Match Day Thread AFC Wimbledon v Sunderland – Saturday 12th February 2022 - KO 15:00

Sunderland travel to Wimbledon in the Skybet League One.

Last time out Sunderland lost at Cheltenham and Wimbledon lost to Rotherham.
Sunderland are all set to announce Alex Neil as their new head coach to replace the sacked Lee Johnson. After 3 successive defeats he will need to fire up the squad and try and stay within the play-off places. The Black Cats are currently second bottom of the current form table with Wimbledon propping up the table.
Bailey Wright could be in contention to make a comeback from injury, whilst Trai Hume had a good debut at Cheltenham and could hold onto his place in the starting 11. Thorben Hoffmann returned to Germany in mid week to undergo blood tests, and Lynden Gooch also missed Tuesdays game with a calf problem.
Wimbledon lost 1-0 at home to Rotherham and failed to mount a serious challenge in search of an unlikely equaliser. Mark Robinson's side have now gone 12 games without a win in all competitions.
Roy Keane:

Alex Neil:
“It is a privilege to be Head Coach of Sunderland AFC. Everything that I saw from the players this morning made me really confident and gave me belief, so what we now need to do is replicate that on a matchday – when it matters – under scrutiny and under pressure. Our task is to try and win as many games as we possibly can and at this moment in time we are focused on this season and this season alone.”
Kristjaan Speakman added: “Throughout his career, Alex has demonstrated that he can make an immediate and lasting impact. He expressed a clear vision on how he wants to take the team forward, which strongly aligns with our core principals, and we firmly believe that he can influence performances and results in the short term. We are grateful to our supporters for their patience throughout what has undoubtedly been a challenging period and thank Mike Dodds and Michael Proctor for overseeing our first-team programme in the interim. Now, our immediate priority is to support Alex and the team to ensure we deliver promotion this season and reward the faith continuously placed in us by our supporters.”

Mark Robinson:
“We need to put this to bed quickly because it will be a completely different challenge on Saturday. A match against Rotherham isn’t going to define where we finish. You want to stand up to teams physically, like we did at Wycombe and Accrington, but I wanted us to show personality on the ball. I didn’t see that, so that’s what we need. The givens are the physical side and the work-rate, but we’ve got to get back to being confident on the ball, which we’ve shown glimpses of. That’s the only way that we will get out of this.
“I said to the players, ‘you can play any system or formation, but to build momentum you have to come away with the ball more’. You can play four or five up top, but if you don’t get hold of the ball and keep it, formations and systems go out of the window. It was about us being better on the ball in the second-half, but we got worse. We just never got going at all.

Match Appointments:
Referee: SIMON MATHER
Assistant Referees: Andrew Aylott and Michael Webb
Fourth Official: David Rock

Team Line ups
Sunderland: Patterson, Cirkin, Wright, Batth, Hume, Neil, Matete, Pritchard, Dajaku, Stewart, Clarke

Subs: Carney, Doyle, Winchester, Evans, Roberts, Gooch, Defoe
Injured: Willis, Huggins, McGeady, O’Nien, Broadhead, Wright

Wimbledon: (4-3-3) Tzanev, Kalambayi, Heneghan, Csóka, Alexander, Hartigan, Marsh, Guinness-Walker, Rudoni, Cosgrove, Assal
Subs: Nightingale, Chislett, Awokoya-Mebude, Ablade, McCormick, Osew, Broome
Injured: tbc

Betting Odds:
Sunderland 11/10 Wimbledon 11/5 Draw 12/5

My two pence:
A disaster of a week on and off the pitch. After the return of Jermain Defoe I was hoping that the players would get a bit of confidence back. We started well for a change, but we just faded in the second half and gifted the points to Cheltenham.
At least we have now got someone in to motivate and guide the young squad. I’m expecting an instant response as they all try to impress the new gaffer.
I spoke to a PNE supporting mate last night and mentioned that Alex Neil was in the frame to take over, and he seemed happy with what Neil had done at Preston. They played some good football, he likes using the high press, and the team generally played it out from the back.
He did point out that we don’t have a great record with appointing ex-PNE managers though. (Moyes, Grayson)
I’m going for a 2-1 away win

Live Stream: (overseas fans)
https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video

Ha’way the Lads

 

1-3 thanks to The New Boss

HAWAY THE LADS

FTM

Bart

 

Another game against pure ****e … 3 points is a must.

 

Great thread as usual.

Gone for a draw, which after the last 3 games would be an improvement. Heart is praying for a response and we batter them

 

Well done yet again RTB - remarkable that you can muster the resolve to research and write this given the last 10 days or so.
Thanks again - going for an away win, hope its not a case of my head ruling my head.

 

Heart ruling my head ffs!

 

Unfortunately, got a couple right recently. I hope to keep it up and go for the win.

 

Ditto. Cheers again RTB, top work.

Not getting my expectations too high with the current shower of ****e we’ve witnessed.

New gaffer has his work cut out for a good few weeks , but at least key players coming back to fitness. If wrights not fit, stick Arby in alongside Batth

 

I'd have Winchester in for Evans and Roberts in for Dajaku personally.

 

Interesting that your mate says he likes to play out from the back @RTB. I read a pseudo-scouting report on one of his games at PNE, which suggested that they were direct getting up the pitch but happy to play in the final third. Contrasting reports suggest to me that he might be more flexible tactically, something that Johnson was often criticised for not being.

 

Good shout. Winny the play DM and Machete theNo 8 role. longer-term I’d like to see Machete, Neil & Pritchard as the 3, but Neil needs a bit more of a break. Evans definitely does…

 

Great work again RTB.
Now I want to take the positive line - and certainly will tomorrow- but sometimes need to think of the facts. Wimbledon are 11league + 1 cup winless . We know how we so often break these bad runs .
That’s it . Worries over . Great team spirit tomorrow - comfortable 4-0 .

 

Marvelous stuff as always. Back to business, hopefully the new gaffer is on the touchline and has an instant impact. Safe travels to those going down. Ha'way the Lads

 

Only team below us in the form table. I think was all know what happens next..........

 

Thanks again RTB for setting out the stall, if the new man shows any sort of decent game management we will should still rescue this season. OaU.

 

I expect the first line up will be a very safe one from Neil, making sure we don't lose the game.

Hoffmann
Hume Bathh Doyle Cirkin
Evans Neil
Embleton Pritchard Clarke
Stewart​

or something equally uninspiring

 

I hope we go for it with Roberts, Pritchard and Clarke in behind Stewart. Matete and Neil CM. Evans needs dropping IMO.

 

1 1. Not expecting much tbh. Definetly gonna go out for few pints before KO. Normally don't open my 1st bottle till half time. But wtf I intend to enjoy myself tomorrow and a few pints will help if we continue our current plummet

HTL

 

Cant see anything other than another loss.

 

Nice thread RTB but my enthusiasm is at an all time low, put us down for a draw but hope we don't get scudded