[Archived] Sunderland v Rovers

[Tom]

West Brom had far more of the game, but for fantastic goalkeeping and the woodwork we would have been beaten.

We look so fragile now, always likely to concede multiple goals. And still our best chance of a goal is a set piece.

Kalinic also could have had 4 with 2 very good chances missed, swings and roundabouts.

Fully deserved win at WBA

[Bobby G]

Dont have much to say. Went down 2-0 when really it should have been 0-0. If anything we had more of the ball. We havent done anything except from set plays. Junior started off lively but has faded a bit. Mame is isolated up front.

[LeChuck]

Ah I give up.

I've been going OTT about Kean to make a point (probably only to myself). Since the anti-Allardyce people have set themselves up in the pro-Kean camp, I thought I'd make irrational personal comments about him where possible, like people did with Sam.

I'll drop it if people think I'm going mental though, it's not worth it.

[RibbleValleyRover]

2-0 HT.

From an attacking point of view I don't think we have been too bad, Hoilett looks fired up and trying to create something.

Defenisvely we are all over the place, central midfield the usual problem. Pedersen and Dunny just can't play in the central midfield positions. Pedersen almost cost us another two goals by losing the ball in key areas and we were lucky Sunderland didn't punish us for it.

More blame on the lack of squad quality than on Kean today, it's vital we sign one central midfielder who is defensive and combative and another who can pass the ball around to our wings and forward. Sunderland have that midfield balance and it has showed clearly today.

[Eddie]

Take a step back and look at the fact that we are missing:

Robinson

Samba

Salgado

N'Zonzi

Jones

Kalinic

Roberts

That's half of a team.

All players who could have started had they been fit. Then you throw in a few other players who would have either been on the bench or been their replacements and you can see that expectations for this game shouldn't be too high. There isn't a team in the premier league that could afford to have nearly half of their normal starting 11 out and wouldn't struggle as a result.

[SamTheShrew]

Difference is Le Chuck, that the transfer window is now open, so we have the opportunity to strengthen

[Rover Down Under]

Disappointed in Hanley though - schoolboy defending.

Think he still is a schoolboy isn't he?

If we had a full squad we could have had this lot, transfers very badly needed.

[alexanders]

There you go. You are a nice lad after all.

[Valois]

Both teams look terrible to be fair, their first goal was a fluke, 2nd was a good goal, Diouf should have scored, apart from that no real chances to either team. 2-0 certainly flatters Sunderland though. I think we have a lot more injuries than them, and they have a much stronger squad than we do, and they are pretty good at home you know. I hope for a better 2nd half, need to go with 2 up front, and give it a good bloody go. As things look we beat Liverpool on Wed nite, and Hodgson gets the sack, unless he doesnt get the sack sooner, or Liverpool turn things around against Bolton today

[philipl]

Dingles scored two in a minute so it can be done.

[alexanders]

Valois. You know the same as me. Hodgson will get the sack tomorrow and Liverpool will turn their season around with a victory against us. Torres finding the net again!

[PAFELL]

eh? For one that isn't true about West Brom and secondly we haven't been that bad in this. A huge deflection has completely changed the game and then Sunderland have scored a good goal. We've put together a couple of nice moves and have been just as in it as they have. Not a great game, but this could easily be level at this point.

West brom was not a fluke. I am watching this game and considering the players out injured / suspended Rovers are not playing that bad. First goal a bad deflection. Both Dioufs had good chances where they should have scored. Both from good balls in by pederson. The second goal, well credit where it is due. good ball in, good goal.

Hoping Rovers score early in second half, then game on.

I know still early for Kean to have had much influence on style yet, but I note a better atitude from the players. They are trying to win the game and not just sitting back.

[slough_rover]

If ppl think that Sam would have won 2 away games back to back their deluding themselves. With our pi$$ Poor midfield we have no chance regardless whose in charge.

[DE.]

Take a step back and look at the fact that we are missing:

Robinson

Samba

Salgado

N'Zonzi

Jones

Kalinic

Roberts

That's half of a team.

All players who could have started had they been fit. Then you throw in a few other players who would have either been on the bench or been their replacements and you can see that expectations for this game shouldn't be too high. There isn't a team in the premier league that could afford to have nearly half of their normal starting 11 out and wouldn't struggle as a result.

Indeed. It's not like we have much depth to our squad anyway. Having 2 or 3 first teamers out is bad enough,to have 6/7 out is simply too much for our squad to bear - as our bench proves.

I think the performance, considering the amount of players we have out, has actually been alright. Anybody expecting anything out of today's game though needs to rememeber just how difficult of a position we're in atm. A point would have been a fantastic result. If we get an early goal in the 2nd half maybe we can nick a draw, but a defeat was the most likely result from the beginning.

[SAS]

Should be 1-1 unlucky with the first.

We couldget something from this but our midfield isway too lightweight, hoillet and mbd look ok, Hanley looks very lightweight too and mgp doesn't seem interested.

[Jeru tha Damaja]

If Olsson would close El-Mohammady down just once then I'll book him an open top bus and throw a parade.

He must have been marking the overlapping run from the invisible man for the second goal. No wonder it was a good cross, he had until 2012 to line it up.

[SamTheShrew]

positive sub

[Exiled_Rover]

Benjani on for Hanley. Well, at least it's an aggressive substitution.

[Valois]

Benjani on for hanley

[Exiled_Rover]

Bah. Benjani trying to walk it in. Take a shot!

[SamTheShrew]

yellow card sums up Dunn right now

[Exiled_Rover]

Absolute crap from Dunn. Kept on passing the ball back to Emerton after a throw in when Brett had no interest in it. Then gets booked for bringing down the Sunderland player who inevitably intercepted the ball.

[Rover Down Under]

Can't see why that was a yellow for Dunny.

Oooh, MBD heads narrowly wide.

[Eddie]

Close from Diouf.

[Valois]

Better from Rovers, come on.