SA’s Essay: getting the point of Bournemouth

John McCormick writes: We’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out what Pete Sixsmith thinks of this result. I know, however, that Jake’s thinks a point isn’t enough, as that’s what he sent with the graphic you’ll see at the bottom of the page. Jake isn’t the only one to send stuff, of course. The manager also communicates with Colin (and perhaps a couple of others), who generously shares Sam’s post-match e-mail with us:

Jake's take on Big Sam
Jake’s take on Big Sam

Dear Colin,

I’m disappointed we couldn’t take all three points from the game, but I  think after how it panned out we’re happy to take the point.

When we lost that early goal, we easily could have lost the  game, but we stayed in it and overcame that difficult spell where we lost our nerve a bit.

We finally passed our way back into the game and scored a very good goal at a crucial time. From there it could have been anybody’s game.

However, neither team took it and Bournemouth will be more satisfied with that result than we are as we still find ourselves in the bottom three.

From where we’ve come from today and since I’ve been at the club, this is the first point we’ve gained after falling behind, so there are one or two positives to take.

We changed things around just before half time to put [Jeremain] Lens out wide and [Adam] Johnson in the middle

worth his place?
worth a place in the middle?

and that changed the game in our favour. We saw more of the ball and then the goal followed. It was a fantastic finish from Patrick [van Aanholt].

It’s just a shame we couldn’t find a final ball to Jermain Defoe like we did against Aston Villa and Swansea; had we found that ball we could have ended up winning.

One or two other players had chances today, particularly Billy Jones’ header, which forced a tremendous save from their keeper.

Overall, we are disappointed, but the point is well-earned.

Thanks for your support,

Sam Allardyce



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Jake says: One point is not enough
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16 thoughts on “SA’s Essay: getting the point of Bournemouth”

  1. Ah, yes, but you need to remember that in these sparkling days of Sky and the Premier league only 4 clubs are allowed to win the league. You can almost hear the relief every time Leicester lose or draw. We are one of the clubs who have to know our place, are at fault for letting our expectations be too high and should play the kind of football that would see us entertaining the nation by getting stuffed by the ‘big’ clubs.
    Although given Sam’s recent statements I can honestly see us lining up 1-5-5 against the Manchester clubs, given he was scared of Bournemouth’s midfield!

  2. Neil – “The club is not about silverware” – obviously you’re correct with that statement.

    The point I was making was about achievement in relation to crowds/resources. Taking those into account Huddersfield, Notts County and Hartlepool pretty much achieve what you’d expect year in, year out. Using the same principles, the great “over achievers” were the old Wimbledon team.

    We get 40,000 + crowds and yet have played a grand total of four European games in our history. Name me another team on the planet with such resources who have appeared in less than four continental games by the year 2016. There isn’t one.

    • Totally agree Kev and it’s eighty, yes EIGHTY years since we won the league title! Think about that all you whinging Arsenal and Liverpool fans.

  3. If you look hard enough you can always find someone or something that is worse off than you, your club, life etc etc, as has been said ‘it’s all relative’.

    This is a football site, a very good one in fact, it is for the expression of feelings, thoughts and emotions about football and Sunderland AFC in particular.

    The expressions placed in the comments sections in response, or otherwise, of articles placed on the site centres around football, not the migrant crisis in Calais (oops French connection again), the Syria War etc etc which all admittedly far outweigh SAFC’s current predicament and are all very sad.

    But I like most contributors are speaking in relation to Sunderland AFC and metaphorically we are staring in to the ‘Abyss’ as far as entertainment, ability, passion or a modicum of sporting ability not to mention our unlikely Premiership status, just wish some would remember what the site is for.

  4. Malcolm – in the grand scheme of things football is not important. But it doesn’t alter the fact that in the sport of football Sunderland are the biggest underachievers on the planet (when attendances are taken into account) – we, as fans, are entitled to be cheesed off about that.

    • Can’t disagree with that Kev. I get as cheesed off as anybody but I’m looking forward to meeting up with some Burton Albion supporting mates in the Great Northern just over the road from the Pirelli Stadium next season. Might see you in there! Highly recommended. And we might just have a few more enjoyable days in the lower Division!

      • The Third Division season was one of my favourites. But I’ve seen about 8 promotions now and winning the Second Divsion (known as the “Championship” to some) again would be pretty meaningless to me and would all still stink of underachievement.

      • Well I agree with you again Kev and I don’t want us to turn out emulating Leeds, Portsmouth, Coventry, Wigan, Blackpool etc. but a couple of seasons in a lower division might be what we need if it sorts the club out. The trouble is the gap between a club’s income in the Championship as opposed to the Premiership is ever widening and in a few years there may be no way back. Hats off to Leicester this season – we should be capable of that. But continual disappointment in the Premiership could well see me considering non league alternatives.

    • Biggest underachievers on the planet…..oh come on. How do you measure achievement? The club is not about silverware. It hasn’t been since the 50s. I was born in 63. So we’ve been the world’s biggest underachievers for all of my 53 years?? Nonsense. Try being a Huddersfield fan….or Notts County…..or Hartepool?…or Newcastle or that matter …1968…..I live near Bradford……they know what tragedy means……and yet they are relelentessly positive…..a lesson we coud learn….with average crowds in the 40 Ks and being in the top 30 wealthiest clubs on the planet

  5. It’s all relative, isn’t it?

    We are looking at relegation but not staring into the abyss. Bolton, founder members of the football league, are.

    Hull could come back up, as could ‘Boro, founder members of the premiership, who went down in 2009. That’s part of football’s cycle. Clubs can try to make sure it spins slowly for them but only the very richest clubs can stop the cycle from spinning.

    We’ve been fighting relegation for 4 years or more. If it arrives we have to accept it as part of the cycle of football, ask how that cycle was allowed to spin for us, ensure causes are addressed and that we come back up.
    We should be asking the same questions if we stay up.

    We must not become another Bolton, or Leeds, Coventry… That would be abyssmal

    • That’s it John , relegation wouldn’t be the end of the world . No one wants it,but I doubt if anyone is enjoying this constant battle against relegation either . As long as we’re financially secure it wouldn’t be a disaster . A number of contracts are running out in the summer and we have an excellent U21 team ready to move up a level . That level might be the championship , it won’t be the premiership .

      • I’ve said this before over the past few seasons – relegation should not be a disaster to the ordinary fan. I can’t really understand anyone who allows the results of a football team to dominate their emotions. Of course we want the team to do well. Of course we enjoy the good times and get disappointed by the bad times but surely following a football club should just be a part of a more rounded lifestyle.

        We see examples everyday of real tragedy. People whose lives can be turned upside down in an instant, by accident, injury, medical conditions or the malicious actions of others.

        Relegation shouldn’t be a disaster for players who are well rewarded and in many cases will move on to other clubs, or ordinary fans who will follow the side whatever division they are in. In reality the only people who should regard relegation as a disaster are those low paid employees of the club (full time and part time) who rely on the income they get to make ends meet and may end up losing their jobs.

  6. Everyone in the bottom 6 is staring into the abyss. Bournemouth played good football and deserved their lead. Last week we were well beaten by a team who are beating everyone. This week we came back after falling behind. Still, 7 points from the last 4 games is respectable. We have 4 tough games then a decent run in. It’s the last 10 games that will seal our doom…….or not

  7. ‘Neither team took it’ is that because Sam didn’t put another forward on when we were on top in the second half? And instead waited until the last 4 minutes to bring on Rodwell,
    Rodwell?! For Christ’s sake!
    Happy to have a point against Bournemouth at home, with the next 3 fixtures? Pathetic.

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