It all began so well with a comfortable win over QPR that dumped them in the relegation zone and, with Everton winning 2-0 at Swansea, pushed us back up to eighth top. Unfortunately, Everton had the taste for victory more powerfully rooted in their mouths and proceeded to repeat the scoreline at the Stadium of Light.
Apologies first. Monsieur Salut is away in the Alpes-Provence, Barcelonnette not to be confused with Barcelona. Joan Dawson will be at the match but is singing Verdi’s Requiem this evening, with brother Malcolm and Pete Sixsmith present to offer support and admiration.
So that leaves no one to post the score or Martin’s Musings until, well, until they can. Please use the comments field at the foot of this posting to tell everyone about the match if you were there, or saw or heard it, or to pass judgement on how it turned out.
The business part of the weekend starts so early – 1245 kickoff at Goodison – that it makes sense for Salut!’s review of the past six or seven days to appear today.
On Facebook yesterday, I wrote: “Forget the hysteria of Leveson and the Scotland Yard ‘burglars/muggers/killers’ delight’ investigation of reporters having pints or lunch with coppers. The Tyne-Wear derby, Newcastle v Sunderland, is on Sunday at noon. Elegant, witty, informative and impeccably fair tribalism is to be found at https://safc.blog/
This has been a week of great happiness – beating Arsenal to reach the FA Cup quarterfinals, welcoming Fraizer Campbell’s inclusion in the England squad and James McClean’s Irish call-up – and much sadness, Niall Quinn’s decision to end his links with SAFC. Oh, one more happy bit: Salut! Sunderland reached ninth, its highest ever position, in the Soccerlinks hit list (though we may have fallen by the time you click on that link) …
The latest review of the week is given over mostly to the thoughts of Anthony Oliveri*. He’s the staunch Gooner who came here after being asked at short notice to cover for the man who had promised to field our questions ahead of today’s game but then went absent with leave (retrospectively granted because he’d suffered a trapped nerve in the shoulder). “Ant” believes Arsenal or Sunderland will win the FA Cup and says SuperKev would have done well as a Gunner …
Another attempt to capture the flavour of Salut! Sunderland‘s week in one Saturday morning posting …
… in which another week is reviewed for the reader who is too engrossed in work, study or play, or too forgetful, to visit Salut! Sunderland every single day …
There really is no need for a review of the week today.
All the busy reader of Salut! Sunderland, who gets here only once in a while, needs to do is visit the home page – www.salutsunderland.com – and take a look at the six most recent articles all displayed there and available for further scrutiny.
Click here: £9.50, post-free for UK buyers, from the Salut! Sunderland Shop
Another Saturday morning review of the week as seen by Salut! Sunderland …
Martin O’Neill’s dramatic last-gasp win in his first game as manager set us up for a great week for banter and upbeat thought.
Whatever happens at Spurs tomorrow afternoon – and no pundit is likely to give us a hope – we have seen reason to believe better times may lie ahead.