Now we all know a club with Sunderland’s sense of history, pride and ambition should never get carried away by a three-goal victory over such lowly opposition as Reading. But a) where has all that history etc got us? and b) we so needed three points. James McClean gave us a dream start, Steven Fletcher added a classy second and we waited for the third, fourth and fifth – OK, most of that is stretching things a bit – only to see or hear the familiar back-tracking to rattle the nerves. Reading, we’re glad to report, lacked any semblance of punch and Sessegnon’s cool stoppage-time finish ensured a comfortable win – leaving injury worries about Adam Johnson, Danny Rose and Phil Bardsley. Pete Sixsmith‘s seven-word verdict gives the synopsis; come back for Sixer’s full assessment …
Dec 11 2012 SAFC (2) 3 Reading (0) 0 Just a comfortable win against poor oppositon
Dec 8 2012 SAFC (0) 1 Chelsea (2) 3 Far better performance than the scoreline suggests
Dec 2 2012 Norwich City (2) 2 SAFC (1) 1 Took too long to get into game.
And read Monsieur Salut at ESPN: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/name/sunderland/id/710?cc=5739
Nov 27 2012 SAFC (0) 0 Queens Park Rangers (0) 0 Won’t see a poorer game all season
Nov 23 2012 SAFC (0) 2 West Bromwich Albion (2) 4 Ridiculous scoreline but too many basic errors
Nov 18 2012 Fulham 1 (0) SAFC 3 (0) Good goals, better performance, 3 important points
Nov 10 2012 Everton (0) 2 SAFC (1) 1 Chances created, which is progress. Much better
Nov 3 2012 SAFC 0 (0) Aston Villa 1 (0) Another abject performance. A long winter looms
Oct 30 2012 Capital One Cup Fourth Round: SAFC 0 (0) Middlesbrough 1 (1) Plan B even worse than plan A
Oct 27 2012 Stoke City (0) 0 SAFC (0) 0 Don’t bother with MoTD: a real stinker
Oct 21 2012 SAFC (0) 1 Newcastle United (1) 1 Got out of jail. Just about deserved
Oct 6 2012 Manchester City (1) 3 SAFC (0) 0 Never gave up but City simply better.
Sept 29 2012 SAFC (0) 1 Wigan Athletic (0) 0 Scrappy performance but a win’s a win
Sept 25 2012 Capital One Cup 3rd Round: MK Dons (0) 0 SAFC (0) 2 Second goal settles nerves for comfortable win
Sept 22 2012 West Ham United (0) 1 SAFC (1) 1 Need to be more positive when ahead
Sept 15 2012 SAFC (1) Liverpool (0) 1 More than happy to take a point
Sept 1 2012 Swansea City (1) 2 SAFC (2) 2 *Lack of ambition against 10 cost points
Aug 28 2012 Capital One Cup Round 2: SAFC (1) 2 Morecambe (0) 0 Shrimps potted as we stroll to victory
Aug 18 2012 Arsenal (0) 0 SAFC (0) 0 Gritty, determined and a well earned point
To see Sixer’s Sevens in full, click here.
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I thought is was a routine as you like – no flattery whatsoever.
O’Shea done enough but panicked at times with rash clearances and the like. What a shame Wes Brown isn’t fit more, proper classy and solid defender.
They had a very weakened side out last night Davey. Particularly up front. They lose games but as you say it’s for the want of goals.
Good show of optimism Alan
I agree with Jeremy (that’s a first) , O’Shea had a good game defensively last night .
Reading aren’t that bad , although last night they looked it . They scored 3 against Man U – should have won that – and that was the first time they have been beaten by 3 goals – most of their defeats have been a narrow 1 goal margin
Thought O’Shea and Colback both had decent games. They can both be found wanting against the top sides but are decent enough Premiership players and will do a job against the run of the mill teams.
Colback looked more positive than he has done previously, Larsson was getting forward more too and Sess had a couple of decent chances before he scored.
Also Jimmy Mac and A J both contributed. We should be able to defeat teams like Reading which is why the Aston Villa and QPR results especially were so disappointing.
Surely MON will now adopt a positive approach from the off rather than expect his team to sit back and counter attack won’t he? I still maintain we have a decent squad which should be competing for a top ten place even without new players coming in.
Well said malcolm. People seem to be picking on young jack which suprises me. Older seasoned internationals last night struggled to bring the ball down and pass it to a team mate, colback did this on plenty of occasions. Not great but what we needed as without this we’d have struggled to put three passes together all evening. He showed much more than the reading midfield and has generally fared ‘ok’ for us in the premier league. We all want better players but at his age he’s surely one we should keep. If he’s only fit for hartlepool larsson must be off to blyth spartans.
To many times oshea give the ball away and needless big boot forward to slow to move forward that’s why we end up sitting on our own eighteen yard area and being at home to reading who are worse then us we were playing counter atack football don’t talk rubish if that standard is good enough for you go and watch s. Bruce team then coz that’s how he plays football I’ve seen better centre backs in the conferance and quicker than oshea I wish MON would play Titus there even Titus is quicker than him give your head a shake Reading are rubish and they are definitely going down yet they still made us play counter atack says a lot for us..
Someone on another thread commented that Colback did better tonight. I’m with you Tony. I though that he was absolutely shocking. Great result though and some confidence on the way back. Fletch had a great game as did Rose and O”Shea for once.
Sorry Alan but if you thought O’Shea was rubbish tonight then you are talking it. He has had some poor displays but not tonight.
A good three points another lacklustre dissplay Reading are terrible we were a little better just hope we can still be in a fighting chance to stay up come January and MON can buy a bit of class where we need it IE Centre half 2 midfielders and maybe another forward and I agree withMON he has only bought 2 players so hope he gets it right we are only 1 point off the skunks so they are getting worried Danny Rose was outstanding AGAIN get him sighned ASAP he is total class and I agree with tony colback and oshea to Hartlepool they are rubish god knows where we get the next three. Points from …
Better, not great but better. Send Colback to Hartlepool.