Sunderland Post Match

I felt their gameplan was to to out muscle, bully and unsettle us but our defense showed a lot of fight IMO, I can't see how people can have a go at Otamendi he was vital at times with so many key battles won in our own box: heading, clearing, blocking when called upon. It wasn't pretty but we held onto a slim lead for once when they threw everything they had at us(including foul play at times), I felt the ref was letting things go and gave them 5 minutes to pinch a goal at the end which we would never have got if we were the team behind.

You cant expect them to show fight when needed but complain about how scrappy it becomes(they were going to end up injuring someone if we were too nice about it, commentators moaning about its not like the old days is just ignoring how much costlier injuries are these days at the very top), we had the lead and the second goal didn't come but we saw the game out anyway. I'd rather the team come away with 3 points, a few yellow cards from meeting fire with fire and fewer injuries.
 
To those thinking the players may be easing up for pellers now he's one his bike you should have seen the players at the end. They punched the air and hugged each other. They knew they had been poor but mark my words they wanted that 3 points as much as ever.
 
Metalartin said:
I felt their gameplan was to to out muscle, bully and unsettle us but our defense showed a lot of fight IMO, I can't see how people can have a go at Otamendi he was vital at times with so many key battles won in our own box: heading, clearing, blocking when called upon. It wasn't pretty but we held onto a slim lead for once when they threw everything they had at us(including foul play at times), I felt the ref was letting things go and gave them 5 minutes to pinch a goal at the end which we would never have got if we were the team behind.

You cant expect them to show fight when needed but complain about how scrappy it becomes(they were going to end up injuring someone if we were too nice about it, commentators moaning about its not like the old days is just ignoring how much costlier injuries are these days at the very top), we had the lead and the second goal didn't come but we saw the game out anyway. I'd rather the team come away with 3 points, a few yellow cards from meeting fire with fire and fewer injuries.
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+1
good post from someone that actually watch the game and paid attention...
 
1 goal games at the SoL are a regular occurrence. We're lucky the good guys were on the right side of it this time. Sunderland's new signings all played very well and if they keep that up, I think they're destined to stay up.

Nervous about Navas -- hope that isn't a 1-month injury like you'd expect. We're thin right now and have a ton of big games coming up so that'd be a big blow.
 
Bill said:
To those thinking the players may be easing up for pellers now he's one his bike you should have seen the players at the end. They punched the air and hugged each other. They knew they had been poor but mark my words they wanted that 3 points as much as ever.
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Good to hear. I don't think the players efforts can be faulted with the amount of last minute winners we score.

I'm hoping our experience of winning titles will carry us through but the injuries are concerning.
 
We held a lead tonight for 80 minutes, whilst being kicked and elbowed, we fought for the result, something many have been moaning that we couldn't do, we should be rejoicing, but no, all most can do is complain about Yaya, its a huge 3 points is that, huge.
 
I think Pellers also appreciated the support from the crowd too at the end of the game he looked genuinely grateful for the show of support for him.
 
Played away against a team with everything to play for that had 9 days rest to our 3 (after just 3 days rest before that). Added to a ref that seemed one sided in his view of fouls. Excellent result.
 
Tough game that, the Sunderland pressure caused too many errors for my liking (ball retention), but a cracking result. Now we need to put Leicester & Spurs in their places - would another 2 clean sheets be asking too much?
 
evianglass said:
i am not sure i understand the slagging off... we won! for fuck sake... we played 4 days ago and Sunderland hasn't played for what 9 days? they were up for it... they ran and ran and ran and played their hearts out; thank goodness they are shit... we tried matching them and beat them... it was not pretty but the players did it while getting kicked and elbowed and no help from the fucking ref... for once support the fucking effort!!!
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Exactly. I don't mind a bit of whining now and then, and we certainly made hard work of it tonight , but we won and had a cleaN sheet away from home. Don't forget how many times we've played this lot awAy and lost 1-0 in recent years!
 
A great result but another poor performance. Think Sunderland will avoid the drop if they play like that from now on. They look a much improved side with their new signings and deserved at least a draw. As for us I'm not at all confident our current style of play can beat Leicester or Spurs. Hopefully no losses against them will keep us hanging in there for champs league places.
 
Bodicoteblue said:
We showed that we can go clog-for -clog with the cloggiest of cloggers and still produce a moment of quality.
Did Defoe get booked by the way?
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Somehow managed to get out of the game without a yellow. In fact, the only one they got was Billy Jones when he stopped Silva after he'd gotten past him. Thought they had at least a few other clear yellow card moments but the ref let them play very physically.
 
citymad said:
A great result but another poor performance. Think Sunderland will avoid the drop if they play like that from now on. They look a much improved side with their new signings and deserved at least a draw. Not at all confident our current style of play can beat Leicester or Spurs. Hopefully no losses will keep us hanging in there for champs league.
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You really are a depressing as fuck poster. Remember last time when you said no top 4 and didn't pay out.
 
cleavers said:
No you're right, that's why we won 1-0 tonight.
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I meant it restricts our passing game.
If you read the post from @jimharri I was responding to where he was asking why a team like ours didn't dispatch a team in Sunderland's position in a more convincing manner. It wasn't a dig at the team or the manager, who I wholeheartedly support.... Even when we're shit - like tonight.
 
Positive is that we worked hard and grinded out a victory. Negative is that we forgot how to pass. Lost count of how many times we either hoofed the ball up field aimlessly or one player tried to take on three Sunderland players. Ironically tonight's performance was probably as far removed from Pep's style as you can get. Still, 3 points.
 
chaddblue said:
Sorry pal... totally disagree. If Pellers hadn't changed it, Sunderland would have eventually scored. Thought we looked much more solid once Fernando came on and think that change won us the game

But it's all about opinions...
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Yeah I can see the other side of the argument. Personally I would have moved Nacho wider onto the left and made a compact 3 out of Silva, Yaya and Dinho, with Navas wide on the right. Would have probably made it less obvious to Sunderland and their crowd that we were bricking it.

We won anyway so that's all that matters. Games like tonight we will look back on if we win it
 
And yet another poor, poor referee. Two assaults missed on our players, and I didn't see a single occasion where he applied his decisions evenly.

Fans in good voice, though, especially the first half, and I felt a bit emotional singing Pelle his Lamborghini song (possibly for the last time for me, being the part-timer that I am!)
 
The slaughtered lamb said:
A lot looked knackered too at the end. Doesn't bode well with the fixtures coming up. Hope for the best.
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This is a good point, we have played 3 games in the last week, that was Sunderland 's first in 10 days. They got in our faces, loaded the ball into the box and roughed us up. The defence played well, Joe was outstanding and the team showed a fighting spirit that has been missing at time this season.
 
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