Sunderland ratings (13 Viewers)

[Grendel]

Get a grip lads. That was daylight robbery by Sunderland. We’re 1-0 down going into the next 90 minutes against a team we know we can beat. And Sunderland will be very nervous if we get the first goal. Onto Tuesday and a very iconic performance. We’ve been here before and got it done.

It was hardly daylight robbery

I thought our tactics were ok. The first leg you just don’t lose.

Again though we were punished for two terrible errors.

 

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[Evo1883]

This just isn’t true. The amount of times he had two or three runners off the back line and both fullbacks to hit in space and he passed it sideways was ridiculous.

I felt that grimes did his job and did it well , I thought sheaf and rudoni being off his game were the biggest issue in midfield

 

[DannyThomas_1981]

It was hardly daylight robbery

I thought our tactics were ok. The first leg you just don’t lose.

Again though we were punished for two terrible errors.

This happens in football at all levels. MVE is an elite player and in the conversation if we think about our best right backs in history. Not going to get tied up in the criticism of the team and individual errors when we have 90 minutes to turn this around. As MVE would say: ‘vamos.’

Bring on Tuesday - I believe in this team.

 

[Grendel]

I felt that grimes did his job and did it well , I thought sheaf and rudoni being off his game were the biggest issue in midfield

yeah he was great

 

[Ccfcisparks]

I still think we will get more joy in the away leg. I just can't see them employing the same tactics at home.

 

[Jimmy87]

I think we were too predictable all round unfortunately. Probably where we miss Torp who provides more creativity or Allen's busyness.

Yeah, we definitely miss Torp.

 

[Snaily]

Wilson 6
MVE 6
Thomas 6
Kitching 7
Da Silva 7
Grimes 8
Sheaf 6
Rudoni 8
Saka 7
BTA 5
Wright 5

 

[Diogenes]

Wilson 5

2 attempts at him, 2 goals conceded. Still, Collins would have also conceded both and thrown one into his own net for good measure. Small mercies and all that.

MVE 6

Did great all night and had some kind of brainfart. Always looking for space and raced back in his usual fashion to cover. Great assist.

JDS 7

I got laughed at for saying play him wide left with Bidwell at LWB and Haji in middle. Anyway, JDS got forward well and did his job at the back. Still think he’s a better advanced than defensive player.

Thomas 6

Thought he played the offside trap
Ok, just the Lino got it wrong. Still. Did ok.

Kitching 6

Should have made a meal out of being grabbed. Watch it back.

Grimes 7

Bossed the game but should have spotted through runs quicker instead of constantly looking to go wide. Watch back at how Torp cut through last time out by going through the lines.

Sheaf 5

You know when your iPhone goes down to 10% and switches to low power mode or whatever, Sheaf reminds me of a person in constant low power mode. A bit dim and less able to react. Even in the tunnel before gave he didn’t look fully charged. He’s the skipper - where’s the getting into the ear of the Ref? Where’s the rallying of the team? His attempt at goal when he had bags of time was hilarious. “Best stats in the blah blah at blah blah” is the line trotted out by the usual suspects on here. Look: his stats are good because he passes backwards, or, like last night he found a player in bags of space out wide. We turned down £8m for him? FFS. Anyway, he played poorly last night. Drop him next match and get Bidwell left and with the armband. JDS WM, Rudoni BBM with Grimes deep and EMC roving and probing as an AM. Worth a try.

Rudoni 8

Plus one for the goal. Busy. Got around well.

Wright 6

FFS he got walloped and kicked early on by some little bloke and ended up apologising to HIM. Haji, you look and sound like a 6foot4 LA gang member. START INTIMIDATING DEFENDERS. Anyway, did ok in parts, should have put himself about more.

BTA 6

He’s not a target man, he’s a race on to through balls at pace player. Crosses aren’t for him. Has the first touch of a bent 50p - could go anywhere. Mad choice.

Tats 7

Lively. Should have got at the lb more after the booking.

Subs

Can’t be bothered.

On JDS I agree. When he goes forward he doesn't look out of place he looks comfortable and the ball sticks to him and he can get a good cross in.

He'd have done a better job than Wright that's for sure.

 

[Adge]

We drop him though and put in the striker who hasn't scored since 15th Feb?

Who is the one striker who can pretty much win a game all by himself? It's Wright.

I am sure we will see a better Wright on Tuesday. If not, he's off.

But if Simms plays, I think you have to play Wright too. BTA struggled last night.

You mean like the 2 Sunderland strikers who hadn’t scored since God knows when.?

 

[Samo]

Some observations:

This was always going to happen, everyone was way too cocky.
Wright has the first touch of a warthog with it's boots on the wrong feet.
Sheaf couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo.
Rudoni must be getting a bad back from carrying our 'strikers'.

 

[shmmeee]

I felt that grimes did his job and did it well , I thought sheaf and rudoni being off his game were the biggest issue in midfield

He doesn’t hit forward passes early. We’ve seen he can drop balls over the back line for wingers and strikers to run onto and when he picks it up he has runners, he had Dasilva free of the left most of the first half and continually chose to play inside to Thomas or something instead. To be honest no one was really brave enough in their choices last night.

He’s a technically excellent player and some of the stuff he does he does really well, but I think saying he slows us down more than he should is fair comment.

 

[Evo1883]

He doesn’t hit forward passes early. We’ve seen he can drop balls over the back line for wingers and strikers to run onto and when he picks it up he has runners, he had Dasilva free of the left most of the first half and continually chose to play inside to Thomas or something instead. To be honest no one was really brave enough in their choices last night.

He’s a technically excellent player and some of the stuff he does he does really well, but I think saying he slows us down more than he should is fair comment.

Last night, Sunderland dropping 10 behind the ball slowed us down not matt grimes .

Lampard alluded to the fact that people think we can move the ball quicker but generally sheaf and rudoni being off their game had a much bigger impact on our game than anything .

When our midfield plays poorly , we generally play poorly as a team

 

[Major Tom]

Out of interest do we know who Sky gave MotM to?

 

[Evo1883]

Bad result , great photo