Stottie

Mostly blameless for yesterday, especially since he didn't want Colo. I'm not sure if we managed 20 attempts total in the first six games. That was our worst result of the season, but maybe best just to forget about it. Stick the ref's face on a dartboard, give all the lads a turn, and move on. (pink is the goals. The bigger the box, the better the chance)

A competent ref would have stopped the game after the Fletcher barge on Ayoze about four minutes in. It was late and a borderline yellow but more importantly, already their third foul. It was clearly the way they were set up to play. In that situation, the referee has to stop it. I don't particularly like rugby the sport, and effing hate rugger buggers and all their "drink a bucket of puke" public school type initiations, but that sport is so much more better run than football. Their review system for big incidents is brilliant.

If the ref is going to gift the game to the opposition every week, we are genuinely ferked. If not, our attacking players at least are looking okay.

It can go on forever if we keep getting bent refs. Colo is shit but that wasn't a red card. With the Manchester derby and a Liverpool game to come, don't expect any serious debate about it.

I expected some grade A trolling from Fatso in their dugout and the usual clowns on Sky but for the referee to join in as well truly takes the piss. It's only one game, so ferk it, forget about it. At least they've tried about five times more than they ever did under Pardew.

11 - 5 on fouls to them but we're winning on cards

All too predictable goal from a corner, admittedly after multiple injustices.

Unlucky Mitro on that chance, btw. Fantastic turn and great composure given the situation. Keep doing that and he'll score loads.

10 vs. 15 if you count Sky coverage.

Easily still in this. Even at 10 vs. 12.

That might be a penalty but it is definitely not a red card. It's going through to the keeper.

Disappointed to see Tiote in there, but pleased it's Dummett to counter the expected FSA aerial threat. Overall, just happy to see what they can do without the self-imposed shackles we've seen in recent years. A lot can happen, but our attacking players are easily good enough to cause them problems.

With the injuries to City, Arsenal are increasingly looking a good shout. They're managing without the top-level striker it looked like they needed. They're doing really well defensively, and though the common narrative may give the credit to Coquelin, it might be the confidence of having Cech behind that is key. For what Arsenal have gained, and Chelsea have ended up with, it's looking like transfer of the summer.

None of their 5 strikers have scored a goal. Front. Foot. Football. His fantastic tactics have just given Leicester their first clean sheet of the season in a game decided by an error by a big man at the back. It's starting to look oh so familiar.

Ha ha! Hangeland channeling his inner Willo. Vardy scores again!

They'll give us Niall Quinn commentating, with Kevin Phillips and Souness (supposedly on our side) in the studio. Waddle on Five Live as the "alternative" commentary.

Dummett over Haidara for me for aerial ability. It's Sunderland's best hope. That and turning into a kicking fest. I think our attacking players have enough to score against them without help from LB. Janmaat can do his usual thing from RB because his end product is far better than what we'll get from LB.

It was Papiss off the bench last year! I can see Cattermole, Larsson, Fletcher, etc. being majorly on the wind up, so our players need to be thoroughly warned and keep their heads. I definitely wouldn't play Tiote because he's an easy target for any "stamp my authority on this" refereeing. Some calculated pre-match comments about how difficult it is for the officials in derbies and how we want to go out and play open football mightn't go a miss. A comment about their goalscorers always running into the crowd and never getting punished as about ten of them run on the pitch wouldn't be a bad idea either.

After the 6-2, not much point in talking about teams and formations. The only difference could be Tiote or at LB. Instead its about approach and tactics. Top priority is not conceding one from a header at a corner. Maybe do some homework on set pieces Fatty used at West Ham. He'll know its a big weakness for us and a fancy one was the chance they showed on MOTD for the mackems against WBA. For that reason, I hope Dummett can play and McClaren can use Mitrovic defensively. They'll probably try and wind Mitro up, so tell him to remember he's needed at both ends of the pitch. Aside from the should-be-obvious poor so far in attack and defence like us, some basic stats for them are 3 out of 8 scored from set pieces, fourth top in aerial duels won per game (we're bottom), second most yellows, bottom in crosses per game (Norwich were fourth top), and fifth top in long balls (Watford top). The style of play may well change from now with FSA though. From the numbers, they don't sound like the type of team who can get joy down the sides like Norwich did, but its all to easy to see Fletcher bullying Colo if they do.

I asked it earlier in the thread, and apologies if someone answered without me seeing, but it appears that the last time we scored two goals timed as two minutes apart was in the Championship. We never managed it once under Pardew. The second of the two was the Gini hat-trick goal where we had three players waiting to get on the cross. Keep doing that and you'll keep scoring.

Just about the defence, but the Bassong chance and the Janmaat penalty shout would be my biggest concern. We are clearly vulnerable to set pieces, and probably give away more free kicks in promising areas that we should.

I thought it was Colonel Sanders with his magic recipe.

Yeah, and apologies if someone has made the point, but when was the last time we scored two in two minutes? I can't remember it happening for a long time.

Gini hattrick! Amazing!

Fantastic goal. Get in Mitro!