Match Day Thread Sunderland v AFC Wimbledon – Saturday 21st August 2021 - KO 15:00

Sunderland welcome AFC Wimbledon to the Stadium of Light in League One

Last time out Sunderland lost at Burton and Wimbledon drew with Gillingham.
Sunderland were unlucky to lose out at Burton after an impressive display but ultimately they failed to put the ball in the back of the net. The Black Cat’s new signing Frederik Alves could feature in the squad but Corry Evans has a low grade ham string injury and is out for up to two weeks.
The Black Cats have signed right back Niall Huggins from Leeds United.
Mark Robinson made seven changes to his starting line-up for the Gillingham game, including handing first league starts to Aaron Pressley, Dapo Mebude, Henry Lawrence, and George Marsh. Dan Csoka, Paul Kalambayi and Paul Osew were also handed recalls. The Dons have made a good start on the road this season having beaten Charlton (Carabao cup), Doncaster and drew with Lincoln.
Lee Johnson:
"I thought we were really good. Burton were good in terms of their solidarity and their set-plays, but in our general play we were very slick, very solid.
"We had fantastic control and created some brilliant chances right from the first 20 minutes when we could have been a couple of goals to the good, but even though we didn't finish we kept going and I can't really pick out any individual to say they didn't perform or didn't give it a go.
"We have to just up our final ball, and today it was just about quality in the final third - we have it in abundance but Burton's good defending and our inability to pick out that important goal-ball stopped us.
"I think if you play that game 100 times, we would win 85 of them. if we had scored first and Burton had come at us, it would have been a bit more of a basketball match.
"I wasn't moaning about the disallowed goal, I was angry about the lack of time added on at the end, it was supposed to be four minutes, but it ended up being about three.
"There was loads going on and Burton were wasting time, but I felt that we could create an opportunity in every minute at the end.
"For the goal, though, I looked at the linesman straightaway and I thought it was offside."
Mark Robinson:
“We’re all fit and well again, it’s credit to the medical and sports science staff as well. The work that they have done to make sure that all the way through pre-season that not only are we robust and resilient, but we look fit as well now.
“I think in the first-half it was a bit of a cagey game on Tuesday, probably we edged it if I’m being honest. We dominated possession in the second half, and we showed that we were a real threat going forward. I was really pleased with the performance.
“Obviously, the goal at the end was a bit of a sucker-punch to us, but overall, when we look at the process and where we’re at – we’re really happy with how we played on the night and hopefully we can take that forward in the coming weeks.
“We’re not going there (Sunderland) to look for a point or sit behind the ball. We want to go there and really put our mark on both with and without the ball. We’re excited to go up there, but I think fans will start to see that we want to try and implement our style on every game that we play, and it doesn’t matter where it takes us.”

Match Appointments:
Referee: JAMES OLDHAM
Assistant Referees: Conor Brown and Wayne Grunnill
Fourth Official: Ivan Stankovic

Team Line ups
Sunderland: Burge; Cirkin, Doyle, Flannagan, Winchester; Neil, Embleton, O’Nien; McGeady, Stewart, Gooch.

Subs: Patterson, Wright, Pritchard, Alves, Diamond, O’Brien, Broadhead
Injured: Xhemajli, Willis, Evans, Younger, (Hume)

AFC Wimbledon: Tzanev, Lawrence, Csoka, Woodyard, Nightingale, Marsh, Assal, Mebude, Pressley, Kalambayi, Osew.
Subs: Oualah, Heneghan, Alexander, Hartigan, Chislett, Palmer, McCormick
Injured: tbc,



Betting Odds:
Sunderland 4/6 Wimbledon 19/5 Draw 11/4

My two pence:
We played some really good football on Tuesday and should really have won the game. I still can’t quite believe that McGeady missed that first chance. The disallowed goal just summed up the evening – it just wasn’t our night but hey we move on to the next one.
Wimbledon also had a dramatic last-minute twist to their game, when the Gills equalised with a deflected shot 7 minutes into injury time.
I’m going for a 2-0 home win.

Live stream: (only available outside UK)
https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video

Ha’way the Lads

 

Top effort, again, mate

Poor Wimbledon, 4-0 The lads. We'll play that good 3 or 4 posters will be questioning our forwards and Lee Johnson because we didn't score 5.

 

Fabulous stuff as always, I'm going for a solid home win by 2 clear goals. Listened to the 'What the Falk' pod earlier with their fan and he sounded confident about their chances but I really do fancy us at the weekend.
This is worth a read for those travelling from afar to the match. Road closures and a music festival on at Herrington Park so it may he busy on the roads again. HTL
https://www.safc.com/news/club-news/2021/august/key-information-vs-afc-wimbledon

 

Comfortable win for me this.

3-0.

 

RTB

Saturday will be first live home game for ages.

I am really looking forward to it.

If we play like Tuesday BUT take our chances we should win.

 

We'll batter them, miss a load of chances, concede a soft goal, scramble in a late equaliser

1-1

 

But you voted for an away win

 

I started feeling slightly more positive as I posted

1-2 - injury time winner

 

3-1 HAWAY!!

Bart

 

Cracking thread again RTB. I can’t see anything other than a comprehensive home win. Hopefully take our chances . I’m going for a 4-1 home win. Looking forward to being back at the Sol after a couple on the road. Enjoy everyone.

 

First home game for about 2 years…was at MK last week - same result 2-1 to us…nervy 10 minutes at the end…

Off topic…is the Club Shop open yet? If not…anywhere in town I can get my lad a shirt? He’s due one for his b/day. Thanks

 

Tuesday was a bad day when things didn't go right, I think Saturday will be a day when we click.

That defeat will have hurt because it was unnecessary and 3 points were thrown away.

We have better players than last season and are playing better, they'll settle and have some very good wins

I think this win be one of them and three goals for three different player.

Haway the Lads!!!

 

Awesome thread as usual. Thanks RTB!

Fully expect the Lads to bounce back in style. Each and every one of them will be playing for their place each week from now on, so there will be no slacking like in previous seasons.

Fancy a 4-1, but I'll settle for 3-1 and a climb up the table.

 

Pivotal game, hope that we continue to play good football and this time we take our chances, if we do and win we really will take off again.

Will be interesting to see if LJ sticks with the same starting 11 as Tuesday or if he will shuffle the deck.

 

Went for a 4-1 win on Tuesday and if we’d have taken our chances wouldn’t have been far off

will stick with 4-1 Still a work in progress especially the defence. But some of the football and individual performances from the likes of Stewart and Neil has been a breath of fresh air And I’ve a feeling it’s going to get better

 

interesting reading RTB team characteristics, nice thread again mate well done , win for me , head says a draw heart says we will murder them , roll on Saturday let battle commence

 

I’m hoping for the first clean sheet of the season. Win this one and we’ll have started well with a tough game at home to Wycombe coming up next Saturday.

 

HA'WAY THE LADS

MACKEMS ATTACKEM

Obviously disappointed to lose to Burton, especially since we really deserved something at least.
But it was one of those days.
And I'm still confident we can get promoted this season.
So the loss really didn't get on my tits like it would when we were shìt and hoping for a change.
We're looking really good now and still improving.
We need to get back on track and hopefully a really convincing win.


Coooooomon.

 

Link to the What the Falk pod. It's a good listen.

https://aca.st/e7c7b5