Hapless Sunderland Gravy Train Derailed by So Solid Crewe...... (edit 2-2.... decent point in the end) : SAFC Blog

Mugs Game etc….. but 11/10 looks huge? 4/1 win and BTTS looks very tempting?

We’ve won the last 3 games very convincingly, after today we play Swindon and Rochdale at home, I’m getting more optimistic by the day. Optimism is obviously fraught with risk, today’s game reminds me of when we played Rochdale Away under Ross after the 3-0 win at Accrington. We beat Rochdale and I firmly believed we were an Unstobbable Force, (or a Force Majeure if you are reading this KLD), sadly a Defensive Disasterclass vs Coventry and the ability to concede a last gasp goal at Peterborough to cancel out the last gasp lead we had just taken. The rest as the say is History, hopefully we are much more streetwise now and looking So Solid as we head to Crewe….

*“Got 21 seconds to go, Got 21 seconds to go……. FFS………. Got 46 Games to go*, *Got 46 Games to go”*

*“For League 1, just get in the left hand lane and fucking stay there for a few more years of abject misery* *you lousy Northern Bastards”*

Whilst it’s early days, being one of the richest clubs in the world has it’s positives, whilst our new multi camera system made the game on Tuesday akin to watching football on TV, we are back to being in the hands of the EFL cameraman today, so it will be more Tesheki’s Castle on UK Conquest than Super Sunday on Sky Sports. Stuff like having expensive cameras and a decent pitch etc is good, not being arrogant, but we are by far the biggest team in this division, we should be the best in every aspect that we can – best facilities, best programme, best sound system, best toilets, best food etc

“Give those Oxford Jobbers a ring and ask if they want this?”

The Job in Hand…

We have already sent a message out to the rest of the league, another win today will really ramp up the momentum, I don’t know a lot about Crewe, (Mandaron aside), they didn’t really offer much of a threat at the SOL, but they looked good in possession, no easy games etc…. it’s well documented how good their youth system has been over the years, they once again seem to be producing some decent players

*“For Fucks Sake Barry……. when I said ‘pull off one of the young lads at half time’, I meant ‘make a substitution…….”*

A Proper day Out…

It’s shite we can’t go today, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and football should hopefully be on the agenda when we start our League 1 or Championship campaign in August. Crewe has 2 train stations which confuses the issue, we’d probably take the road to this one….. not that we are predictable, but…..we’d work out how long it takes, (factoring in Clitheroe Services and an additional piss stop) and arrange a Harrogate pick up time, say 10am….. we’d text the night before saying let’s make it 9.30am…..about 8am Saturday morning the usual ‘“I’m ready now” texts would start….. 8.45am and we’re on the road to watch the Red & White Wizards of Wonderland. I really miss it, as is oft said, ‘it’s often the journey not the destination’, given we are deprived of our opportunity to talk shite, perhaps that’s why I’m getting more prolific, (not better), at writing shite?

Hopefully the new norm will be back soon? I’d imagined Crewe was just across, can’t believe how far down it is? Always thought it was strange that they had a rivalry with Stoke and Port Vale.

So….. football back soon, promotion on the cards….

Stunning day today, oh to be headed West on the A59…

Although far inferior to Yorkshire, Lancashire is actually quite nice

The fantastic Dick Turpin Cafe on the A59…..

Virtual Journey West complete, the focus turns to the match….

There’s some decent football blogs online, (honestly), bizarrely 2 of my top 3 are about Blackpool, I’d reckon my top 3 are; http://Jane Stuart.co.uk http://Mclfoot.blogspot.com and http://the half-time pie.co.uk . Graphs seem to be the future of online blogging… so much so I’m even doing requests now…..

Piece of piss…. on the off chance anyone is still reading, the chart in the match report should be fairly self explanatory…

Pre Teamsheet Teamsheet Thoughts…

Not really any reason to change a great deal, Maguire and Jones both impressed from the bench the other night, but as the cliche goes and every manager will testify, these are the type of selection headaches you want to have? Press Conferences not really my bag, so I don’t know if anyone is injured, but ultimately Lee with choose 11 to play, there’s not much point asking him the same questions every Thursday.

Actual Teamsheet Teamsheet Thoughts…

3pm – GAME ON

‘Shit Jacket Saturdays…… Lee turned up for *Double PE* rather than *a Professional Football Match.* Whole new feature, but got WBA vs Brighton on the big telly, Graham Potter is looking very smart.

15 minutes…. 0-0. They are probably the better side, their number 3, (Pickering), looks a decent player.

30 minutes….. 0-1, Crewe take a deserved lead, good awareness by Mandaron who squares to Porter to tap home, poor defending all round, desperately poor, (that’s generous), from McFadzean to not put any pressure whatsoever on Porter. We’ve been poor, long way to go, but I’d be happy to go in at 0-1 and regroup over an orange segment and a brew.

37 minutes…. 0-2, we are getting fucking hammered here! Second assist for Mandaron and another tap in from 6 yards with no one challenging. Smart finish from Lowery, but piss poor defending again, this wasn’t in the plan, but Crewe are good value for their 2-0 lead – plenty of time left, but next goal is massive.

Half time… credit to Crewe, but we have been shocking, (worst performance of the season?), we are fortunate to be 2nd in this game at present, but….. goals change games and the next goal is huge. McGeady has been excellent of late, he’s been shite today – give him a rest and get Maguire on for the 2nd half.

No excuses though, we’ve got what we’ve deserved so far, can’t even complain about the ref, or the pitch – much as most pitches seem to be akin to a day 4 wicket at the Motera Stadium, Ahmedabad, todays pitch looks decent.

Must do better 2nd half, much better…

2nd Half…

59 minutes… load of subs by LJ

60 minutes… still 0-2, Wyke, Power and O’Brien all had a dip without really threatening. It’s mad really but I’m mulling over in my head, when should/would we leave? If it’s still 0-2 on 68 minutes we’d be offski I’d say?

70 minutes…. we’d be on the way home now, 100%

75 minute…. fucking 💥, great strike from Jones, 1-2, game on?? Tough gig this cutting edge real-time journalism…. already written headline saying we’ve been shite – come on lads – headlines are there to be changed, (as the famous saying goes).

90 minutes…. load of stoppage time forthcoming, we’ve been better in the last 1/3 of the game than the first 2/3 – but it’s all relative, we’ve been mostly shite. I’ve said it time and time again that this league is there for the taking, sadly not playing like we have today.
9 minutes added on... so there’s still hope?

97 minutes….. fucking 💥💥💥💥 worldie from The King – 2-2 ⚽️⚽️ I need to stop leaving, (virtually), early.

Bubble Chart Saturday’s – don’t get this on Football Focus?

And there you fucking go, cheers Sunderland…

Finally we have a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of going to games, it won’t be long til we can travel the country watching the Red and White Wizards of Wonderland, there’s beauty everywhere, I can’t wait to get back on the road….