Sunderland AFC

[Renz]

Today's game was crazy!!!!! I am still wondering how they lost the game...

How do they give up a goal on the last kick of the game? What is it about teams that wear red and white?

 

[SouthNZoneFan]

Man, that's a heartbreaker. I saw they were winning with 12 minutes left, and I thought it was in the bag. Ah, well. I wanted you guys to get a win, but at least we're still ahead of someone in the Premiership

I am not up totally with the rules in the Premiership but if you don't win a game by October 1st the other teams just take your shorts at the begining of the games and just point and laugh...right?

 

[Stout]

I am not up totally with the rules in the Premiership but if you don't win a game by October 1st the other teams just take your shorts at the begining of the games and just point and laugh...right?

Er...ask me that again if Newcastle wins today

 

[English on tour]

one word for it - gutted!

 

[Stout]

Well, due to injuries, we didn't look on top form for quite a while, but when the goals come...they come in bunches! All right. Only one point behind a falling Arsenal. Let's get it on, Toon Army!!!

 

[Stout]

How about Sunderland!?!?!? Well done, guys! Looks like you were outshot like mad, but you made them count. Plus you helped out the Magpies by beating Middlesbrough. Groovy! And on the road too. Congratulations, guys.

 

[Renz]

How about Sunderland!?!?!? Well done, guys! Looks like you were outshot like mad, but you made them count. Plus you helped out the Magpies by beating Middlesbrough. Groovy! And on the road too. Congratulations, guys.

What a great win! Ben must be beside himself.

Gives me hope that the Cardinals can win at Seattle.

 

[English on tour]

What a great win! Ben must be beside himself.

Gives me hope that the Cardinals can win at Seattle.

wwwwwwwwooooooooooooo hhhhhhhhhhhhhhooooooooooooooooooo!

oh yeah am i happy in a local derby game too! i think we were good enough to deserve the win (though our keeper had a mint game) the season starts here!

COME AND CARDS M A K E M Y D A Y

 

[Renz]

Sunderland vs West Ham is going to be on Fox Soccer Channel this Saturday.

 

[Stout]

Sunderland vs West Ham is going to be on Fox Soccer Channel this Saturday.

I would say go Hammers (I've always liked West Ham), but Sunderland needs to help the Magpies out by winning this one

 

[English on tour]

Sunderland vs West Ham is going to be on Fox Soccer Channel this Saturday.

cool - i am not sure if i am going to be at this one i usually go to the game with my dad and he cant make it so will prob just have to watch on Sky at home!

might see if i can twist Mrs English's arm to go with me!

i do like the west ham game as it bring out one of my fav songs from us...

You're only a poor little Hammer
you clothes are all tattered and torn
you came for a fight, so we set you alight
and now you wont come anymore.....

you're only a poor little hammer.....etc etc

 

[SouthNZoneFan]

cool - i am not sure if i am going to be at this one i usually go to the game with my dad and he cant make it so will prob just have to watch on Sky at home!

might see if i can twist Mrs English's arm to go with me!

i do like the west ham game as it bring out one of my fav songs from us...

You're only a poor little Hammer
you clothes are all tattered and torn
you came for a fight, so we set you alight
and now you wont come anymore.....

you're only a poor little hammer.....etc etc

Ben I am always willing to go to the game with ya. Especially if they are season passes and I just have to buy the pint and the pie during half time...

FYI...

 

[English on tour]

Ben I am always willing to go to the game with ya. Especially if they are season passes and I just have to buy the pint and the pie during half time...

FYI...

we have getting them game by game this year - or i would have let know!!

are you going to the Man Utd game this weekend? if so do you fancy meeting up for pre game pint or two?

let me know

 

[SouthNZoneFan]

You know what, I am leaving for the states on Saturday morning and I had to give away my ticket to the game. I paid my buddy for the ticket and then he got it back ...

But at least I will be in Phoenix so I can watch the NFL ticket and see some the Cardinals beat the Titans (check the Everything board)...

Thanks for the invite though... We will have to meet up soon though..

we have getting them game by game this year - or i would have let know!!

are you going to the Man Utd game this weekend? if so do you fancy meeting up for pre game pint or two?

let me know

 

[Renz]

Losing 4-1 at home to Pompey is a flippin' disgrace! It's beginning to look like relegation is a foregone conclusion.

 

[Renz]

Finally!

BLACK CATS BACK IN BUSINESS
By Tom Adams - Created on 21 Jan 2006

Sunderland claimed just their second win of the season to move 13 points shy of safety with a 1-0 win over West Brom.

The Black Cats are not yet into double figures for the campaign but kept their lingering hopes of a miracle comeback alive as a deflected goal meant Bryan Robson's team missed the chance to do their own hopes of avoiding the drop the world of good.

Sunderland followed a dismal first half by earning their rewards for an improved display when Anthony Le Tallec's shot was deflected in off Steve Watson on 72 minutes, and despite late pressure from the home side they held on for an incredibly rare, but deserved, three points.

An uninspiring first half saw a dearth of opportunities, and the best fell to the home side as Mick McCarthy's men struggled at The Hawthorns.

Former Birmingham midfielder Darren Carter was proving influential, and after chesting down a loose ball he saw an ambitious volley fly wide of the left hand post.

Steve Watson then headed wide, before great interplay from The Baggies saw Ronnie Wallwork given space to drive a low shot at goal - which Kelvin Davis tipped round at full-stretch after a gentle touch from Junichi Inamoto.

Carter suffered the ignominy of producing an air-shot on 25 minutes, and then sent a free-kick well over the bar, but the Baggies midfielder nearly opened up the visitor's defence eleven minutes later for the best chance of the half.

His chipped free-kick was taken down by Watson with Stead misjudging the flight of the ball, and the versatile star decided to pass to Nathan Ellington who fired over - although the former Everton man should perhaps have taken a shot himself.

Robson's men continued to probe down the left flank and Sunderland had Gary Caldwell to thank when the Scottish stopper cleared from under the bar after Martin Albrechtsen turned Julio Arca inside out on 40 minutes.

Tomas Kuszczak, who pulled off one of the saves of the season against Wigan, was left twiddling his thumbs throughout the first period as The Black Cats saw a woeful effort from Jonathan Stead before Tommy Miller skewed a shot wide after a neat one-two with Dean Whitehead.

As the first half petered to a close Ellington saw his header deflected wide after another Carter set-piece, but West Brom could not turn their dominance into an advantage in what was a poor advert for The Premiership.

Perhaps aware that a failure to win would all but end any lingering hopes of one of the most unlikely comebacks in Premiership history, Sunderland came out fighting in the early stages of the first half as Justin Hoyte let fly with a wayward effort.

Arca then should have put The Black Cats in front after Liam Lawrence's cross missed Le Tallec and found the Argentinian arriving in the box - however the wide-man could only steer the ball wide from eight yards out.

The Baggies looked rattled, but hit back with a quick break that saw Ellington twist and turn past Gary Breen before Whitehead denied him with a sliding tackle in the box.

The Duke looked in a predatory mood and after again avoiding the attentions of Breen he saw a fierce long rage effort gathered easily by Davis in the Sunderland goal.

However it was still Sunderland who looked the liveliest and Arca had a free-kick before Lawrence failed to get enough curl on the ball to test the Baggies keeper.

Robson sent on Geoff Horsfield in order to add more firepower to his attack, but the move backfired as Sunderland sent their fans into raptures with the crucial strike on 72 minutes.

Liam Lawrence robbed Darren Carter of possession on the right, with The Baggies appealing for a foul, and the midfielder found Le Tallec who cut inside Watson and saw his effort deflect in off the luckless defender.

West Brom began to lay siege to the Sunderland goal, and even introduced young striker Stuart Nicholson for his debut, but were unable to break through and Greening had a shot deflected wide in injury time as The Black Cats held on to prolong their hopes of avoiding the drop.

 

[Stout]

Good win for you, and much needed, but I don't think there's a prayer Sunderland survives. Heck, with all our injuries and controversy, I'm hoping Newcastle keeps clear of the relegation zone itself.

 

[English on tour]

was coming on here to post that we won - beaten to it

about time but all a bit to late. watched it in my local as it was on PPV over here (not an easy thing as the pub was all black and white on there way home from their game!)

skunks lost boro lost and we won - not a bad day

 

[Renz]

9 points out of a possible 72 after today's loss at West Ham. Man, that's bad.

I read an article saying that this Sunderland squad is the worst in the history of The Premiership. Hard to argue with that statement.

 

[Stout]

Well, I'm not terribly pleased with the disaster that's become Newcastle's season either. We're still hovering just above the relegation zone.

I wish Sunderland could have hung out in the Premiership, but they haven't a prayer.

 

[Stout]

Congrats, Black Cats! I was rooting for you to win this thing, but a draw is good too. Alas, it doesn't look possible to remain in the Premiership, but this at least was a good point!

 

[Renz]

Congrats, Black Cats! I was rooting for you to win this thing, but a draw is good too. Alas, it doesn't look possible to remain in the Premiership, but this at least was a good point!

Great result for the players and fans. Mick and the lads are going down fighting, they just don't have the talent to stay up.

 

[English on tour]

stuffed again last night - by craid bellamy of all people

why is Mic mc still in a job???

 

[Renz]

stuffed again last night - by craig bellamy of all people.

why is Mic mc still in a job???

The way I see it, Mick has proven that he can win in The Championship, so the club may as well keep him on next season and hopefully the Black Cats can get back to The Premiership in 2007-2008.

Then Mick should be fired.

 

[Stout]

The way I see it, Mick has proven that he can win in The Championship, so the club may as well keep him on next season and hopefully the Black Cats can get back to The Premiership in 2007-2008.

Then Mick should be fired.

The reason it's so difficult to stay up is because players of the quality that can win the Championship are not quite the level of players needed to field an even average team in the Premiership. I think criticism levelled at McCarthy is overly harsh. They still play hard, and that's about all you can expect out of them.