I watched the North East derby on Sky on Sunday and I thought Sunderland posed little threat to Newcastle for the majority of the game. Even when they were down to 10 men they did not seem to be in any trouble. Krul had nowt to do in goal and Fletcher had little or no service. If TP attacks from the off on Saturday I would expect Stoke to win.
PP, Hope that's not famous last words territory, derby matches are always difficult to call. if we can keep Mr Fletcher quite we have a good chance of the three points. I'm looking forward to the next few games as I feel they will give us a better understanding of how far we have progressed.
I stand to get egg on my face and they did the double on us last season of course. I did expect more from them last Sunday however but the Toon controlled the majority of the game IMO and Sunderland were a bit fortunate with their late equaliser. So we wait and see how TP sets us up for the game. We need to be solid in defence and take any chances that we create.
I hate it when someone says that's not a problem we should be I'm still of the oppinion that last season's game at the Brit should never have started, that said Sunderland we're the better side. Reading their board, that Derby game was'nt one of the better games. I EXPECT us to win it but we'll see IF T.P. does set up with an attacking team. P.S. Ma Lady is coming along (lucky mascot) she certainly is. Bring it on!
I don't think that Sunderland have really shown their hand so far this season, They like us have had some awkward fixtures so i'm hoping this weekend isn't the time it all comes together for them.
Sunderland are a typical O'Neill team. Defensively strong and will try to counter attack when you have pushed players forward and out of position. They will probably be far more effective away from home when teams will attack more. After we were reduced to 10 men on Sunday, we simply sat back and let them try to break us down, then hit them on the break. Not rocket science but what most teams would do in the same situation. O'Neill and his players looked like they didn't have a clue as to how to take advantage of the extra man and created virtually nothing to worry Tim Krull. They were reduced to lumping a long hopefull ball into the penalty area and hoping for a lucky break. You would think that the likes of Fletcher, Larsson, Johnson, McClean and Sessingnon would cause any defense problems, but none of them played with any real passion or desire and this was in a derby!! We have not really played very well so far this season, but Sunderland made it easy for us on Sunday. If you keep your shape and attack with discipline I can see you picking up all 3 points.
All sounds well but as we know the prem is what it is renowned for ... being a top topsy turvy league !!! I like our chances but the prem team that turns up wins the spoils ! All prem teams av a game winner in them thats why its unpredictable UTP and fringers crossed
Oops! It seems it was a very uninspiring performance today against what was poor opposition. 5 wins in 32 games is worrying. Pundits are saying we are not relegation material and hopefully we won't be but we need to start winning, especially against the likes of Sunderland, but to win we need to score and that is not happening. Owen should have started today, coming on 10 mins from the end is of no use.
Like I have said previously, these are the games that will decide our season. A lot has been made of how are set up and team selection has been based on the quality of the opposition to date, yet when we expect to be more positive and expansive against teams we should be able to play football against we are the same old same old! I thought we were poor today (as we're Sunderland) and I am still struggling to see how we are evolving and getting better. The money spent to date has only served to replace our strengths with additional strength, rather than improving the dross! For me were struggling and we offer very little more than we have in years gone by, not because we can't but because of tactical structure!
Smither's I feel like having another rant but to be honest... that was ONE almighty pile of **** today, and Sunderland we're no better. Wrong approach, wrong tactics NO feckin wide men Pennant????????? and Etherington apart from 15 mins.. CLUELESS Pulis. Anyone who saw that game i hope is as feckin angry as I am? The stupid thing is, Sunderland we're far worse than the same fixture last season. Like us, totally deviod of ANY attacking threat. Then he throws Owen on and we're all over Sunderland but could not score. Small rant over. PS can I have my money back please Pulis, or will you go before I do?
It looked like two defensive teams cancelling each other out to me, a don't lose at all costs match. On a positive note we had more possession and played more football than we did last year which is where we have improved but Owen up front with Crouch for the likes of Whithead would have given us more chances and more opportunities for penetrative ball distribution, crouch essentially on his own up front was crowded out. Ethers should have played from the start as him and Kightly could then pull their defensive unit about the pitch and created chances. We have a fully functional midfield now we need wide men and strikers to take more advantage of them. Hope Wilson isn't too badly injured as the defense is better with him in it.
The only positives I could see from the game is that Pulis (eventually) saw fit to take Walters off and give us the width we needed, and that he took Adam off (IMO had a terrible game) for Owen, when I was expecting a negative swap.
Sandor Yes he did take Adam off but as per usual, eveything Pulis did was far too late. And the crowd (again) were very quiet that's a worry too! End of, we just could not put the ball into the net. Re: Wilson, a broken ankle if I heard correctly purely accidental.
I agree that Adam was poor, but how much is down to set up and tactics? Once he was off there was not CM who could put the ball through and Owen isn't going to score from crosses - is just amateurish decisions with no concept of the potential impact!
I thinks fellas when u think about it Sunderland werent exactly expansive were they ! They came for and got a point cause to my thinking if they had come and had a go at us they would of lost and they knew it and so did M O Neil Hes not stupid and got his club a point ! It reminds me of us last season when at all costs back to the wall we defend and see if we can nick it .......... Its hard work breaking down a team when they dont come out and play We should know better than most !! lolol another point move on but we do need goals ethers walters owen etc time for change ??
PP, I would play Ethers & Owen instead of Walters & Whitehead. The choice for Walters is left back or left on the bench!!
