The Fish

The fuck did I do?

We played defensive, counter attack football with an actual targetman, and a number 10 who harrassed their back line all game. We played further up the pitch because of that and so Rondon and Perez weren't as isolated as Joelinton is. We played with centre backs who would spray the ball about confidently but who were just as comfortable keeping the ball when possible. Now, we're humping balls up to nobody, or to Carroll when he's on the pitch. Joelinton is entirely on his own, Almiron and Saint Maximin need to beat two or three men before they get close to the opposition box and our defence is our biggest attacking threat. Also, I'd say that Benitez' defensive displays owed more to organisation and design, than to passion and individual ability.

It wasn't exactly the same though, was it.

Given the variety of abuse that goes on in Wearside car parks, I'd say verbal is the preferred option.

Protesting the ownership is out, mind you. Very Mag-like behaviour apparently. I mean, it's fine to boo the manager, jeer the players and desert the stadium when you're losing... But God help you if you boycott in the first place.

Benitez was more focussed/comfortable playing that pragmatic style with the squad he had, and Bruce hasn't the wherewithal to play differently with any degree of success. Had Benitez been in control of transfers I'm convinced he would have signed improvements for central midfield to permit more possession-based play.

It'sa really confusing time for them, some are actually willing Newcastle to win simply because we liked Benitez and were not impressed with Bruce's appointment. As if Bruce's "success" somehow proves our admiration for Benitez was unfounded. At first I thought there was some kind of change of heart as quite a few posters are giving our back line praise, but reckon it's just that the usual crowd who crow the loudest in their anti-Newcastle fervour have gone suspiciously quiet. I'm sure they'll come back if/when we have a bad run. A third year in the third tier will knacker them for them for ages, and it's not like they've begun the process of turning the ship around yet. It's still travelling full steam ahead towards the iceberg.

Partly because we've had to play Shelvey who has no interest in short passes, partly because that season we were aiming for Rondon as quickly as possible. In Schar, Lejeune and to a lesser extent Clark & Fernandez we've got centre back who're very comfortable on the ball. With a decent defensive midfielder we could definitely play a more patient game.

I think there Almiron, Joelinton and ASM are good players, I'm just not sure all 3 fit into the same system and I'm not sure we're playing a system that any of them will shine in. Joelinton needs support possibly as part of a front 3 ASM need plenty of opportunities to run at defenders, but we're sitting so deep he's having to beat 3 - 4 men each time. Almiron similarly needs to be playing further up the pitch, receiving the ball to feet and enjoying quick 1-2s with the fullback and central midfield or striker.

Pardew for Everton please, or Moyes. Love to see them go down after spunking a fortune on players and a new stadium.

If subtelty is an artform, this is finger painting.

Atmosphere is fucking dire for the Burnley game.

God, that reads like a teenager's blog.

The Queen? Or so says twitter.

And there aren't loads of weddings.

Available to take some part, but clearly not ready to start.

Schar is coming back from injury Carroll is injured Don't fear Google, it is your friend.

plus the Man City players for Shelvey's, also the officials, and the Swiss and the Moon.

Cowards

Good result, still remain unconvinced by Bruse's set up though.

I agree we could benefit from 3 in midfield, but I worry our back line is way more comfortable with 3 centrebacks. Maybe a 5-3-2? with Willems and Yedling as wingbacks, ASM played more like a striker? as an aside, Betvictor have ManCity to 'win to nil' at 21-20, which is a license to print money imo

Moaning because he's mentioned Newcastle in it. Well, two things; 1. They're guilty of bringing us into nigh on every football conversation, so turn about's fair, no? 2. It's a national newspaper, people need to be reminded exactly who Sunderland are. Newcastle's local "rivals" is a useful short cut.

Exactly, and also dropping £40m on a striker against the wishes of the then manager. It's rotten. I have to say when he's played well and has been supported I've liked the look of Joelinton, but he's much better suited to playing as part of a front 3, by all accounts, and we don't have the players for that. Also begs the question, why sign Saint Maximin who doesn't fit into a front three in the same way, surely there were other strikers who do, who could have complimented Joelinton?

Typical deluded Mackems, hounding out a manager because he's not a big name.

Right I know they've been shite for years and were stinking up the Premier League way before they finally got flushed, but can you imagine the headfuck it is to see, what would still be in your mind, a "Premier League" club playing as badly as this. You'd surely expect the players signed by Sunderland to be a cut above that league, but they're not. They're jobbing League One shite. Just checked on the BBC and this was their last Premier League team Sunderland 13Pickford 22Love 23Koné 16O'Shea 21Manquillo 17Ndong 9Borini 20Pienaar 10Khazri 28Anichebe 18Defoe Substitutes 1Mannone 5Djilobodji 15Lescott 39Honeyman 40Embleton 44Januzaj 46Gooch Some shite in there, but how far they've fallen. This is their line up tonight 6Burge(GK) 2McLaughlin(DR) 4Willis(DC) 3Lynch(DC) 33Hume(DL) 23Leadbitter(DMC) 6Power(DMC) 14Watmore(AMR) 13O'Nien(AMC) 19McGeady(AML) 22Grigg(FW) 7Maguire(Sub) 31Mbunga-Kimpioka(Sub)