Match Thread Coventry v Sunderland Championship Playoff 1st Leg Friday 9th May (89 Viewers)

[SkyBlueStallion_89]

I was saying the other day that I'm not sure how much of sunderlands recent results have been because "they're on the beach" as much as they've just been found out tactically.

Thing is first half of the season they were flying but second half of the season they drop off massively so I think a combination of being found out tactically as their manager has no plan B, fatigue as they've got no squad depth and the fact they've had 4th sown up for months.

Bellingham/Rigg/Neil have pretty much played the whole season, Mepham/ O'Nob has been the first choice pairing all season pretty much so their play has become stale, slow and pedestrian an their fans aren't very confident.

Thing is you can't just flip a switch between the first half of the season and the second, don't get me wrong it'll be tough but you just can't play like Cardiff City for months on end then become Leeds Untied for a few games it's impossible, it's like if your best player is destroying teams singlehandedly then gets injured for 3/4 weeks then comes back then you wouldn't expect him to hit those levels straight away, he can't flip a switch and start destroying teams again he needs time , same principle applies to form especially theirs and they have lost 5 in a row and been shite for months before that run.

 

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[BUSA]

 

[Marty]

Their manager done the same thing last year, couldn't get his teams up for the second half of the season, very much Mowbray-esque.

 

[skybluelee]

Since Lampard took over:

Cov P29 Pts 52
Sun P29 Pts 43

Sunderland 4 goals in their last 10., 5 defeats on the trot.

I'm not quite sure why the bookies have Sunderland as marginal favourites to win the tie.

 

[Corrado]

Since Lampard took over:

Cov P29 Pts 52
Sun P29 Pts 43

Sunderland 4 goals in their last 10., 5 defeats on the trot.

I'm not quite sure why the bookies have Sunderland as marginal favourites to win the tie.

They dont...

Cov 27/20 Sun 23/10 on B365

 

[Corrado]

They dont...

Cov 27/20 Sun 23/10 on B365

Ah sorry the Tie... I was just looking at Friday

 

[Alex1987]

Won't be as easy as people perhaps think. They're not going to come at us like in March, and if they've done their homework they won't come at us needing a win like WBA and Boro did.

PO first legs are notoriously tight, think a 1 goal win would be great, but would love 2.

 

[Great_Expectations]

Based on confidence levels of the respective teams, their form and the last time they came here, if we score early I can see us getting a few.

The longer it goes on, the more they’ll grow in confidence, whereas if we score early I think mentally it’ll be massive.

 

[lord_garrincha]

Based on confidence levels of the respective teams, their form and the last time they came here, if we score early I can see us getting a few.

The longer it goes on, the more they’ll grow in confidence, whereas if we score early I think mentally it’ll be massive.

Even if it's a case of scoring from our first half decent chance, it might give them 'here we go again' vibes!

 

[covcity4life]

Think lampard is spot on when he says we have to expect the best Sunderland. Not the ones that have been stuck in 4th place with nothing much to play for so to speak

Have to remember they were in the autos race for a while

 

[Sky_Blue_Daz]

Get into them early , kill them off by 70 minutes

 

[HJones23]

I would imagine the team talk will be go for the throat early and win the tie tonight. If fit, EMC and a fired up BTA could really turn the screw, just hope we don't let them off with a couple of goals like we did last time or with Boro.

 

[Mcbean]

a 3-0 at the CBS would be a good start - get behind the lads as Saturday and roar and sing Kylie to Victory - hopefully Frank will buzz them up as per Saturday and get a good start position for Tuesday

 

[Gibbo]

Sorted mate, cheers, bit of a senior moment

It was not very intuitive. Took me a couple of go's

 

[Offhegoes]

Can't see Frank changing the starting X1. BTA will be a fantastic option off the bench, but he hasn't started a game for a long time. Simms is not firing but he'll tire out their CB's and then we can introduce BTA. Would be tempted by Dasilva for Bidwell, as Jay was fantastic against WBA. Bidwell had a good game on Saturday though, so probably deserves to keep the shirt.

 

[SIR ERNIE]

I'm not quite sure why the bookies have Sunderland as marginal favourites to win the tie.

Cov odds against to qualify widely available is actually a great bet.

 

[alexccfc99]

Sunderland players on the lash ahead of Friday

 

[Sky_Blue_Daz]

£10 on Sakamoto first goal city to win 3-1 please Mr Ladbrooks

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

£10 on Sakamoto first goal city to win 3-1 please Mr Ladbrooks

They’ve stopped taking each way bets on Kitching first goal.

 

[Macca]

Anybody who thinks the next 180 mins of football isn't going to be unadulterated hell hasn't supported City for long

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Anybody who thinks the next 180 mins of football isn't going to be unadulterated hell hasn't supported City for long

210 mins plus penalties*

 

[bukayosakamoto]

BTA has to start ahead of Simms for me

 

[Jcap]

I’d be tempted to start him on the left and put Wright back through the middle based on the Boro game.

 

[Flying Fokker]

a 3-0 at the CBS would be a good start - get behind the lads as Saturday and roar and sing Kylie to Victory - hopefully Frank will buzz them up as per Saturday and get a good start position for Tuesday

What about Friday?

 

[SIR ERNIE]

BTA has to start ahead of Simms for me

Has to start with the same line up as Saturday.

He might have found the perfect role for BTA. High energy impact sub when defenders are tiring.

 

[clint van damme]

Has to start with the same line up as Saturday.

He might have found the perfect role for BTA. High energy impact sub when defenders are tiring.

Reading between the lines of Lampards interview I wouldn't be surprised if Thomas doesn't start both legs.
If so which one does he drop out for?

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Reading between the lines of Lampards interview I wouldn't be surprised if Thomas doesn't start both legs.
If so which one does he drop out for?

If he only plays one, play him at home to go for the best result. I’d rather go to Sunderland not needing a result without Thomas than to go there needing a win with him.

 

[TomRad85]

Reading between the lines of Lampards interview I wouldn't be surprised if Thomas doesn't start both legs.
If so which one does he drop out for?

Start the best team available at home and hope to take a lead there imo.

 

[clint van damme]

If he only plays one, play him at home to go for the best result. I’d rather go to Sunderland not needing a result without Thomas than to go there needing a win with him.

He may play in both, but he said he'd come back quickly and they'd have to manage it.

I thought maybe he meant he wouldn't do much training but he went on to say no one will be doing much training so that suggested to me that other measure would be taken to protect Thomas.

I could have got it completely wrong!

 

[covcity4life]

If Thomas is fit for first leg I would imagine he would play both personally.

He's had close to a week from last game. Lampard said he had cramp in the calf?

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

He may play in both, but he said he'd come back quickly and they'd have to manage it.

I thought maybe he meant he wouldn't do much training but he went on to say no one will be doing much training so that suggested to me that other measure would be taken to protect Thomas.

I could have got it completely wrong!

You are probably right as he heavily suggested we’d throw everyone vaguely fit into the squad for Middlesbrough. If we go up to Sunderland defending a 2 goal lead or better I’d trust Latibeaudiere for the game.

 

[clint van damme]

You are probably right as he heavily suggested we’d throw everyone vaguely fit into the squad for Middlesbrough. If we go up to Sunderland defending a 2 goal lead or better I’d trust Latibeaudiere for the game.

He had a decent game up there in November

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

He had a decent game up there in November

In midfield no less

 

[SkyBlueSoul]

FINALLY

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

2500 allocation is a bit miserly