Let's talk about the Sunderland game

[selby]

  What would have been one of the best attended games of the season at the Keepmoat against a team we have never beaten in the few league games we have played against them in our long history Sunderland for the majority of that time mixing with far more exulted clubs than ourselves.
  The saying "how the mighty hath fallen" certainly could have been invented to describe their fall in the football world pecking order.
  Now the only visible difference between our clubs is the size of their magnificent stadium built to house far bigger fixtures than against ourselves, and a large but fast losing interest following of supporters the majority brought up on watching the cream of England's players  doing their thing every other week, and now having to suck up defeats from MK Dons and Mansfield Town on the bounce.
  Add the loss in the EFL trophy to Fleetwood and three on the bounce suggests a team well out of form, and to me DANGER as we have a long history of getting teams out of form back on the straight and narrow with a win against us.
  Hopefully not this time, and our enforced rest with the international break could mean that some of our injured players coming back into the fold just at the right time Richards and Hopefully Gomes will at least be in contention and the two loanee's might at last come back to the fold.
  One thing for certain it is a big game for both clubs, Sunderland will be hurting after being mostly the better side in reports v MK Dons but still lost, and we need a win to stay on the heels of the top sides not having a game this last weekend.
  We could as stated have a nice team selection problem with more senior players to select from, Sunderland who have up to Saturday had their best start to a league season in over 40 years will be desperate to show their fans the poor form is only temporary and remain unbeaten in away league fixtures their two defeats coming in home games.
  Having to agree to give the away team a number of free passes for home games according to historical attendances means this could be the game we lose the most money on during the league season, as Sunderland have always brought a big following in past games although there has been few of them.
   So, What is your take on the game?
   Are you expecting us to have a stronger squad with returning players?
   Can we at last get a league win v Sunderland?
   Will Will Griggs find the form V us that deserts him against everyone else?
   Like me, do you still consider a game v Sunderland one of THE fixtures of the season?
  Lot's of points to discuss about this game, please have your say, any Sunderland fans are always welcome to join in the banter.

[Campsall rover]

Should be a big advantage to us with Sunderland not having 4,000 fans in the North stand and North East which they would have had allocated.

So on this occasion the empty stadium may be more help to the home team and not the away one.

Let’s hope so any way. Really fancy us next week. But i don’t want to say too much on that front as it’s usually the kiss of death.

[tyke1962]

Just when you think Sunderland can't sink any lower they still find ways to do it .

On paper they appear to have a very competitive squad , Max Power , Will Grigg , Josh Scowen , Aiden O'Brien and Danny Graham amongst them .

There's a toxicity at that club that clearly runs deep and the shirt weighs heavy on the players .

I think your young lads will be well up for this and I'd expect you to win the game .

[selby]

  I don't know how we do it, it looks like a new takeover  of Sunderland will be announced shortly and all the excitement and expectancy of a new start and financial injection into the club will come to the fore.
  Already we have had to cope with the furore of Wimbledon's first game in their much  awaited new stadium which was an honour but a philip to their form, now this, from hating the owner to a new start, although the manager and his team maybe looking over their shoulder

[Campsall rover]

  I don't know how we do it, it looks like a new takeover  of Sunderland will be announced shortly and all the excitement and expectancy of a new start and financial injection into the club will come to the fore.
  Already we have had to cope with the furore of Wimbledon's first game in their much  awaited new stadium which was an honour but a philip to their form, now this, from hating the owner to a new start, although the manager and his team maybe looking over their shoulder

I don’t think that 1st match at their new stadium turned out to be an advantage to them Brian. Thought they looked a bit apprehensive to be honest.
We pretty much outplayed them for at least 70 mins & we should have won comfortably on the overall play. Goals win matches and Wimbledon took their 2 chances where as we missed most of ours.

[RoversAlias]

Also, their takeover appears to partially just be the same people in charge. I expect most of their fans are far more pessimistic about it all than anything else, especially with how things have gone for them the last few years.

Regardless, it will only come down to what our 11 players do against their 11 players. We can win this one if we are on it and have made the most of this fortnight without a game.

[selby]

  If the injured return to the squad we have a squad as strong as any in this division.  If we can get some consistency of performances going we can  challenge for the top six and hopefully more.

[selby]

  There is an interesting league table on the Sunderland Forum listing Division 1 sides according to the average age of their playing squads.
  Sunderland have the second oldest average age squad in the division with the Rovers with Coppinger and Butler included the sixth youngest side.
  Naturally their supporters fancy them to put one over us this coming weekend which in fairness history of past results back up, although myself I am going for a home win its time we had a little luck against them and also a break from a referee that has always deserted us against them.
 

[Campsall rover]

  There is an interesting league table on the Sunderland Forum listing Division 1 sides according to the average age of their playing squads.
  Sunderland have the second oldest average age squad in the division with the Rovers with Coppinger and Butler included the sixth youngest side.
  Naturally their supporters fancy them to put one over us this coming weekend which in fairness history of past results back up, although myself I am going for a home win its time we had a little luck against them and also a break from a referee that has always deserted us against them.
 

We can definitely win this one. I am sure DM, AB & the players will be confident they can as well.

[Alan Southstand]

JJ is back I believe, but may not be risked this Saturday. Tulloch still at West Brom!

I havn’t seen any news or updates on Gomes, either. Anyone?

[selby]

  A good strengthening of the bench in a critical area  though Alan and He will most likely get a run out in the latter stages.

[Alan Southstand]

The way DFP have reported it, he’ll not be on the bench:

John-Jules is not expected to be available for selection this weekend as Rovers host Sunderland as boss Darren Moore will exercise caution on his recovery and seek to build him back up to match fitness.

[selby]

  Interest switched to who will be our keeper Jones who probably deserves a chance, or a new loan player.
  One way or another actually getting the 11 starters right each week is as hard as the lottery, will Darren trust Jones enough to be our No1 or will he want an already experienced keeper with Jones as back up?
 

[NickDRFC]

  Interest switched to who will be our keeper Jones who probably deserves a chance, or a new loan player.
  One way or another actually getting the 11 starters right each week is as hard as the lottery, will Darren trust Jones enough to be our No1 or will he want an already experienced keeper with Jones as back up?
 

I don’t understand this post, is Bursik the “new loan player ” and the “already experienced keeper”?

Edit - ignore me! Just seen the Bursik thread, d’oh!

[Donnywolf]

Should be a big advantage to us with Sunderland not having 4,000 fans in the North stand and North East which they would have had allocated.

So on this occasion the empty stadium may be more help to the home team and not the away one.

Let’s hope so any way. Really fancy us next week. But i don’t want to say too much on that front as it’s usually the kiss of death.

We seem to like the Ref on Rate the Ref so he might not give the big Team the advantage as happened at SOL the minute before they opened the scoring

Then Ozturk - thank god hes gone - "rode Andy Butler" for about 5 yards in the area for as blatant a Penalty as we have seen but not seen given

Then Ozturk caught the upfield Ball in the Centre circle as 2 or 3 Rovers players ran past him and would have been in on goal but he had caught and then put the ball down at Keepmoat

We had muppet refs on both those occasions and huge crowds there and 4000 of them here so this time Mr Busby keep it neutral and we might have a chance

[Alan Southstand]

So, in summary, no Gomes, Bursik, John-Jules or Taylor. And Tulloch had suffered a setback during his recovery so won’t be with us for a while longer. At least it makes the selection for the first 11 that much easier! Four of those 5 would have been in the squad this Saturday, if they were fit and ready to play.

It’s to be hoped that Amos, Ravenhill and Smith all come back ok.

[selby]

  With 5 subs allowed this weekend it becomes a different game with the option of introducing tactical changes before half time a tactic that has been used in European games with success.

[IDM]

JJ is back I believe, but may not be risked this Saturday. Tulloch still at West Brom!

I havn’t seen any news or updates on Gomes, either. Anyone?

Have a look at the DFP website - both JJ and Gomes are almost ready but perhaps not risked this weekend.  Tayls seems similar - DM not wanting to risk him just yet.

The only uncertain injury for a longer period seems to be Tulloch.

[graingrover]

Liam Hoden
@liamhoden
Regulations for the signing of goalkeepers on emergency loans state the player coming in must start matches they are available for during their stay. So the new signing for Rovers will start against Sunderland and Blackpool #drfc

[Alan Southstand]

Since you’ve quoted that, IDM, I’ve added a summary - see above.

[selby]

 Just when I was cursing the fact that the screen had not gone black for this game we get an equaliser,and I feel that wearing a mask all week helped us rob a point.
 Not complaining about the point we have been the wrong end of games like that lot's of times, but we really got away with one there.
 The performance was poor, our ball retention was pathetic but Sunderland made heavy weather of really threatening our goal the keeper and back four defending well, Anderson and Wright  with haliday playing very well backed up  by John who made a terrific clearance, all kudos to the defence who were only beaten by a worldy.
 Going forward we were terrible for the most part and hopefully a one off.

[selby]

  Not much has been said about our Keeper today, I thought he had a good debut myself and looked very composed.

[scawsby steve]

  Not much has been said about our Keeper today, I thought he had a good debut myself and looked very composed.

Lots of good comments about him in the Joe Lumley thread, including praise from myself.

[Pancho Regan]

So sweet to steal a point at the death.

If only we’d been in a packed Keepmoat to savour that 93rd-minute robbery and shove it up the 4,500 Mackems.

My usual 2-hour drive home would have been well worth it.
As it is, the three second stroll from the TV room to the kitchen with a wry smile on my face will do.