5string

Clasie off. Replaced by.... Romeu? Missed it.

Defoe on, doing his best Adam Ant impersonation. Hope he doesn't 'stand and deliver'. boom boom

How did that not go in? Rode our luck there (for a change).

Oh good save, Stek! COYS we are not allowed to let this one go!

Yeesss! Good pen, Dusan! 1-0

Another corner...

VvD having his shirt removed in the box again. Ref missed it again.

Just need a bit of luck, deflection... something.

HT 0-0 Disappointed, given 67% possession. Must score at least a couple in the 2nd half.

Just what I've noticed. Couple of attacking chances lost. Seems ok otherwise.

Yoshi's stray passing is spoiling some attacks. Left side is going well.

Set play. Free kick 35yds out on the left. Lets see...

Another "Oooh close - save". Need to shoot away from the keeper. Decent effort, though.

Indeed. Long may it continue.

Oooh! Good save.

That wasn't intelligent defending. Why didn't he bring it down?

I was going to say I thought it was a decent effort. But, ok... I'll be happy if they keep backing off like that.

Of course. Doh! When's that January window...?

This would be the aim of our particular midfield today, I'd suggest.

Subs bench: K Davis Cedric Romeu Martina Juanmi Caulker Seager Quite defensive, that. Where are the attacking options, apart from Juanmi? Is Seager attacking? I get the impression he scores goals in the U21, but correct me if I'm wrong.

I meant Sunderland's formation was 4-5-1. Very defensive. Yeah, ours is quite flexible - no bad thing.

That's an attacking line up to me: Yoshi & Bertrand overlapping as wingbacks Clasie sitting in front of Fonte/VvD in a central defensive triangle, while JWP & Davis look forward with their passes (not the too-frequent backwards of early season). Mane/Tadic/Pelle running rings around their dreadful defence. Just, no enforcer. Hmm. Mind you, I was nearly right with my 6-3-1 Sunderland formation! 4-5-1 innit?

I'd like to think this season we might be better at breaking down opposition who sit back and defend. Last season we just couldn't do it, relying on opposing sides 'gung-ho' tactics to gain big wins (ref: Villa, Sunderland). We're a bit more canny this year.

Bus has been parked already, and it's not even reached the car park! Sunderland's formation this week: 6-3-1

Why thank you, kind eelpie. May you find your paddle soon... My judgement re VvD is based on his apparent greater attacking ability (and desire to attack?), even though I think Toby was overall a better defender last year than VvD has been so far this year. Not much in it, though. And time yet for van Dijk to improve, which is a real positive.