@chairboyscentral said:
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 the next two games (Coventry A and Blackpool H) could be postponed - and after those, it's...oh, MK away.
Can Blackpool at home be postponed? Or just the Cov due to their possible FA cup?
Both postponed would be an arse, and make it a really bizarre season for breaks.
With another guaranteed one for 2 weeks due to the March Bury game.
Hopefully we can slot any postponement in midweek around that time.
Oh, ignore me - I'm getting confused as Blackpool have a replay too. Their scheduled fixture that weekend is against Tranmere, so there's a good chance they'll have a game in either league or cup. If Coventry does get postponed, hopefully Blackpool play and we can gain a slight edge against them.
@StrongestTeam said:
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.
Sunderland fans were singing Kevin Phillips name because he was there and was spotted, and he is revered for consistently putting the ball in the Geordies’ net!! It had nothing to do with wanting him as manager. As for the Luke O’Nien comment, every club, even yours I suspect, has one stupid supporter.
@StrongestTeam said:
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.
Sunderland fans were singing Kevin Phillips name because he was there and was spotted, and he is revered for consistently putting the ball in the Geordies’ net!! It had nothing to do with wanting him as manager. As for the Luke O’Nien comment, every club, even yours I suspect, has one stupid supporter.
The first point is debatable, it certainly contributed. For the rest of your reply you seem to have completely missed that this was the whole point of the post. I hope you didn't sign up just to write that.
Forgive the very late postscript, and for the apparent negativity which is not intended to be taken without context, but have just watched the highlights again for the first time since Saturday and wished to say that we should not be too harsh on Phillips (not that we necessarily have, but you know). Everyone was terrible. A really, really bad day. Let's hope for better on Saturday. COYB, etc..
@HCblue said:
Forgive the very late postscript, and for the apparent negativity which is not intended to be taken without context, but have just watched the highlights again for the first time since Saturday and wished to say that we should not be too harsh on Phillips (not that we necessarily have, but you know). Everyone was terrible. A really, really bad day. Let's hope for better on Saturday. COYB, etc..
Assuming Grimmer is still out, would it be a good idea to Thompson at right-back on Saturday? Far from ideal - you want him in midfield - but it sounds like he shored things up there after the change? Then just bring in Ofoborh.
Assuming Grimmer is still out, would it be a good idea to Thompson at right-back on Saturday? Far from ideal - you want him in midfield - but it sounds like he shored things up there after the change? Then just bring in Ofoborh.
Not a bad shout, but I'd say Thompson is probably our best "all round" midfielder, and you are moving him out of position to accommodate a position that apparently our 2nd choice right back isn't good enough to fill. I think you'd be pi**ing off too many players (2 players too many) and we don't need that at this stage of the season.
If I was GA. I would simply take a blank league table into the dressing room. Everyone has played 0. Everyone has 0 points (even Bolton!)...and we see where we can finish in this half of the season. Treat Rochdale as our first game?
Assuming Grimmer is still out, would it be a good idea to Thompson at right-back on Saturday? Far from ideal - you want him in midfield - but it sounds like he shored things up there after the change? Then just bring in Ofoborh.
Not a bad shout, but I'd say Thompson is probably our best "all round" midfielder, and you are moving him out of position to accommodate a position that apparently our 2nd choice right back isn't good enough to fill. I think you'd be pi**ing off too many players (2 players too many) and we don't need that at this stage of the season.
If I was GA. I would simply take a blank league table into the dressing room. Everyone has played 0. Everyone has 0 points (even Bolton!)...and we see where we can finish in this half of the season. Treat Rochdale as our first game?
I like that approach, psychologically.
Thompson was not obviously better than Phillips in the RB position and we were not clearly improved as a team after the change. At the very least, we never looked likely to turn the game around. Further, we were down a midfield engine. For all that I would like to find something next-level about Gareth's changes, I don;t think it made that much difference except that we had a better target for the one-dimensional long balls. The tactics and performance, as much as the formation or personnel, were the problem. As I said, it was a terrible team performance, after a few stinkers lately, and I hope that we can do much better at the weekend.
We might see Sido back at RB then, just to take Phillips out of the firing line as much as anything. Play our strongest midfield and start Bayo to give us a bit of a lift from the get-go? Especially as Rochdale aren't great in the air either. They also tend to play a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, so at least we won't have wing-backs to worry about. That said, the lad Luke Matheson looks a proper talent.
I still think Sido is so much better at centre-back and we ought to bring another right-back in, but I don't anticipate that happening in time for this game. As for elsewhere on the pitch, just imagine if Fred is back...
Phillips’s lack of positional sense was cruelly exposed on Saturday and he surely can’t be selected at fullback again. Is Sido fit? I struggle to believe that he simply didn’t make the bench, given the rest of the options on there. If he isn’t, presumably either Thompson or Ofoborh must start at the back against Rochdale.
@chairboyscentral: I have long admired your well-written previews, opposition viewpoint column etc as well as the scope and detail of your instant responses to Gasroom comments. But........as someone who usually writes good plain English your use of that horrible (but increasingly ubiquitous) “get-go” really jarred. We always used to say “from the word go”.
@eric_plant said:
We don't really play through midfield though do we?
Yet other teams seem to, with great effect of late. May well be wise to block this route through and perhaps use it ourselves more often. We have shown that we can pass it around to great effect at times and we must tighten up at the back so shoring up the midfield is a good shout for me.
And @LeedsBlue, don't get me started on Jermaine Jenas. He's getting slightly better, but the number of times he uses "to be honest" and "to tell the truth" at the start and/or end of an entirely mundane opinion makes my blood boil.
The incorrect use of the English language, especially traditional sayings, by ‘pundits’ really bugs me. Pundits tend to be younger ex players who, dare I say, aren’t the sharpest tools in the box. Just a couple of examples are ‘That goal really got the crowd off their feet’ - rather than off their seat or on their feet. ‘Liverpool are streaks ahead of the rest’ - rather than streets ahead. There are dozens more. Other things I find annoying is how football language is slowly changing, perhaps becoming more American. Clean sheets are more often now referred to as shut outs. A player or team no longer have strength, they have physicality. Clever players play ‘between the lines’. How about, ‘he’s a decent player but he isn’t as good as the Gerrards or Lampards of this world’ - infuriates me. Right I’m going for a lie down......
I'm risking a hammering here but.... what really annoys me is people telling other people how to talk and spell !!
There was a thread on here a while back asking people for a little leeway as they dont know personal circumstances.... didnt last at all never mind long.
The worst part thing is that most pundits offer no worthwhile insight whatsoever - they may be ex-players, but that doesn't mean they know what they're talking about. When was the last time you watched Match of the Day and actually learnt something? Compare that to the NFL, for example, where usually the summariser picks out all sorts of little details in live coverage, seemingly at the drop of a hat. For every Gary Neville in football, there are half a dozen Danny Millses.
Jermaine Jenas will also often start with ‘Weirdly....’ or ‘In a weird way......’ Although to be fair to him, I think you can see he’s actually a reasonably intelligent bloke, he just seems to be on everything so it’s not surprising he gets annoying!
Comments
Can Blackpool at home be postponed? Or just the Cov due to their possible FA cup?
Both postponed would be an arse, and make it a really bizarre season for breaks.
With another guaranteed one for 2 weeks due to the March Bury game.
Hopefully we can slot any postponement in midweek around that time.
Oh, ignore me - I'm getting confused as Blackpool have a replay too. Their scheduled fixture that weekend is against Tranmere, so there's a good chance they'll have a game in either league or cup. If Coventry does get postponed, hopefully Blackpool play and we can gain a slight edge against them.
Sunderland fans were singing Kevin Phillips name because he was there and was spotted, and he is revered for consistently putting the ball in the Geordies’ net!! It had nothing to do with wanting him as manager. As for the Luke O’Nien comment, every club, even yours I suspect, has one stupid supporter.
Oh we've got way more than one, believe me
The first point is debatable, it certainly contributed. For the rest of your reply you seem to have completely missed that this was the whole point of the post. I hope you didn't sign up just to write that.
Forgive the very late postscript, and for the apparent negativity which is not intended to be taken without context, but have just watched the highlights again for the first time since Saturday and wished to say that we should not be too harsh on Phillips (not that we necessarily have, but you know). Everyone was terrible. A really, really bad day. Let's hope for better on Saturday. COYB, etc..
Assuming Grimmer is still out, would it be a good idea to Thompson at right-back on Saturday? Far from ideal - you want him in midfield - but it sounds like he shored things up there after the change? Then just bring in Ofoborh.
Not a bad shout, but I'd say Thompson is probably our best "all round" midfielder, and you are moving him out of position to accommodate a position that apparently our 2nd choice right back isn't good enough to fill. I think you'd be pi**ing off too many players (2 players too many) and we don't need that at this stage of the season.
If I was GA. I would simply take a blank league table into the dressing room. Everyone has played 0. Everyone has 0 points (even Bolton!)...and we see where we can finish in this half of the season. Treat Rochdale as our first game?
I like that approach, psychologically.
Thompson was not obviously better than Phillips in the RB position and we were not clearly improved as a team after the change. At the very least, we never looked likely to turn the game around. Further, we were down a midfield engine. For all that I would like to find something next-level about Gareth's changes, I don;t think it made that much difference except that we had a better target for the one-dimensional long balls. The tactics and performance, as much as the formation or personnel, were the problem. As I said, it was a terrible team performance, after a few stinkers lately, and I hope that we can do much better at the weekend.
We might see Sido back at RB then, just to take Phillips out of the firing line as much as anything. Play our strongest midfield and start Bayo to give us a bit of a lift from the get-go? Especially as Rochdale aren't great in the air either. They also tend to play a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, so at least we won't have wing-backs to worry about. That said, the lad Luke Matheson looks a proper talent.
The Sido thought seems eminently reasonable. And he is experienced, and good, enough to do the job there.
The rest, I can live with a number of options so long as we are less passive and have more life and creativity about us.
I still think Sido is so much better at centre-back and we ought to bring another right-back in, but I don't anticipate that happening in time for this game. As for elsewhere on the pitch, just imagine if Fred is back...
I would play three across the back and pack midfield- but what do I know.
We don't really play through midfield though do we?
I'd be apprehensive about Jacobson having to play as a wing-back, but I do like it as a system.
Phillips’s lack of positional sense was cruelly exposed on Saturday and he surely can’t be selected at fullback again. Is Sido fit? I struggle to believe that he simply didn’t make the bench, given the rest of the options on there. If he isn’t, presumably either Thompson or Ofoborh must start at the back against Rochdale.
@chairboyscentral: I have long admired your well-written previews, opposition viewpoint column etc as well as the scope and detail of your instant responses to Gasroom comments. But........as someone who usually writes good plain English your use of that horrible (but increasingly ubiquitous) “get-go” really jarred. We always used to say “from the word go”.
@micra Would "from the off" be less jarring?
Yet other teams seem to, with great effect of late. May well be wise to block this route through and perhaps use it ourselves more often. We have shown that we can pass it around to great effect at times and we must tighten up at the back so shoring up the midfield is a good shout for me.
Definitely.
G’day.
@micra another one that pundits have started to use, which grates with me for no rational reason is “from Minute 1”
That one’s not registered with me yet for some reason @LeedsBlue but no doubt I’ll now hear it a lot and be duly irritated!
@micra Younger pundits like Jermaine Jenas say it all the time. Stick it on your MOTD bingo card this weekend...!
Pundits and commentators describing every shot as "cute" recently can all get in the sea.
And @LeedsBlue, don't get me started on Jermaine Jenas. He's getting slightly better, but the number of times he uses "to be honest" and "to tell the truth" at the start and/or end of an entirely mundane opinion makes my blood boil.
The incorrect use of the English language, especially traditional sayings, by ‘pundits’ really bugs me. Pundits tend to be younger ex players who, dare I say, aren’t the sharpest tools in the box. Just a couple of examples are ‘That goal really got the crowd off their feet’ - rather than off their seat or on their feet. ‘Liverpool are streaks ahead of the rest’ - rather than streets ahead. There are dozens more. Other things I find annoying is how football language is slowly changing, perhaps becoming more American. Clean sheets are more often now referred to as shut outs. A player or team no longer have strength, they have physicality. Clever players play ‘between the lines’. How about, ‘he’s a decent player but he isn’t as good as the Gerrards or Lampards of this world’ - infuriates me. Right I’m going for a lie down......
I'm risking a hammering here but.... what really annoys me is people telling other people how to talk and spell !!
There was a thread on here a while back asking people for a little leeway as they dont know personal circumstances.... didnt last at all never mind long.
The worst part thing is that most pundits offer no worthwhile insight whatsoever - they may be ex-players, but that doesn't mean they know what they're talking about. When was the last time you watched Match of the Day and actually learnt something? Compare that to the NFL, for example, where usually the summariser picks out all sorts of little details in live coverage, seemingly at the drop of a hat. For every Gary Neville in football, there are half a dozen Danny Millses.
Jermaine Jenas will also often start with ‘Weirdly....’ or ‘In a weird way......’ Although to be fair to him, I think you can see he’s actually a reasonably intelligent bloke, he just seems to be on everything so it’s not surprising he gets annoying!
@drcongo I admire Jenas's work, but if he were to tell me those passes were cute from Minute 1, I'd say: 'Oi, Jenas, noooooo' ....
Hark at us band of self-righteous brothers...
@Quarterman - spot on. Mark Chapman and Colin Murray are leading offenders, both of whom love a bit of NFL. No coincidence.