Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Arsenal FC - Saturday 8th November 2025 - KO 17:30

Totally agree with that mate ...

... get Patterson in and we can't lose.

 

FFS man, if it’s drugs, step back lads…..

Great thread as always @RTB, thanks for a superb effort, even more so given your geographical location and two home games inside five days. Top effort.

Above all else, Remembrance weekend at home is always emotional. So many lads and lasses from the area have paid the ultimate sacrifice to allow us all to enjoy these times. Thanks to all of them
and RIP to all of them. We’ve got a brilliant squad upstairs.


Privately, These lads back themselves against anyone. On that basis how can we possibly not back them all the way.

Stadium will be right behind them here and will stay with them.

Arsenal are a class side and will possibly win the league this year but will leave here having been given a very tough evening.

Head, narrow defeat but scoring to burst their defensive bubble. Heart, home win. 2-1 the lads.

**** it. All in. Home win.

HTL.

 

Thought Xhaka’s corners were very good second half on Monday

 

Strong referee needed on Saturday.

 

Pawson.

 

Aye, hopefully an upgrade from Monday

 

Has to be, can’t be much worse than the other night

 

Am I mad in thinking Isidor and mayenda up top in a 4-4-2 might be a good way to start. Get at them.

 

Looking forward to watching arteta and Regis try to out nerd each other, feel a defeat but think we’ll give them a game, a point would be phenomenal

 

This will give us a gauge on how the scum will play i December

 

Jeez - I’d better not forget to take my blood pressure tablet then!

 

Cheers @RTB mate for another great analysis, this should be a cracking game.

I feel we need to start with our biggest lads especially in defence as Arsenal are monsters at corners & set pieces. I agree that 5 at the back is the way to go but which 5 will it be ? Will Hume drop to the bench and start with Geertruda at right wing back

Im hoping for a 1-1 draw with Ballard to score from a corner. I feel RTB can out think Arteta this time ,enjoy the game all who are attending.

Til The End & FTM

 

Another Sheffield Utd fan Craig Pawson

 

You may well be right but we wont see it, easily our best formation in my eyes. One left sided the other right and both can score from anywhere on the pitch as we have seen.

 

Arsenal are in danger of outsmarting themselves with corners so I think we should take advantage.

Isidor isn't a defender, in the way Stewart was, so I wouldn't waste him there.

(I'd rather have Brobbey playing if we're intent on having everyone back for them.)

What I'd like to see is Isidor 'on his blocks' at the halfway line ready for any clearances ...

... Arsenal will need two marking him so that gives us a numerical advantage in defence.

If Isidor does get a run on the defenders there's a fair chance of a free kick, red card or even a penalty/goal.

I'd have him run himself into the ground and swap for Brobbey or Mayenda, if we're level, or both if we need a goal.

With players like Xhaka, Le Fée and Traoré there's going to be opportunities to hit the ball long for Isidor ...

... perhaps we'd be better playing the ball into the corners so he can hold the ball or, at worst, win us throws in 'Mukiele territory'.

Playing through their midfield would be exhausting so I'd rather go 'route one' with Roefs if he has the ball and chase it.

If Arsenal are level, after 60 minutes, we can change things slightly when they start pushing on.

 

Its a bug bear of mine that we bring everyone back on corners, then when we win the ball in the box there's no real outlet to play it long for someone like isidor to chase it

 

Gunners will concede sooner or later, why not saturday.

 

A frustrating thing I picked up on v Everton was the second balls from Mukiele's long throws. A few were cleared to past the penalty spot area and there always seemed to be 3 Everton players there, and none of ours. We could do with someone like Traore or Le Fee buzzing around to get to the loose ball first.

 

Being ex Arsenal Big Dan and Granit are going to busting a gut even more than usual which could give us an edge.