Match Day Thread Burnley FC v Sunderland AFC - Saturday 23rd August 2025 - KO 15:00

today when it was clear burnley were gonna set in with the lead the obvious change wasnt the wide men, but the midfield.

He should have put lee in there and if he doesnt want to limit our pace and energy in midfield its xhaka would should have gone off rather than sadiki or diarra. I understand this losing the holding role but with us enjoying more possession suyrely in the circumstance sadiki could undertake that responsibility? Even still a switch of Diarra for Le Fee. Changing the spark in the middle but having the pacey wide options there would have been better than removing the pacey wide options and sticking the creeative changed on the sideline.
the only logical argument for having le fee left is that there were no options for changes out wide which again goes back to transfeers and tells me the spending cant stop yet.

As others have said, we didnt want le fee wide in the championship so dont want him wide in the prem.

we have to keep players invested and for me le fee starts in the midfield 3 next week, question is who for and arguably not the only change but fine balance between too many changes.

 

40 points remains the goal, plenty time to hit it

we’ll be fine

 

Carefully, you will be labelled as one the of the clique and mates with the mods.

Every defeat always the same

 

Guiu needs 90 midweek.

As Scout has touched on can see a scenario where Guiu playing 9, Talbi/Adingra left and Mayenda right is far more balanced and dangerous.

Granit-Enzo-Diarra.

I thought defensively was ok, and will improve. Second goal is a superb counter. First we slow into shape but it’s a superb layoff and great finish.

Mukiele likely starts CB next week if Lucumi not in and I don’t fear that one bit.

 

First half I thought we looked ahead of them. Take our chances it’s a different game, we didn’t they did, fair play to them; they snuffed us out completely.

Be very surprised if we don’t finish ahead of them but that was a big lesson today. Last week softens the blow at least.

 

Couldn't give a flying **** mate. I SUPPORT SUNDERLAND WIN LOSE OR DRAW! I don't go to matches to go on my phone to say how **** we are I go to support MY TEAM

 

didn't help for the 2nd goal that Xhaka was running in treacle though

 

It was always going to be difficult with it being their first home game. It's not rocket science but goals change games. We should have been 2 up, we don't take them, then the game changes early doors 2nd half. We then chased the game with no real threat. The 2nd is a breakaway, as a result of us having to take risks. As I say, it's all about making it count when it matters. Onto Brentford at the SoL, next week, a different challenge.

 

Oops, sorry I 'liked' a post which, apparently, means I should be ridiculed for it personally ...

... I'll just leave them to put their bait up, settle in for the night and tell everyone where the manager and the club went wrong today.

Have a good night everyone, I don't come on here to be lectured by elite football intellects.

 

Disappointing, the intensity from last week just wasn’t there for long periods, the lads will learn from it and so will RLB, just a bad day at the office but another 3 points next week and all will be good again. Few more bodies in this week will help. Enjoy your Saturday night everyone
Thanks again RTB

 

That low block, sit deep really knacks us.

Felt we just didnt have that movement today to get past it.

Not that I think we will face it much this season, but it needs a thought.

Maybe quicker crosses?

 

Think seelt deserves credit for his preseason efforts and putting in a decent shift last week but I’d like him to get some experience out of the prem. Think he struggles with the balance of being aggressive vs overcommitting. Defo potential for him to be a player here though, just think his development will be best out of the prem for this year.

Fancy us to push hard for lucumi this week. Saw with xhaka when kld wants some one he gets it done and we’ve been after this lad all summer.

 

I said after the game that an area we’ll have to improve on is dealing with being a goal down. Very comfortable with us leading on the break and our defensive set up but really struggled to break them down at all after the first goal. Lessons to be learned, still earlier days. We’ll get better.

 

The Ballard injury and Mayenda missing the chance at the same time probably decided the game. I thought Seelt was fine but we really missed Dan in both boxes.

Think we'll really step up the Lucumi chase now, or move onto another fairly quickly.

 

As one of the colossal’s of the game used to say “ we’ll take our medicine and dust we selves doon and go again “ . It’s a Marathon not a sprint, we go again on Tuesday and then kick on again Saturday.

 

I don’t agree that we were ****e the entire game, we were decent first half and poor second. You don’t get many chances at this level so we need to take them when they come.

Le Bris went 4-4-2 to try to get a goal and their second goal came through the middle of the park where we left ourselves exposed. He quite rightly would have been crucified had he not brought the extra attacker on, we needed to do something to get a goal. I am gutted with the result but we are not far from being a decent team.

Everyone is entitled to express their opinion and I don’t really give a flying **** if anyone disagrees with mine.

 

Well that wasnt very good. In my opinion. We were flat and lacking ideas. And too many players were below their own level.

Parker gets crticism on here, but we all knew he would set up his defence in a way that would stifle. They leave next to no passing lanes. We didnt counter that enough with pace of pass or little give and gos to beat a man. When they got the goal their shape was brilliant. But our subs were odd. Le Fee might as well be a passenger out wide. Taking both wide men off was strange. Let him play in the middle. I would haver personally put him in instead of Xhaka who I though had an off day. Everything he did just seemed slow. Really worrying to see the lad run off the back of him for their second too, no CB or full back cover? Xhaka isnt quick enough to be left there imo. Now I have no doubt he will be back dominating again soon, but today was not his day. Same could be said for his two running men too mind. I thought Sadiki could have come off too to let a more attack minded player on. Rigg would have been my choice.

Good to get a performance like this early doors. I am confident we will bounce back. Maybe also good news the window is still open. We really do need more creativity. Running power is great, but you need a liberal dose of creativity too.

Anyway, ignore MoTD, I hear Shearer is paying big bucks to comment on us tonight

 

We looked solid all first half, but as they sat back we struggled.

Can we go quicker its a curious one as apart from today i cant think of many teams that will sit back against us

 

Luton total plus 4 extra wins. 40 points. Achievable.

 

Very true. Intensity just wasn’t there for me like it was last week. Structure was fine, thought adingra didn’t track back as well as last week and talbi switched off for the goal but that lad works hard. Ballard coming off hurt us too