Match Day Thread Sunderland v Doncaster Rovers – Saturday 5th February 2022 - KO 15:00

Sunderland host Doncaster Rovers in the Skybet League One.

Last time out Sunderland were thrashed at Bolton and Doncaster were thrashed by Rotherham.
A week is a long time in football, Sunderland suffered arguably their worst ever defeat at the weekend, and within 24 hours the club announced that manager Lee Johnson had left the club and a replacement is in the process of being recruited. Assisted by Michael Proctor, Mike Dodds will lead the team’s preparations alongside First-Team Coach Phil Jevons and Goalkeeping Coach David Preece for Saturday's game.
The much awaited announcement of the return of Jermain Defoe was broken by Wee Phille as his Youtube channel covered the transfer deadline in hilarious fashion.
New signings Jermain Defoe and Jay Matete are expected to start or at least be named on the bench, Bailey Wright could be in contention, but Luke O’Nien and Aiden McGeady are still not yet available.
Doncaster are currently bottom of League One with 19 points from 29 games. Rovers have signed striker Reo Griffiths from French Ligue 1 side Olympique Lyon on a two-and-a-half year deal, for an undisclosed fee.
Centre back Ollie Younger makes a quick return to the Stadium of Light having Joined Doncaster during the transfer window.
Kristjaan Speakman:
“The recruitment process to appoint a new Head Coach is underway and we will provide a further update in due course. In the interim, we have highly-skilled staff in place to oversee the first-team programme, and I know that they will be fully supported by the players and those throughout the wider football club.
Jermain Defoe said: “I can’t stop smiling because this is a special move for me for many reasons. I’ve had so many messages saying ‘remember when you said that you would come back’ as I said that I would one day, and when I left I wasn’t ready to leave. I have a special bond with the fans here and the club is in a fantastic position to get promoted. I want to be a part of more special times here and I’m looking forward to it.”
Gary McSheffrey:
"I've got to start with myself," said the former winger. "There was probably some poor decision-making in my selection. We tried to match a Rotherham team that are superb in their system and it's difficult to match that, so I'll own that.
"The plan was to have players come on and freshen it up, but you don't think that you're going to have to make two changes at half-time, but whoever's out there should know the basics of football.
"We can't gift them two early goals like that, a poor one from a set play (Mickel Miller scoring direct from a corner) and just letting them run through.
"Then I think that we get a bit of a foothold in the game and the goalkeeper makes some saves from long-range efforts. We're a bit better in possession and (Michael) Smith's probably the best striker in the league because he can bring balls out of the sky. That's what they do."
"Late on they could have scored more, the lads heads went down a bit more then.
"I've learnt a few things from tonight and some of the players will have too.

Match Appointments:
Referee: WILL FINNIE
Assistant Referees: Stephen Wade and Bradley Hall
Fourth Official: Matthew Dicicco

Team Line ups
Sunderland: Hoffmann, Cirkin, Doyle, Batth, Hume, Matete, Neil, Pritchard, Roberts, Stewart, Dajaku

Subs: Patterson, Xhemajli, Wright, , Clarke, Embleton, Gooch, Defoe
Injured: Willis, Huggins, McGeady, O’Nien, Broadhead, Wright

Doncaster: (4-3-3) Mitchell, Knoyle, Younger, Olowu, Horton, Smith, Clayton, Rowe, Seaman, Odubeko, Dodoo
Subs: Jones, Williams, Jackson, Martin, Galbraith, Agard, Griffiths
Injured: tbc

Betting Odds:
Sunderland 3/10 Doncaster 8/1 Draw 4/1

My two pence:
Well – what a week, after the depression of Saturday afternoon and the shock of losing the manager on Sunday afternoon with about 32 hours left before the transfer window closed. We then had the long wait to see who we could bring in and who we would say goodbye to.
Working from home on Monday was mainly spent checking twitter for any updates in between Teams calls. The return of Jermain Defoe was hilarious as it unfolded live via the Fans React youtube site as they trespassed into the Accademy of Light, then announced that he was doing the photo shoot only to realise that it was actually Jay Matete – NOT Jermain.
Overall, I’m happy with the transfer dealings, but I'm still not sure if we have enough to challenge for a top 2 spot. That really depends on keeping the squad injury free and getting Wright, Broadhead and O’Nien back asap.
I’d like to thank Lee Johnson for winning our first trophy at Wembley since 1973. It will be interesting to see how he does in his next role.
If we can’t beat Doncaster at home I’ll have to consider retirement – I’m going for a 3-0 home win.
Live Stream: (overseas fans)
https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video

Ha’way the Lads

 

Once again RTB, thanks for the thread. Ill agree with you and go for 3-0 (Stewart, Roberts and Defoe)

FTM

Hawaaaaaaaaay

 

Superb, been looking forward to this. The wee Phillie stuff was crazy . Can't see past a home win tomorrow, nice an comfortable please lads. All in front of an onlooking Roy Keane. 4-0, Stewart 2, Embo and Dajaku.

 

RTB superb as usual . Thanks on behalf of us all for your time and effort. Your two pence worth here must surely echo everyones sentiments and thoughts.. Having seen Rotherham do them 5-0 it would be easy to say we will at least match if not better it, but thats not the way it works , so I agree with being happy with 3-0 , ( then 3-0 every game til season end )

 

Doncaster are ****e, this should be a comfortable win with a clean sheet…

 

Just listened to the What the Falk podcast and the Doncaster fan isn't looking forward to this one, he has them down to get beat 7-0!

 

Going to be some day.

 

HA'WAY THE LADS MACKEMS ATTACKEM


Great match day thread as always @RTB

Defoe signing certainly took the sting away from the result.
Johnson sacking I have mixed emotions on.
Hopefully an improvement comes in to get momentum and not stall or go backwards.


Coooomon.



@Oliver's Army . What happened with wee Philly ?

 

So we can be fairly certain Doncaster will score first

 

We've a good record against these and we need to pick ourselves up after the Bolton fiasco and win comfortably which I think we will.
If the players have sorted their heads out then the SOL could be rocking by 5pm Saturday, great thread again RTB much appreciated.HTL.

 

Cracking thread as always mate. Been looking forward to seeing your team - hard to work out what they will do. I like what you have gone for. I would like to see Pritchard start if he is 100%. Id probably find a place for Gooch on the bench. If Bailey Wright is back that would be excellent.

Younger coming back and would like to see him have a good game, but not that good obviously.

I hope the pitch looks less like a ploughed field. It really is a big hinderance to us.

I think we will win. I hope the players give the fans in stadium a performance to remember. The players have a lot of making up to do after last week in my eyes. Hope they start Saturday.

 

Great summing up RTB, and thanks for all your work on this board, it really is appreciated, your team and bench look fine to me. OaU

 

Very intrigued to the team selection this week. I have no idea. Cheers RTB.

Hoffman
Wright Batth Doyle
Hume Matete Neill Cirkin
Pritchard Roberts
Stewart

Patterson, Defoe, Winchester, Evans, Clarke, Gooch, Dajaku, Embleton

 

Seeing the players laid out like that I'm just pleased it's not me trying to pick a first eleven

 

Who is taking trading?

 

Mike Dodds and Michael Proctor from the U23s and David Preece

 

https://www.drfc-vsc.co.uk/index.php?topic=283942.0

Donny fans forum tread on this game.

 

Seem like a decent bunch.

At least we're in a position of hope rather than where we used to be like them.

Good luck to them but not for this game

 

They are not confident

"Anyone travelling up for this game either has nothing else to do of a Saturday or is struggling with increasing mental difficulties, and please don't give me 'because it's what fans do' b*llocks. Half of this team and this manager have proven now that they aren't worth supporting."