Sunderland V Spurs

Paully D

Alright lads? Sunderland fan here.

How do you think the game will go on Saturday? I'm really looking forward to it as both teams will be looking to get the ball down and play and it should make for a good game. If it's anything like last seasons game at Sunderland then we're definitely in for a cracker. Sunderland have a good record against Spurs in recent times too, so I'm confident that coupled with our home form we'll nick a 2-1 win.

We'll probably line-up like this:

Gordon

Onouha Bramble Ferdinand Bardsley

Sessegnon Henderson Muntari Malbranque

Richardson

Gyan

Sessegnon and Malbranque will look to get forward and support Richardson and Gyan as much as they can, with Muntari sitting and Henderson playing box-to-box.

We play a constant pressing game, so naturally our players tire at around the 70 minute mark, so with the quality of your bench compared to ours you will certainly have an advantage there.

Hopefully you'll all have one eye on the Champions League tie (which I think you'll win over two legs by the way).

Any predicted formations, line-ups, predictions etc would be great

It will be a decent game for sure and best of luck lads!

SuprSi

I think it's going to be an interesting game, and our line-up and how we play will depend entirely on who's available. Rumours of VDV, Bale, and Modric being out for AC Milan, which would mean they're out for the weekend too, and they're without a doubt our most important players.

I'd expect the following line-up;

---

Gomes

---

Corluka - Dawson - Gallas - BAE
Lennon - Palacios - Jenas - Bale

---

VDV ---- Crouch

---

I think Modric is the least likely to be fit so I'd expect Jenas (unfortunately) to start, and if Bale is out it'll most likely be Pienaar, though I think Niko should get a start to see if he can prove himself after his screamer last weekend.

We never seem to play well up in the north east though we've played well and had some good results of late so hopefully we can keep things going. A win would be fantastic, though I'd take a draw to be honest.

RichMc70

Regardless of the team we put out I have a feeling we'll lose this one.

The players will be thinking ahead to the San Siro.

Paully D

SuprSi wrote: »

I think it's going to be an interesting game, and our line-up and how we play will depend entirely on who's available. Rumours of VDV, Bale, and Modric being out for AC Milan, which would mean they're out for the weekend too, and they're without a doubt our most important players.

I'd expect the following line-up;

---

Gomes

---

Corluka - Dawson - Gallas - BAE
Lennon - Palacios - Jenas - Bale

---

VDV ---- Crouch

---

I think Modric is the least likely to be fit so I'd expect Jenas (unfortunately) to start, and if Bale is out it'll most likely be Pienaar, though I think Niko should get a start to see if he can prove himself after his screamer last weekend.

We never seem to play well up in the north east though we've played well and had some good results of late so hopefully we can keep things going. A win would be fantastic, though I'd take a draw to be honest.

Aye, I've heard Modric has his appendix out (?) so will certainly be missing, but that's just from the Sunderland end so obviously you lot would be better placed to comment. I can't see VDV and Bale being risked (hopefully not anyway as both are top class).

No Hutton? He's superb IMO and I'm still gutted we didn't pay the £9m you were wanting for him in the summer. I do know that he only broke into the side again when Corluka was injured but he'd been excellent in the games I had seen.

Crouch is going to be a massive danger to us IMO. Although he hasn't scored much this season we struggle big time to deal with crosses, set pieces, and high balls into the front-man so that's where you'll have a big advantage IMO and because Crouch and VDV work so well I'm hoping VDV isn't risked.

Regarding Palacios, is it just me or does he seem to be a boo-boy at WHL? It's just the Spurs games I've watched this season the crowd seem to get on his back a lot but I might have just picked it up wrong?

Midfield is an area I think we can have an advantage in, especially with the 5. Lennon and VDV won't do much covering back (if any) and our midfield are all workers which will work in our favour, but as I mentioned earlier, we do tire around 70 minutes in.

Spurs are a cracking side to watch though, so as you say, it'll be an interesting game.

Paully D

RichMc70 wrote: »

Regardless of the team we put out I have a feeling we'll lose this one.

The players will be thinking ahead to the San Siro.

That's what everyone at Sunderland is hoping for mate. I think we couldn't have played you at a better time from our point-of-view.

Cue a comfortable win for Spurs now after me saying that

mushykeogh

We have a shocking record up there recently dont we? Id gladly take the dirtiest, flukiest, jammiest 1 nil win!

Hatch99

Paully D wrote: »

Regarding Palacios, is it just me or does he seem to be a boo-boy at WHL? It's just the Spurs games I've watched this season the crowd seem to get on his back a lot but I might have just picked it up wrong?

I think that's the fans asking him to shoooooot.

yiddo59

Paully D wrote: »

No Hutton? He's superb IMO and I'm still gutted we didn't pay the £9m you were wanting for him in the summer.

Not as gutted as I was

As for the game I'll go for a 1-1 draw.

mushykeogh

VDV out according to official site.

everdead.ie

VDV bale and modric still out.

Hatch99

4 from the 6 of the regular starting midfield/forwards all missing, it's gonna be a tough saturday evening me thinks..

Mr. Guappa

So likely line-up is:

Gomes
Corluka - Gallas - Dawson - BAE
Lennon - Palacios - Jenas - Niko/Pienaar
Crouch - Defoe

We could always go with one up top and Niko/Pienaar in behind but Harry usually goes 4-4-2 when VDV is unavailable.

A very tricky game at a place where we usually struggle. A win would be a major boost and we need to keep the pressure on City and Chelsea but I'd probably settle for a draw.

Paully D

Mr. Guappa wrote: »

So likely line-up is:

Gomes
Corluka - Gallas - Dawson - BAE
Lennon - Palacios - Jenas - Niko/Pienaar
Crouch - Defoe

We could always go with one up top and Niko/Pienaar in behind but Harry usually goes 4-4-2 when VDV is unavailable.

A very tricky game at a place where we usually struggle. A win would be a major boost and we need to keep the pressure on City and Chelsea but I'd probably settle for a draw.

The best chance we have of winning this is for someone like Bardsley or Muntari to go in with a hard but fair challenge ASAP and I hope that the Spurs players won't fancy it, especially with the Milan game upcoming. Although you do have players who will give as good as they get (Palacios for example).

It's looking like there's going to be at least 40,000 at the game and the atmosphere will be very good.

I can't wait for this game now!

Kiith

Considering how our strikers have been playing lately, i'd prefer a 5 man midfield, with lennon on the right, jenas/palacios/pienaar in the middle, and niko on the left.

Paully D

Here's a Sunderland view on your tactics:

http://rokerreport.com/2011/02/11/talking-tactics-tottenham-hotspur-h-preview/

It's a good read in fairness.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Kiith wrote: »

Considering how our strikers have been playing lately, i'd prefer a 5 man midfield, with lennon on the right, jenas/palacios/pienaar in the middle, and niko on the left.

+1. Our strikers are muck anyways but I don't think Harry will do it. Is Hutton injured or something? Amn't a big fan of Charlie. A Sunderland win is written all over this I'm afraid. Anything else would be a bonus for us.

Paully D

Our team today is:

Gordon

Onouha Bramble Mensah Bardsley

Malbranque Henderson Muntari Sessegnon

Richardson

Gyan

Malbranque and Sessegnon might play on opposite wings but they're the 11 players starting!

SuprSi

I think we have to hope that Harry was watching MOTD last week and noticed how poor Gordon was under the high ball, so sticks Crouch up there and starts lobbing them in. Of course, this will only work if Crouch doesn't get pinged by the ref every time he jumps in the box (unlikely) and Gordon has as poor a game (also unlikely) as last week.

We have been playing well of late though never seem to play well in the SOL so as I said before I'm hoping for a draw.

SuprSi

Saw this formation posted on another forum and really like the look of it, considering how poorly our strikers are playing

:::::::::::::::GOMES::::::::::::::

:CHARLIE:.DAWS::GALLAS::BAE:

::::::::::::.PALACIOS:::::::::::::
LENNON:::::::::::::::::.PIENAAR
::::::::::::NIKO::JENAS::::::::::

:::::::::::::::.PAV::::::::::::::::

ziedth

SuprSi wrote: »

Saw this formation posted on another forum and really like the look of it, considering how poorly our strikers are playing

:::::::::::::::GOMES::::::::::::::

:CHARLIE:.DAWS::GALLAS::BAE:

::::::::::::.PALACIOS:::::::::::::
LENNON:::::::::::::::::.PIENAAR
::::::::::::NIKO::JENAS::::::::::

:::::::::::::::.PAV::::::::::::::::

Could work. That line up would be lethal when Luka and Bale are back too.

BERBA

ziedth wrote: »

Could work. That line up would be lethal when Luka and Bale are back too.

and VDV as well:D

Paully D

SuprSi wrote: »

I think we have to hope that Harry was watching MOTD last week and noticed how poor Gordon was under the high ball, so sticks Crouch up there and starts lobbing them in. Of course, this will only work if Crouch doesn't get pinged by the ref every time he jumps in the box (unlikely) and Gordon has as poor a game (also unlikely) as last week.

We have been playing well of late though never seem to play well in the SOL so as I said before I'm hoping for a draw.

Very true. It's not just Gordon either, our whole defence is poor under the high ball and Turner is a big loss in that sense. I'd expect Mensah to be picking up Crouch though and if he can last the whole game I'd expect him to be give Crouch as little as possible as he always does well on big strikers. It will be a good battle.

Mike Jones is refereeing today IIRC. Hopefully he doesn't feel the need to make up for giving us that beachball goal

everdead.ie

A win would be an Epic result given that we perform badly just before champions league games expect Jenas to play though given he's banned for the game on tuesday.

Kiith

Anyone know if where in town, southside prefereably, that will be showing this over the Rugby?

everdead.ie

TEAM v SUNDERLAND -
Gomes;
Corluka, Dawson, Gallas, Assou-Ekotto;
Pieenar, Jenas, Sandro, Kranjcar; Defoe, Pavlyuchenko.

Here are the subs - Cudicini, Bassong, Khumalo, Woodgate, Lennon, Palacios, Crouch.

BERBA

everdead.ie wrote: »

TEAM v SUNDERLAND -
Gomes;
Corluka, Dawson, Gallas, Assou-Ekotto;
Pieenar, Jenas, Sandro, Kranjcar; Defoe, Pavlyuchenko.

Here are the subs - Cudicini, Bassong, Khumalo, Woodgate, Lennon, Palacios, Crouch.

jaysus thats a right makeshift side were putting out tonight

everdead.ie

Ya missing an awful lot of players surprised Lennon is on the bench

Kiith

Surprised to see Sandro and Jenas start over Lennon and Palacios.

everdead.ie

Palacios is just coming back from a knee injury and then had to go to Honduras for a friendly midweek.

everdead.ie

Steve Bruce has done some great work up north.

SuprSi

Nice to watch this in HD COYS I'd love to win this one, really would, especially after Liverpool only managing a draw today.

SuprSi

Very interesting (or worrying, depending on your outlook!) midfield, no idea how it's going to pan out in this game.

BERBA

Any good streams?

SuprSi

I don't really understand why Lennon isn't starting. If it's just to accommodate Pienaar that's worrying. Mind you, if we can keep things interesting he'll be a great sub around the 60 - 70 minute mark.

everdead.ie

Ah christ

SuprSi

FFS. Cracking goal by Gyan, but WTF was Gallas doing, changing his fecking boots while the game is going on. Idiot.

SuprSi

We look pretty cack so far. Completely ineffective up front, as per usual, and not holding onto or controlling the ball in the middle at all. Very disappointing so far.

SuprSi

The most telling stat - 32 minutes gone, not one shot on target.

SuprSi

Woo Daws!! Gordon looked soft for that one though.

everdead.ie

Get in Captain fantastic and good run across by Gallas too.

BERBA

i'd take a point now if offered it

everdead.ie

We have done well to go in level to be honest we have to do better second half. Sunderland doing a lot of fouling though.

everdead.ie

BERBA wrote: »

i'd take a point now if offered it

Never we play till we win !

Glebee

How are things going now. Could do with a three points here.

pleasant Co.

Awesommme!

everdead.ie

Kranjcar cracker unreal !

BERBA

get in there nikoooooooooooo

oppiuy

Sandro is really impressing me

everdead.ie

Richardson acting th tool not for the first time he barged Niko earlier when the ball was out of play.

ctrl-alt-delete

Gomes's time to act the tool,

He'll have to get himself a bullet proof vest if that hurt him that much.

pleasant Co.

pav, pav, pav...