dougdeep
New member
Ray Ryan said in the N.O.W, that any chances of a win were ruined by the hapless Harding. They then gave Knight, Oatway and Carpenter 4 out of ten, and the rest of the outfield players 5's +6's.
Were we really that bad?
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Bluejuice
Lazy as a rug on Valium
What are you reading News of the World for anyway?
We were outclassed but we weren't that bad. Hammond had a great match, Kuipers covered most things well and wasn't at fault for either goal, Currie was a bit anonymous today but I don't think that was his fault, Danny and Guy did some stirling defending as did El Abd and Harding.
I think Knight (waits for the stop moaning brigade) needs to position himself better and anticipate moves more but didn't have much to play with.
We did miss Virgo.
I think Knight (waits for the stop moaning brigade) needs to position himself better and anticipate moves more but didn't have much to play with.
We did miss Virgo.
Dover
Home at Last.
From listening to the radio, it appears that once the subsitution happened we changed shape. From that point onwards the game seemed to change quickly in that rather than defend and break, we attacked then attempted to defend.
Post match MM was harsh on Harding, and said something on the lines of we have taught him that he must always be on the right side of the player. But we cannot take anything away from the team, can we? The spine of this team were in the 3rd division not that long ago.
P.S. Mr Prescott. If you are reading this, you should have listened to the radio. This little provincial club made more noise than thier big leauge rivals. Also, please read this board a little. You may be pleasantly surprised that our fans got on very well with our Northern counterparts.
Post match MM was harsh on Harding, and said something on the lines of we have taught him that he must always be on the right side of the player. But we cannot take anything away from the team, can we? The spine of this team were in the 3rd division not that long ago.
P.S. Mr Prescott. If you are reading this, you should have listened to the radio. This little provincial club made more noise than thier big leauge rivals. Also, please read this board a little. You may be pleasantly surprised that our fans got on very well with our Northern counterparts.
Beach Hut
Brighton Bhuna Boy
We weren't bad in the first half althought the subs seemed to put us on the back foot straight away.
We were under so much pressure in the second half it was inevitable - anyone see the penalty was it justified ?
We were under so much pressure in the second half it was inevitable - anyone see the penalty was it justified ?
stratford seagull
New member
Not at all. This was always going to be a tough game, even if we'd had our strongest team on the pitch, and to go in without any height and strength up front meant we were always going to have to defend for a lot of the time.
We started with a 3-5-2 and after a dodgy first 5 minutes we were fairly comfortable with the occasional threat on the counter. The second half was always going to be more of the same, but I wasn't quite sure why the first substitution was made. If El-Abd was injured then ok, but we then went to a 4-4-2 and conceded the first goal almost straightaway. And against a team that I think will certainly be in the top 6 this year we never really looked like getting back into it. The penalty looked like a correct decision from 100 yards away - Harding blocked a cross but then dived in a bit to try and win the rebound.
We all know what the limitations of this team are at this level but I thought defensively we were excellent (with Oatway and Hammond covering tirelessly in front of the centre-backs) - we just aren't going to score many goals.
Perhaps with Nicolas back to provide a bit more drive from midfield and Virgo to hold the ball up, Derby will go a bit better.
But whichever team is on the pitch, they generally give everything for the club, and you can't honestly ask for more than that.
We started with a 3-5-2 and after a dodgy first 5 minutes we were fairly comfortable with the occasional threat on the counter. The second half was always going to be more of the same, but I wasn't quite sure why the first substitution was made. If El-Abd was injured then ok, but we then went to a 4-4-2 and conceded the first goal almost straightaway. And against a team that I think will certainly be in the top 6 this year we never really looked like getting back into it. The penalty looked like a correct decision from 100 yards away - Harding blocked a cross but then dived in a bit to try and win the rebound.
We all know what the limitations of this team are at this level but I thought defensively we were excellent (with Oatway and Hammond covering tirelessly in front of the centre-backs) - we just aren't going to score many goals.
Perhaps with Nicolas back to provide a bit more drive from midfield and Virgo to hold the ball up, Derby will go a bit better.
But whichever team is on the pitch, they generally give everything for the club, and you can't honestly ask for more than that.
Beach Hut
Brighton Bhuna Boy
Yorkie said:
If that is what happened then we would expect a penalty at home so seems fair enough.
Have to say I thought Hartys was justified as well.
mona
The Glory Game
The substitutions were strange weren't they! They changed the team shape. Did the manager panic when he took ElAbd off?stratford seagull said:
Sunderland found life easier without Hammond and ElAbd to contend with.
Don't want to sound like a mona but I thought for an hour that a draw was there for the taking.
southstandandy
WEST STAND ANDY
- Jul 9, 2003
- 6,345
No we were'nt that bad. Let's face it we've played a third of the season with only 1 recognised striker in our team who looks a bit isolated at this level without a striking partner - and we're 15th !
I think that's bloody good going considering.
If only we could find one decent forward I reckon mid table at the end of season will be comfortable. Until this happens though, we will still be hovering around the bottom third.
But we must find that elusive forward...
I think that's bloody good going considering.
If only we could find one decent forward I reckon mid table at the end of season will be comfortable. Until this happens though, we will still be hovering around the bottom third.
But we must find that elusive forward...
saafend_seagull
Well-known member
looks like a pen, downloaded the pen decision off the sunderland forum, looks similar to sol campbells v manure last week.
The Auditor
New member
southstandandy said:
Yep - agree totally - Virgo doing so well has probably stop the rush for a proven goal scorer and our lack of money. Bloody good day out though - first time I've been to follow the Albion on the plane
Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Until El-Abd went off, we were holding on fairly comfortably. As soon as he went off though, we reverted to 4-4-2, the game suddenly opened up and once that happened there was only ever going to be one winner. As an attacking force we carried virtually no threat whatsoever, and didn't manage one decent effort on goal other than a first half header (Currie ?). The team worked hard and did its best, but frankly it was a stroll in the park for Sunderland.
The fact of the matter is that there are games like this where we will not be able to seriously compete with the opposition. Thats no disgrace though, as although we occupy the same division, in every other sense Sunderland are "light" years ahead of us. Anything we pick up from fixtures like that are a bonus. The match against Crewe next week is FAR more important, and I definately wouldn't have swapped 3 points from the Stadium of Light against 3 points from Crewe.
The fact of the matter is that there are games like this where we will not be able to seriously compete with the opposition. Thats no disgrace though, as although we occupy the same division, in every other sense Sunderland are "light" years ahead of us. Anything we pick up from fixtures like that are a bonus. The match against Crewe next week is FAR more important, and I definately wouldn't have swapped 3 points from the Stadium of Light against 3 points from Crewe.
The Auditor
New member
Easy 10 said:
Yes - the next few home games against Crewe Burnley and Rotherham are the big ones- maximum points and the disappointment of yesterday will be long forgotten
Gully
Monkey in a seagull suit.
Before the season started I looked at the other teams in the division and placed Sunderland in the top half, thus meaning that anything we could get against them away from home would be an absolute bonus, going there and losing 2-0 is nowhere near disgraceful.
On the other hand I would have placed Crewe, Burnley and Rotherham in the bottom half, decent results against them will nowhere near guarantee avoiding relegation but it will make the task a whole lot easier.
On the other hand I would have placed Crewe, Burnley and Rotherham in the bottom half, decent results against them will nowhere near guarantee avoiding relegation but it will make the task a whole lot easier.