5string

COYS! Win win win!!

http://www.feed4u.net/watch/1907309/1/Sunderland-vs-Southampton-FC.html Ah, Dutch beat me to it...

Yep. I like this team for today. Good call for Bertrand to watch Defoe - neutralise him and they have few other attacking options. Like Shroppie, I'd go with Redmond to start instead of Tadic, who likes to be a hero so bring him on later to win it (or seal the victory). 3-1 Saints.

Hmm, might look better on paper, but... Yoshi is a lot better now. There are 5 defenders in that team. And we still lost!? Ok, Mane & Pelle were good, but not all the time - they had off days, too (especially in the winter).

-----------Forster---------- ---Cedric---VvD---Bertrand -----------Romeu----------- Boufal---Hojbjerg----Tadic Long-----Austin-----JRod I've gone for 3-4-3, to use more of our attacking options. Tough call on a few players (Davis, Yoshi, Redmond). Jury's still out on Gabbiadini (and Caceres), so he's on the bench along with... well, the rest of the squad!

Ok, so this is my 'favourite' player, not 'best' player? I like players of a certain style and, in a way, a slightly gung-ho artistic [attacking where possible] style. Therefore, my choices would be: Ever: Mick Channon (closely followed by MLT, Golac & Rod Wallace - eclectic mix, huh?) Now: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (I like his energy & style of play - if only he could make fewer unforced errors) Close to PEH were Boufal & Bertrand. I liked how Barry played on Saturday, but too early for a strong opinion.

So hopefully he'll get completely confused in the huge wasteland of our current defence, attempt a darting run between 2 non-existent defenders, lose his mind, swallow himself and create a time-accelerating wormhole which sends him to an alternate future where we're actually quite good this season.

:lol:

Couldn't you have told Reed this before we signed him? Your colleague is starting to be proved right. I've never been one to sack a manager during a poor run, preferring to look at the longer-term approach, let someone 'bed in'. But, I'm beginning to get a little concerned.

Based on weird, unexpected results, that would mean a win for us, then!

Never thought I'd be saying this during this season, but... definitely relegation form. Empty midfield, Romeu looked like he was defending the Sahara. Defence not gelling. Forster just horrible in goal. Some attacking - more than early season - but really not incisive enough, like we're not used to being in attack. Shooting is awful, as it has been all season. I don't normally watch MotD when we lose, but I might today, just because of all the goals scored in the PL. Hope there are 9 or 10 in the Spurs v Boro game later.

Same old story... but worse.

Six[th] off the last ball.

I'm normally just 'disappointed' after a defeat, but today I feel annoyed and really quite cross because of the way we just caved in. In fact, we just stopped trying, it seems.

I'd actually be annoyed if we scored now, because we'd still lose. If I was WHam I'd let us score just before full time, just to annoy us more.

AAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!! Just bleeding well play proper football and shoot ON TARGET into the corners, not straight at the sodding keeper. Playing like bad amateurs. I am SO frustrated watching this rubbish!

Please tell Cedric to never try shooting again. He can't do it.

This is our season. One game to get something positive. After today, I don't see where our PL points are coming from. I thought we'd win against this lot.

Lively. Positive.

To be fair, I'm not normally so sarcastic in public - not everyone gets it and my sarcastic style leans towards 'harsh' when I unleash it. Thanks for seeing it. As an honest answer to the original question: Fonte is playing ok, not the best defender individually, but marshalling his troops well, as he did at Saints.

Winning 3-1.

It gets worse. Boufal injured. Long on. Which makes me think... will we be relegated before the cricket season starts?

How did that miss?! Needed that one. Seriously. Had a chance if it went in, but as it didn't...

Will this give our defence more confidence? And will the rest of the team play better as a result? Need 3 goals. 3 (three) goals. In one half.

Can't believe this. How are we so bad??!! Don't answer that...