Sunderland vs Southend: most Black Cats eat shrimps but are Shrimpers edible?

NB: our technical problems have not been completely fixed. Readers cannot post comments. We are working on this.

In the meantime, you can always have your say on anything that appears here, or for that matter any SAFC topics which do not, at Salut! Sunderland’s Facebook group. Click on any of the preceding four words. If you are told that you need to join the group, you can do so easily. Approval is very quick.

Even after three shameful away defeats, not counting our league cup exit at Oxford United after Will Grigg and Marc McNulty flopped in the penalty shootout at Oxford, Sunderland would be most people’s tip to beat Southend this Saturday in some style, writes Monsieur Salut.

Despite recent form, patchy at best, SAFC are just outside the playoff zone at eighth. The Shrimpers (or Seasiders or Blues, according to taste) , with Sol Campbell newly installed as manager, are second bottom and would be bottom if it were not for Bolton’s point deduction. Our goal difference may be a thoroughly unimpressive +5 but their is -27.

There is a but coming.

But this is Sunderland. We know it should be a home banker, Phil Parkinson knows it and even our sadly under-achieving players know it. Unfortunately, we are no strangers to embarrassing slips when the soles of our feet meet banana skins.

What will happen? A routine, expected Sunderland win with goals galore or a damp squib?

It makes sense to post your prediction at Salut! Sunderland’s Facebook group. As most know, we still haven’t restored access to the Comments field after each article. If you post your scoreline here, we will see it but it will not appear unless a technical miracle occurs.

Either way, it’s just for fun.

But here’s a thought. If there are points you wish to make about the way things are going and these go beyond mere score forecast, post them as a comment, here or at the foot of any othjer recent item. As I say, we will see anything you try to add. If we receive a decent selection, they will appear as a separate posting.

And if anyone knows a wizard with WordPress websites, someone who might work out why we cannot publosh comments and how we fix it, please point him or her in our direction.

Meanwhile, Ha’way the Lads.