How Dare We? Crystal Palace, Tony Pulis and the curse of Sixer

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Sixer as diplomat
Sixer as diplomat

Are woodentops in charge at Selhurst? Among insane decisions in football, away from Luis Suarez’s insistence on fighting tooth and jaw for what Uruguayan officials assure us as are just South America’s ‘different’ cultural traditions, the forced exit of Tony Pulis from Crystal Palace must rank high. To adapt a witty thought in today’s Guardian, ‘mutual consent’ was possibly a typo for ‘mutual contempt’ between Pulis and co-chairman Steve Parish. So Palace start the season without one of the few men in football who could have dragged them out of the mire last season. And all after our own Sixer heaped praise on him ….

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West Bromwich Albion vs SAFC: the return of Guess the Score

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Jake's new Guess the Score image, with the usual insolent caption
Jake’s new Guess the Score image, with the usual insolent caption
Well, the season is about to start.

Let us kick off a new series of Guess the Score, the competition which sometimes sees Salut! Sunderland offering, with a straight face, a mug as the winner’s prize … and sometimes offering nothing, not even the guarantee of reward in heaven.

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Burnley and Leicester saved: our stats man has QPR, Hull City, Aston Villa doomed

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John McCormick:
John McCormick: History. Is it all bunk?

This is the latest of John McCormick‘s occasional delve into statistics and logic to weigh up relegation prospects – one day he’ll feel, as Sunderland fan, it’s worth a look at the other end of the table. It has already had an airing and attracted comment from SAFC fans. But what do supporters of the clubs he fears may be doomed think? Is his choice of Hull and Villa harsh, QPR’s inclusion at odds with ‘Arry’s famed powers of survival when given a full season, Sunderland’s exclusion over-optimistic? Have your say …

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Countdown to the unknown: a good start essential at WBA

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Another of Jake's new images.
Another of Jake’s new images.


It is the time of year when nervous fingers click between Twitter, safc.com and newsnow for updates on who we’ve bought or borrowed, who’s gone or going and what the boss may be thinking about his team selection.

Despite a nagging feeling that summer has been slow for Sunderland on the transfer front, there have been important comings and goings already.

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Dodgy-ng relegation

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John McCormick:
John McCormick: History. Is it all bunk?

This post is about relegation, something never far from our minds, and who this season’s three might be. Over the summer I looked over a little bit of history and generated some numbers in order to bring you more of my dodgy predictions. Enjoy them or argue with them as you will. Just don’t nick the family allowance and run off to the bookies.

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Sixer Says: Sunderland’s season prospects Observed

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obs

Pete Sixsmith was once again called upon by The Observer for some pre-season thoughts …

Pre-season has been relatively uneventful on and off the pitch – not always a bad thing. We made three decent signings early on, have brought in Van Aanholt from Chelsea and expect a couple more before the season starts. Jordi Gomez looks a good one. He plays the style of football that Poyet likes and can score from midfield, something we are not great at. The haircut sported by Billy Jones looks dodgy, though.

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Sixer’s Substitute’s Soapbox: Udinese like a Sunday morning

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Malcolm Dawson writes……Following his most recent visits to the O3 Arena, Peter Sixsmith has developed a liking for watching a team in red and white stripes at St James’ Park, so when the Football League fixtures were announced he got Pardew, his faithful manservant, to organise a suite at the Exeter Travelodge and a ticket to see The Grecians play Pompey in what to many of us, is still the old Fourth Division. It was all sorted before SAFC announced their final pre-season arrangements and Pete will be at The Hawthorns next week to bring his unique insight into the first game of the campaign proper, but it fell to me to make the ten minute trip to Heritage Park, home of the “Two Blues”, for the final warm up match…..

Malcolm Dawson climbs up on the soapbox at Bishop
Malcolm Dawson climbs up on the soapbox at Bishop Auckland

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French Fancies: the first dive of the season? Arise Ibrahimovic

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Monsieur Salut wondered whether to drop the diving question from the coming season’s Who are You? interviews.

Arise Sir Zlatan. Well, arise from the ground once your early-season spot of cheating is over and one with.

Tell me convincingly Ibrahimovic was truly fouled, didn’t dive, “was entitled to go down”, “isn’t that kind of lad” and I’ll reconsider my decision that the question stays.

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