Takeover, Fakeover, Reshuffle…..

Lots to be said on this, today is Matchday, so I’ll leave it til next week. At least that fucking crank with a shit beard, (faux? Parody?), will hopefully stop tweeting shite.

Saturday Service FC 0 vs New Norm Saturday Rovers 1, (Witter, T, 36)

I say the same every week…. I’m really missing going to the game, I’m really missing seeing my mates, I’m really missing seeing the thousands of other SAFC fans who I don’t know personally but I kind of do. The trip to MK in January was just a mint day out, capped off by a stunning late winner…..

I know it’s new and all that, I understand it’s proximity to london and the abundance of modern office space, the transport infrastructure etc – but it’s just a fucking really weird place? Bizarrely having driven in straight lines round and around roundabouts round and round the town, there was a decent pub near the ground…..

(** no nuns were harmed on our trip the Stadium  MK in January) 

Shite cut and paste Blog – what about the match?

Indeed…… it’s a big game today, our league form is terrible and we are languishing in a relegation battle near the top of the table(*), opportunity for things to be even worse if we can win today? A win today will surely heap more pressure on the manager?(**) I saw a stat earlier today that they haven’t won away since 2019, I can’t be bothered to work it out, but I suspect that’s not actually that many games? Regardless of stats, we should beat these today and I think we will.

Pre Teamsheet Teamsheet thoughts

Lots of changes expected again today following on from the 2 cup games. Phil will have learnt from both games, sadly the Mansfield game was more a case of who not to play? Dobson, Power, Graham and O’Brien didn’t really do anything to stake a claim? I just don’t see a future for Grigg, the priority is probably him avoiding injury til January and then he can go on loan somewhere and hopefully fall in love with football again – I’d be delighted to be proved wrong, but I just don’t see it happening.

Whilst the Mansfield game didn’t offer anything particularly positive , Fleetwood was a better exercise. Embleton has probably done enough to warrant a start….. I wouldn’t play him today, as I think in a home game where we should boss possession, assuming we play with 1 up top, we need to play Maguire and try and be positive.

So……

                           Burge

O’Nien, Willis, Wright, Sanderson, Hume

            Gooch, Leadbitter, Scowen 

                           Maguire 

                             Wyke

Actual Teamsheet Teamsheet thoughts……

Blimey….. few surprises there! Power is Club Captain and he seems to be favoured more often than not, so not too surprised at that. Matthews for Burge is a surprise, I thought Patterson did well on Tuesday, whenever I’ve seen Matthews play he’s scared the life out of me. Let’s hope he has a good game today👍

“Your defence is terrified ……. Will Griggs on fire 🔥⚽️🔥⚽️

I’ll be honest, I did not see that selection coming! But….. Ha’Way Will let’s do this, he’s obviously been bang on it in training…. come on Will, just look at Charlie – he’d been written off by many and now he scores every week. Confidence is huge in footballers, confidence is everything in strikers. I don’t know Will Grigg, but he for all the world looks like a player who needs to be loved? You’ve 100% in the right place to be loved Will –  today is the start of your Sunderland career

Tune into the stream as always, the double act remains – but I think Frankie needs to go to bed, he looks like he’s had a night out with Benji Kimpioka!

3pm…….. and we’re off

3.10pm……. lively start. Ray Parlour should and nearly does score for them after 2 minutes, great work from Grigg almost tees up Gooch. They look lively and  good to see Scowen on corner duty for us.

3.11pm…….. MAX…… POWER⚽️💥

3.15pm……. good delivery, good header FFS. 1-1

Half time…… 1-1

• They have been the better team
• Wright been flawless this season, but Jerome was his man from the freekick, ex premiership players don’t tend to miss free headers?
•  We’ve come out after the break sluggish in the last 3 games – we cannot afford to do this 2nd half
• They are a real handful going forward, I can only assume by their league position they are not very good at the back? We need to at least test this theory?
• Maguire probably needs to come on sooner rather than later?
• Whilst much publicised why he left Derby, Richard Keogh, despite a clumsy touch for the goal, is very good at this level
• When Gooch plays well we are loads better, Gooch hasn’t played well all season really. 
• The longer the game goes on in the same style at 1-1, the more susceptible we are? Proactive subs required id say?

2nd half….. come on lads46 minutes….. they get a penalty for a challenge outside of the box 1-2, if we were going to concede I’d rather it be on 46 than 76? Quite simple what’s required now lads – let’s at least make them feel like they’ve been in a game? We all know we lack pace, too much of the same in midfield as is often the case. We’ve barely used the flanks – has Denver had the opportunity to put a single cross into the box in 50 minutes?65 minutes…….. 

66 minutes…….there seems to be a sending off every time we play? Shocking challenge on Leadbitter should have been a red card.

75 minutes……. Maguire on, we look better. Great cross for Denver a few minutes ago, who really should have scored.

Great saves at either end…… almost 2-2, almost 1-3, still 1-2

90 minutes……. “there will be a minimum of 5 additional minutes for us to probably not score”

Always expect to get a chance in stoppage time – good strike from Denver and a great save by the keeper down to his left

Verdict…….. not very good. 

SAFCBlog – Moribund Media – FTM

Shite result – I’m off to get some food delivered and listen to Liverpool Based Electro Synth-pop