And Osca and I enjoyed our morning walk, crisp underfoot but that little extra spring in the step these days. It seems that every week starts now with,"Well a big week for us", but, this is a big week for us. Get Wednesday right and one step nearer our first cup in 39 years then we move on to a game I'm realy looking forward to, a resurgent Arsenal at our place. We cant move up with a win at the weekend but we can close the gap to touching distance and 7th place, we mut at least be evens if not favourates for this one, but, first things first. What will MON do on Wednesday, does he stick with the same team or change things around. Would changing be playing a weakened team, dont think so. Will Catts be back, will Bridge and the Greek get a game, how about Westy, will it be Wickham, Ji or Campbell. Not long ago it was how do we get a winning team, who is up for it, why cant Gardner get a game, Sess will never be a striker and who is Mclean. Now its do we play that good team or this good team, every player wants to play and you just know that whatever team starts they will not let us down, even Bendy wants a mask after seeing how it helped Mig. Happy days in Coxhoe and that walk is all the nicer for it.
Wish you all the best against the Scummers but not in the cup as would rather play a non PL side further along.
Up at sparrow fart syd took the little woman to work and am now on car fixing duty, wonder if Arry is available hear he's good at fixing things? Another list of jobs to do which will probably not get done due to said car being Kaputish. Not sure about you syd but, this winning games lark is getting a bit boring. As for Wednesday I reckon the same team as Saturday and, if I'm honest same again for the PL game against Arsenal, no particular reason just it's about the best we can put out.
Happy Monday. Day off work. Lass at work, Bairn at school, aaaaaaahhhhhhh, anyway, I'm backing Boro to win. I backed Norwich (lost) Stoke (lost) get my drift..going for the hat trick. (getting expensive though)
In my opinion the Boro game is the most important of the season so sar...If we win this one, then I'm sure that cup fever will start to set in...I'll think about the Arsenal game once this one is out of the way...
My thinking is Bendtner is not going to be fit for Wednesday but at the same time he can't play against Arsenal even if he does become available again. I would probably go with the same side that beat Stoke to start against Boro. Campbell on the bench to come on, same for Bridge. Then against Arsenal get Campbell up front.
I would have thought, if the weather is ok that Campbell would start. wouldnt risk him if it was snowy and icy though.
Anyone know anything on our injury front? For me I'd play two up top against boro'. 33 points and I think 50 points must be our aim this season. I'm hoping Catts is back for Arsenal.
I actually think the opposite may be true...It will be interesting to see if he doesn't play on Wednesday how quick he recovers after that...
Boro news... INJURED Faris Haroun: Hamstring v Palace, Being assessed. Marvin Emnes: Hamstring has been stiffening in recent games, will be assesed for Sunderland. Scott McDonald: Medial knee ligament v Leicester on Feb 1. Expected to be out for anything around six weeks. Danny Coyne: Calf strain. Out for Sunderland. Barry Robson: Severely bruised hand, has been advised not to play on medical advice and is currently wearing a protective cast. Will be assessed for Sunderland. Bart Ogbeche: Hamstring. Back in light training. Nicky Bailey: Expected to be out for anything between four and eight weeks with a medial knee ligament injury suffered against Peterborough on New Year's Eve . Merouane Zemmama: Hernia. No rerturn date set BORO are hoping for the biggest crowd of the season for the FA Cup with Budweiser fourth round replay against Sunderland with 21,446 tickets sold in already Last game drew 0-0 with Palace.
I think Wednesday will be too early and possibly Saturday as well. The last news on SAFC.com was that they expected Catts to be doing some running by the end of this week.
Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill says he was unwilling to spend big in January and will save his transfer cash until the summer. O'Neill wrapped up the loan signings of Wayne Bridge and Sotirios Kyrgiakos, while he was willing to pay a small fee for Kevin Davies but Bolton put a block on the move. The Black Cats boss was happy with his business in the January window though, and will look to spend the bulk of his cash in the summer when there will be more value for money. "I think getting someone in during January, and paying a lot of money to do so, was not something I was going to great lengths to do," O'Neill revealed. "I don't think we were in the same kind of position as QPR, for example, to do a lot in January. I would rather do my transfer business in the summer if at all possible. "We made a tentative enquiry for Kevin Davies at Bolton, but that did not work out. "At one stage it looked like it might, because he had not been playing regularly there and it would have been good to bring someone like that in to work alongside our younger lads."
