Salut! Sunderland takes another look back over events of the past week, as reflected in our postings …
Many Sunderland supporters, given the chance in advance of settling for a point each from the two games in London just played, would have snatched the hands off whoever was offering. Not very ambitious, but fairly realistic.
So to come away with three, with honour intact in the narrow defeat at White Hart Lane, represents progress – provided we can keep it up and make the forthcoming matches against lesser opposition than Spurs count in our favour.
Pete Sixsmith gave us a full analysis of what stopped us pulling off a surprise at the Lane. See: The White Hart Lane Soapbox: couldn’t quite scupper ‘Arry’s Spurs, suggesting that Martin O’Neill learned more from the game than he would have gleaned from the “helter-skelter” victory over Blackburn.
Between the Spurs inquest and the QPR triumph, we found time for some whimsy. Bill Taylor drew highly mixed reaction for his list of Christmas presents for Sunderland figures past and present. Just as Bill was savouring Jeremy’s comment – “This is undoubtedly the funniest and most astute article that we’ve ever seen on Salut” – along came an alternative view, from Simon: “Normally enjoy your articles but don’t try and be funny. Leave that to experienced writers. Could have been so much better.” Take your pick: a comedy variant of the Pulitzer Prize, or an appointment at the Job Centre straight after Christmas.
Sixer popped up again with some fun at the expense of Darren B£nt, for whom
watching Villa on the box when injured comes second to a spot of Christmas shopping in Cambridge. Why Cambridge? I heard someone ask the question on the radio but do not know the answer.
And what an effect winning has. The QPR game produced a torrent of words, from the build-up Q&A conducted by Russell Wilson (before the win was ours, of course), from the Rangers site QPR Report to Pete’s travel-delayed Soapbox on “jumping through the hoops”. Along the way, we had Martin O’Neill’s post-match e-mail – “character, performance and a nice trip home” –
and my own description of a great moment in the first half when our players demonstrated the sheer desire drummed into them by MON.
Birflatt Boy called for the head of another Steve – Kean – and, as I began writing, Sixer was threatening to tell all on the Sunderland-supporting dog that made it to Loftus Road. Needless to say, he came up trumps with the full story, names and everything.
And much more besides – bookmark the home page, navigate and explore … one thing you’ll find there straight away will be the Everton “Who are You?” in which one of the Toffeemen quoted describes Peter Reid as “Brilliant player, entertaining pundit, average manager”.
Ha’way the Lads against those Evertonians on Boxing Day, and beyond …
It’s a lovely article and interview with Billy Longworth at http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/meet_the_sunderland_fan_who_took_his_dog_to_qpr_1_4091285