Match Day Thread Sunderland v Oxford United – Saturday 4th December 2021 - KO 15:00

Sunderland welcome Oxford in the SkyBet League One.

Last time out Sunderland lost to Oldham and Oxford drew with Rotherham.
This game was initially postponed in September due to international call ups, and solves one of Sunderland' s fixture headaches as both teams were knocked out of the FA Cup.
The Black Cats rested most of their first team squad in mid-week and the expectation is that Lee Johnson will field a similar team to that which started against Cambridge.
Sunderland could go joint top if they win, and Oxford would go ahead of Sunderland if they win.
Oxford are in 8th position having 32 points (3 less than Sunderland) having played the same number of games (18).
Karl Robinson says that there are a couple of doubts surrounding how ready his players are after those who caught Covid-19 returned to training this week. The U’s squad was hit by an outbreak of the virus which saw depleted squads for the games at home to Fleetwood Town and Rotherham United.
Lee Johnson
"We've used this competition differently this year, we used it to blood some young players and I think that it has worked well.
"The likes of Dan Neil and Wearny (Stephen Wearne) have come to the fore, and there have been players who have stepped in, as well as giving senior players minutes.
"We've also used it to give the academy staff the opportunity to work in and around the first team, and that has worked well, with the staff stepping up, but the reality is that we needed to be much better than we are and we were. In one sense, that performance tonight tells us a story. It wasn't lack of effort, it was just lack of quality.
"We need more, we need to develop more, and it was a challenge for us. A lot of those boys have been released at 18 years old from other clubs and then they have come into Sunderland's academy.
"What we really want to be able to do is look at this wave of 14 or 15 year olds, because they are truly ours now - we can really try and fast-track those guys through as quickly as possible, and really put our stamp on them.
"I'm not going to be too critical of the boys today. They were honest and they gave everything, but the reality is that we weren't good enough against a side that is next to bottom of the Football League. I think that is really the gap between U23 football and the bottom of the EFL.
Karl Robinson:
“People who come and watch us regularly won’t recognise us, but people will appreciate that this was a windy old day.
“Our game-plan when we kicked into the wind was to delay the game as often as we possibly could.
“It was a very honest, hard-working fair point.
“We knew that they were going to come out strong and we felt that if we got through the first 15 or 20 minutes of the second half we’d finish the game stronger.
“We knew that they’d been to Ipswich on Tuesday, and we hoped that the longer the game went would start taking some sort of toll on their legs.
“I thought that we looked bright finishing the game off.
“To have so many players out and put in four points is a perfect return from these players.”

Match Appointments:
Referee: JEREMY SIMPSON
Assistant Referees: James Wilson and Craig Taylor
Fourth Official: Carl Boyeson

Team Line ups
Sunderland: Hoffmann, Doyle, Wright, Flanagan, Dajaku, Neil, Winchester, Pritchard, Gooch, Stewart, Broadhead.

Subs: Burge, Alves, Younger, Embleton, O’Brien, Sohna, Harris.
Injured: Willis, Huggins, Hume, Cirkin, McGeady, O’Nien, Evans.

Oxford United: Stevens, Seddon, Long, McNally, Hanson, Brannagan, Kane, McGuane, Holland, Whyte, Henry.
Subs: Eastwood, Cooper, Agyel, Bodin,
Injured: Gorrin, Stevens, Winnall

Betting Odds:
Sunderland 1/1 Oxford 12/5 Draw 5/2

My two pence:
Not a great game on Wednesday but at least we can concentrate on getting out of League One and a trip to the Emirates.
Oxford are in decent form in the league and it will be another tough game, given our current form and injuries. I'm sure that Karl Robinson will be up to his usual tricks, but I still think that we can win it.
I’m going for a 2-1 home win

Live Stream (Overseas fans only)
https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video

Ha’way the Lads

 

Excellent thread as always mate.

First home league game I’ll miss this season Expecting a draw.

 

another work of art RTB going for a draw as my confidence of a win is shot to ****

 

Max Power

 

Oxford’s manager always goes on like a tit up here. I’d love to beat them.

 

thanks for that RTB that has launched my confidence massively to definite draw

 

'I think that is really the gap between U23 football and the bottom of the EFL.'

Spot on by the gaffer. No doubt our fans will still scream about our youngsters being good enough but not getting the chances. They aren't...

I think we'll beat Oxford and put in a decent performance, too. 2-0.

 

HA'WAY THE LADS MACKEMS ATTACKEM

What have we got now, 6 games in December ?
4 at home.
Some struggling teams to play.
Big month ahead.
Gutted I'm working my last night shift before Christmas for the arsenal game not expecting anything other than a good performance out of that game, and keep in touch with the top two in the league considering injuries.
But top going into the new year and the window would be a nice Christmas present.
A win against arsenal too would be the icing on the cake

 

So screaming that the youngsters aren't good enough will help, what a tit. .

 

Great stuff as always. No doubt their clown of a gaffer will act like a prick as usual but I think we will kick on and get a win tomorrow. Hopefully we will get back to the style of play we had earlier in the season. HTL

 

I'm going for a 1 1 draw on this match. We have 3 home games in a week and tbh I will be pleasantly surprised if we win all 3.

I think Oxford will be the toughest of the 3 which is why I'm going for the draw. We will win the other 2!!

Sincerely hope we win all 3 of course and that LJ puts us firmly back on track

HTL

 

Great thread RTB, and its 9 points from the next three games for me , but 7 would keep us on track, and a win tomorrow will give us the perfect start.

 

Love these Match Day threads thanks RTB. Think we should be good enough but would prefer Pritchard in place of Dajaku with Embleton behind the front two. Embo has got to come good soon, class will come through. I think Dajaku should be more of a late sub to add a spark, he's only shown his talent in brief spells so far.

 

A scrappy affair, I reckon, but predict we’ll win by the odd goal. 1/0 will do.

Bart

 

Another great thread RTB. Thanks again for this. A big week ahead so let’s hope we can kick it off with a home win. 3 points are the most important thing . Will get us right amongst it and help build confidence. I think it will be a scrappy game with very little in it. Hard fought home win and pray no more injuries.

 

Missing the game so fully expect us to win 7-0

 

Bang on marra, 2-1 for me as well. Hhaaawwwwwaaaaaayyyyyyyy the lads

 

Cheers @RTB
Awful team awful manager
But will be a tough game they are unbeaten for a good few weeks.
I'm liking Winchester in midfield hopefully we can start to get some shape there and Gooch doing well at wingback.
Yet to be convinced where LJ is playing Dajaku Think hes an impact sub up front to be honest.
I think we'll sneak a win but think its time we actually put in a top of the league performance.

 

Great thread again RTB.

If LJ plays that formation, I'll be pleasantly surprised.

I think we need someone on the left who can play as a wing back, like Dyce. I would like to see Dajaku on the bench, with a view to him replacing Broadhead if he tires or is ineffective. I think that is more a position he is suited to.

If Pritchard is struggling, then I would bring Embleton on for him - like for like.

Oxford have had some good results recently against some of the better teams. For that reason, I think a hard fought draw might be the likely outcome. Like others, I would be delighted with 9 points from the next 3, but wouldn't be too disappointed with 7.