At least the headline doesn’t tell the whole story of the season so far.
But that is my record to date. Perhaps Ellis Short should be paying me to stay away.
It is, of course, just my luck to have missed out on draws at WBA and Burnley and at home to Spurs, Man Utd and Swansea and the home win over Stoke. My first game, on a fleeting visit from France, was the 1-0 defeat at QPR and the second and third have come since the start of my UK hibernation, 0-8 at Southampton, 0-2 at home to Arsenal.
The bad news for Sunderland is that I have a ticket for Monday night. Looking at the stats above, the first question is whether I’ll see a Sunderland goal at last. I am sure I did not also miss any rule change saying we weren’t allowed to score.
The more important question is whether I’ll see more Sunderland than Palace goals. A consolation from Wickham would not be much use if Palace had by then chalked up three or four.
This is from my preview just published at http://www.espnfc.com/club/sunderland/366/blog/post/2118473/visit-to-palace-a-reminder-of-what-sunderland-must-avoid ..
What [Poyet] has done is to make sure everyone knows he feels unhappy with the strength of his squad. The implication is that he had, in his own view, far too little say in transfer decisions made in the close season.
Few Sunderland supporters had much problem with the clear-out that saw Bardsley, David Vaughan, Ignacio Scocco and Craig Gardner among those leaving. Most fans supported attempts, yet to bear fruit, of moving Danny Graham on after his struggles to shine in Sunderland colours. They have been less impressed by the incomers.
Jack Rodwell may be no less a class player than before he moved to the Stadium of Light for 10 million pounds, but has so far shown only glimpses of his ability. Billy Jones and Seb Coates apparently have season tickets for the treatment room, Jordi Gomez is hit and miss, Ricardo Alvarez has barely been seen and Will Buckley has probably been seen too often.
Only Patrick van Aanholt (bought) and — despite his spectacular own goal at Southampton — Santiago Vergini (borrowed) give reason to hope money or effort was used wisely. Far too much effort, for sure, was invested in the protracted pursuit of Fabio Borini, a man whose resistance to a return to Wearside could hardly have been plainer.
I am trying to be optimistic. Promise me I’ll never see another collapse like the one I witnessed at St Mary’s. Tell me we won’t repeat the child-like errors of last week. Make me stop thinking we may as well believe pigs can fly.
Check out:
* Guess the Score: https://safc.blog/2014/10/crystal-palace-vs-sunderland-guess-the-score/
and …
** The Crystal Palace ‘Who are You?’: https://safc.blog/2014/10/the-crystal-palace-vs-safc-who-are-you/
And Ha’way the Lads.
Colin Randall
Don’t worry M Salut. There’s no evidence that superstition is a factor in football – so you can go along confident that it’s not your fault – touch wood!
Just read the ESPN article and it was, for me, a spot on analysis of our current situation/problems.
I just hope, MS, that you are not the Jonah your record this season suggests that you could be and look forward to reading your account of a three point performance, from the lads, at Selhurst.
My own prediction, though, is 1-1!