Match Day Thread Sunderland v Rochdale - Saturday 6th March - KO 15:00

Sunderland host Rochdale at the Stadium of Light in the SkyBet League One.

Last time out Sunderland beat Swindon and Rochdale lost at Hull.
Sunderland had to work hard for a much needed win against Swindon in midweek despite a lot of possession, the Black Cats struggling to break down a resolute Swindon side. Chris Maguire fired in an excellent free kick for Charlie Wyke to find the corner of the net with a glancing header.
Lee Johnson will be without Connor McLaughlin, but is hopeful that Lynden Gooch will recover from a calf strain. Grant Leadbitter was due to see a specialist on Wednesday to assess the dislocated shoulder that he suffered at Crewe.
The Black Cats drew 2-2 at Rochdale earlier this season with goals from Wyke & Wright. Rochdale will be without the suspended duo of Oliver Rathbone and Conor Shaughnessy, and are on a poor run of form having not won in their last 13 League games. The Dale have not scored since the 9th of February, Charlie Wyke has scored 7 times during that time.
Lee Johnson:
“There’s a lot of football still to play, that’s for sure, but you want to time your run, and now’s the time. We know how difficult our March is, and there might be a few bumps in the road.”
“We hope that there aren’t, but if there are all the more reason to capitalise now and make sure that we’re relentless getting those wins when we’re on this kind of run. Then every game becomes even more magnified in terms of how big it is, because effectively you can knock someone else out of the way with a good win and performance.”
“Teams in this division are always going to take points off each other, so with 15 games left we’ve just got to be relentless and try to win every game. We’ve got to keep building the performance and that doesn’t change. The players have been outstanding, and those draws turning into wins are a credit to them.”
“Conor needs an injection on the back of the hernia operation that he had,” said Johnson. “He's just having a bit of pain so it's more than likely that he'll be out again. Goochy just felt his calf, so hopefully that won't be too bad.”
“We’re low on numbers, though, and I've said to the Under-23s that there are four spots available for (the squad for) Wembley. If that's not a carrot for them, I don't know what is.”
Brian Barry-Murphy:
“The level of performance from our lads in terms of effort and commitment tonight was brilliant. We can play a lot better in terms of our attacking play, but we are missing a lot of attacking players, and that’s not an excuse, it’s just a fact.”
“We are missing Jake Beesley, Matthew Lund, Stephen Dooley, Jimmy Ryan in midfield and Jack Vale who was brought in as a striker. We are in a position as a club where we can’t replace those players when they are missing. Like I said, it’s not an excuse, it’s just a clear reason as to why we may find it difficult to score goals at the moment. We’re doing everything that we can to create chances by pressure and committing men forward - we did that tonight but we just couldn’t score.”
“I had no problems on Saturday with Ollie’s red card even though he was provoked, but tonight I have a problem with it because I don’t think Conor is reckless and I don’t think he’s out of control. I think that he has tried to tackle with one foot on the ground and one foot on the ball which gets the ball.”
“I understand that referees are a little bit anxious when they see players going towards the ball at speed, but he remained in control. I’ll be very keen to appeal against it, but I know history suggests that appealing against these decisions can be a waste of time at times.”

Match Appointments:
Referee: ROSS JOYCE
Assistant Referees: Gareth Mellor and Stephen Wade
Fourth Official: Garreth Rhodes


Team Line ups
Sunderland: Burge; Power, Sanderson, O’Nien; Jones, Scowen, Neil, Vokins; Jones; O'Brien, McGeady Wyke.

Subs: Matthews, Diamond, Winchester, Maguire, Gooch, Almond, Younger.
Injured: Xhemajli, Kimpioka, Hume, Stewart, Willis, Wright, Leadbitter, McLaughlin, Flanagan.

Rochdale: (4-5-1) Bazunu, McLaughlin, Osho, McShane, Keohane, Newby, McNulty, O'Connell, Morley, Grant, Humphrys.
Subs: Lynch, Roberts, Done, Baah, Hopper, Odoh,
Injured: Beesley, Lund, Dooley, Ryan, Vale
Suspended: Rathbone

Betting Odds:
Home 4/9 Away 11/2 Draw 100/30

My two pence:
Swindon almost equalised with the last kick of the game, but thankfully they hit the crossbar. We really should have been 3-0 up by that stage, but we seemed to lack that clinical finishing in front of goal.
Hopefully by the end of the day both Wyke and McGeady will be top of the Scorer & Assist tables.
Even though Rochdale are on a long run of games without a win, sit in 2nd bottom spot, have conceded 59 goals so far, they haven't scored for yonks and have never won at the Stadium of Light, I’m still going for a comprehensive 3-0 victory to the Lads

Live stream £10
https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video

Ha’way the Lads

 

Comfortable 3-0 win for us, double Wyke and 1 for mcgeady

 

Great thread as usual RTB and I agree, 3-0 to the lads...

Ha’way the Lads

 

A clean sheet please !

 

Great thread as usual. I'm hopeless at predictions so as long as we get 3 points I'll be happy.

 

We will bounce these.

Forst goal may take a while as they will camp out, but I think we will rip into them once we get one.

I will say 3-0 plus, and I genuinely believe that.

Long time since I’ve had such a bravado prediction.

I t still infuriates me even in year 3 of this bullshit that we are in a league with teams like this, a team famous until recently for having never been above the 4th tier.

Call it disrespectful if you like but my god, it’s still a kick in the bollocks being at an equal level to some of these, viva la recoverie!

 

Great thread as usual @RTB , might put Diamond on as rwb and give McGeady a bit of a rest as he's looked a bit leggy lately and put Jones in his place. With their form, I think they'll sit back and make us break them down, but if we get an early goal this should be straightforward as I think their heads will go down.

 

RTB

My guess is Rochdale's tactics will be to put 10 men behind the ball, try to keep a clean sheet and try to nick a goal. That is what most teams have done at the SoL.

I think most of us will agree with LJs and Collins comments, particularly in the 1st half against Swindon. We have to get the ball moved forward quicker and have crosses coming into their pen area from the by line. That is get behind the defence 1 goal isn't enough, s great shot hitting the crossbar (from Twine?) almost cost us 2 points.

Then there is defence, or being blunt, lack of CBs, RBs and crap LBs. 09 and Power marshalled by the splendid Sanderson will more than make do and mend. Do we stick or twist with Mcfadzean or Vokins fcuk knows.

The human dynamo that is Scowen has to be in midfield, personally I would prefer Neil with him not Winchester (who has not impressed). As Wyke and Mcgeady are given, a couple of wingers (Gooch/Jones Diamond) and or O'Brien or Maguire up front at the start or early in 2nd half.

 

If we score early it’ll be a rout.

4-0 to the LADS

Bart

 

All of this is good for me.

My only worry is we all confident as ****, that’s normally a toe poke in the Gooch.

 

Well done @RTB I think it will be a comprehensive 4-0 win. Wyke, McGeady x2 and Power

 

I don’t care if it’s a turgid 1-0 as long as we get three points.
It’s a must win obviously.
But decades of winnable games being followed by an inept performance and a kick in the nuts suggest we’ll find a way to cock it up.
I’m still going for a home win. Jones and Maguire to see us through again.

 

My main tactic here would be to get up to their box and pass the ball around them. They'll have 10 behind the ball and will give away endless free kicks, corners and at least one penalty ...

... as soon as that results in a goal we can start picking them off as they go for a goal.

Anything less than 4 goals and I'll be surprised.

We have lots of people who can score so they won't know who to mark.

 

Great thread mate
Clean sheet and a win

 

The usual great thread RTB

I'm going for 2-0 to the lads. Wyke and Mcgeady

 

Great thread. Think we’ll get a comfortable win here, if we’re being honest we need to be winning these type of games. I’d personally stick with Jones despite him not having a big impact midweek, some times I think players need a few games to get up to form and this is a good opposition for him to find some. Also think I’d give maguire a start, get some more minutes in for him and if we’re struggling to break these down, his set pieces have been very good the last couple of games and that could give us a breakthrough. 3-0

 

Great thread as always RTB. Thanks. Well I said an early early goal against Swindon and a comprehensive 4 0 win and that didn’t happen so I’m going for a scrappy nervy 1-0 win against Rochdale.

 

A solid 2-0 for me. Winchester with his first for the club and Geads. Ha'way the magic carpet. It's happening!

 

cheers again RTB...

hopefully another 3 points and we end this annoying feckin sunderland habit of being over - gracious to teams at the bottom who have not won in a millenia and players who have struggled to score and we keep that run going.

we have the players, we have the squad, we have a manager who actually knows how to use those assets...and we have a top three who are dropping points and getting a tad nervy, it seems.

 

Excellent thread as usual RTB. It makes for great reading.

Going by the team characteristics, they are weaker than Nuns piss at defending, so I'm very confident that we'll chalk up another 3 points.

Only worry is that they are very strong at direct free-kicks, and we give far too many away. Don't know if Rathbone is their free-kick taker, but I hope he is, as he's suspended.

Jones to start instead of Goochy. No point in risking him. O'Brien back in cos he brings out the best in Charlie. Diamond brought in to run at them.

Early goal and the flood gates to open. 5-0 Wyke (2), AOB, Diamond and Jones. Another win and another move closer to Lincoln.