Football is back and so is Guess the Score. Have a go in the comments below. And don’t forget to catch the SAFC v Arsenal ‘Who are You?’ interview with Walter Broeckx from the Untold Arsenal site’s sub-section examining bad decisions by matchday officials … https://safc.blog/2013/09/sunderland-v-arsenal-who-are-you-biased-referees-tiptop-ozil-suarez-dilemma/
With their unsure grasp of history prior to the Wenger era, Arsenal’s millions of scattered supporters, living their lives without the least contact with north London or even Woolwich, would not know that when Sunderland last won the top flight championship, Saturday’s equivalent fixture ended with a 5-4 home win in front of just under 59,000 at Roker Park.
Fair enough, that was all of 78 years ago: Dec 28 1935. Monsieur Salut had not taken his first breath. Nor even had Ray Davies or Mick Jagger, listed among celebrity Gooners.
Had Salut! Sunderland existed then, it might have got away without having to fork out for a Guess the Score winner, though the half-time score, 4-1, suggesting a plucky Arsenal fightback in the second half, would doubtless have had a taker or two.
So what will it be on Saturday? Will Ozil tear us apart and inspire an effortless romp for Wenger’s side? Or will we see a repeat of the excitement of the 1-0 wins on the opening day of the 2000-2001 season (Niall Quinn) and in 2009 (Darren Bent)? Otherwise, two cup wins apart, we need to go back to a Tony Adams own goal that raised false hope of survival in 1997 and beyond that to 1983 for Sunderland victories over Arsenal, home or away.
A Salut! Sunderland mug will go to the reader who is first to predict the correct score and post that prediction before kickoff. Arsenal fans are welcome to enter and the mug’s design would be amended accordingly should one of them win.
How Monsieur Salut developed this theme at ESPN: http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/sunderland/id/2037?cc=5739Extract: ‘…until just after the Second World War, the Gunners and Sunderland were comparable forces in English football’
And what does M Salut reckon will happen on Saturday? Goals from Raich Carter (2), Gallacher, Davis and Connor should be enough to withstand that second-half Gunners rally. Or a sneaky 1-0 after Ozil slices the ball into his own net in the fourth minute of stoppage time. And Walter will blame the ref.
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Fancy leaving a comment? Not sure what you have to say fits this post? Go to the new feature – https://safc.blog/2013/07/salut-sunderland-the-way-it-is/ – and say it there.
CSB. I hope the crowd doesn’t respond like that but the truth of the matter is that another false dawn in going to be just about as much as some fans will be able to take.
In all truth, regardless of whether this “experiment” succeeds or fails, I”m just pleased to see that we had a bloke in charge (Ellis that is not PDC) who was prepared to give things a real go and do things differently. As things stand at this juncture I’m at a loss to see what else can or could have been done in the circumstances. I will never knock Ellis Short for trying to change things around.
The unfortunate thing nowadays is that the potential that most of us have spent our entire lives harping on about no longer exists. We have no potential to be PL also rans as the cartel at the top have eliminated any real form of competition. The real pity was that we didn’t have Ellis Short at the helm 20 years ago. Things might have been all so different. You can’t change what is. Survival at best is all there is if you aren’t challenging for Europe. I hope I’m wrong but history and common sense suggests I might be right.
I’m far from convinced that the two guys responsible for player recruitment really understand what it takes to build a team. Far from it in fact. At least if this season goes belly up it will make a change to blame somebody other than the manager or the chairman.
Fleetwood v Torquay the inspiration from last weekend and it’s a 4-1 home win! – It’s just nice to be able to move my arms again and how I enjoy the softness of the walls in here.
Reality bites. The revolution continues SAFC 1 Arsenal 4. The first cries of “Paolo out!”
Hate saying it but expecting anything out of this game is like praying for the dead to walk.
Voyager has just left the Solar System. It will be back in before we get 3 points at the Emirates.
I can understand your sentiments but I really hope your wrong as I am finding it very difficult to take another failure, despite all the cash, change of direction etc, at the Club.
Green shoots, and up for it is a must for the next few games, just a semblance of passion, professional pride form the playing staff and wee bit of tactical nous and picking the best eleven (regardless of personal gripes) from the manager. Now’s the time to stand up and be counted.
If its another god awful performance then I think you may be right in the crowd response particularly if we get stuffed.
The rollercoaster continues, but we a going down the incline right now!
Can you go down an incline?
Sunderland 3-2 Arsenal.
Fletch x 2 and Borini.
Ki and Cabral in MF for me. If we stop Ozil then we’re halfway there. It might be a good time to play Arsenal with their injury worries etc.
Heart says us. Head (and wallet) says 1-3.
Another bloody mug, Eric. Don’t drop this one!
Only wish it could be under happier circs.
OK, I’ll let my heart rule my head and go for 2-1.
SAFC 1 – 0 Arsenal
Tight game, few chances, but hopefully a midfield performance to show hope for the future.
Norman Stanley to settle it.