[Archived] The Sunderland Preview

[BRFCBOY]

As the title suggests just wondering how many of us will be venturing up there next weds ?

[Hughesy]

Not many on a wednesday night Im sure

[roversmum]

Well, there's two of us at least, and I daresay that most of the other usual suspects who inhabit Official Away Travel's coach number 1 will be there!...

[BRFCBOY]

Well, there's two of us at least, and I daresay that most of the other usual suspects who inhabit Official Away Travel's coach number 1 will be there!...

least ill not be on me own

[Mozzer]

im going with 3 other people-so thats another 4..

cant wait for this game..

[Neil Weaver]

Could be a close run thing between whether there's more of us or the Boys in Blue, especially if they hear that Yorkblues might be going.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Could be a close run thing between whether there's more of us or the Boys in Blue, especially if they hear that Yorkblues might be going.

And they have operation 'Arrest any Blackburn Rovers Fan' on again!!!

[Beta Ray Bill]

As I'm stuck in Chorley cat sitting whilst the parents are on holiday, decided to let them starve (the cats, not the parents) for a few hours on Wednesday* and have booked on the away travel today. As I'm seat 19 on Coach One, I don't think too many are going...

* In case anyone thinks this is worthy of reporting me to the RSPCA, a kindly neighbour is going to feed the cats in my absence.

[cn174]

I got my ticket before the game today. THe fella at the ticket office seemed a bit surprised when I aksed for a ticket for the away not home game.

Quite looking forward to it actually!

[boris bear]

Well, there's two of us at least, and I daresay that most of the other usual suspects who inhabit Official Away Travel's coach number 1 will be there!...

I will be there with my friend and the two old so and sos we have to look after!

[Flopsy]

Until the person doing the preview gets it posted, and considering we're playing them on Saturday (when I'm watching a] Australia get a humping of biblical proportions in the rugby, or b] Watching England get shown up by a bunch of wussie collonial types who don't know there place) I thought I'd put up some Q and A from a Sunderland Fan I know, Buy his book please its excellent.

I thought I would ask Jonathan Wilson, author of Behind the Curtain: Travels in Eastern European Football and Inverting the Pyramid: A History of Football Tactics (shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award), football correspondent of the Financial Times (yes that surprised me too), who covers football for the Sunday Telegraph, writes about Eastern European football for the Guardian, has a decent knowledge of South American football, and can be seen appearing on the very grey and very wide SportsXchange on Sky (Ch456), who is also a Sunderland fan. He has kindly taken time out from his hectic

jet-setting lifestyle (Sunderland/West Brom/ West Ham/Belgrade/Etc and

so forth) to answer some questions for the fan preview. So be gentle

1) Greetings Mr Wilson, how do you think Sunderland's season has

gone so far? And how do you see it panning out?

A stuttering start, a great high in beating Newcastle at home for the

first time in 28 years, and then three pretty lame performances in

losing to Stoke, Chelsea and Portsmouth. I guess in a normal season we

probably wouldn't be too worried, but the strangely compacted nature

of the league this year means we're in the relegation zone, and when

that happens panic can very easily set in (particularly at Sunderland

where the traumas of the 19-point and 15-point seasons remain close to

the surface). A lot of us had hoped that this year we might at last be

allowed a nice safe, dull mid-table end to the season. Maybe we still

will, but it's looking like a battle.

Had we beaten Portsmouth last week, we'd have been on exactly the

number of points I'd predicted for this stage of the season, (the win

at Spurs cancels out the home defeat to Man City, the draw against

Arsenal balances the defeat at Stoke), and given I expect to lose on

Saturday (Boxing Day 2001 aside, we have a shocking record against

you), it would only take a win on Saturday to get us back on track,

but the fear is there. Being really pessimistic, what happens if we go

down in the present financial climate having shelled out near enough

£70m on transfers over the past two seasons?

2) I know you saw the West Ham Rovers game earlier on this

season, and described the result as unfair, but the defending as a

joke, have you seen anything in Rovers recent play to alter your mind,

and how do you think we will do for the rest of the season?

That game was a nonsense. The defending was so bad they may as well

have just rolled dice for the result, and given the missed penalty and

the goal incorrectly ruled out for offside I can understand a sense of

grievance on the part of Rovers' fans. I haven't seen Rovers live

since, but I did watch the Chelsea game on TV on Sunday. Now clearly,

had it not been for four or five very good saves from Robinson, that

could have been a massacre, but Chelsea have a tendency to do that to

sides outside the top four, so maybe it's not fair to judge on that

game alone, and there was that 20-minute spell after half-time when

they looked like getting back into it. I'd be surprised if Rovers

really struggled this season, but I guess all depends on whether Santa

Cruz is fully committed, and how Paul Ince deals with the present

downturn. As Alex Ferguson always says, what's important isn't losing

games, it's how you respond to it: both Sunderland and Rovers have

some responding to do.

3) How do you think Roy Keane is doing at Sunderland, and do you

think that his past misdemeanours (Haaland for one) should be forgiven

and forgotten as long as he's successful?

The doubts are just beginning to set in, but so far he's done a great

job (maybe too good in that it's raised expectations). The club was

sinking under the gloom of the 15-point season, we'd lost four in a

row in the league, and we'd gone out of the League Cup to Bury (who

were bottom of League Two at the time and had a man sent off). Keane

arrives, and his charisma alone lifted us. Promotion, then survival;

what we need now is consolidation, but it looks like being another

scrap.

Past sins? Well, how long do we give somebody before we consider his

time served? The Haaland challenge is pretty hard to forgive,

admittedly, but Keane's big mistake was to allow it to be mentioned in

his autobiography (and there we have a classic case of the dangers of

ghost-writing: did he think that, or did Eamonn Dunphy think he

thought that?). Keane is, anyway, a far calmer figure now, drinking

green tea rather than booze, and it seems to me we should credit him

for sorting himself out, rather than continuing to harp on about the

same old offences.

4) Roy Keane was Paul Ince's successor at Man Utd, who do you

think will have the most successful managerial career?

Hard to say: they've both started exceptionally well in the lower

leagues, and seem to be talking time to adapt to the Premier League.

Keane would seem the more obviously charismatic, so maybe he just has

the edge. I hope so.

5) Who from Sunderland (other than Keane of course) should we

fear, and who should we pray that the manager plays?

Djibril Cisse has looked very lively and has scored four goals already

this season, and if Kenwyne Jones can get over his knee injury and

reproduce the form he showed last season, they could be a superb

partnership. Steed Malbranque has begun well, but has no left foot at

all, while Kieran Richardson could have scored a hatful if he could

only stop hitting the woodwork (mind, the important one went in).

Nobody's really had a shocker this season, although I'm increasingly

unconvinced Dwight Yorke can really cut it at the back of the midfield

(that said, he was very good against Newcastle). Phil Bardsley I would

maintain is better defensively than Pascal Chimbonda at right-back,

but the Chimbonda-Malbranque understanding is good. I'm not sure

George McCartney has really been at his best since he came back, and

both Danny Collins and Nyron Nosworthy are prone to howlers, but both

have been OK this season.

6) Apart from Santa Cruz is there anyone in the Rover's side that

causes you worry?

Jason Roberts is the sort of physical player who always seems to cause

us bother, but I'm more concerned by players I've had a pop at. I've

suggested in print that Morten Gamst Pedersen isn't quite living up to

his reputation, which I imagine is worth a couple of goals, and I

dropped Stephen Warnock from my fantasy team after that West Ham game,

so he's probably good for a couple of assists.

7) If you could tell Roy Keane to sign one player from around the

world, who would it be?

I think Leo Messi could do a job on the right for us, but more

realistically, I'm a huge fan of Anatoliy Tymoschuk. If Zenit fail to

qualify for the Champions League, he may be looking for an exit, and I

think his power and reading of the game at the back of the midfield

would be just the thing.

8) Villaneuva appears to be a rather decent signing, who needs a

bit of time to bed into the Premiership, is this a reasonable view or

have we signed a dud?

I like what I've seen – enough to have signed him for my fantasy team

before the season began. It's always hard for players like that in the

Premier League, but with him, Modric, Nasri, Deco, perhaps we're

seeing the return of the little man. Spain's victory in Euro 2008 with

Silva, Iniesta, Xavi and Fabregas hopefully persuaded people you can

win things with small players if they're good enough technically.

9) Looking at the table at the moment where two wins on the

bounce take you to UEFA cup places and two losses get you into the

relegation spots, does this show the overall excellence of the

Premiership or its slide to utter mediocrity below the top 5?

I'd suggest it shows both – the bottom end is better than before and

the top end is further away from the top four than ever. Maybe if

Spurs hadn't had such a poor start to the season it would be

different, but then, they always do mess it up somehow. Villa I think

look tired already, so while I expect them and Spurs to be fifth and

sixth, I suspect the gap to fourth by the end of the season could be

as much as 20 points. The interesting thing is the performance of the

promoted sides – West Brom about par, but Stoke and Hull both way

better than predicted. I suspect it's no coincidence that both are new

to the Premier League and so, without bad memories to weigh them down,

they have played with rather more belief than most promoted sides, and

have proved that discipline and organisation can still take you a long

way.

10) If you were in charge, what one thing would you introduce/remove

to improve football?

This is addressing something that's more of a problem abroad than here

(the African Cup of Nations in particular was plagued by it), but this

habit of players going down, pretending to be hurt, and forcing the

opposition to put the ball out so disrupting their attack, needs

addressing. I would institute a system whereby if the game has to be

stopped to allow medics on, the injured player must stay off the field

for a minimum of three minutes. If you can hobble over to the line by

yourself to get treatment, then come back on whenever. People might

say that advantages the side committing the foul, but it's a different

issue – if the foul is bad enough, the player will be cautioned

anyway; if the injury is that bad, it will take three minutes to put

right. Obviously if the injury is to the head or something obviously

serious, then the ref can stop play immediately, as he would now. I

might also limit sides to one sub after the 80th minute to stop what

are clearly time-wasting substitutions.

[roversmum]

As I'm stuck in Chorley cat sitting whilst the parents are on holiday, decided to let them starve (the cats, not the parents) for a few hours on Wednesday* and have booked on the away travel today. As I'm seat 19 on Coach One, I don't think too many are going...

We're on seats 21/22. Think I'm going soft, not looking forward to a cold evening...

[Flopsy]

oops, buggered that merge up didn't I?

[trueblue]

oops, buggered that merge up didn't I?

Well, it WAS way past your bed-time Flops !

[DingleBaiter]

Interesting to note they've called up Andy Haworth into the squad for tomorrow, and give him a squad number - he's a right winger.

Judgey may be pushing for a start, surprised he didn't call Doran in too (injury?).

Hope Haworth gets a run out, he had some good games last season, typical winger tho - intermittent! Let's not get ahead of ourselves though and think the RM berth is now sorted.

Ince is making noises about finding Carlos's true position in the middle and admits he's not as good out wide. Hurrah.

I'd like to see us be bold tomorrow & blood Judge in the middle with Warnock, with Haworth at RW. If it doesn't work, shuffle Judge over & swap AH for Tugay into middle.

Batter them up front with Roberts doing all the donkey work, to bring Carlos into his own game & create.

Keep Peds at left wing to keep up his good work. Same defence as Sat to work together.

Roberts

Carlos

Pedersen - Warnock - Judge - Haworth -

Ollson - Nelsen - Zurab - Simpson

Robbo

subs - Benedict, Samba, Treacy, Tugay, Bunn

[67splitscreen]

We need to win, play are strongest 11, fine put the youngsters on the bench, if we are a couple up with 20min to go, ok give them there chance.

No one want's to be going into the weekend game, having just been beaten by the same team. Confidence needs to be kept high, and a few goals won't do anybody any harm, as long as there all against Sunderland.

[DingleBaiter]

We need to win, play are strongest 11, fine put the youngsters on the bench, if we are a couple up with 20min to go, ok give them there chance.

No one want's to be going into the weekend game, having just been beaten by the same team. Confidence needs to be kept high, and a few goals won't do anybody any harm, as long as there all against Sunderland.

The two youngies I'd look to bring in are attack-minded players; that's exactly what we need.

Tugay apart, IMO that's the strongest side we can put out to go for a win. Fine, if he wanted to not get beat, put Moko. I'd rather go to attack them, create loads of chances - esp from wide - and have a runner like Judgey in who can score for fun from midfield, and play as a direct replacement for box-to-box Andrews

Having Judge & Warnock in also gives us two very active, mobile runners in the centre. Hopefully, once we've taken the sting out we can bring Tugay into play to retain the ball, or Moko to take some names.

[67splitscreen]

The two youngies I'd look to bring in are attack-minded players; that's exactly what we need.

Tugay apart, IMO that's the strongest side we can put out to go for a win. Fine, if he wanted to not get beat, put Moko. I'd rather go to attack them, create loads of chances - esp from wide - and have a runner like Judgey in who can score for fun from midfield, and play as a direct replacement for box-to-box Andrews

Having Judge & Warnock in also gives us two very active, mobile runners in the centre. Hopefully, once we've taken the sting out we can bring Tugay into play to retain the ball, or Moko to take some names.

Yes but it leaves the whole of our right side with around 13-15 top flight appearances, and very inexpieranced, Simpson would have to remain as an out & out full back. You would also need Warnock to be very defensive, or we will get ripped apart down the middle.

If you get your wish, and we win fair play, I'll nominate you as the next manager.

[DingleBaiter]

Yes but it leaves the whole of our right side with around 13-15 top flight appearances, and very inexpieranced, Simpson would have to remain as an out & out full back. You would also need Warnock to be very defensive, or we will get ripped apart down the middle.

If you get your wish, and we win fair play, I'll nominate you as the next manager.

Hey, I don't think for one minute he will bring them two in to start - it's the side I'd pick, not that I'd bet would start

Experience is a strange thing to judge though; both lads have played very well in reserves and know each other's games. Plus, players get better playing at a higher level. Watched United's two Brazilian youngsters recently in reserves and they didn't stand out; look at Rafael now and everyone's falling over to say how good he is. It's simply because he's playing at a higher level though.

Thing with Judgey, he's like a lil Tasmanian devil, and when you're all action like that, there's always a chance. Don't forget we're talking here about a lad who holds the Prozone records down there for most work/distance covered in a game.

Defensive? Naah, we defend as we gallop forward scoring goal after goal

In all honesty, think he will keep my two lads on the bench but who's going to cover right mid? Tugay - surely not? Moko? Derbs - yet again?

Then again - he may give Judgey the right midfield spot as a compromise.....

[LeChuck]

Roberts

Carlos

Pedersen - Warnock - Judge - Haworth -

Ollson - Nelsen - Zurab - Simpson

Robbo

That would surely be the worst Rovers XI since...well, I don't know to be honest, it would be the worst in my lifetime anyway (or at least the parts I can remember).

[Neil Weaver]

Roberts

Carlos

Pedersen - Warnock - Judge - Haworth -

Ollson - Nelsen - Zurab - Simpson

Robbo

subs - Benedict, Samba, Treacy, Tugay, Bunn

DB, agree about Charlie. I know Sunderland will probably have a few of their lesser lights playing too, but there has to be a fair chance that Cisse will play. In which case we're asking for trouble with those centre backs - I know it was at right back, but remember Khiz v Petrov at Man City last season? So big Chris has to start I reckon. I'd be tempted to give the Admiral a rest. Don't think Ince'd throw Haworth in the deep end, so even though he shouldn't play there, reckon he'll start with Derbs on the wing.

And minor point, think Bunn is cup tied isn't he, so Brown on the bench.

[gazsimm]

team should be the following

Robinson

Simpson Zurab Samba Olsen

Judge Axe Tugay Gamst

Carlos

Benni

[RoverRich]

I would like to see Judge (who is 20 today btw) given a go on the right wing. He can't be much worse than some of the performances we have seen there already this season and it is against Sunderland so it is not as though he should get shown up or ripped apart. My team for tomorrow would be:

Robinson

Simpson Samba Khiza Warnock

Judge Tugay Mokoena Pedersen

Villanueva

McCarthy

Subs: Brown, Nelsen, Olsson, Treacy, Derbyshire, Roberts, Howarth

Although Ince will probably once again play Warnock out of position in the middle with Tugay and Olsson at left back instead. Judge did not look a bad player in pre season and he did ok against either Benfica or Sporting Lisbon (can't remember which one) who are both better than Sunderland. Hopefully Incey's birthday present to him will be a start! Can't see Howarth being chucked in from the start yet but may well be given a run out if (or should I say when ) we have a comfortable lead with 15mins or so to go. We may even see Hodge as he is a centre mid isn't he(?) and we have few of those fit/eligible for the game. I may have a slightly biased view but I reckon that team should still be good enough to win especially if the front 2 and Robbo play well.

[Hughesy]

If Samba and Zurab is the central defensive pairing then I will be delighted. Ryan Nelsen is, and has been since Janaury our weakest Central defender.

Hopefully Ince still takes this game very serious.

Id play

--------------Robbo---------------------

Simpson - Zurab - Samba - Olsson

Judge - Mokoena - Warnock - Gamst

-------------- Villaneuva ---------------

-------------- Benni Mac ---------------

Subs: Brown, Nelsen, Tugay, Roberts, Derbyshire, Treacy, Julio Santa Cruz

[krislu]

Id play

--------------Robbo---------------------

Simpson - Zurab - Samba - Olsson

Judge - Mokoena - Warnock - Gamst

-------------- Villaneuva ---------------

-------------- Benni Mac ---------------

Seriously, that midfield is bottom 5 in terms of quality, and the backline aint much better. I would take anything but relegation at the moment..