Thought Sunderland looked technically better and played higher quality football - which is what one would expect with the squad and resources they still have. But they didn't score from open play. If you take the Sarr-Phillips mix-up out of the equation our defence remained unblemished, which has been one of the things Bower and Jackson have put right this season. We looked spirited and kept ourselves in the game. Both our goals were scrappy...but who cares?...and neither came from a forward.
It's great to be back in the Championship.
Once the euphoria has passed there is some hard thinking to be done, though.
We have a large number of players out of contract at the end of the month and loanees returning to their home clubs. To survive in the Championship we'd need to keep most of them and bring in a significant number of quality reinforcements. Roland will only sell when he wants to...and we will have little to no control as to when they might be or to whom. (Shame on him not being there today. OK: he might not have been able to attend...but he could have sent his son, or business partners etc). So the prospects for 2019-2020 are quite unstable.
The way things stand - and with no idea whether Bowyer will remain as manager either - I'd take surviving in the Championship next season as an acceptable outcome.
I’ve waited a long time to say this. Bollocks they were!
Thought Sunderland looked technically better and played higher quality football - which is what one would expect with the squad and resources they still have. But they didn't score from open play. If you take the Sarr-Phillips mix-up out of the equation our defence remained unblemished, which has been one of the things Bower and Jackson have put right this season. We looked spirited and kept ourselves in the game. Both our goals were scrappy...but who cares?...and neither came from a forward.
It's great to be back in the Championship.
Once the euphoria has passed there is some hard thinking to be done, though.
We have a large number of players out of contract at the end of the month and loanees returning to their home clubs. To survive in the Championship we'd need to keep most of them and bring in a significant number of quality reinforcements. Roland will only sell when he wants to...and we will have little to no control as to when they might be or to whom. (Shame on him not being there today. OK: he might not have been able to attend...but he could have sent his son, or business partners etc). So the prospects for 2019-2020 are quite unstable.
The way things stand - and with no idea whether Bowyer will remain as manager either - I'd take surviving in the Championship next season as an acceptable outcome.
I’ve waited a long time to say this. Bollocks they were!
First goal certainly wasnt scrappy... Lovely bit of passing from Dijksteel | Aribo | Taylor before a precision pass across the box
Too deep and that goes straight to the Goalkeeper, not deep enough and Sunderland cut the ball out
Thought Sunderland looked technically better and played higher quality football - which is what one would expect with the squad and resources they still have. But they didn't score from open play. If you take the Sarr-Phillips mix-up out of the equation our defence remained unblemished, which has been one of the things Bower and Jackson have put right this season. We looked spirited and kept ourselves in the game. Both our goals were scrappy...but who cares?...and neither came from a forward.
It's great to be back in the Championship.
Once the euphoria has passed there is some hard thinking to be done, though.
We have a large number of players out of contract at the end of the month and loanees returning to their home clubs. To survive in the Championship we'd need to keep most of them and bring in a significant number of quality reinforcements. Roland will only sell when he wants to...and we will have little to no control as to when they might be or to whom. (Shame on him not being there today. OK: he might not have been able to attend...but he could have sent his son, or business partners etc). So the prospects for 2019-2020 are quite unstable.
The way things stand - and with no idea whether Bowyer will remain as manager either - I'd take surviving in the Championship next season as an acceptable outcome.
I’ve waited a long time to say this. Bollocks they were!
First goal certainly wasnt scrappy... Lovely bit of passing from Dijksteel | Aribo | Taylor before a precision pass across the box
Too deep and that goes straight to the Goalkeeper, not deep enough and Sunderland cut the ball out
And the winner was decent too, with Cullen and Aribo combining, and a decent cross into the box where there were at least three waiting for it. I remember saying to the boys, ‘watch this boys, we’re still at it’ or something like that - and the cross from Cullen floated towards the far post....
Hadnt realised what a tight, poor game it actually was. The ball was in play very little. I had it in my head we were much the stronger team in the second half, but it was a less than I thought. We barely created any chances.
Some non-glam players like Parker out in a real workmanlike shift. Bielik got MoM but while no one properly stood out, Cullen was a clear MoM for me.
Will never not get excited by that ending,
In the last 10 minutes I think Parker and Williams gave us the momentum we needed. Not a game for the neutral, but the tension and final release was up there with anything I can remember.
Watching it back again over the weekend I noticed how well our midfield played, especially in the 2nd half when Biliek was in there instead of being at the back. Still not sure he deserved MOTM but him, Cullen & William's when he came on ran the show.
Watching it back again over the weekend I noticed how well our midfield played, especially in the 2nd half when Biliek was in there instead of being at the back. Still not sure he deserved MOTM but him, Cullen & William's when he came on ran the show.
Changing to a back four changed the game. Bowyer should have started that way. Sunderland were poor going forward, especially without McGeady. Gave them too much respect. But credit to him for adopting.
Hadnt realised what a tight, poor game it actually was. The ball was in play very little. I had it in my head we were much the stronger team in the second half, but it was a less than I thought. We barely created any chances.
Some non-glam players like Parker out in a real workmanlike shift. Bielik got MoM but while no one properly stood out, Cullen was a clear MoM for me.
Will never not get excited by that ending,
That's my take on it. I posted a couple of weeks ago that it could hardly be classed as a classic. Apart from the calamitous opening 5 mins (for us) and the final 5 secs not a lot happened during the game. In the 90 mins inbetween those incidents we equalised......and that was about it. Taylor had a shot just over (rising so never going in) and Phillips tipped one shot round the post. Nothing else of note. Watching the highlights back over the weekend I was surprised how well Cullen played as I dont recall that irl......and like you wonder why Bielik got MOTM.
The move of Bielik up into midfield from the back line was what gave us control of midfield and so that's why I think he gets given the Motm. For me it was more about the tactical switch from 3 at the back to the diamond.
I would give MOTM to Pratley, the way he grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck after we conceded and just battled his way through was brilliant. Someone needed to play that role and put that performance in or we would have crumbled. Pratters was just the man.
Thought Sunderland looked technically better and played higher quality football - which is what one would expect with the squad and resources they still have. But they didn't score from open play. If you take the Sarr-Phillips mix-up out of the equation our defence remained unblemished, which has been one of the things Bower and Jackson have put right this season. We looked spirited and kept ourselves in the game. Both our goals were scrappy...but who cares?...and neither came from a forward.
It's great to be back in the Championship.
Once the euphoria has passed there is some hard thinking to be done, though.
We have a large number of players out of contract at the end of the month and loanees returning to their home clubs. To survive in the Championship we'd need to keep most of them and bring in a significant number of quality reinforcements. Roland will only sell when he wants to...and we will have little to no control as to when they might be or to whom. (Shame on him not being there today. OK: he might not have been able to attend...but he could have sent his son, or business partners etc). So the prospects for 2019-2020 are quite unstable.
The way things stand - and with no idea whether Bowyer will remain as manager either - I'd take surviving in the Championship next season as an acceptable outcome.
I’ve waited a long time to say this. Bollocks they were!
First goal certainly wasnt scrappy... Lovely bit of passing from Dijksteel | Aribo | Taylor before a precision pass across the box
Too deep and that goes straight to the Goalkeeper, not deep enough and Sunderland cut the ball out
And the winner was decent too, with Cullen and Aribo combining, and a decent cross into the box where there were at least three waiting for it. I remember saying to the boys, ‘watch this boys, we’re still at it’ or something like that - and the cross from Cullen floated towards the far post....
Saw an interview with Pat where he said he saw Pearce infront of him but he was being tightly marked so he called for Pearce to leave it for him as he had more space. I'd not heard that before but watching it back you can absolutely see JP jump but also duck his head, so as to occupy his man and leave it for BFG. Very clever.
Hadnt realised what a tight, poor game it actually was. The ball was in play very little. I had it in my head we were much the stronger team in the second half, but it was a less than I thought. We barely created any chances.
Some non-glam players like Parker out in a real workmanlike shift. Bielik got MoM but while no one properly stood out, Cullen was a clear MoM for me.
Will never not get excited by that ending,
That's my take on it. I posted a couple of weeks ago that it could hardly be classed as a classic. Apart from the calamitous opening 5 mins (for us) and the final 5 secs not a lot happened during the game. In the 90 mins inbetween those incidents we equalised......and that was about it. Taylor had a shot just over (rising so never going in) and Phillips tipped one shot round the post. Nothing else of note. Watching the highlights back over the weekend I was surprised how well Cullen played as I dont recall that irl......and like you wonder why Bielik got MOTM.
The move of Bielik up into midfield from the back line was what gave us control of midfield and so that's why I think he gets given the Motm. For me it was more about the tactical switch from 3 at the back to the diamond.
I would give MOTM to Pratley, the way he grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck after we conceded and just battled his way through was brilliant. Someone needed to play that role and put that performance in or we would have crumbled. Pratters was just the man.
Pratley's performance that day and in the Semi-Final wasnt just sublime but also that of a man possessed
For almost the whole season he was seen as a scapegoat for the negative side of our game...
Ever since the Play-Offs last season he's been a completely different player for us and of course is now regarded as an important piece of the team
Hadnt realised what a tight, poor game it actually was. The ball was in play very little. I had it in my head we were much the stronger team in the second half, but it was a less than I thought. We barely created any chances.
Some non-glam players like Parker out in a real workmanlike shift. Bielik got MoM but while no one properly stood out, Cullen was a clear MoM for me.
Will never not get excited by that ending,
That's my take on it. I posted a couple of weeks ago that it could hardly be classed as a classic. Apart from the calamitous opening 5 mins (for us) and the final 5 secs not a lot happened during the game. In the 90 mins inbetween those incidents we equalised......and that was about it. Taylor had a shot just over (rising so never going in) and Phillips tipped one shot round the post. Nothing else of note. Watching the highlights back over the weekend I was surprised how well Cullen played as I dont recall that irl......and like you wonder why Bielik got MOTM.
The move of Bielik up into midfield from the back line was what gave us control of midfield and so that's why I think he gets given the Motm. For me it was more about the tactical switch from 3 at the back to the diamond.
I would give MOTM to Pratley, the way he grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck after we conceded and just battled his way through was brilliant. Someone needed to play that role and put that performance in or we would have crumbled. Pratters was just the man.
a year and 2 days ago ? .. seems like a lifetime .. and unfortunately in the interim we have gone from Duchatelet's fryingpan into the ESI fire .. I am still optimistic about the next year and 2 days though, but I don't really know why
Comments
Too deep and that goes straight to the Goalkeeper, not deep enough and Sunderland cut the ball out
I would give MOTM to Pratley, the way he grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck after we conceded and just battled his way through was brilliant. Someone needed to play that role and put that performance in or we would have crumbled. Pratters was just the man.
For almost the whole season he was seen as a scapegoat for the negative side of our game...
Ever since the Play-Offs last season he's been a completely different player for us and of course is now regarded as an important piece of the team
This was all Bowyer, his management team, Gallen and the squad. Nothing to do with the wankers now at the helm.
Now Pratters telling everyone to calm down.
It's very different on the sofa.
Cullen just spanked an awful corner.
Dijksteel really did play well in this game.
So they're not solid?