Burnley vs Sunderland: a useful test against Premier League opposition

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Sunderland’s record against Burnley was at best patchy even when we were also in the Premier League. Now two divisions separate us and we travel to Turf Moor for a Carabao Cup tie.

There are different ways of looking at the game. Chris Maguire’s fine hat-trick in the 3-1 win against AFC Wimbledon will have done team confidence a power of good as did the notching up of four wins in a row. A fifth would be welcome, especially in this test against a much smaller club that has a rather bigger team just now.

But losing – narrowly by preference if it has to happen – would not be the end of the world in a season where promotion is the priority over all other matters.

Tell us how it will go.

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Sixer’s Sevens: Sunderland keep the momentum going against AFC Wimbledon

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John McCormick writes: yesterday Pete Sixsmith’s piece raised plenty of questions about ownership and investment. Underlying them was the question of whether or not we’d go up this season. Have we developed the ruthless killer-off streak that was missing last year?

Charlie Wyke’s form suggests we might have but two games don’t make a season. Matches like today’s are key, given that we are on the edge of the kind of winning streak that was conspicuously absent last season, and a 3-1 went some way to answering the question.

As did the seven word text Pete sent immediately on the final whistle:

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The Great Sunderland Buy-in: Pete Sixsmith’s view

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Somewhere in the archives, under the “Who are You” byline, is a comment by a Man United fan. It’s to the effect that American investment does not end well. I can think of three times when he may have been proved right: one being his own club, where they have moved from being debt-free to owing £300 million since 2005, and the second being Liverpool, where  legal action forced the sale of the club. The third case is, of course Sunderland, where Ellis Short managed a decline that exceeded all expectations, but did enough to ensure the survival of the club when he finally left.

Yet Man United are still one of, if not the, richest and most successful club(s) in the world and Liverpool are champions of Europe, and both are still owned by Americans. So should Sunderland get back into bed with another American billionaire? Here’s what Pete Sixsmith thinks:

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Sunderland vs AFC Wimbledon. An invitation to Dons fans whether or not they remember the Crazy Gang

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The early progress of the new-look Who are You? series, in which Salut! Sunderland simply posts the questions here and sits back to await the flood of replies, had been a little like Sunderland’s start to the season: stuttering at times with some bright patches.

Excellent responses were posted b y Ipswich Town supporters and one or two trickled in from supporters or our opening day opponents, Oxford United. From Pompey and Rochdale, there was total silence, each understandable for different reasons (the Portsmouth buildup coincided with a sharp dip in our readership because of technical problems and our appeals to such sites as Vital Portsmouth for help in spreading the word were ignored (thanks Lads!).

But we shall persevere. Here are the questions for Wimbledon fans. Answer as many or as few as you wish and remember that especially warm, witty or wise replies may qualify for a prize in our annual HAWAY (Highly Articulate Who are You?) awards at the end of the season:

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Sunderland vs Wimbledon. Can we win this one in style?

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Jake: ‘any win does the job but a thumping victory would do wonders for morale’

If you followed the game one way or the other, or saw Pete Sixsmith’s splendid match report here, you’ll know we gained three massive points at Rochdale without covering ourselves in glory.

Perhaps we should take comfort in the fact that successful teams have always had a knack of grinding out or snatching results when playing well below par or just being matched in all respects save goalscoring by opponents.

It is not sycophantic but a sheer matter of common sense to applaud a disappointing but winning performance, especially when it happens to be the third victory in a row. That level of consistency in results has been sorely lacking in recent seasons.

So without further ado, let us be having your feelings on whether, on paper, another highly winnable game – at home to AFC Wimbeldon on Saturday – will go to script.

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Sixer’s Sevens: Rochdale don’t make it easy but Sunderland get there

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John McCormick writes: I should have been there today but life got in the way, as it so often does. Instead, because I’m too superstitious to subscribe to Ifollow I’m making do with updates on various websites and awaiting mid-game texts from Pete Sixsmith (Rochdale very effective, we are less so came at half time) while watching Sky and listening to them praising Danny Graham.

Pete will be providing tomorrow’s report. From that half time text and the one below, sent just as the ref put his whistle down, it will be a gripping read

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Rochdale vs Sunderland: aiming to make it three wins in three

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Jake: ‘Click the image to reach Salut! Sunderland’s home page’

The most important point to be made about tomorrow night’s game at the Spotland Stadium is that we must aim to remain unbeaten.

But a draw would be a disappointment. Sunderland really need to maintain the momentum, indeed the winning feeling, after a comfortable league cup visit to Accrington Stanley and a gritty home victory over much-fancied League One promotion rivals.

The spirit that helped secure the three points against Pompey, plus the quality that Jack Ross has in his squad, should in theory be enough to bring us a first away win in the game at Rochdale, against whom we achieved a league double last season.

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Rochdale vs Sunderland: hard acts for Dale fans to follow

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Jake: ‘a home win on the board so let’s start doing it away, too’

Ahead of another important test for Jack Ross’s new-look squad, Salut! Sunderland poses a few questions to Rochdale fans in our own new-look Who are You? format.

We no longer launch searching parties for suitable candidates for each Sunderland game but are this season throwing open the exercise to all opposing supporters who stray on to our pages.

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