***Sunderland v City Official Match Thread***

[Mase]

Baldy changes a winning. Team and there you have it - against Sunderland’s second string !

Be grateful we got the draw Carl, FFS what's wrong with you!

[PeterParker]

I just dont understand why baldi had to tinker with line up???????

Because "Savinho is going to play a lot of minutes. He's going to play with us."

[Outcast]

Baldy changes a winning. Team and there you have it - against Sunderland’s second string !

Be grateful we got the draw Carl, FFS what's wrong with you!

Why can't the usual suspects call it out for what it is, shit performance shit result. Always sguar coating it.

[carolina-blue]

sly sports show Leeds offside goal but not ours ??

[Nickyboy]

It wasn't our best performance of the season but we should have scored at least 2 and we still kept a clean sheet.

We've got 9 matches in January so we can't play the same team every match, it's just not feasible.

They defended for their lives in that second half and the keeper made some good saves. We were average, they were playing at 110%.

Only 4 points behind at the half way point in the season. Just have to make sure we take all 3 points on Sunday and keep the pressure on.

[Indianablue]

I just dont understand why baldi had to tinker with line up???????

Because "Savinho is going to play a lot of minutes. He's going to play with us."

Savinho wasnt the issue.
He fucked about with his defence again starting the slower and shorter Ake against a fast physical team. Khusanov should have started as a counter to their pace and physicality. Nunes is weak against physical pacy teams and to be honest , they ran the midfield until Rodri and Gvardiol came on. Doku might have been better starting but the kid worries me as he trips himself up alot.
Foden and Cherki were quiet also Haaland apart from his missed sitter he was weak. Our players just dont look fit compared to these 'lesser' teams full of African warriors. Good to see Rodri back is the only positive from tonight. 2 points lost. Always going to be a tough game but we weren't at it tonight

[Nick]

Haaland was a lazy moaning dick

[PeterParker]

I just dont understand why baldi had to tinker with line up???????

Because "Savinho is going to play a lot of minutes. He's going to play with us."

Savinho wasnt the issue.
He fucked about with his defence again starting the slower and shorter Ake against a fast physical team. Khusanov should have started as a counter to their pace and physicality. Nunes is weak against physical pacy teams and to be honest , they ran the midfield until Rodri and Gvardiol came on. Doku might have been better starting but the kid worries me as he trips himself up alot.
Foden and Cherki were quiet also Haaland apart from his missed sitter he was weak. Our players just dont look fit compared to these 'lesser' teams full of African warriors. Good to see Rodri back is the only positive from tonight. 2 points lost. Always going to be a tough game but we weren't at it tonight

Khusanov is out of his grace. He should fuck off for the sake of his career.

[Dub City]

Not saying he was the worst player but I’m sure anyone watching tonight’s performance won’t be rushing with a transfer offer for Ake. Yes he’s short of games but he looks so slow and uncomfortable on the ball. Would have far preferred see Khusmanov get the start if Gvardiol needed a rest tonight against a physical side.

Shit performance from the majority. I’m struggling to see what the captain brings to the team at either end of the pitch. Yes he runs all game, but it’s usually quite slowly and to little effect. He has been a great player for us but I think leaving in the summer is the right decision for everyone , when Rodri is fit I don’t see Bernardo should be staying many games other than when others need a rest.

[dave watson's perm]

Baldy changes a winning. Team and there you have it - against Sunderland’s second string !

Be grateful we got the draw Carl, FFS what's wrong with you!

Yes, we were in Division 3 not that long ago, etc

[Pretty Boy Lee]

Was it the worst performance? No.

Should we have won? Definitely. My main complaint is how often the attacking runner had to stop and wait for help which results in backwards pass and the low block getting back in position. I don’t see how we can’t attack at the same pace they get back at. It’s mind boggling.

[john@staustell]

I'm happy with a point there. Sure we should have won toward the end, which is always the plan, but Donna Summer kept us in it once or twice.

I thought Rodders looked a bit more like his usual self, although rusty and heavier. Last time he came back he just didn't seem to function at all.

Khusanov's turn will come again. He's quick but he ain't Messi, or even Nunes, with the ball. Don't get this 'he should fuck off' every time someone is left out of a team. Ridiculous

As is slagging the team off for a tough away draw after 9 wins or whatever

[Mase]

Baldy changes a winning. Team and there you have it - against Sunderland’s second string !

Be grateful we got the draw Carl, FFS what's wrong with you!

Yes, we were in Division 3 not that long ago, etc

We used to have a team of 11 shit players now we just have 2 that are shit.

[salford city]

I'm happy with a point there. Sure we should have won toward the end, which is always the plan, but Donna Summer kept us in it once or twice.

I thought Rodders looked a bit more like his usual self, although rusty and heavier. Last time he came back he just didn't seem to function at all.

Khusanov's turn will come again. He's quick but he ain't Messi, or even Nunes, with the ball. Don't get this 'he should fuck off' every time someone is left out of a team. Ridiculous

As is slagging the team off for a tough away draw after 9 wins or whatever

Pretty much what I would have written. The big dog back and looking much better than his previous appearance. Need to take our chances in games with 11 behind the ball and we didn't . On to chelsea and the next game in a very busy month

[carl_feedthegoat]

Is Savinho out injured for a few months ?
Can someone please make my day by telling me that’s true ?

[PeterParker]

Khusanov's turn will come again. He's quick but he ain't Messi, or even Nunes, with the ball. Don't get this 'he should fuck off' every time someone is left out of a team.

He should fuck off for his own sake. Imagine starting to play, excellent performances on the right, he gets injured (we don't know exactly what happened) then comes back to see Nunes played again on the right because Pep needs to make a point. When he played as a RB he looked a natural, better than Nunes will ever be in that position.

At the moment he is a 40 mil liability. Either start playing him or fuck him off.

I am ok with rotation of the squad, I think that is the key on winning trebles/quadruples etc, but keep a settle eleven in the run in at the end. But to be able to rotate that, you need to have players that will come in and make a difference. Quality players.
Doku did that yesterday, Sav didn't. Ake played and almost cost us the game at the end, like everyone predicted.

Like someone said a few days: we are still riding our own luck when there are still a lot of things we have to solve.

[salford city]

Is Savinho out injured for a few months ?
Can someone please make my day by telling me that’s true ?

He's not winning many friends on here. I think(?) I saw a shot of him on the bench with his ear ring in. Pissed me off, shouldn't have done but just annoyed the fuck out of me. Priorities I guess. On a serious nore, if he is injured, he will be staying

[Sparklehorse]

Three thing from this game for me. The pitch is a fucking embarrassment for a premier league club and the uneven surface is just not conducive to a possession side like us. I really find it hard to fathom why Savinho is in our set up, apparently he’s only ever scored one PL goal according to the commentators last night, who incidentally were wanking themselves stupid over Sunderland. He is absolutely fucking useless, I have zero confidence in him scoring ever and people talk about his assists, I could get assists in that team and I’m 64 and have one leg. The frustration is that pep keeps playing him and I just cannot fathom why, he doesn’t deliver and never has and the best predictor of the future is the past. Thirdly and the most positive aspect of last night is Rodri, he was fucking brilliant and is the reason we were so much better in the second half, our performance immediately went up a couple of notches with him on the pitch, he looked sharp and fit and will be the difference if he remains so, fingers crossed. It was just not our night, we created chances, every time the ball went anywhere near the Viking they just snuffed him out and you have to give them credit for that, some nights the ball just won’t go in. Hey ho, Chelsea next at home…..we will win.

[Mase]

O'Reilly's worst game for us with Ake next to him and Savio in front of him..... Wake up Pep.

[sheblue]

Ake had a good game last night. Considering he has played very little, he did well.
O Reilly needs a rest, that was clear after the Forest game. Exactly same with Nico G.
Kushanov, shouldn't 'fuck off' as its obvious the lad has a big future with us, he is raw and needs time (doku got 2 years!).
I would like to see josko stay at left back for now.
Great to see the sublime Rodri back, nearly forgot how good he is.
I was very annoyed at haalands performance last night, hopefully its a slump and he's better Sunday, but looked woeful last night.