Sixer’s Sevens (2008/2009)

Each matchday, Pete Sixsmith – Sixer to friends – delivers his seven-word verdict. It has not always made a pretty sight, but it IS always to the point and fair. His seven words* at around 6pm today are some of the most important he will ever have written – which is saying a lot for a bloke who has passed exams, taught Stan Cummins’s sister (isn’t that right Pete?) and filled in his own tax forms … roll on salvation

May 24 2009 Sunderland 2 (0) Chelsea 3 (0) Better performance but Villa are the heroes
May 18 2009 Portsmouth (0) 3 Sunderland (0) 1 Another defensive horror show threatens another relegation
May 9 2009 Bolton (0) O Sunderland (0) O Effort and commitment but still need point
May 3 2009 Sunderland (0) 0 Everton (0) 2 Another defensive shambles, another nail in coffin
April 25 2009 West Bromwich Albion (1) 3 Sunderland (0) 0 A performance so bad it defies description
April 18 2009 Sunderland (1) 1 v Hull City (0) 0 Vital win in a truly awful game
April 11 2009 Sunderland (0) 1 v Man United (1) 2 Better performance than result gives some hope
April 04 2009 West Ham United 2 (1) v Sunderland (0) 0 Dreadful result and performance enhances relegation credentials

March 22 2009 Man City 1 (0) v Sunderland (0) 0 Battled away bravely. Just not sharp enough
March 14 2009 Sunderland (1) 1 v Wigan Athletic (2) 2 Clueless, brainless, disorganised, pathetic, pitiful equals relegation
March 7 2009 Sunderland 1 (1) v Tottenham Hotspur 1 (0) Robbed of vital points by shocking referreeing
March 3 2009 Liverpool (0) 2 v Sunderland (0) 0 Predictable defeat. Makes a Saturday win essential
Feb 21 2009 Arsenal (0) 0 Sunderland (0) 0 Outstanding performances from Fulop through to Jones
Feb 7 2009 Sunderland (0) 2 Stoke City (0) 0 Stoke make us work for crucial win
Feb 4 2009 FA Cup 4th round replay: Blackburn Rovers 2 (1) Sunderland 1 (1) AET Good performance, but again we lack punch
Feb 1 2009 Newcastle Unitd 1 (0) Sunderland (1) 1 Another poor decision, but disappointing second half
Jan 27 2009 Sunderland(0) 1 1 Fulham (0) 0 Three vital points. Now for the Mags
Jan 24 2009 Sunderland (0) 0 Blackburn Rovers (0) 0 No cup magic in this dismal offering
Jan 17 2009 Sunderland (1) 1 Aston Villa (& Mike Dean) (0) 2 Total frustration as valuable points slip away
Jan 10 2009 Middlesbrough (1) 1 v Sunderland (0) 1 A game we clearly should have won
Jan 3 2009 FA Cup 3rd Round: Sunderland 2 (0) v Bolton Wanderers (0) 1 Decent showing puts us on Wembley trail
Dec 28 2008 Everton 3 (2) Sunderland (0) 0 Pathetic, against a team with no forwards
Dec 26 2008 Sunderland (0) 0 v Blackburn Rovers (0) 0 No Christmas cracker as Blackburn sit tight
Dec 20 2008 Hull City (1) 1 Sunderland (1) 4 Brilliant second half show to tame Tigers
Dec 13 2008 Sunderland (3) 4 West Bromwich Albion (0) 0 Comfortable win puts smiles on our faces
Dec 6 2008 Man Utd (0) 1 Sunderland (0) 0 Cruel defeat after disciplined if negative performance
Nov 29 2008 Sunderland (1) 1 v Bolton Wanderers (3) 4 Embarrassing and humiliating. Major changes needed now
Nov 23 2008 Sunderland (0) 0 v West Ham (1) 1 One-dimensional approach cannot break down opposition
Nov 15 2008 Blackburn (1) 1 v Sunderland (0) 2 Great second half brings end to slump
Nov 12 2008 Carling Cup: Sunderland (0) 1 Blackburn (0) 2 Shoddy defending has those bells really clanging
Nov 8 2008 Sunderland (1) 1 Portsmouth (0) 2 Alarm bells ringing after woeful second half
Nov 01 2008 Chelsea 5 (3) v SAFC 0 (0) Never has a bubble burst so quickly
Oct 29 2008 Stoke City 1 (0) v SAFC 0 (0) Not one chance created against limited opposition
Oct 25 2008 SAFC 2 (1) Newcastle 1 (1) Absolutely bloody marvellous. Mags beaten at last

Oct 18 2008 Fulham (0) 0 v SAFC (0) 0 Foiled by woodwork and bewildering referee’s decision
Oct 4 2008 SAFC (0) 1 v Arsenal (0) 1 Disciplined performance that deserved a famous win
Sept 27 2008 Aston Villa (2) 2 v SAFC (1) 1 Played well but couldn’t force deserved draw

…with thanks to Paul Dobson for a new illustrative take, below right, on Sixer as technocrat…from Derby away (0-0: “Got what we deserved against wretched opposition”) last season:

Sept 23 2008 Carling Cup: SAFC (4-3 on penalties) (0) 2 Northampton (1) 2 Thoroughly undeserved, after a truly shocking display
Sept 20 2008 SAFC (0) 2 v Middlesbrough (0) 0 Old boys win well in second half
Sept 13 2008 Wigan (0) 1 SAFC (1) 1 Little pleasure in watching this scrappy showing
Aug 31 2008 SAFC 0 v Manchester City 3 Suicidal defending gives us harsh reality check
Aug 27 2008 Notts Forest 1 v SAFC 2 Embarrassment avoided, but not a great performance
Aug 23 2008 Tottenham Hotspur (0) 1 v SAFC (0) 2 Strength and determination laced with real quality
Aug 16 2008 SAFC 0 v Liverpool 1 Cruel, but couldn’t sustain great first half display