Sunderland post match thread

[Alex B]

Seen several digs on a forum over here about us not selling out Pep's first game. I wasn't watching the game (listened to it on the radio and followed it on here); what was the story today re. empty seats?

Looked full to me, maybe the odd empty seats as you would expect In holiday seasom but that just gets exaggerated with it being us.

The atmosphere though was poor. I get what people are saying with the possession of football but fuck me its first game of the season with the manager we all wanted with players putting a shift in. Needs sorting out.

 

[moggymoz]

Not sure if it has been said but today Aguero was off form and the ball just didn't fall for him. Still one of the best players though. Credit to Sunderland they also defended hard and kept their shape.

Stones so far has shown his presence, Sterling will get better and we can already see glimpses of a different City side. Would do us good considering we hadn't had a proper preseason with one less game and the Euro.

Haha, are you waiting for him to fuck up so you can slag the guy off ;)

 

[kaz7]

Lets keep it in perspective,this was our 4th game from scratch,the lads did well and we can see a plan

 

[MarsLlama]

Stones, Kolarov, Fernandinho, Silva and Navas were all excellent. Thought Aguero could've been better, goal aside, Iheanacho was wrong not to lay off the shot he took to Delph for a tap-in. We were easily the better team but the frequency and severity of the parked busses we will come up against in the PL will be Pep's biggest domestic challenge I think.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

I loved it.

Football with a purpose, and once the top end delivers with a final product, there will be total dominance of games.

Kudos to the lads at the back because we already look very comfortable playing it under pressure.

Stones is a Rolls Royce

 

[RandomJ]

Looked full to me, maybe the odd empty seats as you would expect In holiday seasom but that just gets exaggerated with it being us.

The atmosphere though was poor. I get what people are saying with the possession of football but fuck me its first game of the season with the manager we all wanted with players putting a shift in. Needs sorting out.

Not sure you can sort it out. If people want to go there and sit quietly theres nothing you can do about that.

 

[BlueMoonz1977]

Said it on the match thread when a few were griping and bloody moaning. Pep will focus on getting the team to gel the way he wants, play the tactics the way he wants. The goals will then follow.

He didn't walk into Barca from Barca B and get it working straight away - it takes time. Even more here because we don't have the way Barca play running from the club from day dot.

The signs were extremely encouraging, the way the defence was interchanging, Stones look likes he will totally flourish under Pep, Sterling looked like the player that got him noticed.

 

[SWP's back]

More than happy with that

 

[cucumberman]

Haha, are you waiting for him to fuck up so you can slag the guy off ;)

Haha no I feel he will get better and add more to his game. I had been critical of him in the transfer thread, but he was very much in command today. He's already looking first choice CB from what we have.

 

[Metalartin]

Atmosphere was poor. Hope fans start staying till end now players clap us.

Yeah I was thinking about the length of time it takes people to get back in their seats at half time too(are the pies that good?) and before kickoff and the long quiet periods we have where everyone's too engrossed in the game to cheer but it's easy to judge watching from home as long as they are paying for their ticket there's not much we can say about it... although it would be nice to have commentators stop pointing out they can see empty seats and how "subdued" the crowd is and the lack of atmosphere and "the Kop would be rocking if this were at Anfield innit la".