No, this isn't a leak for Poyet , just some thoughts on here for the way we should go, particularly at the back. Assuming Caulker is an auto choice, is it to be Cala or Turner alongside him - or maybe both for Sunderland? According to Ole, Whitts will start all remaining fixtures. Fair enough, but assuming Medel and Mutch are auto choices in midfield, who else would do a job in there with those three? For me, Fabio has been looking to get forward with pace recently, and is far better there than at FB - could be a secret weapon? Up front, can we hope the ex-club "Sunderland factor" will spur Fraizer into something special, or should we go with Jones from the start and bring Campbell on for a blast in the second half?
I'd forgotten about that - perhaps we should start with them both and get into double figures - a 0-10 result will do the GD no end of good..........
City have looked better playing 4-5-1 in recent games but Campbell is just so average for this league. I hope he proves me wrong and nets again against a former club after goals v Man U & S'land. How can S'land look so poor v Tottenham and then draw and win at two of the top 3????????? Maybe the answer is the resurgent Connor Wickham and Adam Johnson? Borini is useful as well. Certainly those 3 are better than anything we have got. Anyway back to the question; I wouldn't expect too much change - maybe Bellamy or Zaha for Kim who is a real lightweight. We are due some payback for being robbed by the referee in the 2-2 fixture.
Kim is undoubtedly lightweight, but he works really hard. With him, Daehli and Mutch in the same side we even looked like a football team with the ball. I'd play KWJ and bring FC on for the last 30 minutes.
Cala definitely! Should have scored again on Saturday, proving he can be useful at either end of the pitch.. I would agree with Nin and play Bellamy over Kim, way too lightweight on the ball.. Championship is his level.. Credit, he is great at that level.
Strange how we see games differently, I thought Kimbo did well Saturday. One of our faults when he and Daehli don't play is we lack an out let in midfield. Both of them were pulling away from their markers Saturday and giving us options we don't normally have. I accept Kimbo can be knocked off the ball too often but that was less evident Saturday. If I remember correctly Kimbo and Noone both had good games v. Sunderland at our place until the dreaded substitutions were made. Kimbo's ball retention improved as well with few passes given away by him. Also, if we are saying he is Championship level then that is where we would like to see Sunderland playing next season, if we stay up, and by that logic he should do well against them again. I would start with the same team that gave Stoke little space until the last few minutes, saving Bellers, KWJ and Zaha (who also had a better game Saturday) for the 60 minute plus mark if needed.
We need a semblance of defence, but need to be as attacking as possible. 3 at the back with medel, Daele and Mutch as the centre 3, Whitts on the left and Fabio on the right with FC and Bellamy up front with Zaha, KWJ, and Kim to be thrown on for 20 at the end.
I've always felt Kim was a better footballer than many around him in our side. He's brave in possession and looks for the ball, he always works to show for the man in possession and give him an option. The frequent result of that is he gets the ball and the rest of our side drop their heads and offer him nothing. Leaving him running with the ball looking for an option whilst the other side hustle him. He often ends up looking like the man who has lost the ball whilst actually he saved the previous guy and got sold down the river by the rest of our side. Daehli is very similar in that he's quick thinking and loves to have the ball, it's why from where I was sitting the 2 of them had a very good first half and will work well for us together in the future Imo.
I expect a tough game on Sunday..and I notice to have two of our former strikers..will both play? Frazier is quick and Jones turns slower than an oil tanker but is good in the air. I hear you have a good keeper. How will we play... heaven alone knows, we seem to raise out game away from home against 'top 4' teams and are gash at home against teams we should expect a result from..this I know goes against Newtons law of gravity and I hope we can revert to the norm at the weekend. We have lots of weaknesses as I am sure your manager is highlighting and a lot will depend for us how Johnson, Wickham and Borini perform..if we can get 3 goals I think we will win and if we can keep a clean sheet (not easy for us) I think we will win. Other than your keeper who do you expect to do the business for you?
Cheers Sunderpitt Nice to have some good football related comments from an opposition fan instead some of the total WUM comments we see from many - try Crystal Pulis and Dragonborn to mention but 2. Yes, if your front 3 are on song as they were at Chelski we will have our work cut out. Wickham's game in particular has come on leaps and bounds. He looked useful when we last saw him as a raw teenager for Ipswich and its good to see his promise coming through - from our point of view we could have done with him leaving it until next season though. Without giving too much away (in case you are Sunderland's Iain Moody in disguise ), we are dangerous from set pieces and our kick taker, Whittingham, is starting to show a little of the form he had from a season or so ago, after a rest of a few weeks. You know all about Fraizer, just wish he had a better first touch, but he will pressurise your back 4 all afternoon, wish I had his energy. If Bellamy is fit and on his game he can also cause you problems, although not as quick as he used to be. After a rough start with us Fabio is now showing some real form and gets up and down the line well linking with our little Norwegian gem, Daelhi. If we go down he will be one the Prem vultures will be looking closely at. Then we have the enigma that is Zaha. Shows occasional brilliant touches but then fades easily, has little clue about back tracking and marking his opponent and has yet to score for us. Sunday would be a good time to start. As for KWJ, you got it in one although his aerial prowess is not what it one was. Looks like Stoke got the better of the swap deal with Odemwhingie going to them. Hope its a good game and a pity if either or both of us go down.
Poyet will probably get a text from Edna tomorrow - if Freedman doesn't get it by mistake...... In all seriousness, I doubt we have any one individual who can "do the business" on the day. If we get anything from this, particularly all three points, it'll be a team job. I expect young Daehli to stop a few hearts with his runs at your backs and maybe tempt them into a lunge, and if Whitts can get his left peg working again like the start of last season, there could be a few set piece situations that could turn the game. If Medel can get a grip on Borini and our wingbacks (whoever they may be) sort out Johnson, I think Caulker and Cala can keep Wickham quiet enough. Tough game to call, but whoever loses it goes down IMO.
We have some good individuals but as a team we are where we deserve to be. If it wasnt for our keeper wed already be down. Your only real worry should be set pieces.
Alright lads. Any of you making the long trip up? If so this should be of some assistance to you http://www.safc.com/fans/visiting-fans. This link will be on our match thread which I'll invite you to once it's up. Safe round trip fellas.
I have to confess I never was a big Jones fan, but do have a soft spot, like most Sunderland fans, for Frazier who has some posters have said. does lack a good first touch. As for Sunday..I am worried by the idea that free kicks and corners are your strength they are probably our weakness. We all thought an aging but solid defensive pairing of Brown and O'Shea would be a brick wall, they are more like a very small open trellis. Our fullbacks are not too bad..the big problem for us has been since Fletcher was injured we have not had a goal scorer...Jozy Altidore the USA main man has been worse than useless, Wickham has been dragged back from being out on loan and he can be a handful. He is at times a placid guy so the best thing for us is if your CBs decide to give him a kick that seems to bring on his power and pace. Undoubtedly there will be clashes in midfield, we have Clatterhard who can be inspirational or who can see red. One of our best midfielders has been Ki a loanee from your rivals Swansea but he has been injured and may not start. Johnson on his day can be unplayable, it is just you are never sure when his day will be, Borini is quick but is not prolific in front of goal. TBH we have apart from cup games been dreadful at home in league games...if we can actually start playing from the off we could beat you, but we do, as I think you are also prone to do (that is why we are both in the league positions we are) give goals away and then play catch-up. I am not sure who the ref is? ~Unfortunately they always seem to favour one side or another and to give pens away to one side or another, other than the pen at Chelsea we have not had the rub of the green from the officials....Just seen the ref is Phil Dowd...he does not like us one little bit and is quite keen to dish out yellows and reds...perhaps we should not play Catts Whoever loses this game is probably going down, we have yet to play manure at the old silage heap and since Moyes has left they will probably murder us... Best of luck after Sunday!
Partly because of my gross inability to identify effective line-ups, and partly because the game on Sunday really is a cup final, I haven't a clue on who should play. So, sparkey forgive me if this is a little off topic, but I just want to say what a shame it is that at least one of us will be doomed after Sunday with the possibility that it could be both of us. It would be such a pity that the welsh derbies at the top flight will be gone for a while and the absence of the great NE derby would be a sad loss to the prem. Hey ho, that's football. Funkadelic and Sunderpitt, thanks for your good wishes.
No probs clingo - I feel the same way about the possibility of the Prem losing great derby ties in the North East and South Wales. I can't see the Everton/Liverpool, Man U/Man C, Arse/Spurs being in any danger soon, though maybe the Fulham/Chelsea thing will also disappear for next season. Whatever, back to the teamsheet thing - I hope I haven't blown it guys, but I've just sent a text to Freedman by mistake.............. Here it is then - Ole's choice for Sunday as leaked by someone called Edna: - .....................Marshall........................ KTC........Caulker..........Cala........John ........................Medel..................... Fabio........Mutch......Whitts......Daehli ........................Jones........................ Subs....Lewis, Turner, Eikrem, Kimbo, Campbell, Zaha and Bellers (if fit).
.....................Marshall..................... ... KTC........Caulker..........Cala........Fabio ..............Medel............Whitts......... Kim..................Mutch...............Daehli ........................Cambell.....................
