Season 2013/14

We won the league tonight

Congratulations. We've won the milk cup twice...

we should win the FA Cup if we don't Wenger needs to do some serious thinking and sort that team out only real thing that will stop us winning it is complacency as the teams left aren't as big as us. Not writing Wigan off beat 2 or 3 prem teams to get to the semis and beat Man City twice in a row in the FA Cup

Plus Hull could be a tricky match in the semi's for you. They're an okay side, and will have no pressure on them at all. if Arsenal lose, the 'bottlers' tag is juts waiting for you...

Arsenal play Wigan in the semis. Hull play sheff Utd.

Steve Bruce to win the cup and replace Moyes. What would you get for a bet on that? Apart from a losing bet.

I still think Utd need a short to mid term manager to settle the team until a real corker is available. Moyes probably never really fit the bill. It would have been McClaren if england hadn't happened. As he took the role Moyes was earmarked for anyway, to study under Fergie. I think Fergie regrets suggesting someone from outside the club, just because he rated Moyes 14 years ago. The plan was always going to be someone that knew the club and someone british. But as Moyes stayed as a manager not his number two Fergie perhaps should have moved on to Bruce. Surely he was an option. They could do with huddlestone right now too lol.

Who ever followed fergie was always going to be a failure so to speak. Weather he was fergies recommendation or not.

Ref: "Gibbs, you're off!"
Ox: "But ref, it was me."
Ref: "Shut up Walcott, just get on with the game."

So a terrible performance by Sunderland today. I just can't figure out why though. Poyet has come in and done great but some weeks you think what has actually changed from the di canio days? I'm starting to think we are playing that bad we will stay up. Fulham lost today. Cardiff were unlucky against Liverpool in my opinion. So I think those will be 2 of the 3 that go down. The other team I think will go is Norwich, simply because there last 4 games are against teams on the top 6.

We need a goal scorer, or tat very least a striker that will create chances or set them up. Watching math of the day. Kenwyne jones for Cardiff set up card offs 3rd. We sold him for 2m to stoke. Frazier Campbell scored for Cardiff. 650k to Cardiff. Conor whickham - I no he's not premiership level yet but he banged then in at Wednesday. His loan ends, he plays for 10mins then we loan him out again. Fletcher is not the same since his injury - and is now injured again. That leaves jozy altidore, who has one goal for Sunderland, against MK Dons in league cup. In January a proven striker should of been a priority. Get Darren bent back! Even jones and Campbell back! Kenwyne jones as our main guy would of worked with the way we play. It's so depressing watching Sunderland these days. Adam Johnson is not interested. Cattermole is a liability. Borini is playing to put his name in the shop window - can't blame him. If we stay up then next season I hope Poyet rings the changes. Sunderland fans will accept that next season of we do poor because of the new side. Poyet has a lot of support up here but I do think a striker was our dpwnfall.

Exeter won! At home! 3-0! Against Fleetwood who were fourth!

The funniest thing about this season so far is the amount of own goals going for us. Our opener was an OG yesterday, which was the 5th we've had this season - which makes Own Goals our joint second highest scorer...

5 own goals would be sunderland top scoere

macks, it's still the same whingey shite players. They got what they wanted and played up for a bit, but their lack of skill and love of an easy pay day is still a huge problem. Norwich are a terrible team when defending for most of the year, but if their strikers finally score a few it could save them. Proving teams need some quality up front. Which would rub it in to Sunderland fans.

You'd be better off with Aneke up top, he can't stop scoring from every angle and might, might just save our season. It's no coincidence our best ever consistant position near the top of the Championship was when Ashton scored 20 by christmas, yet in the second half of the season without him we avoided relegation by just one goal, scored by relegated Forest, with the last kick of the season, against Gillingham, many miles from Crewe, after our game had long since finished, from 30 yards, volleyed in by Eugen Bopp.

Less dramatic when we went down the next season anyway, but still proving a goalscorer can win so many points for you.

That's the think. We haven't got a striker that can score goals. Altidore didn't have the beat of times at hull when he was here before. I was willing to give him a chance. But without a premier league goal(he might have one, not sure?) surely he isn't the guy to lead the line...perhaps we could loan RVP next season. It's wont need him...

Watching Utd last night it seemed Rooney was playing like he enjoyed himself (the goal would of helped). I feel there is too much emphises on the Rooney / RVP partnership. Utd don't even play with 2 strikers! The injury to van persie could be a blessing on disguise.

Mackem wrote:

Watching Utd last night it seemed Rooney was playing like he enjoyed himself (the goal would of helped). I feel there is too much emphises on the Rooney / RVP partnership. Utd don't even play with 2 strikers! The injury to van persie could be a blessing on disguise.

From what I've read, some United fans think we play better without RVP because there's a little bit more movement and it allows Rooney to play up top with Mata/Kagawa in behind. I'm not sure that we do, but there's plenty of evidence to suggest it, but then again, with RVP, all we need to do is create a couple chances and nine times out of ten he will finish it. Then again, like the game against Olympiakos, if we have someone who can deliver a ball forward like Giggs did, then RVP flourishes becauses his movement is top notch.

Mackem wrote:

That's the think. We haven't got a striker that can score goals. Altidore didn't have the beat of times at hull when he was here before. I was willing to give him a chance. But without a premier league goal(he might have one, not sure?) surely he isn't the guy to lead the line...perhaps we could loan RVP next season. It's wont need him...

Watching Utd last night it seemed Rooney was playing like he enjoyed himself (the goal would of helped). I feel there is too much emphises on the Rooney / RVP partnership. Utd don't even play with 2 strikers! The injury to van persie could be a blessing on disguise.

Do you want Danny Graham back he can't score either.

Oh dear forgot bout him randy. We payed £5million for his services...

Should of got super Kev back!

He is not lighting up the championship, But Aitor seems to be keeping the faith with him. I was hoping to get a striker in on loan on the emergency loan system but no rumours.

his wages will mean he has to play. Think it proves Ricky Lambert is in no way comparable to Danny Graham. Similar build, but as footballers one has talent and vision one does not.

Also Rooney proving again his vision is THE best in world football, and his volley connected well enough to show it. Sometimes he sees something but over plays it or doesn't get it accurate, but he sees the game so well that when it does come off it's really top draw. Rooney behind sturridge and welbeck on the left feels promising for england. I'd use all 3 and have Lambert as the sub striker, so then all 4 get time on the pitch. Instead of 2 from 4

Sunderland have recalled Conor whickham

woah nelly! Black cats mean business. I have thought Norwich would go down for a while, to be honest, but it's going to be close. And their forwards still might misfire

Norwich playe Swansea, westbrom and Fulham next 3 fixtures. After that at home to Liverpool, away to man Utd, away to Chelsea then at home to arsenal on the final day.

Those final 4 games is what I'm hoping for the Norwich melt down - even though I can see them winning one of those.

I can't see Conor whickham getting much game time tbh. Only back because of fletcher a injury - unless Poyet has completely lost it with altidore.

Sexton Hardcastle wrote:

Also Rooney proving again his vision is THE best in world football, and his volley connected well enough to show it. Sometimes he sees something but over plays it or doesn't get it accurate, but he sees the game so well that when it does come off it's really top draw. Rooney behind sturridge and welbeck on the left feels promising for england. I'd use all 3 and have Lambert as the sub striker, so then all 4 get time on the pitch. Instead of 2 from 4

I'd not play Rooney at the world cup. My problem with him is that he drops deep all the time to get the ball, and we lose out on having the extra attacker. I'd go with Carroll, Sturridge and probably Welbeck as a front three, Gerrard, Wilshere and Carrick in behind. I'd also dump Lampard out of the squad entirely.

in the past though Rooney has played instead of Defoe, Bent etc, but now with Sturridge to run on and push the defenders back there will be huge gaps for Rooney and welbeck to play in. Rooney's past England shite has been because he's expected to lead the line and he still wanted to chase and run the game in midfield because he didn't get any service, because England couldn't pass or get the tactics right. I think everyone can forget that now, as Sturridge is the goal scorer so it frees up the number 10 spot. And you can't ignore his quality in that role. Andy Carrol is a nuisance and could do a job at some point if he's fit. I'd prefer Lambert for his touch, vision, unselfish play, finishing and partnership with llalana though, who'd also be handy for a creative sub. I hope people forget about 'The Ox', urgh. His awareness is terrible.

I agree with sexton. Sturbridge will be the main striker which will allow Rooney his freedom. I don't think I'd play welbeck though. I guess we are going 4-2-3-1. Rooney is one of those 3. I'd pick Adam Lallana as another. Thinking through this welbeck is probably the be pick for the 3rd guy. Gerard and Henderson as the holding 2. I there is a better pick than Henderson in the holding role then I'd pick Henderson over welbeck in the 3.

All I've heard today is "if we play like that for the rest of the season we'll stay up". Well we lost. We need to start to win ugly. If we had a striker who has scored more than one goal this season we probably would of had a draw. I'm pleased Conor whickham got a start but feel he only started because of the changed formation. Also I didn't see the point of taking him off instead of altidore. Altidore kept running on to the wings. He got the ball and had no one to pass to when we made the subs. People have called whickham lazy. To me it's what a striker should be. We need a goal scorer. Darren bent was lazy in the season he scored 24 goals.

In fairness I thought the 5-3-2 formation worked against Liverpool but it won't work against other teams as they only play one up top.