Match Day Thread Heart of Midlothian FC v Sunderland AFC - Saturday 26th July 2025 - KO 15:00

Gutted for them to not really have a chance to state their claim this pre season. Club seem set on signing a GK and Patto hasn't had a chance to show them that they shouldn't. With Rigg, I just hope he's not playing catchup, especially physically.

 

Lots of decisions went against us, lots of play acting by them.

Means nothing at this stage

 

Same, gutted for both of them

Fingers crossed both back soon

 

I’m hoping Rigg’s age works in his favour in that regard. Much easier to get into shape and get match sharpness at 18 than it is at, say, 28.
Agree with your point though, will be playing catch up regardless.

 

Another fitness builder result means nowt at this stage. We won the play offs after building towards a particular goal.

 

The goals for any masochists / those who have missed them

 

I was convinced Sadiki and Diarra would both be carried off when they went down ...

... hopefully it was nothing serious.

 

Already posted the highlights

 

We really need to find ways to get le fee more involved. I’m not a fan of him playing so high up. Makes him detached from the team as we build up. Was noticeable that the few times he showed for it deeper we were far more slick. I wonder if we could tweak how we play without the ball to get him into better areas? If he slid over to left midfield and allowed Adingra to do the pressing from the front it would get him closer to the rest of the midfield to start to combine. Then him coming inside leaves a nice lane for a marauding left back (once we’ve got one of them). Thus far he’s not really looked comfortable in that 10 role in a Sunderland shirt either with or without the ball imo. Now is the time for us to experiment to see if we can find a way to get his undoubted talents working for us more consistently.

 

Agree, Le Fee needs to be able to drop deeper to get on the ball. I think that's why him Sadiki and Diarra worked well together against Sevilla and Sporting as they have the pace to run beyond him which meant he could drop into their spaces to get on the ball

Def prefer us to play more 433 in possession to get Le Fee on the ball, he's our most technical player so everything should go through him

 

Just watched the goals and noticed Shankland scored. Just find it mildly amusing that a player I've seen get destroyed on the transfer thread happened to score against us.

Not suggesting we sign him by the way I think his name has been mentioned purely tongue in cheek on the rumours thread.

 

Mason Burstow scored for Hull City today

 

Thanks for reminding me of him. If he scores on Tuesday I'll agree we definitely need 2 CBs and a GK immediately

 

Just watching Bournemouth and that Petrovic looks decent.

 

Sadikis was his own fault. He threw himself in the air to try and win a foul when it was never on.

The Diarra challenge looked nasty at first viewing.

 

What a wonderful turnout from the Sunderland supporters today ...

... excellent day and a lovely city to spend the day.

Thanks to Dave, Washy, Smithy and the lads for looking after me today ... lovely to see you all.

 

Is Washy ND from Washington mate?

 

I really don't know mate.

I have about 200 SAFC contacts, in my phone, so I lose track tbh ...

... I sometimes embarrass myself when I forget names and who people are.

The lad I sorted tickets for today, and met in Edinburgh, is @Washysafc

 

No worries mate, the lad I know has a Washy SAFC flag, worked at Rolls Royce.

 

Might be gout