Sheaf in the centre of the pitch which meant they had to go wide and cross. Killed them.

 

**** did i do?

 

Think thats tactical, more a slight at Lampard than Grimes himself

 

Yeah definitely. Lampard is garbage and i'll stand by that. Grimes is a quality player but whatever Lampard had him doing yesterday hurt the team

 

Think the idea was by dropping their most involved midfielder deeper they could bait isidor or mayenda to press and break our banks of 442, but we just never let it and grimes ended up with no options when they all ran forward behind our lines - only option to lump in a cross our play around our compact shape.

 

I thought Ben Sheaf looked their best midfielder in both games and in both games he was taken off relatively early which then limited their ability to keep possession.

 

Nope

 

There was something I saw about 4:30? Defo wouldnt take it as gospel, probably misread somewhere.

 

Decision expected in the coming DAYS. Joke.

 

Sky's programme starts at 4.30pm

 

Did anybody see any footage / shots / photos of Speakman last night? I saw KLD and Sartori on the pitch celebrating after but not Speakman. I like that he's not wanting the limelight.

 

Ah right, kickoff not long after then?

 

Bollocks to that, I want him stood next to RLB like Arsenals set piece coach soaking up the glory.

 

That’s what he excels at playing almost like a quarterback, just seemed to recycle the ball so well and won pretty much every duel he went into from what I remember and never looked in danger when he had the ball. Needed more from Rudoni really i thought Grimes and Sheaf done their jobs well but almost a bit of a trade off playing two midfielders who can both play the 6/8 solid defensively aren’t going to give you much creativity.

Also on the subject of Rudoni.. that miss in the first half that he put over the bar from about 4 yards out - would that have counted? I can’t remember seeing a free kick given our way. Shocking miss if so

 

I'm adamant I checked the kick off time months ago and it said 17.30. I have no idea why it changed to TBC. But now Sky are listing their programme for 16.30 it would make sense.

 

will not stop sharing any vids when I find them

 

Did anyone else watching on TV see the aggregate score change to 3-2 briefly in the first half or am I having premonitions now?

 

Aye that did happen.