Colin Randall - SAFC Blog - Page 117 of 572

Sixer’s Tottenham Soapbox: Plenty to like in a hard fought game

February 4, 2017February 1, 2017 by Colin Randall

*Pete Sixsmith: a man of myth and legend*

John McCormick writes: I didn’t see much of last night’s game. I did see Jack Rodwell’s foul and would have had him off at half time to prevent a potential second yellow. But David Moyes apparently didn’t think there was any need to worry; Rodwell stayed on and had a “quietly effective game”, according to Pete Sixsmith.

What else did Pete note?

Find out for yourself as he regales us with not only another fine match report but also a slight diversion down memory lane, past Roker Park and towards 1961, when Spurs used only 17 players, all from the UK, in doing the double.

Wrinkly Pete’s crystal ball: the post-Spurs update

February 4, 2017February 1, 2017 by Colin Randall

When Peter Lynn, young-at-heart but prematurely aged physically by watching Sunderland, began his exercise in calculating how the rest of the season would go, he concluded that 37 points would be enough for survival – and that we’d get them.

After enduring the atrocious displays at home to Stoke and then at West Brom, even forgetting the equally clueless cup exit at Burnley in between, you might expect him to chuck in the towel.

Not so.

Pete predicted no points against Stoke, knew we’d be booted out of the FA Cup at Turf Moor, and bargained on only a draw at the Hawthorns. So he has only one point to retrieve. Will it come? Where might it come from? Well, Pete reckoned we’d beat Spurs for a start, which called for 100 per cent support from the crowd and Honeyman-level commitment from the team. What happened? Here’s his update ….

Moyes on the boys v Spurs: It’s a good point

February 2, 2017January 31, 2017 by Colin Randall

John McCormick writes: I had a slow-to-stop feed and couldn’t get the audio from the SAFC website so I have very little to go on. I did think this was a hard fought point and that we made, and needed, our luck.

What of Mr. Moyes, who had a ringside seat with no stuttering, pauses or (thankfully) crashes. Here’s what he said after the game:

Sixer’s Tottenham Sevens: Ndong and Kone stifle Spurs

February 2, 2017January 31, 2017 by Colin Randall

Jake: catch Sixer’s instant seven-word verdicts throughout the season

John McCormick writes:

I’ve been having a spot of bother with the website this evening. It has been loth to open pages for editing and very slow to load. So please bear with me as I try to put up pages today and tomorrow.

No problems with Pete Sixsmith, however. He’s right on the whistle with an instant post-match verdict, in seven words, no more, no less …

Sixer says: Welcome back Lynden Gooch, au revoir John Hurt

February 2, 2017January 29, 2017 by Colin Randall

Sixer by Jake

John McCormick writes: Patrick’s impending departure leaves me quite unmoved. It’s just on a year since I saw him score the opener at Spurs, after which he disappeared as they swept past us. And that seems to epitomise his play since. What does move me is not only how will we replace him but how will David Moyes rebuild a squad that is depleted, underskilled and getting older by the minute? Pete Sixsmith may have some of the answers in his report on events at Hetton:

Salut! Sunderland’s 10th birthday present: from us to you

February 9, 2017January 29, 2017 by Colin Randall

Join the Salut! Sunderland Facebook group – click anywhere along this line

And follow us on Twitter: @salutsunderland … click along this line

Consider this a last piece of housekeeping, says Monsieur Salut, before I depart for the Far East (holiday in what I still calls Burma, not to sign up as a goalie in China). It will remain at the top of the home page until my Salut! Sunderland colleagues get up with seeing it there.

The 10th birthday competition invited readers to share their thoughts on any Sunderland-related topic with 10 years being the theme. It is still open to new entries.

Guess the Score: special Tottenham, Crystal Palace and Southampton prize edition

February 22, 2017January 28, 2017 by Colin Randall

Monsieur Salut writes:

There is already a Guess the Score prize competition running for SAFC v Tottenham at this link. Check it out if you haven’t already.

Tomorrow (Sunday) I leave on holiday, entrusting the safe stewardship of the site to Malcolm, John, Pete and Jake in the knowledge that there will also be a steady stream of first-rate contributions from Wrinkly Pete, Bob Chapman, Ken Gambles and so many more, who will have the foresight to send their words to salutsunderland@gmail.com as well as to me.

And for the small matter of taking nine points from the three games in my absence on holiday, I leave the club in the safe hands of David Moyes and our splendid players, who will naturally be welcoming some top new colleagues before Wednesday.

Blackpool, Bolton, Blackburn and even Morecambe. Is there a warning for us?

January 27, 2017 by Colin Randall

John McCormick: We're not bottom, so is it a Happy Christmas? — *John McCormick. Live from Liverpool*

John McCormick writes: I was thinking of updating our “Relegation watch” this weekend, seeing as there’s no football on, but with a couple of days to go before the transfer window shuts it feels like it’s too early to complete the “before and after” picture. I could have given you my view of Deloitte’s Money Football League but in recent seasons that has been pushed into the summer and I like it there. So I’ve decided to do another of my occasional visits to clubs on this side of the Pennines, where there is plenty of food for thought.

Tottenham Hotspur Who are You?: how Sunderland loan made Danny Rose great

January 26, 2017January 26, 2017 by Colin Randall

Chris Miller (r) with Ledley King, a splendid one-club man and the club was Spurs

Colin Randall writes: No strategy, no continuity. That’s the damning verdict of our Spurs ‘Who are You?’ interviewee Chris Miller*, blogger, podcaster and tweeter on all things THFC. He thinks we’re doomed but also believes David Moyes could achieve something at Sunderland. And he recalls Teemu Tainio as a ‘cult hero’ at Spurs. Best of all are his comments on Danny Rose and how he both he profited from his time on Wearside and also loved it. I apologise for posting so early for a Tuesday kickoff but my hand has been forced by the need to get things done before I go off on holiday …

Salut! Sunderland: Spurs have been wowing people all season; a Boro friend says you’re by far the best he’s seen at the Riverside. What has gone right?

Chris Miller: Well it took a while for us to click for various reasons, but now that most of our injured players are back, we have a settled team, and we’ve tweaked the formation, we’ve pushed on and are now playing consistently. We’ve got a fantastic defence (though Jan Vertonghen’s injury is a concern) and now our attack is starting to pull up more than a few trees too.

SAFC v Tottenham Hotspur Guess the Score: double prize if Sunderland win

January 31, 2017January 25, 2017 by Colin Randall

Jake updates his brilliant image for last season’s SAFC v Spurs game

Monsieur Salut is off to the Far East on ~~a fact-finding tour~~ holiday but puts off preparations to explain how one esteemed reader of this site can win not one mug, but two in this week’s competition …

Each matchday is preceded by a Guess the Score competition. And each week, most of Salut! Sunderland‘s loyal readers operate on the principle of blind faith and predict a win or a draw for the team they support.