Sunderland Post Match

[Lancet Fluke]

Normally I would agree. Take the three points and move on. But the issues that turned a bright opening 20 min performance into a desperately hanging on last 20 mins are recurring and will sabotage our season if they're not addressed. It wasn't a case of us having an off night but getting a win, a sign of champions. It was a case of a hard working but very limited team putting us under the cosh because they knew what our weaknesses are.

I was just glad that we were playing Sunderland and not Stoke or West Ham. If Sunderland had just one player with the quality of a Payet we would have dropped points yesterday.

The whole thing about grinding out results when playing badly being a sign of champions is fine but usually it assumes a fair amount of genuinely good performances in between whereas we tend to be underperforming more often than not and too many matches have been a grind like last night. It isn't always just about the result IMO, it can be over a short and crucial run of games but not over a prolonged period and the reason we haven't been able to put a run of league wins together since early September is because we just aren't playing well and you can't expect to play poorly and beat teams week in week out. united won the league maybe once or twice where it seemed like they barely played well all season but it is more than likely that if we don't start playing well consistently at some point we won't win the league. Really it is astonishing that we are where we are in the league when you look at our actual performances.

 

[shemnel]

all about the points last night, there's pressure building on City and we needed the points. job done.

 

[BluessinceHydeRoad]

Not one of our more impressive performances by any means. The problem seems to be midfield but last night showed that Ya Ya can still play in a midfield two against some of the lower PL teams; The problem last night was that when either Ya Ya or David got the ball it didn't stick and Sunderland got it back while we were out of position. Fortunately Sunderland were true enough to Big Sam's traditions to keep pumping it up front and Otamendi and MdM were easily capable of dealing with this, on all but rare occasions. Our use of the ball when we had possession was very poor by our standards.

 

[coleridge]

I am just grateful for the three points. There is also a certain merit to the egregious nature of the performance. Winning ugly is just that.

Pellers mentioned the hard fought semi as telling on the players. After Saturday, there is a little breathing space from midweek games and travelling, I expect Kompany back at some point around then. As someone just said, 5 clean sheets out of 7 is not shoddy.

 

[BucksBlue]

Coward's action from Billy Jones as he racked his studs down Sergio's calf after the ball had flown in the net. BBC failed to highlight this and Danny Murphy and Lineker claimed it's OK for little players like Defoe to elbow big defenders in the face.... utter twats.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

Coward's action from Billy Jones as he racked his studs down Sergio's calf after the ball had flown in the net. BBC failed to highlight this and Danny Murphy and Lineker claimed it's OK for little players like Defoe to elbow big defenders in the face.... utter twats.

I wonder whether we would have been given a pen if Sergio had missed? Actually I don't wonder at all, I know we wouldn't.

 

[Saddleworth2]

I only saw the extended highlights on Sky and thought we fought pretty well to take the three points. Sunderland played an effective pressing game and outworked us, but that's hardly surprising given its the third game inside a week. I can understand why Manuel played 2 up front, given Kelechi's form and the fact that fat Sam was always going to have two or three on Kun every time he touched the ball. Maybe Kun got a bit more space which allowed him to score the winner. Joe was great again and I thought all of the defence worked hard. The ref looked very weak and seemed intent on carding us if we looked at a Sunderland player the wrong way. Defoe should have been off for his elbow work. Hope Delph is back on Saturday, we definitely missed his industry in midfield. Would like to see him and Dinho with Yaya just in front of them. Next two games will give a big indication on who will win this year. If we can beat both Leicester and Spuds, I may start to get more condfident.

 

[LadislavMplmx]

Coward's action from Billy Jones as he racked his studs down Sergio's calf after the ball had flown in the net. BBC failed to highlight this and Danny Murphy and Lineker claimed it's OK for little players like Defoe to elbow big defenders in the face.... utter twats.

a shithouse challenge from a player that shouldn't even be on the same pitch as Kun...

 

[BlueAnorak]

Coward's action from Billy Jones as he racked his studs down Sergio's calf after the ball had flown in the net. BBC failed to highlight this and Danny Murphy and Lineker claimed it's OK for little players like Defoe to elbow big defenders in the face.... utter twats.

He should have been sent off for that. Disgraceful. The state of Sergio's sock & calf showed pretty clearly what he did. The fact Sergio scored does not give the defender a free shot at maiming him.

 

[BluessinceHydeRoad]

Was Ferna booked for time wasting? It's obvious (?) the ref didn't see what I saw clearly - the elbow in his face that put him down. Fat Sam - the Guardiola of the north east!