Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Bournemouth FC - Saturday 29th November 2025 - KO 15:00

Not a bad watch actually, quite impartial for an opposition review

 

Hard disagree. I'd like to see him loaned out, he looked good at centre back but isn't a left back and has played most of his games there for us, I think he can still improve a lot. He will end up a proper battering ram type centre back I think, not dissimilar to Ballard but left-footed.

 

Time on his side but I’d be massively shocked if Leo Hjelde played Premier League football regularly

I wouldn’t mind him featuring some time soon anyway, I’d make some money on him being booked…

 

That all sounds sensible to me, thanks to our good start to the season we can rightly err on the side of caution, and look beyond the next game. A win tomorrow wont go amiss , but getting to 20 points before Xmas has to be the first aim. Then looking forward to the prospect of safety the next.

 

His main problem is Ballard, they're essentially the same type of player but Ballard is obviously much further along (4 years older as well), If you remember Ballard in his first season here he was not great in possession, but he has become an absolute lynchpin for us and has been great at starting attacks and retaining possession. Hjelde could absolutely become that player.

 

Hope he enjoys the experience marra, I’m sure he will lap it up.

 

Great post , enjoy the day.

 

I like watching Bournemouth.

Iraola is the real deal, they play fast, they try to win every game, they have players that can damage you.

A back 5 and letting them come at us would be criminal in this one as they concede, I’d definitely like to see Brobbey start and put himself about and hold the ball. I’d love Mayenda to get a game here I think it’s a good one for him.

Talbi left, Mayenda right and Enzo, Noah and Xhaka I think is a real balance and threat.

I will say harsh on Traore who despite some folk not being overly complimentary has been decent and Grady’s his bollocks off, I just think Mayenda is a headache and Bournemouth wound deal with it, anything that pushes the outstanding Semenyo back is positive for us.

I love Trai, absolutely live the lad but I do think our best back 4 is Rei-Omar-Dan-Nordi so if I was picking the side that’s my 11

Brobbey
Talbi-Enzo-Mayenda
Capitano-Noah
Rei-Omar-Dan-Nordi
Rooooooooefs

I just personally think that’s a cracking side with balance, threat and work rate.

To put that team up, and not have the likes of Trai, Diarra, Traore, Adingra and the excellent Geeertruida really does watermark how far we’ve come.

3-2 the lads by the way. Layers for days. Ha’waaaaaay

 

Well, I'd say he is unproven at this level rather than not good enough, but aye he seems one likely for the exit door along with Roberts, Neil, Browne, Alese and Cirkin
No shame in it, could do a steady job for a mid table Championship side.

 

Hjelde looked assured and very good on his debut v Boro. Really chucked in last minute and did well. Not hit the heights since then but hasn't had any type of run in central defence. Not many could have seen Mayenda developing like he has, so all bets are off on what a lot of these lads can achieve. Central defence may be a position where players can take longer to mature as well.

 

There's a huge amount of time, effort and money expended on scouting, appraising and signing players not to mention all the background checks, personality appraisals, medicals etc. That's why they're not just bombed out quickly when they've only played a handfull of games, often without a run in the team.

We have AFCON, FA Cup, injuries, suspensions, etc to consider so there's no desperate rush to write players off ...

... I don't know why it bothers people, so much, when they're not paying the wages tbh.

 

That early exit from the League Cup has definitely hindered our ability to play and assess our fringe players,at first I thought it was a bit of a help to avoid injuries and fixture congestion but with the benefit of our great start to the season we could of done with a longer run

 

Thanks for the standard excellent thread @RTB. Cracking read as always.

Tough game this, hope we have had a good week and everyone is raring to go.

Tight one to call but if we are at it I think we will nick it 2-1.