[Archived] Sunderland Preview

[mogster]

Perspective:

2 games gone.

Sunderland have a quality and clinical front line.

Kalinic needs time.

We'll play worse and win.

Chin up.

Indeed

I'm sure that the floodgates will open after our first win. At the moment the team must be doubting themselves a bit.

[modes98]

Kalinic, well he was lively, had a good first touch but his finishing, oh my. At least Roberts misses by a meter or two! But he can only get better. Has the potential.

The most frustrating thing about Roberts is he belts them at the keeper everytime, unless its an open goal then he just misses.

The positive about missing the chances is the fact that even with no games behind him he is finding the positions to get goal scoring opportunites.

Hopefully he can play midweek and get a goal just to settle his nerves.

BTW Kalinic scored 6 or 7 penalties last season. So he's not quite the unbelievable hotshot people think - yet. Hopefully, he will develop into one.

A penalty is still a goal. The ref doesn't award you an automatic goal the second he awards it.

Kind of got the impression the ref/assistant didn't want us to get anything today. Everytime the ball went into the box they found something to blow up for.

[Manc Rover]

We were the better team but if you cant shoot you dont score and if you cant defend you concede goals. Unfortunately we're **** at both!

[insiderover79]

The most frustrating thing about Roberts is he belts them at the keeper everytime, unless its an open goal then he just misses.

The positive about missing the chances is the fact that even with no games behind him he is finding the positions to get goal scoring opportunites.

Hopefully he can play midweek and get a goal just to settle his nerves.

A penalty is still a goal. The ref doesn't award you an automatic goal the second he awards it.

Kind of got the impression the ref/assistant didn't want us to get anything today. Everytime the ball went into the box they found something to blow up for.

I get the impression hardly any officials want us to get anything in any game any more.

[doctorryan]

Dah duh dee, dah dee dah.

That was funny and it's a sunny Saturday in Northeast PA. It's wonderful what emotional disconnect does for one in these moments. Until we have ownership that cares about winning first and foremost (this is a competitive sport - winning is kind of the point) I'm not going to bother caring that much anymore. If we get relegated, we get relegated. Clubs that regularly start players like Andrews and Roberts belong in the lower divisions anyway.

[Oklahoma]

I don't know if I should laugh or cry after some comments made in here.

We definetly don't need bad press or people saying bad things of our team... We do it ourselves..

Sometimes I wonder if some are indeed ROvers supporters.

The game didn't go well for us but at least the team is creating chances.

Incredible how some of you are alreading comparing Kalinic with Grabbi.

[PAFELL]

We've only played two games, there are some pathetic posts on here.

I totally agree. It is two games, both games Rovers have been the better team.

Chances were created (considering we don't have a creative midfielder. Emerton will be back soon - which will improve the team even more.

But the negative posts on here are pathetic.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Not quite going to plan is it boys 'n' girls, oh well.......we really need to beat the Hammers next week to get our season going!

[Hasta]

And can I just add, I hope the dumbasses who were equating K.Jones with J.Roberts have gone back into hiding - or revised their opinion. One game proves nothing - in the normal course - but it is so obvious to the half-sane person that Jones is a far, far superior player to Roberts.

He is superior to Roberts. He is also superior to Pie Man Benni who seems to be getting away with missing what could well have been the easiest chance of the game. Had that been Roberts we'd have had a 10 page thread on it by now.

[tonyoz]

Very disappointing. We started so well too! I remember Ooijer having a nightmare debut against Chelsea so I want to give Kalinic a fair go......................but that was scary. Like Roberts but without the beef!

By the way, did you all enjoy the way Keef took on the major responsibility in midfield? He was bossing the others and demanding the freekicks. Just watch the replays if you don't believe me.

Anyway back to watch Strauss's boys to cheer me up...........maybe going to work on Monday won't be so bad???

[B.R.F.C]

Stats to look at from the last 2 weeks:

Shots on target

Sunderland 5 Blackburn 5

Shots off target

Sunderland 3 Blackburn 13

Corners

Sunderland 0 Blackburn 10

Shots on target

Blackburn 9 Man City 5

Shots off target

Blackburn 8 Man City 3

Corners

Blackburn 5 Man City 4

Although understandably I am a bit annoyed like a lot of other people that we haven't got anything out of these games I feel that the worm will turn if we continue to create chances like we are doing.

Keep the faith

[Mr. E]

I'm not even going to bother, because last season those with the "positive" perspectives were left with nothing but 15th place at the end. It doesn't get much more illogical than "oh we played good this game so it means we will win the next one!" or "don't worry, the luck will come!". We've been waiting for this "lady luck" to come since Sounesses' days, but I don't think she has our address.

What matters is the here and now. And the here and now is that we have gotten 0 points from 2 games we should have won. October is coming where we'll seriously have no ways of gaining anything.

But I suppose some people really are content simply with survival.

[Oklahoma]

Who had a positiva perspective last season?

Ince?

[JAL]

For those watching how did Diouf play and what did he create for the attack.

[Amo]

But I suppose some people really are content simply with survival.

And some with moaning.

[Bobby G]

A lack of pace makes him a shadow of his former threat. His technique is all that keeps the opposition on their toes. (Diouf)

[RevidgeBlue]

We have to turn this round quickly if we're not to get into really serious trouble, two games in and we're picking up injuries galore, the defence looks good on paper but seems to be letting sloppy goals in, the midfield is in no way Premiership quality and none of our strikers appear able to find the back of the net.

Unless we perform a lot better against "the big four" this season we're already down to twenty eight games in which to find our minimum forty points.

It's vital we put some points on the board quickly before that difficult stretch of games in october.

[tonyoz]

I think Sam has been right all along. If your players can't put the ball in the net, you are going to struggle. That's why he spent all our money on Kalinic. It was a big gamble, the guy has a lot to prove. The Chelsea lad looks a better prospect so far but it is early days.

[Exiled_Rover]

I'm not even going to bother, because last season those with the "positive" perspectives were left with nothing but 15th place at the end. It doesn't get much more illogical than "oh we played good this game so it means we will win the next one!" or "don't worry, the luck will come!". We've been waiting for this "lady luck" to come since Sounesses' days, but I don't think she has our address.

What matters is the here and now. And the here and now is that we have gotten 0 points from 2 games we should have won. October is coming where we'll seriously have no ways of gaining anything.

But I suppose some people really are content simply with survival.

We have absolutely no money so anything other than survival is a bonus. It's time to be realistic about Rovers - until the football world comes back to earth or Rovers get s sugar daddy we'll be lucky to stay in the division.

[RevidgeBlue]

I think Sam has been right all along. If your players can't put the ball in the net, you are going to struggle. That's why he spent all our money on Kalinic. It was a big gamble, the guy has a lot to prove. The Chelsea lad looks a better prospect so far but it is early days.

Eh? How so?

[beerwins]

I dont think we played that bad, was a shame for kalinic the guy had a mare but he looks aware and gets in those goalscoring areas, he will score plenty i think.

The problem is we dont have anyone to come off the bench and change a game, when we went behind i couldnt see us scoring again, we need some creativity in the centre mid and fast, malbranques through ball for jones first goal was a killer pass we dont have a player with that vision, players like that can change a game and he did, before the pass and goal sunderland had nothing.

[Plastic Head]

Where do we go from here?

Gillingham

[tonyoz]

Eh? How so?

He doesn't miskick quite so often.

[Stuart]

Not seen the game yet so I'm going to reserve judgement.

For the knee-jerkers on here, here is last season's table after Rovers' first 2 games. It's far too early for any snap judgements. Look at 2nd, 4th and 15th for instance.

[Plastic Head]

Attemps: Sunderland 7 Rovers 16

Corners :Sunderland 0 Rovers 10

Something is right.......but something is wrong.

Set pieces were not good enough again I believe.