goodymatt

https://x.com/sunderlandafc/status/1724129857968177574?s=46&t=7raSKCMt6LV8RJ1C2d39WQ Looks like we won’t be going back in for Patrick Roberts then. I do wonder if we really need another winger if nobody leaves in January though. I see Kamaldeen and Arma either side of Stewart, with Edozie and Fraser in reserve. Still having Amo-Ameyaw as cover too.

I would normally be all over this away trip but unfortunately it’s very close to my Wife’s due date for our second baby. I also missed Stoke away (closest game to home this season) as it was her birthday, the fixture list gods are not doing me any favours! I’ll take another wish I was there 3 points please. I enjoyed the 3–1 away win in the PL just before Christmas, complete with free Saints Santa hat. “Swing your hats, if you love the saints!” Obafemi’s first senior goal IIRC.

This is a good point. Wilcox said he was his choice and it all feels pretty well aligned to me in terms of game model etc.

I got the impression Downes was feeling his calf when he came off. On the pitchside unseen video on YouTube he appears to mention his calf to Martin on his way off the pitch as well. Hopefully he’s fine for Huddersfield.

I reckon Barley was in an offside position when the header was made that bounced off the bar for him to tap in. Hard to tell from the replays but I don’t think that goal should have stood.

Holgate was decent today, 4th time lucky in my book though. After being subbed ant Sunderland and Boro, then looking quite shakey vs Preston. It shouldn’t take that long for a £70k/week CB with his experience IMO. I hope this is the corner turned and he can help us going forward.

This next run is probably our kindest run of fixtures this season. 20 points from our last 8 games. You hope we can get even more than that from the next 9. This is our chance to make up ground. If it wasn’t for that mental Rotherham result, we would have 2 points per game, which is usually promotion form. Might need a bit more this season as those top 2 are currently averaging 2.43 per game but not sure that is sustainable.

Fair play to Holgate, proved me wrong today. Had a solid game and made some big tackles. Looked a lot more comfortable on the ball too.

Why not Charles?

He scares me. Genuinely surprised how poor he is. Hopefully he proves me wrong today! People saying he had a good game at Preston, from where I was standing he looked nervous and on the edge of a mistake all game.

Holgate for Bednarek the only change to the starting 11

Sunderland are dominating Birmingham so far.

Tomorrow’s game is now a battle of 5th vs 6th after Preston’s 90th minute winner at Blackburn.

I really like the bloke and do want him to succeed. I’d say both Saints and Leeds are slightly underperforming against expectation so far (2 points per game is the auto promotion magic number usually, might be even higher this time) but have both turned a corner and look capable of chasing down Ipswich, should they slip up. It is incredibly frustrating to see how weak the bottom of the PL is this time and how strong the top of the Championship is. We could have a great season accumulating normally top 2 points and still have to rely on the playoff lottery. I’m pretty confident we would have survived with our squad last season ahead of the newly promoted sides too. Especially with the right manager in place! One year on from appointing Nathan Jones and it’s nice to have a manager I like, playing decent football. That 4 game losing streak seems a long time ago, I’m actually most annoyed by the Rotherham result, which was unjust.

Bednarek is a big loss for this game, Holgate still worries me. We are more than capable of winning this game though and if we do we will be building up to the best run of fixtures of the season in good shape. Does feel like a big game for our season and momentum. Looking forward to it.

Nominated for manager of the month: https://x.com/southamptonfc/status/1722494728221208632?s=46&t=7raSKCMt6LV8RJ1C2d39WQ

I had concerns before the Leeds and Hull games that we might slip up, same feeling for WBA… hopefully with the same outcome!

We are as close to Watford in 16th as we are Ipswich in 2nd at the moment. We need Ipswich to lose games, they have the least defeats in the division. Couple of draws won’t kill their momentum just yet. Next month they play Leeds (23/12) and Leicester (26/12) back to back, that’s the time we can catch up some ground. I thought autos were out of reach not long ago but if we win at the weekend we are in decent shape to chase.

Tired defending I guess, agree you’d expect to see the lowest of blocks in the 93rd minute. We can’t rely on scoring so late every game, surely that isn’t sustainable. It’s a nice habit at the moment though!

https://x.com/toby28831000/status/1720869243988664649?s=46&t=7raSKCMt6LV8RJ1C2d39WQ Just found this video from behind the goal when we scored, absolute limbs! “F****** come on” 😂

Not a good tackler either. What is he good at?

Ref giving any tackle we make as a foul, meanwhile they can wrestle KWP down and it’s play on.

I think Downes was a better signing than Winks. Question is whether we can get promoted to stand a chance of keeping him. Winks is in the better team at the moment but he’s not the better player. Interestingly transfermrkt have the 3 most valuable players in the division as KDH, THB and KWP. We really should be much closer to the automatics with our squad.

Sounds like we are targeting WBA next weekend for Ross, depending on how training goes over the next week. Let’s hope he has no reaction after today.

https://x.com/southamptonfc/status/1719329545394819308?s=46&t=7raSKCMt6LV8RJ1C2d39WQ