Malcolm Dawson writes…….Lars Knutsen might sound as if he was brought up on gravadlax and smorgasbord but with his East …
A few managers ago, perhaps even as far back as last year, I got quite good at guessing the team. Maybe, you might think, it was because there were few good players to pick then. However, that’s not necessarily the case.
John McCormick writes: Ed posted on facebook that he was dressed for winter before he headed off for his normal …
Monsieur Salut writes: we’ve been as critical as any others of Patrick van Aanholt this season. So let’s hear it for him after his second fine game in six days was capped by a matchwinning performance. His superb strike put us ahead and then, to Pete Sixmsith‘s delight, Duncan Watmore’s enthusiasm and appetite was rewarded with a brilliantly taken second to wrap up invaluable points.
Yes, the game changed with the dismissal early in the second half of Ryan Shawcross, lauded here in the Stoke City ‘Who are You?’ as the epitome of fair play, even the Premier’s “best defensive centre back”. But whose fault was that? He committed two clear yellow-card fouls on Watmore in the first half but was booked only once (mainly because Watmore sprinted away from the first illegal challenge instead of going down theatrically). The challenge that got him sent off was arguably not a foul, certainly – in my view – not worthy of a yellow card. But he’d ridden his luck and that luck ran out. Ultimately a terrific win and how important. Come back in due course for Sixer’s full assessment …
Malcolm Dawson writes…..the forecast wasn’t good for those who had delayed their Guy Fawkes night celebrations. In fact it had …
Malcolm Dawson writes….an old familiar feeling returned today as I took my seat and saw Sam’s team selection. When I …
Malcolm Dawson was about 6 when he went to his first ever live football match. He doesn’t remember much about …
Malcolm Dawson writes…..we would all have been happier with 3-0. Dick too by the sound of it in his post …
Malcolm Dawson writes…I have seen some dire Sunderland performances in my time but I can’t think of any previous season …
When there’s proper football to be had in the flesh, Pete Sixsmith isn’t likely to stay in to watch Man Utd vs Arsenal on the box, with United fans incensed at Michael Oliver’s application of relatively simple laws of the game. He took himself off to Hetton to see Sunderland’s Under 21s in winning action. The opposition, West Ham, are also the first team’s opponents for the next away game. Could it be an occasion for trying out one or two of the brighter sparks among the young ‘uns, if only because the seniors have repeatedly let us down? Maybe not, but who knows what a hungry Mandron or Watmore might do …