Sunderland v Spurs Build up and Match Day Thread

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TEAM NEWS

Sunderland skipper Lee Cattermole is an injury concern with a knee ligament problem but boss Martin O'Neill is hopeful he will be fit.
The Black Cats are monitoring striker Fraizer Campbell, who is also nursing a knee injury.
Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon continues to struggle with a hamstring problem.
Manager Harry Redknapp says Lennon is likely to feature in only one of the club's two fixtures over the Easter period.

MATCH PREVIEW

This game is so tough to call it has been taxing me all week. Spurs have been the orchestrators of some of the best football I've seen this season, but to get a result at Sunderland is a tall order - and arguably Tottenham cannot afford not to get a result.
The gap between Spurs in fourth and Arsenal in third is now wafer thin, with resurgent Chelsea breathing menacingly down the necks of both. One of London's big three is going to miss out on the Champions League. Finding out which club finishes outside the top four should be almost as much fun as seeing the title decided at the top, or time run out on the game of relegation musical chairs at the bottom.

Sunderland's highest finish for a decade was 10th, achieved under Steve Bruce last season. They would be disappointed not to beat that now

Maybe it's just human nature for a neutral to find heartbreaking failure so much more interesting than heart-warming success. Or maybe it's just me?

Sunderland's success under Martin O'Neill has been well documented. In the last few weeks their results have dipped from the sensational to the good.

An FA Cup exit to Everton should have been avoided in a home replay and there have also been defeats at West Brom and Blackburn. Most eye-catching of all was the draw at Man City last weekend. When you become the first side to leave the Etihad with a point and are still gutted, you are doing something right.
Sunderland's highest finish for a decade was 10th, achieved under Steve Bruce last season. They would be disappointed not to beat that now. I actually fancy them to finish seventh, which would have been inconceivable back in December.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head
Spurs are unbeaten in their last three Premier League games against Sunderland and have lost just one of the last six.
Tottenham's 2-1 victory in February 2011 was their only win at the Stadium of Light in the last six visits.
Spurs have won 13 of the 21 Premier League games between the sides, compared to Sunderland's five.

Sunderland
Sunderland have lost just one of their last eight Premier League home games - February's 2-1 defeat by Arsenal.
The Black Cats have picked up 30 points in 17 games since Martin O'Neill took charge; only Manchester United (40) and Manchester City (33) have taken more during that period.
Sebastian Larsson's double strike against Manchester City brought his tally to seven goals in the Premier League this season, surpassing his previous best of six.
O'Neill's side have scored in each of their last nine Premier League home games.
Nicklas Bendtner, who has scored four goals in his last five Premier League games, could make his 100th league start.

Tottenham
Spurs have won just one of their last six Premier League games - last weekend's 3-1 home victory against Swansea.
They are without a victory in their last six league away games.
Tottenham's 58 points from 31 games equals the tally they had at the same stage of the 2009-10 season, which ended with qualification to the Champions League.

Harry Redknapp is unbeaten in his last 14 Premier League matches against teams managed by Martin O'Neill. His only defeat in all 17 meetings was West Ham's 2-1 loss at O'Neill's Leicester City in October 1997.
Spurs have scored three headed goals in their last three league games; they managed just two in their previous 35.
Brad Friedel is in line to make his 550th start for an English club.

 

2-0

 

2-1, just think we will nick it

My guess at the team,

Mig in goal with Bardo, Turner and Killa in and Bridge back at LB

Larsson and Mclean are no brainers so it comes down to Catts fitness, I can see Colback and Gardner with Catts back for Everton.

Sess and Bendy up front

 

I think I like Easter, live football today to build up nicely to the proper football tomorrow. Its feeling more and more like a Sunderland win to me.

 

Sticking with my 1-1 prediction (mind i'm wrong 99.9% of the time)..

Reason why...cos you never know which Sunderland will turn up, the excellent as against City, or the ****e as against Everton, WBA..

A point against Spurs is no disgrace.....

 

I think we'll carry on where we left off against Man City. An easy Sunderland win... SAFC 3 0 SPURS

 

KIERAN Richardson is back in the frame to feature against Spurs tomorrow, though Martin O’Neill admits Jack Colback has given him food for thought at left-back.

Richardson returned to the bench at Manchester City last weekend after missing the previous five games with a calf problem sustained in the Tyne-Wear derby.

The 27-year-old was never likely to feature at the Etihad Stadium though, after just one day of training, with tomorrow’s visit of fourth-placed Spurs a far more realistic prospect for the former Manchester United man’s return.

But midfielder Colback impressed O’Neill with his display at left-back last Saturday and could remain there after similarly shining as a makeshift left-back in the reverse fixture with City three months ago.

O’Neill told the Echo: “Kieran had only done the one day of training and he said himself that he’s one of those lads who needs a bit of training done before he plays.

“It was good to welcome him back into the fold. He’s clear of injury now and hopefully he can stay that way between now and the end of the season.

“But young Colback was magnificent at left-back.

“He played really well and wasn’t fazed at all.

“That’s twice he’s played against Man City at left-back and played great both times.”

O’Neill insists he won’t let his focus drift to Monday’s clash with Everton in deciding his line-up for tomorrow despite Sunderland facing the demands of two games inside 48 hours.

The Black Cats boss has indicated that he is keen to see his fringe players in action before the end of the season.

But O’Neill has pledged that anyone who is given an opportunity in the starting line-up must earn that right.

“I just think you treat each game at a time,” he said.

“The games are still very important for us.

“While I’d love to give the likes of Ji (Dong-won), Elmo (Ahmed Elmohamady) and people like that I’ve not seen a great deal of, to get some footballing time, I’m not going to promise it either.

“I’m hoping that will be the case before the end of the season.

“But every single minute that anyone is on the field, they have to be deserving of it.”

 

After reading that commo I will go


MIG
BARDO..TURNER..KILLA..JACK
SEB..CATTS..GARDS..JAMES
SESS..BENDY

 

Hardest game so far to predict, we usually have one good one bad game so we are due a bad one hence a Spurs victory. Then we have the Lawro effect where he predicts a win for the opposition and we win SAFC victory. Then we have the fact that both teams are doing well and will cancel each other out a draw. Then we have the greatest effect of all the Sunderland factor, where we will go out and hammer them about 4-0. Not sure what it'll be to be honest so will go for the draw.

 

I'm expecting one hell of a fight from Spurs tomorrow, as it is now a matter of 'North London pride' between them and Arsenal of who is going to finish the higher.
For me it is all about which Sunderland turn up tomorrow: the one against Everton at home will lose the game; the one aginst Man City away will win it.

 

I think the crowd will be a deciding factor. It won't be as intense as the Everton game, so the players may relax more into their game.

 

We will win! I am strangely confident!

 

Are you strange or just confident mate?

 

with 172 shots in the last 5 games hope Spurs come home with least a pt

 

Any team news for you lot mate?
Something along the lines of Bale and VDV out for this one etc.

 

Tell us a virus is sweeping through the squad, nothing serious just enough for a few to miss say one game, do you want a list?

 

Really..that's impressive........................

 

Talc I'm both!

 

Not so impressive as the fact they have only won once in their last 6 visits to SOL

 

Yep that's a much better stat.......