Match Day Thread Sunderland v Portsmouth – Saturday 22nd January 2022 - KO 15:00

Sunderland host Portsmouth in the Skybet League One.

Last time out Sunderland drew with Accrington and Portsmouth drew with AFC Wimbledon
New signing from Stoke City, Danny Batth is expected to make his debut against Pompey on Saturday. Trai Hume is expected be in the squad and captain Cory Evans could be set for a return after concussion. Alex Pritchard has played the last 2 games despite some injury concerns but with no game in mid-week we will have had more time to recover. Luke O’Nien and Aiden McGeady are back in light training but will need time to regain full fitness.
U23 defender Ollie Younger has joined Doncaster Rovers today (Wednesday) and Denver Hume has been linked with a move to Portsmouth.
Manager Lee Johnson has been charged by the FA and will request a personal hearing in relation to the touchline fracas and his red card against Lincoln City.
Portsmouth have signed striker Tyler Walker on loan until the end of the season from Championship club Coventry City. Walker, 25, has scored three goals in 20 appearances for Coventry this season. The former Nottingham Forest forward links up with Portsmouth manager Danny Cowley, who he played under at Lincoln. Lincoln City have signed Portsmouth striker John Marquis on a contract to the end of the season. Defender Hayden Carter signed on loan from Championship side Blackburn and had an impressive debut against Wimbledon.
Lee Johnson:
"I've heard the media clip of Jermain on Talksport this morning," said Johnson.
"We know the script with that one. He's a good guy, the fanbase is all over it, obviously he is 39 years of age and that brings with it a wealth of experience.
"At the same time, a lot of things would have to happen for any potential move to happen and a lot of people would have to be happy with it, and at the moment it is not there.
"There are so many elements that go into it. You've got the football side, the condition of the player in terms of gametime, the injury record, everything has to be looked at in fine detail.
"And one of the biggest things is the connection between coach and player - that becomes really important.
"It's great for him (Ollie Younger) to kick-start his career in League One at a really good club where he will be able to compete straightaway for a place.
"I'm sad to see him go because players like that, I have a huge amount of admiration for on a personal level."
Danny Cowley:
“It didn’t work out for John (Marquis) but it wasn’t for the want of trying, if anything he tried too hard…. Sometimes you have to cut people free”
“Confidence is a fragile commodity and when you lose it I think it’s tough for players. When they feel they’ve lost the trust and belief of the supporters it can be really tough for them”
“The great thing about playing for or managing this club is that every game feels like a home one.
“We have such a passionate backing and they’re so supportive of the team, but we have to learn to deal with moments of disappointment.
“For 20 minutes on Saturday we had complete control and MK Dons hadn’t been in our penalty area before they scored.
“We make a mistake, it leads to a goal and then our performance deteriorated quite significantly for a period.
“So we have to manage our emotions a little bit better because every support – and we know we have the best in the land – will go flat when you concede.

Match Appointments:
Referee: DAVID ROCK
Assistant Referees: Hristo Karaivanov and Chris Isherwood
Fourth Official: Robert Madley

Team Line ups
Sunderland: Hoffmann, Cirkin, Doyle, Batth, Wright, Evans, Neil, Embleton, Gooch, Stewart, Dajaku.

Subs: Patterson, Flanagan, T. Hume, Winchester, O’Brien, Pritchard, Diamond.
Injured: Willis, Huggins, McGeady, O’Nien, Broadhead

Portsmouth: (3-4-1-2) Bazunu, Carter, Raggett, Ogilvie, Romeo, Morrell, Thompson, Brown, Harness, Hirst, Walker.
Subs: Robertson, Williams, Tunnicliffe, Curtis, Freeman, Jacobs, Bass.
Injured: Hackett

Betting Odds:
Sunderland 5/6 Portsmouth 29/10 Draw 13/5

My two pence:
We should have more points on the board after failing to hold out yet again.
We really need to put on a good display against Pompey, something close to the performance against Sheff Wed would be great.
A five nil thrashing would be the perfect revenge for the farce at Fratton Park last year however it hardly ever works out like that - so I’m going for a nervy 2-1 home win instead.

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

Ha’way the Lads

 

Home win. 5-0, get into them, **** them up, get into them, **** them up

(Excellent as always RTB )

 

Massive game this. Think we will come out flying. Would it be wrong to suggest that we should be looking for revenge for what happened earlier on this season?

 

Brilliant match thread and transfer report all in one. Thanks again RTB!

Well it's feckin' payback time for Watergate! Just like the Sheff Wed game, if we can get the 1st goal we'll get quite a few more. Time to stand up and be counted and start to claw back the deficit built up over the last 3 games.

Bring the horrible f*ckers on!

 

The groundsman has got the sprinklers on already, I've just swam past the SoL

 

I dont know why,but we always struggle against these.

I will settle for a 2 nil win but would love a 5 nil battering

 

Buzzing for this considering I couldn’t make the last few home games, haven’t been at the SoL since the win over Ipswich! Think we’ll win a tight game, 2-1

 

Still plugging away at the reverse psychology after finding myself jinxing our results, so I'm guessing it'll be an walkover away win!

 

HA'WAY THE LADS MACKEMS ATTACKEM


Started me sad six tonight at work.
Wed Thur fri nights,
off sat,
sun mon tue nights, 12 hours

I'll be fooked but hopefully catch it and we win. Need a win here to keep on track.
Coooomon.

 

Great thread RTB, agree, nervy 2-1

Ha’way the Lads

 

A nervy 2-1 seems to be the growing consensus so let’s hope we batter them instead.

looking forward to see Batth come in at centre back, ideally in a 3 with Cirlin and Trai pushing on down the flanks. Roscoe hatrick.
They’re the best supported team in the land apparently, says Crowley. **** off

 

Thanks once again RTB for setting the scene so comprehensibly. I feel confident about this one, the team should need no motivation , at least thats my hope. Mixed feelings about the transfer news this week but maybe its the best for all concerned including me , Batth looks a perfect signing and the wounded are slowly returning so its OaU .

 

a must win hopefully we will bounce back

 

Always seems to be a big match against Portsmouth but this should be a regulation home win looking at the 2 sides. Assuming everyone is fit who we expect to be fit (seems as though there is a doubt over Wright) I'd go:

Hoffmann
Wright Batth Doyle Cirkin
Evans Neil
Gooch Pritchard Dajaku
Stewart​

Subs: Patterson, Flanagan, D.Hume, Winchester, Embleton, Diamond, O'Brien

Squad starting to look stronger now

 

Our record against this lot isn't brilliant so any win will do for me. We need to match our top four rivals toe to toe no quarter given so starting again on Saturdsy is a must for me HTL.

 

Pint of what you've been drinking marra

 

Reminder: Covid passes are still needed for this one. He hasn't scrapped them until next Thursday

 

Batth water

 

Great thread again mate

 

cheers again RTB....

reet, forget a revenge mission i reckon, just play our game and beat them and a scrappy 1-0 will do me.

that game down there should never have been played but it was not their fault or ours and simply down to the officials (maybe if the two teams had been much closer they might have called it off but player safety should have been the deciding factor) so as far as i am concerned we do not 'owe them' anything, on the day they adjusted to the conditons better than we did, it also began our blip so let's hope this game ends our current one with a deserved 3 points!!