Match Day Thread Sunderland v Lincoln City – Saturday 22nd May 2021 - KO 15:30

Sunderland host Lincoln City in the SkyBet League One Play-Off Semi Final.

Lincoln City lead 2-0 from the first leg.

Sunderland welcome back 10,000 fans to the Stadium of Light in one of the most important games in the club’s long and famous history. The Black Cats need to score three goals without reply to reach the play-off final. A two goal advantage after 90 minutes would force the tie into extra time and a penalty shootout if they are still level.
Denver Hume and Conor McLaughlin have been ruled out of the remainder of Sunderland's Play-Off campaign, it has been confirmed. Lee Johnson delivered the news following our semi-final first leg at Lincoln City on Wednesday night, a match in which McLaughlin did not feature due to a stress fracture of the back, and Hume was withdrawn early with a hamstring injury.
According to the Chronicle, Aiden McGeady may not start, however Lee Johnson has since confirmed that he is available.

Lee Johnson:
"It’s half-time, simple as that, and we’re 2-0 down. We created numerous chances today, and their goalkeeper has had a worldie.”
"We’re still in this, but we’ve got to be more vigilant than we were at the back and we’ve got to be clinical up top.”
"They (the fans) will have to be our extra man, then it’s up to the boys. Listen, we can score two goals. I’ve got no doubts about that. We can score four goals, we’ve done that against these before, but we’ve got to be vigilant at the back, and we’ve got to make sure that we’re not just chasing it. You can score two goals in five or ten minutes, especially at home with the crowd behind you.”
"We have to write our own story now, and it could be one of the biggest nights in the club's recent history if we turn this around."
"Denver has a hamstring injury, a disappointing one and something that has happened to too many players too many times this season.”
"It's something that we have to just get on with. Conor is out for the rest of the season with a stress fracture to his back.”
"We've got what we've got, and we have to get on with that for the second leg."

Michael Appleton:
“I said to you (the media) in the week, we had to have the mindset of winning both games,” said Appleton after the win.”
“If you do that you give yourself the chance of getting through. We’ve got a very good away record, the best in the league. Hopefully that will continue on Saturday.”
“We’ll go there and try and win the game. If we go there and try and get a draw, we’ll end up doing what we did for 20 minutes after we took the lead, defending on the edge of our box and allowing them to put balls in.”
“That definitely won’t be the mindset. We’ll try and be a bit more possession based, like we were in the first half, and try to win the game.”
“I thought that we played quite well in the first half. I thought that we were the better side and created better opportunities. They never really threatened the goal in the first half.”
“Once we scored, they came into it. They had a spell of 20-25 minutes where they put us under a bit of pressure.”
“We had to deal with that. When we couldn’t deal with it, Joe made a couple of good saves for us.”

Match Appointments:
Referee: MICHAEL SALISBURY
Assistant Referees: Mark Pottage and Steven Meredith
Fourth Official: Darren Bond

Team Line ups
Sunderland: Burge; O’Nien, Wright, Younger; Jones, Leadbitter, Scowen, Diamond; McGeady, Gooch, Stewart.

Subs: Matthews, Vokins, Winchester, Power, Hawkes, Maguire, Wyke
Injured: Xhemajli, Willis, Sanderson, Hume, McLaughlin

Lincoln City: (4-3-3) Palmer, Poole, Montsma, Jackson, Edun, McGrandles, Bridcutt, Grant, Johnson, Hopper, Rogers.
Subs: Eyoma, Walsh, Scully, Sanders, Bramall, Morton, Long
Injured: none

Betting Odds:
Sunderland 19/20 Lincoln 14/5 Draw 23/10

My two pence:
Having watched the U23s run their socks off, chasing everything and pulling off an excellent away win in their play-off semi on Monday night, I was shocked and disappointed at the lack of effort in the first half against Lincoln. The second half was better, but we seem to be our own worst enemies and gifted them two goals just as we were creating chances at the other end.
At least their usual keeper, Palmer, should be back in goal so this could be a completely different outcome.
It’s certainly not over yet and with 10000 fans behind the lads we can still do this.
I’m going for a 2-0 home win after extra time and penalties

Live on Sky Sports Football

Ha’way the Lads

 

HA'WWWWAY THE LADS

MACKEMS ATTACKEM

Well we either do a fairy tale come back or we fold and collapse.
The latter seems more likely judging by our latest form.
Someone mentioned on another thread about Johnson stating we would come out the blocks flying.
I read that too and wondered where or what after that shìt show.
Talk is cheap and although I realise we've had an injury ravaged defence I expected something more.

I'd rather see some bold decisions now and an all out attack with other players given a chance than relying on certain ones who let us down too often.

Let's at least go out with a roar rather than a whimper ffs.

 

I like your team selection, but that defensive line just isn't going to happen.

In a very Sunderland-esque result we will be winning 3-0 but concede an own goal deep into injury time and go out on away goals.

 

Away goals don't count - there will be a penalty shoot out if the aggregate scores are the same

 

That's what we all think happens, but Lincoln will secure an emergency rule change to go along with securing Alisson as an emergency goalkeeper - and it will be his shot in injury time that will deflect in off Wright's backside.

 

Two goals in the first 20 minutes then all the way to a win on penalties ...

.... Haway the Lads!!!

 

can't see anything but a scrappy 0-0, and going out with a whimper. Breaks my heart to say it, but we haven't deserved promotion this season. Blackpool to win it IMO, and good luck to them.

 

Im going for similar except 3-1 to us. I have a feeling Lincoln will score exploiting our defensive frailities.

As for penna outcome...................lottery

HTL

KTF

 

Liking the line-up RTB. There are no excuses not to play Younger in defence, or having Hawkes on the bench as an option up top.
We still have enough to turn this tie around, but he has to pick the players with the belief & desire to do it

 

0-1 win to Lincoln. Late goal from them.

 

3-0
Lincoln offer nothing. The three goals we could have scored the other night will be scored on Saturday.
Jackie D, JJ, Stewart.

 

RTB, let's hope its not the last...

I would like a 3-0, will we do it... not on recent form but you never know!

 

Brilliant thread and perfect timing, time for some positivity. Wednesday was depressing but that is gone. Time to roar them on and the players to keep giving the fans a reason to roar them on.

Got to be 3 at the back, with Wyke and Stewart both starting. We need to play in their half and put them under pressure, they struggled to cope when we did that for 20 minutes in the second half.

4-1 and on to Wembley.

 

Thanks again RTB. But don't think you're on the beach though, you do have one more game this season.

 

I'd go with this lineup. Energy on the wings in Gooch and Diamond to get up and down. Leadbitter to dictate from deep with Winchester and Scowen like rabid dogs chasing and harassing them in their own half. Wyke needs to be left out, he's hopeless and get Stewart on who's a lot more mobile and will pull their defence around better. That leaves McGeady to cause havoc anywhere he feels free to roam.

Whatever team he chooses, they need to be 100mph from the off and give it everything. Give Lincoln no time on the ball whatsoever, constantly in their faces. If they are as young a team as people say, then with the players doing that and the fans up for it, they won't know what to do and SAFC can pick them off. ITHICS!!!

 

Absolutely love that team RTB, no chance of seeing it play unfortunately, I am expecting little change from LJ., or Lincoln, but still think we can make the final this year. OaU

 

We'll collapse under the slightest pressure, and there'll be a lot of it from the crowd.

Away win.

Not the end of the world, even if somehow we win and then win at Wembley we're hardly going up on the crest of a wave and would struggle badly in the Championship. The plan should be to roar through League One next year and have a team capable of at least mid table championship the year after.

 

Maguire HAS to start. We have no one in the squad who can take set pieces like him and he is always capable of chipping in with a goal. Will Johnson listen to the fans though? Can’t see it.

 

Rather see him on the bench and see how RTB's team would work first bring Maguire on if things are not going well, and this should clear before the 90th minute, even to this clown.

 

Great thread again RTB.
Early goal and game on. Level on aggregate by half time. A third on the hour then our defensive frailties let us down but a fourth in stoppage time sees us through. Just get behind the lads and make it as uncomfortable as possible for Lincoln. Now then where did I put that bottle of dreams.