afar

I did the predictor yet again still have us down even winning both games. Down on GD, with the Mackems staying up, that last minute penalty today could cost us big time.

Gotta think that that injury time pen for Sunderland could be huge, damn the GD

With Villa winning at Watford, that tells you that we can write off games for Norwich and the Mackems against them, that's an easy 3 points, it also gives Villa a bit of confidence leading into our game. We have to win this and it really doesn't look likely on this first ohalf performance, gotta hope it gets better in the 2nd.

Need to get Cisse off and Mitro on at half time

Clueless and useless. Cannot wait for him to p*ss off. That's the one thing I don't get with Rafa, why he persists, think it's more down to him believing that Mitrovic is better coming off the bench against tired legs.

They look well up for this, not gonna win this one I think. That win in the Semi looks like it's given them a lift.

Did the predictor thing yet again,this time I was trying to be as optimistic with a sense of realism as I could. Having watch them today, something clear is that they have a strong defence, they aren't gonna lose many and in Defoe they will always have a goal threat. I think they will go the remainder of the season unbeaten, 1 win and 3 draws. That puts them on 37 points. I had Norwich and ourselves on 36, we have to win all three I'm afraid and lets face it that's not going to happen. The win I had for the Mackems was Everton at home, if Everton decide to show up, which is unlikely they may scrape a point from that, I guess, Chelsea could also steal the 3 points, having them only take a point at both Watford and Stoke is optimistic though, looking at the mental state of both those teams right now. This is torture, for the first time in a long time we can see light at the end of the dark long tunnel with Rafa here but that'll be put out if we don't somehow get out of this mess and it'll be back to employing idiots like Pardew, McLaren and Carver and giving them too much time to prove they are inept.

That was Sunderland's hardest fixture on paper and they took a point from it, they are staying up I am at a 9.999. Despite how great that comeback was yesterday and the great performance against Man City, we needed more than 2pts from them, we put ourselves into such a huge hole, no way out of it now.

They look pretty tight at the back, gotta hand to the Mackems, they've deserved this point, it's probably gonna be huge in the whole scheme of things, we've just left it much too late.

Kinda takes the gloss off the performance yesterday, it'll all be over if the Mackems get a goal in the next 10 mins.

Take a draw from this right now, least that keeps us alive, just don't see Arsenal helping us out here, typical of them really

Could really do with Arsenal winning by 5 or 6 too, to start eating in to that huge GD advantage the mackems have. But that's asking too much I guess, need them to beat the unwashed first. Just have a feeling it'll all go down to GD in the end.

If the mackems win tomorrow, it's as good as over imo. We simply have to take 9 pts from the last three games, even that may not be enough.

If Sunderland weren't in the form they are right now, I would be over the moon with this

It's a great result but I just feel it's not going top be enough, really needed a win

We've just been really unlucky getting Liverpool away right now, while Sunderland get the likes of Stoke, Watford and Everton, our own fault though for not winning the easier games earlier in the season but I think lady luck definitely shines on Sunderland this time of year.

It was a great finish by Sturridge TBH, not sure you can blame them too much, he's a quality player. They probably thought that letting him shoot from that range was fine, he just placed it brilliantly.

Bye bye PL

Looking at the fixtures again and the fact the mackems have teams like Stoke, Everton and Watford, who have clearly given up on the league this season, we have to win all 4 games to stay up I think and that relies on palace losing all theirs, don't see Sunderland getting less than 9 more points and with their gd advantage we won't catch them.

The next round of games I think could be crucial, if we can somehow better the results that both Norwich and the dirty stinkin Mackems get, then we've got a chance, if we lose and either one of them win I think we are toast.

With the Mackems superior GD and I honestly think it's them we have to catch as I don't see Norwich finishing above them, it may take more than one win from Man City, Liverpool and Spuds, assuming we win the games we should against Palace and Villa.

He was still s***, was completely skinned at one point, fortunate not to lead to a goal. Whatever division we play in next year an upgrade for LB is sorely needed. Don't think he was s*** at all tbh - Colback at LB against the mackems was s***, Anita playing there at Southampton was s*** and who can forget Aarons against Chelsea - Dummett is just solid but unspectacular. Solid is stretching it a bit, the guy is just plain average, he's the Mike Williamson of left backs, serviceable on occasion but will never take you anywhere, we let a far better player go, with a much higher ceiling just over a year ago for practically nothing. I agree though he is a lot better than the non left backs that he's had to put back there recently.

Honestly think RB is his best position, I know he wants to play in the but he's more suited for the RB role imo, needs to focus on it.

He was still shit, was completely skinned at one point, fortunate not to lead to a goal. Whatever division we play in next year an upgrade for LB is sorely needed.

All really hinges on Watford and Everton's attitudes over the next few weeks, games against both those FA semi finalists with nothing to play for in the league for our fellow strugglers has got to be a huge advantage for them. I worry that we've hit Man City and Liverpool are probably the worst time also, Villa away could be either a walk in the park because they've down tools or knowing our luck the pressure lifted they start to play better, simply have to beat Crystal Palace and possibly also Spuds to stand a chance, that's gonna be tough. I just did the predictor thing again and still have us to go down on 34 points. Sunderland to survive, and I think that's right of the bottom clubs they are the ones playing like they are gonna stay up, the jammy bastards always seem to rise at this time of year and appointed the perfect guy to keep them up. It'll be a sad state of affairs when both Boro and the Mackems are in the top flight next season and we are playing the likes of Burton Albion on a Friday night.