This is where Pete Sixsmith captures the glory and shame, hope and despair, excitement and ennui of the Sunderland matchday experience. When, rarely, Pete is absent or delayed, a supersub does it for him and the seven-word verdict is preceded by an asterisk. Pete’s full analysis of the game will usually appear within a day or two.
Sixer’s half-time assessment was that since Stéphane Sessègnon’s “exquisite” 14th minute finish to put SAFC ahead, we had barely touched the ball. Even winning ugly is still winning and we have often enough played well only to lose. But games won with goals of the quality of those scored by Sess and Gardner should perhaps not be called ugly.
Despite the lead, Martin O’Neill clearly had work to do in the interval. Whatever he said eventually produced improvement though Swansea had greater possession and composure and, until another Gardner corker – he saves them for special moments – settled nerves, looked worthy of a draw without offering a serious threat. But Sixer was impressed not only by the goals but by the discipline Sunderland showed; see his full-time verdict below.
The full Sixer’s Sevens archive – see link below – sums up what all Sunderland supporters feel, from darkest gloom to sublime elation, in the words one who is usually there …
Jan 21 2012 SAFC (1) 2 Swansea City (0) 0 Quality goals and a very disciplined <>performance
Jan 14 2012 Chelsea (1) 1 SAFC (0) 0 * Fine performance not reflected in the score
Jan 8 2012 FA Cup 3rd round: Peterborough United 0 (0) SAFC 2 (0) No banana skin as Posh pushed over
Jan 3 2012 Wigan Athletic (0) 1 SAFC (1) 4 Merrily we roll along as Wigan destroyed
Jan 1 2012 SAFC (0) 1 Manchester City (0) 0 An absolutely incredible win. O’Neill is god
Dec 26 2011 SAFC (1) 1 Everton (0) 1 Wind and Webb deny us a win
To see Sixer’s Sevens in full, click here. If an asterisk precedes the comment, the words that follow are the work of someone else because Pete is for once absent from the game or his verdict has been delayed …
Swansea pass the ball backwards with 11 Sunderland players behind the ball is there some point to this tactic. They seldom pushed Sunderland and O’shea and Brown had the easiest afternoon since arriving on Wearside that tells you evrything you should want to know. Mignolet made one significant save from a freekick. In horse racing the report would have been ” won in a common canter”
The day was spoiled when I heard that Coventry had won!!!
You wouldn’t let it lie would you? =(:oD)
Made worse by Hooooooooooolios sending off denying him a return in next round of Cup.
On a bitterly cold windswept day, the team did more than enough. The conditions weren’t easy and they coped well. Swansea flattered but I never felt they really threatened where it counted.
The forwards and midfield did a lot of pressing high up the pitch and played with a lot of energy. This is a different team using the same players than we were watching a few months ago.
In his post match interview MON highlighted some areas he felt needed working on. I hope one of them is Wes Brown’s passing!
Another three points made all the more enjoyable when the stadium announcer advised us all to look at the scoreboard just as the score from Craven Cottage went up! 🙂
Thought our full backs, Bardsley and Richardson, were outstanding today; keeping their wingers in check and making crucial clearances when crosses did come in. Swansea could have had 90% possession for all they did with it, all that matters is how many times you score. Happy days!
I’m seriously ticked off that my local sports bar isn’t showing this game on the big screen till 10 p.m. I can’t make it. Is there are further word on whether Sess still wants away?
Two great strikes, we didn’t play the best but still got a result which indicates a good grittiness to get the job done.
Distribution from back was very poor, too often the ball was coming straight back as our forwards were unable to hold up play, some sloppy passing in the middle as well, really we stopped doing what we had been good at in previous games under MON.
Happy for the points, we took nearly all of our chances. BBC had us down to only 36% of the play, but Swansea are not easy to play against as they keep position well, but still failed to hurt us, so well done team effort.