Match Day Thread Hearts v Sunderland – Saturday 17th July 2021 - KO 15:00

Sunderland face Heart of Midlothian in a pre-season friendly



Sunderland’s pre-season action resumes this Saturday (KO 3pm) at Tynecastle Park, as the team conclude their five-day Edinburgh training camp with a contest against Heart of Midlothian.
Taking on last season’s Scottish Championship title winners will enable Lee Johnson to continue to analyse his squad in a match environment, following the players’ camp north of the border which began on Tuesday.
New signings Alex Pritchard and Corry Evans may feature in Sunderland shirts for the first time at Tynecastle, as the club’s recruitment work continues behind the scenes.
Hearts will provide a tricky test, having enjoyed a successful 2020-21 campaign during which the side raced to the Scottish second tier title, taking top spot with a 12-point margin on second-placed Dundee. Former Black Cats goalkeeper Craig Gordon has recently been announced as Hearts’ club captain upon the side’s promotion to the top flight.
A welcome comeback to the Scottish Premiership will result in the return of capital city derbies with nearby Hibernian, also securing Head Coach Robbie Neilson a second Championship success with the club in as many spells – also triumphing to promotion with Hearts in 2015 before challenging himself in English football as MK Dons boss.
Hearts can boast an illustrious history in the Scottish game, having lifted four Scottish Premiership titles and eight Scottish Cups, alongside four Scottish League Cups and many European appearances.
Lee Johnson:


Full interview:
https://safc.com/news/team-news/2021/july/johnson-on-scotland-trip

Team Line ups
Sunderland: Patterson; Younger, Wright, Doyle; O’Nien, Embleton, Evans, McGeady, Gooch; Hawkes, Stewart.
Subs: Carney, Flanagan, Dyce, Winchester, Almond, Neil, Diamond, O’Brien, Kimpioka, Grigg
Injured: Xhemajli, Willis, (Hume), Pritchard

Hearts: Gordon, M. Smith, Kingsley, Souttar, Boyce, Mackay-Steven, Halliday, Cochrane, Halkett, Ginnelly, Pollock.
Subs: Stewart, Roberts, Haring, Popescu, Denholm, Damour, Smith, Henderson, McEneff.
Injured:

My two pence:
I’m not that fussed about pre-season friendlies but this one is being streamed so what the hell…
I’ve got no idea about what team we will put out and even less idea about Hearts. Hmm - Craig Gordon was their player of the season last year.
Hearts have won their previous two fixtures and look to have some decent players so I’m going for a 2-2 draw.

Live stream £10 or £5 for season card holders
https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video


Ha’way the Lads

 

Great thread as ever marra, if I'm not in the garden guzzling I'll purchase the stream. Pre-season so not too bothered about the result.

Hhaaawwwwwaaaaaayyyyyyyy the Lad's

 

not expecting much here like, hearts already had competitive games so are well ahead in match fitness...just be good to see the lads get run out against a decent team as i expect a few U23's will be involved, wont do their chances any harm if they perform.

also a couple of the new lads should get game time, shame about pritchard.

 

Yessssssssssss. And we are back to normality with a matchday thread. I've ordered the game and interested to see how we line up formation wise. They are way ahead of us in their schedule so not expecting a win tbh.

New kit ordered for the bairn so come on you red and white wizards. HTL.

 

Yeah - shame about Pritchard.
I've just read the Echo and It does sound like there will be a lot of our U23s involved so my team selection could be miles off

 

They should be beating us tbh. They’re ahead in pre-season.

 

They should tank us, they play competitive Scottish cup games early doors as well up there I think.

 

I'm not too bothered about the game as it's a fitness exercise. So for once, the result is of little importance.

I'm more pleased that RTB's match day threads are back! Gerrin!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope Pritchard gets game time really soon and that he isn't going to be a Kirchoff. What I hope for most from this game, is that a couple of the younger lads play a blinder to give LJ something to think about.

2-2 Draw for me.

 

If it's as hot in Edinburgh as it is here then this will be little more than walking pace practise match, don't think we'll learn much from it.
no injuries please.

 

Forecast for 23/24 degrees up there which is still warm for a game of footy. Absolutely beautiful here is SR5, thinking of sparking open the first beer in the garden tbh.

 

I don't think they should be winning just because they've played more games. It's only Hearts we are up against so we should at least give them a good game.

 

Merely a training game, leaves me in no doubt of an impending RTG meltdown in the case of a defeat or draw.

 

No place for Dan.?

 

As the safcee stream is half price I've bought the pass...

Hhaaawwwwwaaaaaayyyyyyyy the Lad's

 

Neil, Diamond could be starting

Sorry I missed him out of the list of available players - overlooked as per usual.

 

Has Lichaj travelled up to Scotland with the squad? Any chance we might see him get a game today?

 

Hull fans rate him and seem to think he'll do a good job in this league...

Transfer Rumours - Summer Transfer Thread 21/22 | Page 97 | Not606

 

Not sure but he's not in these photos

 

Aye, they can be clever with which photos they release on Twitter. Hope he gets a game and we see a bit of what he is about.