Hello fight fans.
A quick confession, I called it wrong on Martin O’Neil. But with that admission I must qualify matters so you don’t mistake me for me suddenly becoming one of those solemn and devoutly devout converts who always believed him to be a one man footballing maestro since way back when.
During his tenure at Villa, I’d go as far to say that he didn’t stink the place out as I wasn’t one for conveniently overlooking the pots and pots of money he spent achieving very very little.
At Sunderland he has taken a squad of players who had understandably failed to do anything memorable under either – the ‘at large mental patient’, Royston Keane or the cuddly burn out, Mr Steven Bruce – and turn them into a side that have looked if not reborn, then certainly far less predictable than they ever have.
I never thought he was a con man as such, rather he was held in far to higher esteem based upon what he had actually achieved.
fig.1=An array of precise, near surgeon like passes from the Crafty Croatian© fig.2=A ring of steel through which the Black Cats stand little or no chance of penetrating. fig.3=A series of intelligent balls from the back men to feed the wingers. fig.4=A series of potential fiendish one twos between our fleet of foot front runners.
So what of this game then? Well Sunderland away is precisely the sort of game you could bet the rent on us either dropping a testicle or worse. The old, ‘Err, it’s a bit cold, bit windy…’
Thank the merciful Lord for his bounteous mercies that those days are finally behind us. Remember Tommy ‘Ketchup’ Cuddlestones and Jermaine ‘Pushing on for top 4’ J**** giving us abysmally half hearted performances at grounds like The Stadium of Light and The Reebok? No, I don’t want to either.
Sunderland have traded this season on a very similar platform to Swansea. If you don’t agree then tell me how, how in the name of Christopher Biggins has Mr Bendtner begun scoring goals?
What MON has installed, as has the sainted Brendan Rodgers, is a simple tactical philosophy that doesn’t dwell heavily upon individual talent.
The way we beat Swansea needs to be replicated here. Sunderland need to be terrorised on the wings and find themselves running into a ring of steel whenever they want to attack the final third. And put simply, if we adopt a similar approach, we’ll do’em.
Predictions? Modders Anytime Goal Scorer isn’t too shabby at 7/2 nor is Adebayor at 8/1 to get 2+ goals. Spurs to win by a 2 goal margin is a bet I am positively eBaying furniture to lump on with the 11/2 price courtesy of Boylesports.
Like that line up except I’d have VDV for Azza, then bring the Blud on for late game terror.
That was the only hesitation :-| Azza might well benefit from the old, ‘impact’ sub appearance..
I agree with SSG, you can’t leave VdV out and not for Azza, not yet anyway as he always takes two or three games to get back into full swing…..Sandro has brought added stability and with PNB now obeying the ‘heal boy’ instruction we are looking solid at the back…..I’m optimistic……BIOYMC!
Solid at the back you must be on about Newcastle they have just beat Swansea with a Pappa who played upfront in midfield and at the back. Perch and Williams at the back Phoney tale in the middle 3 shots on target and two goals. This should tell any doubters Football is now a game of work rate. Let me tell you Oniel and Pardew have got no idea why they can play any one anywhere and still win and so has the press and watching public. I would be the same i if i had not found the secret so i will say this playing that team will make this game harder to win Sunderland will give us two seconds to pass or ankles will be rapped attacking them could get overactive players sent off so my team based on Turners weight loss is Friedel reluctantly Walker Gallas King Ekotto Lennon Modric Parker Defoe Ady. Lets all ask why Newcastle won at Swansea with Perch and Williams at the back if our team learn the answer we wont be on the end of another shock football results. So just like the bar codes we should go unbeaten for the remaining games ignore the Work rate and we will struggle.
Davspur, you’d answer far more questions if you asked yourself why Newcastle got thumped 5-0 by us, rather than to keep banging on like a duracell bunny about tempo. The answer is about naive formations rather than drugs. I swear it’s you who’s on the ethedrine. Let it go man.
Repeat of the Swansea attitude and performance should do it, in what looks like our toughest outstanding league game.
Newcastle winning today keeps the pressure on us.
I think away from home that is a very sensible line up. I really hope that Azza can stay crock free until the end of the season. Balance wise, he is essential. Nice to see Christopher Biggins getting a mention :-)
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Chris Biggins rang my doorbell at six in the morning once to ask if I was or knew a landscape gardener. Hackney, 1984.
Uphill gardener more like.
Our thoughts are with your ‘doorbell’ at what must a be a difficult time :cool:
Yeah apparently Chris had a muddy hole that he needed filling!!
You have a way with euphimisms.
we never win up there it really spoils my weekend. Hoping for a change in the weather and an eggcellent result. I know thats shit but what the hell, 2-1 with a bale shot on target to really add some spice to the bunny feast COYS
As is your memory having won 2-1 ‘up there’ last season!