[Archived] Sunderland vs Rovers

[modes98]

Sunday 11th December, 13:30, live on Sky Sports 1

Sunderland vs Blackburn Rovers

Form Guide

Sunderland (17th, 11 points): WDLDLL

Rovers (18th, 10points): LDLDLW

History

In this fixture last year Sunderland demolished us 3-0, the impressive strike force of Bent, Gyan and Welbeck delivered for Steve Bruce’s team.

In the premier league we have faced Sunderland at the stadium of light 5 times, recording 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats.

The Match

The match sees Martin O’Neill take charge of Sunderland for the first occasion and his players will be keen to impress their new boss following their defeat at Wolves last weekend.

Rovers under pressure boss Steve Kean goes into the game looking to bank another 3 points and on fire striker Yakubu looks to add to his 9 goals in 9 games, after netting 4 in the last outing against Swansea.

Missing Rovers

Rovers have injury concerns over Olsson, Salgado and Nelsen, whilst Steven N’Zonzi serves the 2nd of a 3 match suspension.

[Gogger]

Cattermole out for this one with five yellow cards I think. Will be a massive blow for them.

Im putting my neck out with a 2-0 win for Rovers, Pedersen and Samba to score.

My team would be

Robinson

Dann-Samba-Givet-Olsson

Vukcevic-Lowe-Gamst-Hoilett

ROchina

Yak

[Rovers_786]

1-1 draw but I love the win but cant see it I settle for a 1-1.

[sharpysharps]

Hoping for a draw with this one. All depends on how up for it Sunderland really are as they could sweep Rovers aside if they take the game by the scruff of its neck, something that we don't see too often for our own team.

I'll say it'll be 1-1, Sunderland to score first but waste a few chances before Rovers snatching an equaliser. Yakubu with the goal of course

[92er]

Sunday 11th December, 13:30, live on Sky Sports 1

Sunderland vs Blackburn Rovers

Steven N’Zonzi serves the 2nd of a 3 match suspension.

I think it's the last of his 3 match suspensions.

[Stockport rover]

Hoping my ticket arrives in the post sharpish... Any ideas on how many we're taking?

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Take a draw right now. Lose and it'd take weeks before we're out of the relegation zone.

[DE.]

O'Neill will have planned meticulously for this match, he will not want to get off to a bad start.

The weaknesses in our team are obvious and Kean has shown no ability to correct these problems. He's also shown little tactical nouse in terms of going after opponents weaknesses so I predict a 3-1 Sunderland win, our consolation goal from a Samba header.

[Audax]

I'd like to see a posts per week stat on this message board because last week, with so much discontent, it seems there were a good number. This week seems a bit slow.

What the result will be here has me baffled but playing at home, hiring MON, having their fans there of whom many wanted Steve Bruce out a long time ago has got to be for the benefit of Sunderland and I hate saying that. Still, that alone should not defeat a team if it is prepared and ready.

Just saw DE4Life's post, that may be the difference, the management here on both sides.

[Rovers_Dan]

if we lose this we will pretty detached from the above teams so we really need to win. cant see it personally with MON in charge of his first game.

2-1 sunderland

[Ricky]

Yep, definitely the last of his 3 matches. Cardiff was the first game, then Swansea. Shortest preview in history and you still get the facts wrong modes

Cattermole is indeed out after 5 yellows. That'll make a difference to them. I actually think we could get something from this game. A point wouldn't be too bad but I think we have a chance of coming back with all 3.

[Lurid Coat]

Cattermole is indeed out after 5 yellows. That'll make a difference to them. I actually think we could get something from this game. A point wouldn't be too bad but I think we have a chance of coming back with all 3.

I admire your optimism, but I do not share it in any way. O'Neill will have the team fired up, and their fans will be ecstatic after having gotten rid of Bruce. 3-1 loss.

[davulsukur]

Can't see anything other than a defeat here.

Sunderland will get a honeymoon period under their new gaffer, worst time to play them.

If Bruce was still in charge, i'd be confident of getting something.

3-0 Loss

[AllRoverAsia]

With it being O'Neils first game in charge I think Sunderland will go into the game with new manager syndrome especially with them being at home. Sunderland to score 2 or 3.

Rovers are however due a game in which they don't score or not so many so I see a 2-0 or 2-1 win for Sunderland.

The following link gives a lot of interesting stats on Rovers.

It calls Yak's scoring record for this season an 'outlier' and I can't decide if that really means he's very very good or the current scoring rate is a complete fluke. Mind you I've always believed that get enough shots on target and some will go in.

The stats on Roberts and Goodwillie make depressing reading for our current 'backup' strikers. Perhaps we knew that already.

Rovers EPL index

[dwayne cage]

3-2 Sunderland

[Sparky Marky]

As a new manager looking for good start , which team would you want turning up?....Yep.

4-1 sunderland

[Colt Seavers]

I think that this game offers an opportunity to have a good hard look at our defensive frailties rather than simply trying to out score the opposition, with little or no concern as to how we set up at the back.

I can only really think of the Man City game as an example of us having a clear and coherent strategy across the back four and midfield. For a good fifty minutes or so we contained a world class City team and looked to counter attack. The fact that we ended up losing heavily didn't concern me greatly- City have thrashed much better teams than us this season!

Games like Sunderland give us the chance to try something similar, we have exactly the right type of players to counter quickly and effectively. What we miss is the David Batty type player to break up the opposition attack and play 'keep ball'. Grella has shown some signs of being able to do this but his injury problems are beyond a joke!

I would line up like this

Robinson

Lowe Samba Givet Olsson

Dann (or Petrovic)

Formica Pederson Vukcevic

Hoilett (or Rochina)

Yakubu

This provides us with the work rate of Formica, the freeing up of Junior away from his defensive (lack of )responsibilities, Givet in his best position, more pace at full back, Dann allowed to play the ball around- he has a great touch and pass and, whilst I love to watch Rochina, I feel that Simon is a similar player albeit with a bit more nouse and an added edge of steel.

I don't expect O'Neil to work wonders with Sunderland and I think my team would nullify any threat and create several chances for a rampant Yak!

[eire3382]

Hard to know what will be the outcome of this one. It really all depends on MON. If he gets them up for it then its a straight bettle between the managers and their tatics........

Lets hope he can't get them up for it.

Heart says rovers by the odd goal, head says MON will get them up for it and more misery for us fans.

[onlyonejackwalker]

We are shocking away and have been for as long as I can remember. We need to go back to the Hughes era for a time when we looked capable of drawing or winning regularly away.

Kean shows little progress or learning and we continue to ship goals like they are going out of fashion. Clearly he does not know his best team and has little idea how to set us up to guarantee a decent performance and gain results away. Draws against poor Norwich, QPR and Wigan teams and a loss at Stoke show that even against some of the worst teams in the PL we still cannot win away.

MON joining Sunderland guarantees 100% effort from the home team and with maximum fan support and recognising how poor away we are this should be more than enough for them to win. Our woeful clean sheet record suggests that it is a given that Sunderland will score.

Sunderland 2 - Rovers 0

[trueblue]

Everything stacked against us this weekend.. the MON factor, Kean still our manager and it's away

Just hoping Sunderland don't get more than 4

I think we'll be hard pressed to score in this one

4-0 Sunderland

[levirover]

Go to say I am going to go for a rovers win. No-one is really expecting it. Rovers to win 2-1 - cant see us getting a clean sheet yet, but sunderland really struggle to score, even at home.

My team would be;

Robbo

Lowe Dann Samba Givet

Vukevic Pedersen Petrovic Olsson

Hoilett/Rochina

Yak

Rovers to win back to back games, would be perfect.

Lets hopefully start getting some more points on the board

Come on Rovers!!!!

[K-Hod]

I can see us getting banged here a la last season.

MON will have them fired up, and the players will want to prove a point/impress the new man.

[LeftWinger]

The stats on Roberts and Goodwillie make depressing reading for our current 'backup' strikers. Perhaps we knew that already.

Rovers EPL index

Roberts stats are really quite incredible. How is this man still in the Premier League?

Mins Per Goal: Infinity

Pass Completion: 66.67%

Crossing Accuracy: 0%

Ground 50/50s Won: 18%

Aerial 50/50s Won: 11%

Kissing Keans Ass: 100%

[BPF]

Everything stacked against us this weekend.. the MON factor, Kean still our manager and it's away

Just hoping Sunderland don't get more than 4

I think we'll be hard pressed to score in this one

4-0 Sunderland

Doesn't the MON factor depend on the ability to spend millions and millions?

[Majiball]

Roberts stats are really quite incredible. How is this man still in the Premier League?

Mins Per Goal: Infinity

Pass Completion: 66.67%

Crossing Accuracy: 0%

Ground 50/50s Won: 18%

Aerial 50/50s Won: 11%

Kissing Keans Ass: 100%

You missed a couple out:

'Telling Rovers fans as it is on national radio' Success rate 100%

Dressing as a prize plum, unfathomable.