Theregulars

My comfortable prediction is that you’ll both watch the match

To be honest I don’t read their forum so you might well be right, but certainly this is a protected space where people sometimes come to (put blandly) be negative about Sunderland as a place (as they should be, it’s a vile city) and a team (who are undeniably playing / doing surprisingly well this season). I don’t wish them well at all but I do think their players and manager deserve the praise they’re getting. I think one can transcend the tribalism to make that observation without it being controversial.

Is that not kind of what this place is in some ways…?

I think Hall’s performance against Benfica demands a start, he was fucking sensational

They’ve had a significantly easier start but if you’re comparing opponents they looked much better than us against Arsenal. I don’t think they look quicker.

Think sometimes you’ve just go to give credit where it’s due, they’ve been a great addition to the league and look like they belong here. They seem to have invested well and found a suitable manager. Xhaka and Roefs on early evidence look like masterstrokes, and I’m not sure of the lad’s name but their number 6 is really impressive. What impressed me today is that I thought their midfield would be given the run-around by Rice, Zubimendi and Eze, but I think they at least held their own. That’s impressive. I am desperate for our respective form to switch places before the derby, but whatever happens between now and then they’re going to be rabid and it’s going to be a horrible fixture to navigate. I think Howe will be dedicating extra time to planning that particular fixture as he understands the significance. Reckon Woltemade will score a legend-making goal against them.

I think we’re going to change formation or playing style to accommodate both wissa and woltemade, personally. They’re too (a) different and (b) (theoretically) complementary not to at least be tempted, surely. I’d love us to try a 4-2-3-1 for a few games with those two involved, think we could pass and move a few teams to death and it would bring out the best in Woltemade (and stop teams double teaming him as is currently happening).

I’m gagging for Howe to pick Hall. Away games after CL fixtures are always tricky, especially when the home team isn’t in Europe and have generally played fewer games. I don’t think we’ve yet learned how to / are yet good enough as a squad to win away by “managing” games - keeping it tight, having focused periods of energy, retain possession for long spells. It’s still really new (literally first time we’ve had a squad with notional depth), and not being able to rotate up front isn’t helping (I think big Nick looks a bit tired, which is completely understandable). I think what I’m trying to belch out is that there are really good current reasons we look slow and off-it away currently. I don’t think we can do much else until the fixture congestion eases. I also think there is / will be an element of transition this season, and while we’ve not had it too bad on the injury front there have constantly been a few which have limited options (wissa) and playing style (full backs).

Hairstyle

Karma is absolutely rimming the striking strikers!

Quite like his hair tbh

Thought we scored at two very important times. They’re a well-coached side, in the first half they boxed tonali and pressed us really well. You can tell they’re experienced European competitors. In my view we played some lovely stuff sometimes, defended really well and scored two mint goals, but they had their chances and missed 2 free headers. Good win, not sure where the misery about the performance comes from, I enjoyed my evening’s entertainment next to king prontonise

Yeh he just looked sad, wasn’t nice.

I agree. I’m not going to criticise Howe as it’s not worth the bother and it’s not yet fair but for a reason that I don’t understand we look consistently grim away from home

Just don’t think we’re nearly as good without Isak. He was a real get out of jail free card. That was comprehensively not good enough and it’s got to the stage where you can’t see where a win away from home is coming. The players look so meek and timid when they don’t have 50,000 geordies egging them on. They’ve got to be better than that.

Total Shittens

James getting booked for being badly fouled is interesting.

Wolves in freefall. You’d imagine the trap door is being prepared for Wetherspoons Vitor

Reality of being run by Americans.

Good old mahruazi

When was the last time they took the knee at SJP before today?

That you’re a racist?

I’ll play on. Your suggestion is valuable - I’ve lived in the UK, the States, Spain and Singapore. Where should I go next to broaden my horizons to understand that anti-racist gestures are discriminatory?

You come across as a racist, tho.

These bastard smaller clubs, eh Arne