I don't think we'll ever be truly ready for the Championship, but we could be more ready than we are now if that makes sense. We'd almost certainly come straight back down whenever we went up, but the ride would be a bit more enjoyable if we could spend a season not getting battered.
@MindlessDrugHoover said:
I don't think anyone here isn't disappointed with recent results but I think one thing they've maybe shown us is we're perhaps not ready for promotion yet.
Look at Luton - the team that got them promoted last year was probably better than our team this season and yet they can barely cope in the Championship; with our financial limitations could we even consider coping against clubs like Sheff Weds, leeds, Fulham etc? There is an argument that our play-off season defeat benefited us in the long term - we were better prepared for L1 after a couple more seasons of Ainsworth's squad/ethos building. With more financial stability now, we should be looking to keep building on what we have and keep aiming to go higher. Slow and steady wins the race isn't a mantra much favoured in football, but it's worked for us over the last few seasons.
That isn't to say I wouldn't be in seventh heaven should we go up this year, but nor would I be completely gutted if it doesn't work out this time round.
I'm less upset about this current (short) run of poor form than I was about losing the FA Cup replay.
Very well put.
No more posts on our blip because the drug hoover makes a very valid point.
Wasn't at the game and had the alerts from my sky app start to come through as I was up high heavens yesterday. Not good but after our recent form not surprising. However, I'm sure it's my hazy memory but over the years Havent we seemed to have either a good pre Christmas then a bad new year or vice versa.
We're still second in a league that most of the country (and a few fans) thought we'd be propping up all year, instead we were top for what seemed like forever and have played some really good stuff. We'll be fine. In GA we trust.
COYB
Even when we were 7 points clear a few short weeks ago it never really felt that we were playing at a ‘top of the table’ level (understandable really given our resources).
We’d benefitted a bit from seemingly playing teams at the right time for us and seemingly a little bit of luck on the pitch. That was bound to change - yesterday was probably the worst time to play a Sunderland team on the rise and the balance without a reliable right back has seen us a lot more vulnerable than before.
Our strengths (energy and organisation - and Bayo) however remain and it will be interesting to see if we are still around the play off picture with 8 or so games to go, whether we could capture a play-off spot, which would still be a fantastic achievement.
Yes, it was fun to think about automatic promotion and trips to Sheffield Wednesday, Watford etc next year but reality was always likely to intervene.
Getting upset when you wake up after a dream seems insane to me.
Due to family visiting, I didn't even have a chance to put on @bluntphil commentary for the first 15 minutes. By that time, my son came into the kitchen to tell me we were already two down. Managed to say farewell to the visitors, son returns as I walk towards the PC to inform me we were three down. Horlicks, can't be arsed now because I could picture another Coventry performance, so watched Netflix instead, thoroughly peed off, but at the same time relieved that I hadn't made the trip up there.
IMHO, the time has come to step away from 4-3-3, as Sunderland, Portsmouth & Coventry have shown, it's too easy for the opposition to pack out the midfield, pass round us and dominate the possession in & around our box. I agree with a few posters observations that we have had the rub of the green first half of the season, now lady luck has turned her back on us and our frailties are being exposed. I now believe, that the time has come to grind out a few results & return to full on shithousery until we get our mojo back. Even with better players at our disposal, we have never really played a good passing/nice triangles type game getting round the back of the opposition defence. I know we use Bayo as a wrecking ball but still believe he is underrated with the ball at his feet and don't use that armoury as much as we should. As fans, we are looking at the absences of Fred & Jack & whilst I agree that they are big missing components, they alone will not change our fortunes very much until they are match fit which will take three of four games. Until that time, why don't we return to the Wycombe that all other fans hate, get a few points back on the board and ease our way back up to full steam?
I'm probably well wide of the mark and that's why Gareth does his job & I do mine. We aren't ready to go up yet anyway!
If I recall when we lost out at Wembley it was generally agreed that going up that season might have proved disastrous as we were already punching above our weight.
It would be great to be able to consistently compete at the upper end of League One with a view to promotion in the near future (not that I'm not gonna be pissed off if we go up in May ?). I'd be really excited to see what Gaz could do with increased backing at this level.
Count me as a plus one for being more upset about going out of the cup the way we did than about yesterday. Particularly since that two week break seems to have ruined our momentum.
Listening to Radio Newcastle after the match, the pundits were giving most of the credit for Sunderland's upturn in form to the introduction of a new fitness coach and the consequent improvement in fitness of their players.
Wikipedia says he has scored eight goals in 34 appearances. It's not brilliant but not objectively disastrous. Is that judgement based on his previous reputation?
He's gone from scoring roughly every other start at Wigan (where he was very much "on fire") to closer to a goal every five in his (almost) year at Sunderland.
Looking about a bit, I'm finding it hard to get reliable stats on him but I think Transfermarkt.co.uk says he has scored eight goals in 48 appearances including 18 as a sub and 19 in which he was replaced. Unremarkable and we probably wouldn't have thought to if not for that song.
Mostly in League One, although he was with Wigan as they yo-yoed between the two divisions. Perhaps one of those players who's too good for one division and not good enough for the other. A bit of a Dwight Gayle maybe.
Great post @EwanHoosaami (10.32am) I know the feeling and agree very much with your analysis of what’s required. Come on You Blues indeed. Yeah, man.
Excellent posts also by Ozzie, Mindless and Aloysius. Can’t recall which if any of the above talked about sticking (mainly) to 4-4-2 but I’d certainly go along with that.
If ever you needed reassurance our fans are not too different from everyone else's remember Sunderland fans were singing Kevin Phillips name on repeat as they want him to take over even when they were four up and one of their fans has just told Luke O'Nein he should "gan with them then" for daring to wish us well for the season.
Question above about whether the announcement of the takeover completion was being delayed as they were going to make a big signing and announcement but they mailed trust members to say it hadn't been completed yet and we're talking about the salary cap equivalent when Charles signed his contract.
Hopefully some freebie or loan gems ready to light up the rest of the season. Ofoborh, Fred and Smyth surely have a bit more to offer if not.
There are a few teams better than us but if we can take points off the ones that arent (of which hopefully there are more!) we should be able to stay in touch with the top. Starting on Saturday
There are a lot of teams better than us at the moment. Win needed on Saturday - ideally a comprehensive one - before a still-tough trip to an out-of-form Peterborough. Then it's Coventry away and Blackpool at home, the first of which could be postponed - and after those, it's...oh, MK away.
Comments
I don't think we'll ever be truly ready for the Championship, but we could be more ready than we are now if that makes sense. We'd almost certainly come straight back down whenever we went up, but the ride would be a bit more enjoyable if we could spend a season not getting battered.
Looking through the Sunderland forum, quite a few comments that they thought we actually looked alright up front, but we were dreadful at the back
Very well put.
No more posts on our blip because the drug hoover makes a very valid point.
Wasn't at the game and had the alerts from my sky app start to come through as I was up high heavens yesterday. Not good but after our recent form not surprising. However, I'm sure it's my hazy memory but over the years Havent we seemed to have either a good pre Christmas then a bad new year or vice versa.
We're still second in a league that most of the country (and a few fans) thought we'd be propping up all year, instead we were top for what seemed like forever and have played some really good stuff. We'll be fine. In GA we trust.
COYB
Even when we were 7 points clear a few short weeks ago it never really felt that we were playing at a ‘top of the table’ level (understandable really given our resources).
We’d benefitted a bit from seemingly playing teams at the right time for us and seemingly a little bit of luck on the pitch. That was bound to change - yesterday was probably the worst time to play a Sunderland team on the rise and the balance without a reliable right back has seen us a lot more vulnerable than before.
Our strengths (energy and organisation - and Bayo) however remain and it will be interesting to see if we are still around the play off picture with 8 or so games to go, whether we could capture a play-off spot, which would still be a fantastic achievement.
Yes, it was fun to think about automatic promotion and trips to Sheffield Wednesday, Watford etc next year but reality was always likely to intervene.
Getting upset when you wake up after a dream seems insane to me.
Just a reminder that we are on equal points with the league leaders. It’s not all gloom and doom.
Due to family visiting, I didn't even have a chance to put on @bluntphil commentary for the first 15 minutes. By that time, my son came into the kitchen to tell me we were already two down. Managed to say farewell to the visitors, son returns as I walk towards the PC to inform me we were three down. Horlicks, can't be arsed now because I could picture another Coventry performance, so watched Netflix instead, thoroughly peed off, but at the same time relieved that I hadn't made the trip up there.
IMHO, the time has come to step away from 4-3-3, as Sunderland, Portsmouth & Coventry have shown, it's too easy for the opposition to pack out the midfield, pass round us and dominate the possession in & around our box. I agree with a few posters observations that we have had the rub of the green first half of the season, now lady luck has turned her back on us and our frailties are being exposed. I now believe, that the time has come to grind out a few results & return to full on shithousery until we get our mojo back. Even with better players at our disposal, we have never really played a good passing/nice triangles type game getting round the back of the opposition defence. I know we use Bayo as a wrecking ball but still believe he is underrated with the ball at his feet and don't use that armoury as much as we should. As fans, we are looking at the absences of Fred & Jack & whilst I agree that they are big missing components, they alone will not change our fortunes very much until they are match fit which will take three of four games. Until that time, why don't we return to the Wycombe that all other fans hate, get a few points back on the board and ease our way back up to full steam?
I'm probably well wide of the mark and that's why Gareth does his job & I do mine. We aren't ready to go up yet anyway!
Again, what pretty much everyone is saying
If I recall when we lost out at Wembley it was generally agreed that going up that season might have proved disastrous as we were already punching above our weight.
It would be great to be able to consistently compete at the upper end of League One with a view to promotion in the near future (not that I'm not gonna be pissed off if we go up in May ?). I'd be really excited to see what Gaz could do with increased backing at this level.
Count me as a plus one for being more upset about going out of the cup the way we did than about yesterday. Particularly since that two week break seems to have ruined our momentum.
Our luck has certainly changed immeasurably on top of all the other reasons.
We've gone from playing Bolton kids, playing rochdale a few days after their old Trafford exploits, and playing teams like Sunderland when in chaos.
To playing Portsmouth, Oxford and Sunderland when on the up, the Bayo red card, injuries etc.
As per Ipswich this weekend, we simply need a good win to calm everyone down.
Hopefully Rochdale who have a midweek cup game is the perfect solution
Listening to Radio Newcastle after the match, the pundits were giving most of the credit for Sunderland's upturn in form to the introduction of a new fitness coach and the consequent improvement in fitness of their players.
I said after the home game Sunderland would struggle while Grigg, Leadbetter and McGeady were first team regulars.
What a disaster Will Grigg has been!
Wikipedia says he has scored eight goals in 34 appearances. It's not brilliant but not objectively disastrous. Is that judgement based on his previous reputation?
He's gone from scoring roughly every other start at Wigan (where he was very much "on fire") to closer to a goal every five in his (almost) year at Sunderland.
Looking about a bit, I'm finding it hard to get reliable stats on him but I think Transfermarkt.co.uk says he has scored eight goals in 48 appearances including 18 as a sub and 19 in which he was replaced. Unremarkable and we probably wouldn't have thought to if not for that song.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/will-grigg/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/106676/plus/1?saison=&verein=289&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=
Soccerbase is usually your best bet for 'at a glance' stats like apperances and goals: https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=50818
Another move which just hasn't worked out, but he's only 28 and I'm sure another club at this level could get him firing.
Most of his goals came in the championship too didn't they? A step down for him in this league on paper.
Mostly in League One, although he was with Wigan as they yo-yoed between the two divisions. Perhaps one of those players who's too good for one division and not good enough for the other. A bit of a Dwight Gayle maybe.
Great post @EwanHoosaami (10.32am) I know the feeling and agree very much with your analysis of what’s required. Come on You Blues indeed. Yeah, man.
Excellent posts also by Ozzie, Mindless and Aloysius. Can’t recall which if any of the above talked about sticking (mainly) to 4-4-2 but I’d certainly go along with that.
I wonder how much more he cost than our total spend as a league club since the early 90s. Double?
£4 million he cost https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/sport/amp/football/47086441
Yep, but the "Interesting" (ish) question, is how much more have they spent on one flop, than we have spent in total in the football league.
Have we won a game since Gaz released that dreadful record?
Don't try to tell me that's just a coincidence
Finally arriving home.
Very disappointing performance and result, but ultimately our league position is still incredible and it was a cracking weekend overall.
If ever you needed reassurance our fans are not too different from everyone else's remember Sunderland fans were singing Kevin Phillips name on repeat as they want him to take over even when they were four up and one of their fans has just told Luke O'Nein he should "gan with them then" for daring to wish us well for the season.
Question above about whether the announcement of the takeover completion was being delayed as they were going to make a big signing and announcement but they mailed trust members to say it hadn't been completed yet and we're talking about the salary cap equivalent when Charles signed his contract.
Hopefully some freebie or loan gems ready to light up the rest of the season. Ofoborh, Fred and Smyth surely have a bit more to offer if not.
There are a few teams better than us but if we can take points off the ones that arent (of which hopefully there are more!) we should be able to stay in touch with the top. Starting on Saturday
There are a lot of teams better than us at the moment. Win needed on Saturday - ideally a comprehensive one - before a still-tough trip to an out-of-form Peterborough. Then it's Coventry away and Blackpool at home, the first of which could be postponed - and after those, it's...oh, MK away.