Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Arsenal FC - Saturday 8th November 2025 - KO 17:30

[NC Sanddancer]

I was traveling to Houston yesterday. Managed to watch most of the game on my phone. Was at the baggage carousel when the Ballard goal went in. Got some funny looks as my stifled wooohoooo emerged!!! What a game! What a team! What spirit do we possess. Atmosphere absolutely amazing. The crowd support came across so poignantly towards the end, even when 2-1 down, minutes running out, they lifted team, and when Brobbey’s goal went in WOW. Wish I could have been there. Shame there’s another break starting but what a way to go into it. HTL

 

[Bigmackem]

Had a look through my photos, and this was his wine ready for the West Ham match. I hope he drank both bottles after that win mind

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Would have thought he would prefer a French wine rather than a USA one given his background.

 

[gelders pie]

To be fair, Micky Gray isn't the brightest bulb in the box, not quite as thick as Jason McAteer but the only reason I'd want him in my pub quiz team is to get the drinks in.

On a serious note, if Ballard wasn't a Northern Ireland international the way he's playing now he'd definitely be in the reckoning to play for England. There's got to be a few clubs looking at him now thinking he'd be a top quality recruit.

If Dan Burn is an England player ……. our Dan would walk in

 

[farnboromackem]

If Dan Burn is an England player ……. our Dan would walk in

Just seen this from PaddyPower. Made me chuckle

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[Gil T Azell]

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[/QUOTE]

class.

 

[Gil T Azell]

My brothers bet yesterday. These dont come off very often. Apparently just under £700 return.
I better get a dropsy out of it.

I did. Got £50. Yippee.

 

[E.T. Fairfax]

To be fair, Micky Gray isn't the brightest bulb in the box, not quite as thick as Jason McAteer but the only reason I'd want him in my pub quiz team is to get the drinks in.

On a serious note, if Ballard wasn't a Northern Ireland international the way he's playing now he'd definitely be in the reckoning to play for England. There's got to be a few clubs looking at him now thinking he'd be a top quality recruit.

Is it true that McAteer once bumped into Jimmy White in a nightclub and shouted, whilst mimicking a snooker shot, 'ALRIGHT JIMMY!!! WAHHHEEEYYYY! ONE HUNDRED AND EEEIIIIGHTYYYYY!!!'

 

[Norway]

I think "Til the end" is very apt for this squad. How many goals have we scored in injury time, or time added on! They keep going right "til the end" magic!

 

[C Montgomery Burns]

Is it true that McAteer once bumped into Jimmy White in a nightclub and shouted, whilst mimicking a snooker shot, 'ALRIGHT JIMMY!!! WAHHHEEEYYYY! ONE HUNDRED AND EEEIIIIGHTYYYYY!!!'

Never heard that one, but the pizza story is true and another one about him doing a financial application asking for his "position at employer" and putting down "right back"...

 

[kirkyboy]

Fantastic result from the lads yesterday but a bittersweet day for me personally. A few hours after the full time whistle blew we had to go and get our Westie put to sleep. Fantastic to read all the articles and watching all the videos to help distract me from the sadness I’m feeling right now. So proud of this team and everyone involved at the club. We march forward with chests out and heads held high! Haway the lads!!!

 

[Gil T Azell]

Fantastic result from the lads yesterday but a bittersweet day for me personally. A few hours after the full time whistle blew we had to go and get our Westie put to sleep. Fantastic to read all the articles and watching all the videos to help distract me from the sadness I’m feeling right now. So proud of this team and everyone involved at the club. We march forward with chests out and heads held high! Haway the lads!!!

So sorry for your loss kirky. Heartbreaking.

 

[Pure River Slut]

Fantastic result from the lads yesterday but a bittersweet day for me personally. A few hours after the full time whistle blew we had to go and get our Westie put to sleep. Fantastic to read all the articles and watching all the videos to help distract me from the sadness I’m feeling right now. So proud of this team and everyone involved at the club. We march forward with chests out and heads held high! Haway the lads!!!

Sorry to hear that mate

 

[rooch 3]

Fantastic result from the lads yesterday but a bittersweet day for me personally. A few hours after the full time whistle blew we had to go and get our Westie put to sleep. Fantastic to read all the articles and watching all the videos to help distract me from the sadness I’m feeling right now. So proud of this team and everyone involved at the club. We march forward with chests out and heads held high! Haway the lads!!!

Sorry to hear that mate.

 

[Becs]

Thanks bec’s
So it wasn’t just one individual?

Not sure if one individual or combined efforts, sorry.

 

[rowley]

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Regis Le Bris' view on strikers and Brian Brobbey

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/s...bris-view-sunderlands-strikers-brian-brobbey/

REGIS LE BRIS demands wholehearted intensity from whoever is in Sunderland’s starting line-up. So, with such high physical requirements, the Black Cats boss accepts he also needs game-changing substitutes capable of turning a game in its latter stages...

Le Bris needs his ‘starters’ to lay the foundations for a positive result – but he now knows he can rely on his ‘finishers’ to deliver a dramatic denouement.

“Our four subs were really important because we are in this league, and probably our game model is really demanding for our forwards. They don't just have to stay wide waiting for the next pass, you have to work hard with the squad otherwise we can't defend against a strong squad like Arsenal.

“So, they worked well for 60 minutes, then four players came on the pitch [Brobbey, Talbi, Simon Adingra and Eliezer Mayenda] and those finishers helped to maintain the energy, the quality of the organisation and they have different profiles.”

Brobbey stole the headlines as he claimed his first goal since joining Sunderland from Ajax on deadline day.

The Dutch striker showed impressive strength to muscle ahead of Gabriel as well as commendable composure as he swivelled to hook home a brilliant finish.

Le Bris admitted Brobbey was short of match sharpness when he moved to Wearside from the Netherlands, but while he is yet to select the 23-year-old in one of his starting line-ups, he has been impressed by the way in which the striker has improved during his time at Sunderland.

“We feel that he has improved a lot,” said the Sunderland boss. “He needed time to change from another club to a new club, a new league, new team-mates, so he worked hard and I think he deserves this reward.

“When you start against Wilson [Isidor], for example, you know that it will be a threat in behind, even if he now has the ability to hold the ball. With Brian, you have another profile, totally different, and he is a good scorer as well.”

Yep. And all the lads buy in. In games to come it could the three of four who came on who will start and those who started who will come on. No grumbling from anyone.

Only possible with exceptional coaching and exceptional esprit de corps.

 

[Charley Farley]

So, we’re ‘horrible’ to play against are we?

When we play the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea, their squads probably cost about 10 times what ours did.
They are full of seriously good players.
We play the system that is best for us depending on the opposition.

If we were playing some club in the cup, Wycombe or Harrogate for example, they would be the ones doing all the defending and be ‘horrible’ to play against because WE would have the best players.
It’s how it is.
We have to adjust our game according to who we play, and RLB is good at that.

 

[Becs]

Fantastic result from the lads yesterday but a bittersweet day for me personally. A few hours after the full time whistle blew we had to go and get our Westie put to sleep. Fantastic to read all the articles and watching all the videos to help distract me from the sadness I’m feeling right now. So proud of this team and everyone involved at the club. We march forward with chests out and heads held high! Haway the lads!!!

So sorry to hear that mate. It's a hard thing to go through. Thinking of you all xx

 

[Montysoptician]

Fantastic result from the lads yesterday but a bittersweet day for me personally. A few hours after the full time whistle blew we had to go and get our Westie put to sleep. Fantastic to read all the articles and watching all the videos to help distract me from the sadness I’m feeling right now. So proud of this team and everyone involved at the club. We march forward with chests out and heads held high! Haway the lads!!!

Sorry for your loss Kirky, losing a pet is heart breaking

 

[C Montgomery Burns]

Fantastic result from the lads yesterday but a bittersweet day for me personally. A few hours after the full time whistle blew we had to go and get our Westie put to sleep. Fantastic to read all the articles and watching all the videos to help distract me from the sadness I’m feeling right now. So proud of this team and everyone involved at the club. We march forward with chests out and heads held high! Haway the lads!!!

Sorry to hear that mate.

 

[rowley]

So, we’re ‘horrible’ to play against are we?

When we play the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea, their squads probably cost about 10 times what ours did.
They are full of seriously good players.
We play the system that is best for us depending on the opposition.

If we were playing some club in the cup, Wycombe or Harrogate for example, they would be the ones doing all the defending and be ‘horrible’ to play against because WE would have the best players.
It’s how it is.
We have to adjust our game according to who we play, and RLB is good at that.

Of course we are horrible to play against.

Most teams with good players are!