Match Day Thread Sunderland

Match facts

• The Black Cats have won four of their last six league meetings with Cardiff (D1 L1) most recently a 4-0 win in the Premier League in April 2014.
• This is the first Championship meeting at the Stadium of Light between the sides since October 2006, which Cardiff won 2-1 thanks to a brace from Michael Chopra.
• Simon Grayson has ended on the winning side once in 12 previous managerial meetings against Cardiff (D3 L8), a 3-0 win for his Preston side last season.
• Kenneth Zohore has had more shots (31) and shots on target (12) than any other player in the Championship this season. Despite this, he has found the net just once.
• The Black Cats are currently enduring their second longest home winless league run in their entire history (14 games). Their worst run came between August 2005 and May 2006, when they went 18 games at the Stadium of Light without winning.
• Cardiff have won three points from goals scored in the last five minutes of Championship games this season, more than any other side.

The changes you would make? Bryson in for Damour? Jazz in for Lee? Someway of fitting Tomlin in?

 

Bryson or Damour (or both?) would do for me. Been a long time fan of Bryson but Damour has been a breath of fresh air in midfield since he arrived.

Tomlin...........not sure about him at the moment. Looked overweight when he attended his court hearing this week - he could hardly button the jacket of his suit.

That doesn't make him a bad player but his class on the ball maybe better suited to cameo appearances until after this GBH charge is sorted.

 

Sheepy pal - going to have a look again at my prediction for this one when the team is announced. I've gone for a 0-1 win for City but have got a feeling there could be more goals in it than that.

I'll post something on the prediction league thread well before kick off if I change my mind - otherwise I'll leave it as it is.

 

Bryson, Manga, Feeney in. Hoilett, Damour & Bamba (!) out

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Got in just before me Sheepy - I've deleted my post.

 

Certainly looks a more mobile and fluid lineup with Jazz and Manga in to start.

The Gunnar/Ralls/Bryson midfield looks good to me. Leaving Hoilett out for Feeney could be a masterstroke.

 

I missed the Wednesday game. Didn't think Bamba particularly at fault for their goal? Or is the change tactical?

 

I think tactical. The pace of Manga and Jazz on the right combining with Mendez could cause havoc down their left hand flank. I'm a bit worried about the space they might leave behind them but that's what Gunnar and Ralls should be mindful of.

I can't quite understand why Ward isn't at least on the bench. Is he injured?

....and what the hell is Halford doing on there with Damour and Sol available to come on?

 

Bryson! Never wrong are you Sparks...

 

Who stuck with Bryson as their scorer then?....

 

First goal in Championship....yay!

 

Was it Matthews who was booked? No commentary or replays on the ifollow stream.

 

Jazz Richards got the booking - Cattermole got theirs.

 

Average first half. Not sure why we started slowing the game down so early.

 

From the commentary on Ifollow, City were all over them like rash for the first 15 minutes. Grayson then changed their shape to counter it and in the main it's worked for them.

I expect Warnock to tweak something at the start of the second half to make them think again.

Another goal could kill them off but I seem to remember leading them 2-0 at the CCS in the Prem a few years back and they came back and equalised in extra time. I think Malky had just had the elbow and the ultra-negative Kerslake was in temporary charge. I doubt Warnock will fall into that trap.

 

Penalty Sunderland!

 

Penalty Cardiff!!!

 

We were all over them in the first 15, then we slowed the game down. Almost embarrassingly so. Should have been pushing for a second rather than playing out the half. Second half was better, but an average performance overall. Still 3 points away is job done.

 

Watching that was painful. Sunderland were just terrible. City stumbled and bumbled and apart from a decent spell after going one up and after conceding, they weren't much cop either.

Well done for coming back after a stupid penalty concession but they'll have to play a lot better v Leeds. Sunderland were that bad today.

A real concern was Zahore. Two or three times he lost control in good positions and just looked leaden footed. A real concern. No Ward on bench though?

 

I should say though that I am of course delightedly with the 3 points as my post was a touch low key in that regard