Match Day Thread Gillingham v Sunderland - Saturday 7th December - KO 15:00

Gillingham v Sunderland – Skybet League One

Last time out Sunderland lost to Burton and Gillingham beat Doncaster.
Phil Parkinson has been handed a double fitness boost ahead of Saturday’s trip to Gillingham.
Sunderland travel to Gillingham this Saturday on the back of a disappointing run of form that’s seen them collect just one point from their last two league games.
The Black Cats face the Gills for the third time this campaign already, after drawing in the Emirates FA Cup at home before losing the replay away last month.
Gillingham, meanwhile, who sit 15th, have hit form lately having won four of their last six games in all competitions – losing just once in that period.
The Gills have also lost just two of their last nine games, a run which has seen them advance into the third round of the FA Cup after defeating Sunderland and Doncaster Rovers on home soil.
However, Steve Evans’ side’s form in the league paints a slightly different picture as they have won just two of their last seven, and only one of their last three at Priestfield.
Scorer of Gills’ match winner the last time that Sunderland encountered them, Brandon Hanlan, will be the obvious threat as he sits as their leading scorer with five goals and two assists.

Phil Parkinson:
"It has been good. The lads had the weekend off - it is important mentally and physically to have those couple of days - and we have had a good week on the training ground.”
"I have been pleased with how we have looked and the injured players who have trained and come back in with us.”
“Charlie Wyke and Marc McNulty have trained this week with no reaction, which is great news for us, and Lynden Gooch is getting ever closer, so it’s really positive news for us to have a couple of strikers back on the training ground.”
“Goochie is looking good and Brandy our physio has been pleased with him, so we’re looking to get him back into training next week some time.”
"We will have a look at them again tomorrow in training, but Marc is probably ahead of Charlie."
"If you go back to the two games we had, the first half at home I thought we played well. We passed the ball well, moved the ball quickly.”
"Second half, first 15 minutes we conceded a poor goal. It took us a while to get going down there and we ended up in a scrap with them and didn't play enough.”
"We have got to get both sides of the game right. We have got to stand up to the way they are going to play, which we have got the capabilities to do, but we have also got to have the calmness in possession to be able to play quickly against them. We have to get both sides of the game right to give us the best chance of winning three points.”
Steve Evans:
"Sunderland have very talented footballers. They will be in the top six at the end of the season, no doubt, and it will be a tough challenge."
"You need to win at home, that's where your bread and butter is, and I think the fans can see what we are trying to do."
"Our supporters have seen what the team is capable of in the last few weeks. Without the fans we are nothing."

Prutton predicts: Meh
Match Appointments:
Referee: ANDY WOOLMER
Assistant Referees: Adrian Waters and Mark Russell
Fourth Offical: Nigel Lugg

Team Line ups
Sunderland: Burge, C.McLaughlin, Lynch, Willis, De Bock, Hume, O'Nien, Dobson, Watmore, McNulty, Kimpioka

Subs: McLaughlan, Flanagan, McGeouch, Grigg, Maguire, McGeady, Wyke
Injured: Embleton
Suspended: Power

Gillingham: Bonham, Tucker, Ehmer(C), Ogilvie, Fuller, Jones, Byrne, O'Connor, Lee, Hanlan, Mandron.
Subs: Hodson, Ndjoli, Charles-Cook, Marshall, Walsh, Jakubiak
Injured: Willock

Betting Odds:
Home 19/10 Away 11/8 Draw 11/5

My two pence:
After the home defeat to Burton and another stinking performance, surely Parkinson has to change things around especially up front, my guess is a 1-1 draw.

Ha’way the Lads

 

Can’t see anything but a home win and another dismal SAFC performance.

We will no doubt have the same comments from the fans too. Sincerely hope I’m wrong.

3-1.

Bart

 

I'm hoping to be able to drive over for this game.

We have our backs to the wall and need all the support we can get.

With Watmore, McGeady, Wyke, Grigg, McNulty, etc we have to be able to score ffs.

Haway Sunderland, we can beat Gillingham ...

... 3-1 to the Lads.

(Edit, no chance of making it.)

 

Thought Power was suspended this weekend for five yellow cards RTB.
Play McL. at RB and O9 in midfield, get at them and start this high pressing game again.
Like your front two plenty of movement and energy, got to go for it from kick off.

 

That won't be the team Parkinson picks but it's what I would although if as Cumbrian says Power is suspended we'd need McLaughlin at RB and O'Nien at CM. That team has energy and players with the right attitude for me.

It's well worth a try to play Dobson and Luke at CM together but it never seems to happen.

 

@brb

 

We are still massively out of form. I think this could be another long day and I'd probably take a scrappy draw, now.

 

That's not Michael Mandron for Gillingham, is it?

 

I think it is I know he plays in league one anyway. They'd be mad not to play him.

 

Where have you been for the last 2 games against this lot
It is the same lad who played for us - mainly in the u23s

 

Yeah it is, I've just had a look. He's not played a minute for them yet. Dunno if he's been injured or if it's because he's still ****e.

His career has never really took off, has it? He's still only 25.

2013–2016 Sunderland 3 (0)
2014 → Fleetwood Town (loan) 11 (1)
2015 → Shrewsbury Town (loan) 3 (0)
2015–2016 → Hartlepool United (loan) 5 (0)
2016–2017 Eastleigh 28 (10)
2017 Wigan Athletic 3 (0)
2017–2019 Colchester United 85 (12)
2019– Gillingham 0 (0)

 

In hiding

 

Wikipedia is not always accurate - i'm sure he played against us and he played against Doncaster

 

Yeah, I've just checked. 13 appearances and 2 goals. He's only started 5 games, though.

 

Ex Sunderland player not scored yet? Fill your boots son.

 

Usually the case init. He'll probably bury a hat-trick in the first half an hour, now.

 

He had a few chances in the first FA cup game but didn't manage a goal.

 

Yeah Mandron played at Sunderland in our league game and also against Doncaster. His best game was Lincoln where he and Hanlan tore them apart. After our 0-3 defeat at home to Rotherham, Steve Evans has changed things around and thankfully resigned Jakubiak to the bench, as I really don't know what he contributes anyway. Our fortunes seemed to have changed somewhat since Rotherham, and although we lost 1-0 at Wimbledon, luck was not on our side that day and we just missed chance after chance, probably suggests we haven't got a clinical finisher since the departure of Dack to Blackburn. I think recent fortunes has given Evans some leeway, if you turn up on the day, no reason why you shouldn't beat us, but as our 3-0 win over Doncaster showed in the Cup we have somewhat improved. I'd probably go for a share of the points on your most recent performances. With us now being eight points clear of relegation and the cup money for our finances, there will be no expectations from the home support, unless you pump something like four past us, then questions may be asked again, especially as confidence has improved.

 

This is probably the best clip to watch Mandron in against Lincoln City at our place, where we won 1-0.

He scores at the beginning of the clip, then if you watch one minute in, he headers one well over, but then from a free-kick, headers again but against the cross bar...

 

Bugger, another game. I now quite enjoy weekends we are not playing so I fail to be disappointed.