*** Sunderland v Champions - Official Match Thread ***

[AG7]

If there was one fixture over this busy period that I was slightly worried about earlier, it was this one ... now watching how Sunderland are playing this season, I think Norwich away will be tougher than this one ...

The two biggest questions for today are ... will Kompany return? and ... will Aguero/Tevez stay on up front or will Mancini shuffle again?

Team news coming in a little over 2 hours ... but here's what I'd like to see (in no way is this a prediction as I know this won't be it):

Hart
Zaba - Kompany - Nasti - Clichy
Barry - Milner
Silva - Yaya - Tevez
Aguero

Score Prediction: 0-2 or 1-3 win for us; a clean sheet will be nice, but an early goal or two will be even nicer!

[MR IMAINEROAD]

I like that.

An early goal would do my ulcer the power of good.

[City64]

Any sort of win will do and 3 points.

NOT a lucky ground for us this !

Stretford are rattled but somehow have been given back to back HOME fixtures whilst we have back to back AWAY fixtures !!!!!!!

[s1ty m]

If there was one fixture over this busy period that I was slightly worried about earlier, it was this one ... now watching how Sunderland are playing this season, I think Norwich away will be tougher than this one ...

The two biggest questions for today are ... will Kompany return? and ... will Aguero/Tevez stay on up front or will Mancini shuffle again?

Team news coming in a little over 2 hours ... but here's what I'd like to see (in no way is this a prediction as I know this won't be it):

Hart
Zaba - Kompany - Nasti - Clichy
Barry - Milner
Silva - Yaya - Tevez
Aguero

Score Prediction: 0-2 or 1-3 win for us; a clean sheet will be nice, but an early goal or two will be even nicer!

Would also like to see this side, but as he went with Barry and Garcia at home to the bottom of the league, I doubt it will happen.

[Beefymcfc]

Any sort of win will do and 3 points.

NOT a lucky ground for us this !

Stretford are rattled but somehow have been given back to back HOME fixtures whilst we have back to back AWAY fixtures !!!!!!!

It's not just the away fixtures it's the location as well. 3 hours to Sunderland and 5 hours to Norwich, all over a busy period. If it's a coach move we're looking at nearly a day just travelling. It's got to have an affect on the team when there's only 2 days between games, followed by a tough game against Stoke. That's when it will really hit us.

[mr_nool]

Yeah, the schedule ahead is very tough. The Canaries are in form and Stoke are always hard to beat. Three points would be very welcome today.

Unfortunately I will ave to record the game and watch it later tonight since we're celebrating boxing day with relatives.

[AG7]

Fact (to share with the rags over Christmas :)

Joe Hart + Pablo Zabaleta + Vincent Kompany + Gael Clichy = £20m.
Phil Jones = £20m.

[Dunnylad]

It's not just the away fixtures it's the location as well. 3 hours to Sunderland and 5 hours to Norwich, all over a busy period. If it's a coach move we're looking at nearly a day just travelling. It's got to have an affect on the team when there's only 2 days between games, followed by a tough game against Stoke. That's when it will really hit us.

The players spent Christmas Day in Newcastle so travelling fatigue shouldn't be a problem today

[Dubciteh]

Fact (to share with the rags over Christmas :)

Joe Hart + Pablo Zabaleta + Vincent Kompany + Gael Clichy = £20m.
Phil Jones = £20m.

I dont think i would go down that road mate, they could give hundereds of examples in there favor too!

We owe these bastards after they robbed us twice in the last two years with undeserved goals in the last min, the players should be made watch the last two matches away to these and that should be motivation enough for them!!

[Sideshow Bob]

no AJ for them today?

[steveo_88]

no AJ for them today?

Ate too much yesterday, drank too much or still not fit?

[DoomMerchant]

It's not just the away fixtures it's the location as well. 3 hours to Sunderland and 5 hours to Norwich, all over a busy period. If it's a coach move we're looking at nearly a day just travelling. It's got to have an affect on the team when there's only 2 days between games, followed by a tough game against Stoke. That's when it will really hit us.

The players spent Christmas Day in Newcastle so travelling fatigue shouldn't be a problem today

Fantastic. I'm sure xmas day in Newcastle was been a dream most of our foreign players thought they'd never, ever get a chance to realize.

cheers

[Beefymcfc]

It's not just the away fixtures it's the location as well. 3 hours to Sunderland and 5 hours to Norwich, all over a busy period. If it's a coach move we're looking at nearly a day just travelling. It's got to have an affect on the team when there's only 2 days between games, followed by a tough game against Stoke. That's when it will really hit us.

The players spent Christmas Day in Newcastle so travelling fatigue shouldn't be a problem today

I'm talking about the overall factor of travelling plus the fact are away from family for most of the festive period.

The Rags get to sleep in their own bed with a quick drive to Carrington the next day.

[lets all have a disco]

I'm ready,turkey butties primed,beer chilled and the cheesecake is defrosting.

Come on blues.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

I'm ready,turkey butties primed,beer chilled and the cheesecake is defrosting.

Come on blues.

Just getti g dropped in newcastle after a dinner time appointment with jackie d. Time for a swifty in the union rooms then metro to sunderland. City and sniffing knickers, come on blues!

[DoomMerchant]

I'm ready,turkey butties primed,beer chilled and the cheesecake is defrosting.

Come on blues.

literally just had some turkey and egg sammiches for breakfast. Slab of cheddar cheese on them. Some brown sauce. Hot pot of coffee.

How the fuck am i going to get the family to stay in over the next 3-4 hours....since they are about to start bouncing off the walls to get out of the house? I could tie them up and throw them in the front room but that seems borderline illegal, and also a fuckload of work and i'm fairly lazy to be honest, in case you hadn't figured that out yet. l really need to get better control of my domicile. I'm outnumbered here by 3 women who want to drive an hour to a warm spring and watch the manatees (sea cows dammit!) and a 7 year old who wants to go out and PLAY footy but doesn't want to watch it. On a normal weekend this isn't a problem as i'm given a wide berth -- wider than i deserve at times, but we're supposed to, apparently, be "doing stuff on our break" which sounds again like a lot of work. I'm all for fun, but can i sit down and watch the goddam football people?

Advice please?

cheers

[Duckman]

I'm ready,turkey butties primed,beer chilled and the cheesecake is defrosting.

Come on blues.

literally just had some turkey and egg sammiches for breakfast. Slab of cheddar cheese on them. Some brown sauce. Hot pot of coffee.

How the fuck am i going to get the family to stay in over the next 3-4 hours....since they are about to start bouncing off the walls to get out of the house? I could tie them up and throw them in the front room but that seems borderline illegal, and also a fuckload of work and i'm fairly lazy to be honest, in case you hadn't figured that out yet. l really need to get better control of my domicile. I'm outnumbered here by 3 women who want to drive an hour to a warm spring and watch the manatees (sea cows dammit!) and a 7 year old who wants to go out and PLAY footy but doesn't want to watch it. On a normal weekend this isn't a problem as i'm given a wide berth -- wider than i deserve at times, but we're supposed to, apparently, be "doing stuff on our break" which sounds again like a lot of work. I'm all for fun, but can i sit down and watch the goddam football people?

Advice please?

cheers

pour some laxative in their drinks and watch em go :)

[AG7]

I'm ready,turkey butties primed,beer chilled and the cheesecake is defrosting.

Come on blues.

literally just had some turkey and egg sammiches for breakfast. Slab of cheddar cheese on them. Some brown sauce. Hot pot of coffee.

How the fuck am i going to get the family to stay in over the next 3-4 hours....since they are about to start bouncing off the walls to get out of the house? I could tie them up and throw them in the front room but that seems borderline illegal, and also a fuckload of work and i'm fairly lazy to be honest, in case you hadn't figured that out yet. l really need to get better control of my domicile. I'm outnumbered here by 3 women who want to drive an hour to a warm spring and watch the manatees (sea cows dammit!) and a 7 year old who wants to go out and PLAY footy but doesn't want to watch it. On a normal weekend this isn't a problem as i'm given a wide berth -- wider than i deserve at times, but we're supposed to, apparently, be "doing stuff on our break" which sounds again like a lot of work. I'm all for fun, but can i sit down and watch the goddam football people?

Advice please?

cheers

I put up a calendar in the kitchen at the start of the season (and update as fixtures gets updated, or cup games added etc. and this also includes the 'other' games I want to watch, e.g. rags games where I am supporting the opposition, upcoming RM games for example, or the super sunday when they play liverpool and we play arsenal) ... and then everyone knows NOTHING DOING during this time ... period.

I have a birthday party coming on 13th Jan Sunday, my brother's son, they have been told to move to Saturday 12th or else none of this household is coming ... my advice: man up, and put your foot down!

[DoomMerchant]

I put up a calendar in the kitchen at the start of the season (and update as fixtures gets updated, or cup games added etc. and this also includes the 'other' games I want to watch, e.g. rags games where I am supporting the opposition, upcoming RM games for example, or the super sunday when they play liverpool and we play arsenal) ... and then everyone knows NOTHING DOING during this time ... period.

I have a birthday party coming on 13th Jan Sunday, my brother's son, they have been told to move to Saturday 12th or else none of this household is coming ... my advice: man up, and put your foot down!

I think Dumbo had more practical advice. Everyone knows I'm a huge pussy.

[AG7]

I put up a calendar in the kitchen at the start of the season (and update as fixtures gets updated, or cup games added etc. and this also includes the 'other' games I want to watch, e.g. rags games where I am supporting the opposition, upcoming RM games for example, or the super sunday when they play liverpool and we play arsenal) ... and then everyone knows NOTHING DOING during this time ... period.

I have a birthday party coming on 13th Jan Sunday, my brother's son, they have been told to move to Saturday 12th or else none of this household is coming ... my advice: man up, and put your foot down!

I think Dumbo had more practical advice. Everyone knows I'm a huge pussy.

i didn't know that ... once again, man up!