Match Day Thread Sunderland v Portsmouth - Saturday 17th August - KO 12:30

Sunderland v Portsmouth – Skybet League One

Last time out Sunderland beat Accrington and Portsmouth beat Tranmere
Sunderland host promotion rivals Portsmouth at the Stadium of Light in the early kick-off live on Sky.
A vital game for the Black Cats to kick start their season after a less than convincing start to League One. Tuesday’s victory at Accrington will give Jack Ross a few decisions to make on the team selection and how he approaches this game.
Sunderland will again be without injured trio Glenn Loovens, Ethan Robson and Duncan Watmore while Denver Hume and Dylan McGeouch could be back in contention.
Portsmouth remain without summer signing Ryan Williams, with the winger still making his way up to full fitness. Ross McCrorie and John Marquis, who have both missed games in recent weeks, are set to be available for selection.James Bolton is set to feature as part of the squad after recovering from injury but striker Oli Hawkins is set to miss the match.
Jack Ross:
“Glenn Loovens, Duncan Watmore and Ethan Robson remain out, Denver Hume and Dylan McGeouch returned to training today so all being well as long as there is no reaction over the course of today and tomorrow, they should be back available in the squad.”
“They haven’t trained much this week but hopefully they will be ok, it was an ankle knock for Dylan which he picked up in the game against Ipswich Town last week, so it wasn’t muscular or anything like that.”
“He hasn’t been able to train much this week because of the swelling but he’s ok now.”
“We’re working our way through those we identified (for left back), in terms of how available are they, that can be fluid and change as well. We’re active and I would be amazed if we didn’t get one. We need to do it but it’s just, we could have done it before now but you don’t want to do it for the sake of doing it.”

Kenny Jackett:
“I don’t really worry about things like that, you’ve got to play them sometime and whether you're ready or they are, it's got to be faced and that's it.”
“It's one of the games you look forward to, certainly it is a big challenge and a hard game but it's a great stadium and a big club and TV game as well, so a great stage for us, we're looking for it.”
“I'm sure they will be there or thereabouts and have ambitions to do well. I am looking forward to the game. Both sides have changed slightly since last year, fresh season as well.”
“Any time you go up and play Sunderland it's something to look forward to but similarly a big challenge to try to get a result.”



Prutton predicts: 2-1

Match Appointments:
Referee: MICHAEL SALISBURY
Assistants: Joe Simpson and Gareth Mellor
Fourth Official: Paul Marsden

Team Line ups
Sunderland: J.McLaughlin, C.McLaughlin, Ozturk, Willis, O’Nien, Leadbitter, Dobson, Power, Gooch, McGeady, McNulty

Subs: Burge, Flanagan, McGeouch, Maguire, Embleton, Wyke, Grigg
Injured: Robson, Loovens, Watmore

Portsmouth: MacGillivray, Walkes, Downing, Burgess, Brown, Naylor, Close, Harness, Pitman, Marquis, Curtis
Subs: Cannon, Harrison, McCrorie, Raggett, Evans, Bolton, Haunstrup
Injured: Williams, Hawkins

Betting Odds:
Home 13/10 Away 2/1 Draw 2/1

My two pence:
It seems like only a few months have passed since we last played Portsmouth. Well we did play them 5 times last season.
The Pompey fans in the office are all giving it large after their last two games so I just hope we turn up on Saturday with a good performance and get the right result.
My guess is a 2-1 win

Ha’way the Lads

 

Why the feck are we still paying Loovens a wage?? Its an absolute pish take, he probably wont even play a game for us this season, injured or not!

Im gutted Robsons injury nightmare from last season has struck again. I was really looking forward to seeing him play alot this season. Its gona be like doing pre season all over again for him when he returns.

Watmore doesnt suprise me in slightest being injured. Unfortunately thats the way most of his career will pan out now after missing so many months of his development. He's out of contract this season, and his career is hanging on a knife edge. I really hope we can see him get back to a similar level he once was, but unfortunately i very much doubt it. Going to Uni and doing a degree was a good thing for him i think, because he may need to use it sooner than he expected.

 

Yeah - we should only have given Loovens a 1 year deal, I can't see him playing another game either.
Hopefully Robson & Watmore are back soon - they both seem to be unlucky. Unfortunately I think most teams in this league will try and kick Watmore off the park as they are scared by his pace. The problem is that the referees let the defenders get away with it.

 

It beggers belief that Loovens is still with us.
Its like me turning up to work every day, walking straight to the Canteen, sitting there for 8 hours and then going home and still being paid 32k a year. Feck knows what kind of money we're paying him to do the equivalent.

 

Sick of the sight of Portsmouth and Kenny ****ing Jackett. It would certainly be a tonic for us if we can beat them and banish some of the ghosts of last season.

 

Sticking to my 2-0 to the lads.
I've got to be right sooner or later but hopefully it's sooner. Come on......

 

I've seen it done, well maybe 6 of the 8 hours.
I think we must be paying more than the going rate - he was a free agent.

 

I was chuffed when he first signed, he used to be a very good player for Sheff Wed and he used to score alot from set pieces aswell.
On paper he was exactly what we needed, because hes a big lad aswell. Unfortunately he obviously had his mind on retirement when he signed to get one last payday.

 

Tough game but I’ve a feeling we win this one.

Edgy 2-1.

 

Pompey aren't as strong as they were last year player wise. Theyve lost 2 of the best players in League 1 last year. We are arguably stronger so i have no doubt we can beat them if Ross gets his selection and formation right.

Our Left back situation worrys me though.

 

Agreed. People are premature on Hume, he’s got ability and he may well get there but for me he’s not ready yet.

I hope he sticks with similar to Tuesday as that suits the squad far, far better.

 

They are playing well though - the Pompey fans I know seem pretty confident.
Yeah me too - I'm not sure if Ross will play Hume or McLaughlin.

 

Yes the pressure on Hume isnt fair to suddenly go from 3rd choice LB last season to our only one this year. Hes still a young lad. We should have kept James, because it was obvious Oviedo was gonna leave.
Flanagan can supposedly play there. Hed be a better choice than McLaughlin for me, because i dont like seeing Right footed left backs playing.

 

Theyve only beat Tranmere mate. They lost their other game in the league.

 

I agree on that, but McLaughlin should be RB, and I wouldn’t be comfortable with Flanagan as a wing back I’ve had faster flights to America.

He’d get butchered as a LB. I’d sooner hoy a left footed midfielder in there than that.

Must be a priority for January, unless there’s a free or a loan about.

 

McLaughlin is an old school full back though mate, he doesnt get forward much.
He gave the penalty away on Tuesday night, which suggests to me he wasnt overly comfortable on that side. I may be wrong though.
Yes i agree about Flanagan. I only mentioned him because he's left footed and it keeps the balance right. I honestly cant believe we are in this situation, only having a kid as a left back.

 

They beat Birmingham in the cup after losing their opening game against Shrewsbury to a worldy.

 

Yes i know mate. I didnt count that though because it was a cup game and im guessing Birmingham would have rested quite a few players. As far as im concerned theyve played 2 easy league games so far, won one and lost one.
Its far too early for Pompey fans to be getting excited. We know more than anyone that having a decent start means nothing.

 

Bizarre situation isn't it cracking on with a new season with only one LB in the squad and an unproven youth player at that. I know money's tight but still **** me that's no way to behave.

I like Hume, he's got height and pace and I've seen him play some good quality football so I know he's capable despite what the first two games suggested but we're desperate for some help over there.