Sunderland Build-up (EFL Cup)

Will be a rubbish attendance tonight I'm prices are too high with 3 home games in a week and this being the least important again imo!

Will be a rubbish attendance tonight I'm prices are too high with 3 home games in a week and this being the least important again imo!

£12 for a match in the last sixteen against another Premier League side is "too high"?!

Looks like we'll actually have a very decent crowd tonight. The Itchen is fully sold out, as are blocks 40-43 in the Northam (with 44 also being open to home fans), and most of the Chapel as well.

Will be sad if fans don't bother to turn up this evening, Jose has sent out a rallying call so don't let our lads down people. 20k+ essential to show we care especially as 7K went to Milan the other night. No excuses acceptable!

Doubt it'll be anywhere near 20k, especially given the fact they've closed the Kingsland.

You can't really blame people for not turning up though. Prices too high (given most will have already forked out £50 for Europa tickets) and it's a bit of a nothing game as both managers (IMO rightly) will field weak teams, as could both do without the extra fixture.

£12 for a match in the last sixteen against another Premier League side is "too high"?!

 

Looks like we'll actually have a very decent crowd tonight. The Itchen is fully sold out, as are blocks 40-43 in the Northam (with 44 also being open to home fans), and most of the Chapel as well.

Essentially going to be made up of reserve / youth players... you'd have thought.

Essentially going to be made up of reserve / youth players... you'd have thought.

There's a chance that'll happen, although I think their injury situation means they'll have to play a number of their current first-choice starters, but I can guarantee nobody would be batting an eyelid if we were drawn against Spurs, who played 10 reserves plus Eric Dier (who's only started half their games this season) at Liverpool last night.

Doubt it'll be anywhere near 20k, especially given the fact they've closed the Kingsland.

it's a bit of a nothing game as both managers (IMO rightly) will field weak teams, as could both do without the extra fixture.

Really? We've won 1 major trophy in our history. It's not a nothing game, and it's a decent chance to get into a quarter final.

£12 for a match in the last sixteen against another Premier League side is "too high"?!

 

Looks like we'll actually have a very decent crowd tonight. The Itchen is fully sold out, as are blocks 40-43 in the Northam (with 44 also being open to home fans), and most of the Chapel as well.

it will be a decent crowd in terms of numbers, and cannot complain about the prices, but i do think it is a shame they have persisted with selling the Chapel and the family corner and keep the Kingsland stand closed. In my opinion if any stand was to be closed it should be the Chapel. The Kingsland offers best views and is a very popular place to sit, i think not having that available will impact sales and the atmosphere.

I can't see many Sunderland fans bothering to travel down for this.

Really? We've won 1 major trophy in our history. It's not a nothing game, and it's a decent chance to get into a quarter final.

Bloody right!

I'm off to Northam Bridge to throw bottles into The Itchen. You up for it?

Nobody anywhere has mentioned Gardos

I'd like to see us rest a few key players, but still field a similar (ish) sort of team that has faired in the Europa League.

I'm a big fan of Josh Sims and would love to see him play some part.

I love that Puel is bringing Boufal back slowly; his policy is superb!

Giving him substitute appearances and chances to get 30 minutes in rather than throw him in at the deep end and give him 90 minutes with the risk of further injury!!

Nobody anywhere has mentioned Gardos

He played in the U23 game on Monday, could only manage 60mins.

I think he is still a way off. Besides, he wasn't overly convincing when fully fit.

As he played for the U23's, I'd imagine that there will be no start for him; bench at best.

However, if they are keen to get him some extra game time, he may get a start.

I'd be inclined to have him on the bench rather than risking further injury.

He has strong potential, just have to remove this injury concern that seems to have kept him out for what seems like forever.

What other options do we have at right back? Martina needs a rest for sunday surely. Could stephens play there?

What other options do we have at right back? Martina needs a rest for sunday surely. Could stephens play there?

He could, but my concern with playing him there (and similar with, potentially, Yoshida the other side) is that our game still relies quite a lot on the full-backs providing width. Stephens is predominantly a centre-back. That's not to say that he can't play at full-back, obviously, but I don't think I've seen him play there for the U23s or in his various loan spells.

it will be a decent crowd in terms of numbers, and cannot complain about the prices, but i do think it is a shame they have persisted with selling the Chapel and the family corner and keep the Kingsland stand closed. In my opinion if any stand was to be closed it should be the Chapel. The Kingsland offers best views and is a very popular place to sit, i think not having that available will impact sales and the atmosphere.

I can't see many Sunderland fans bothering to travel down for this.

Also will be quite embarrassing on the highlights show as the stadium will look empty!

Also will be quite embarrassing on the highlights show as the stadium will look empty!

That seems to basically be why they've done what they've done. The cameras are on the Kingsland side, so the ground will look fuller on TV.

May have been better to keep the corners closed and just open the central section of the Kingsland, prime seats and it will be strange for the players running out the tunnel to an empty stand opposite.

Still, a gate of around 24,000 is more than I thought we'd get in these expensive times (and for a reserves fixture!).

I know it's early days but Hesketh seems a bit injury prone. I'd go:

McCarthey, Martina, Yoshida, Stephens, McQueen, JWP, Reed, Davis, J-Rod, Long, Boufal. I'd like to see Ollomolla feature at some point too. Bring on VVD/Romeo If we need to protect a lead late on.

Are you having a laugh .... it's Sunderland ffs. Yoshi and Stephens are both international defenders and more than capable of dealing with their impotent attack, whoever plays full backs. Don't forget they only scored against us last time because of Jose wrestling Defoe to the ground and giving away a needless penalty.

If we were confident in Stephens he'd have a lot more first team appearances than he has had, and it doesn't really matter how well 10 of them are doing if you can drive a bus through the weak link - not that he's THAT bad.

Previous round v Palace saw Fonte and Yoshida, with VVD rested. Fonte played against Swansea before that and West Ham after.

 

I would expect that, with possibly Stephens at RB.

All the more reason to not expect him to be asked to do it again.

I forgot about this and managed to double-book myself; shame as I like to see the development of the kids. But I reckon I've spent enough on football in the last few weeks and am well over budget there! It's not just the ticket prices (which are fair enough for this) but all the other costs.

£12 for a match in the last sixteen against another Premier League side is "too high"?!

 

Looks like we'll actually have a very decent crowd tonight. The Itchen is fully sold out, as are blocks 40-43 in the Northam (with 44 also being open to home fans), and most of the Chapel as well.

Should be a fiver for adults and kids for a quid imo

Essentially going to be made up of reserve / youth players... you'd have thought.

1)...we don't have any "reserve players"....Puel selects from the entire squad and rotates them sensibly, so everyone plays a bit.

2) you'll look back in 5 years time when some youngster gets his first international cap ..and say... I saw him play his debut game.

What other options do we have at right back? Martina needs a rest for sunday surely. Could stephens play there?

What about the French kid from the academy? Can't think of his name, black and quite tall. He looked fairly good but we don't want too much inexperience, surely? Cedric should be back soon.

If we were confident in Stephens he'd have a lot more first team appearances than he has had, and it doesn't really matter how well 10 of them are doing if you can drive a bus through the weak link - not that he's THAT bad.

perhaps ....not a good word to use when he hasn't even played yet.

Jack has made his way through the Academy ranks for 5 years, and had almost 70 games out on loan in the last 2-3 years.

In addition to which he has played a dozen or so games for England U18-U21 sides with good reviews.

That's considerably more experience than almost any other young player we have on the books.

What about the French kid from the academy? Can't think of his name, black and quite tall. He looked fairly good but we don't want too much inexperience, surely? Cedric should be back soon.

Yan Valery !. I think he was only signed earlier if the year (?) and was playing for the U18s at that time ?

Looks a good prospect ...at that level . Perhaps not such a "safe bet" as Jack Stephens. Maybe a place on the bench though.

If we were confident in Stephens he'd have a lot more first team appearances than he has had, and it doesn't really matter how well 10 of them are doing if you can drive a bus through the weak link - not that he's THAT bad.

See what you mean 9. We placed our confidence in McQueen and Hesketh (similar appearences as Stephens) and that was a right royal f*ck up ......

oh hang on

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Essentially going to be made up of reserve / youth players... you'd have thought.

Even more reason to turn up. Don't get to see some of our youngsters very often.

Even more reason to turn up. Don't get to see some of our youngsters very often.

That's possibly the main reason I am going, and hope that Olomola starts.

I'd like to see...(I realise we won't play this formation):

---------------McCarthy-----------------

Martina--Yoshida--Stephens--McQueen

-----------Reed----Hojbjerg-------------

---Rodriguez-----JWP-------Boufal----

------------------Austin------------------

Although I'm sure there will be a few more youngsters involved - Austin is in form, keep him that way. Give him 60 minutes and bring on Olomola/Seager (If he's not injuried) on for the last 30.

Isgrove is in the squad and so is VVD by the looks of the club snapchat - would have liked to have see VVD rested altogether

I'd like to see...(I realise we won't play this formation):

 

---------------McCarthy-----------------

 

Martina--Yoshida--Stephens--McQueen

 

-----------Reed----Hojbjerg-------------

 

---Rodriguez-----JWP-------Boufal----

 

------------------Austin------------------

 

Although I'm sure there will be a few more youngsters involved - Austin is in form, keep him that way. Give him 60 minutes and bring on Olomola/Seager (If he's not injuried) on for the last 30.

Very much doubt we'll see Austin start. More likely Isgrove will get a chance or Redmond. And maybe Stephens at RB, otherwise I'd guess this is it.

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If we were confident in Stephens he'd have a lot more first team appearances than he has had, and it doesn't really matter how well 10 of them are doing if you can drive a bus through the weak link - not that he's THAT bad.

How would he have got those appearances? When would you have left out VvD and Fonte and/or Yoshida to give Stephens a run out, especially as he has been on loan for the majority of the last 2 seasons (where he gained over 60 first team outings at different levels of the FL).

Reasonably confident that he will eventually be Fonte's replacement, then again I thought Turnbull was heading that way as well till he was sent to Coventry.

That seems to basically be why they've done what they've done. The cameras are on the Kingsland side, so the ground will look fuller on TV.

Yeah. I somehow got Kingsland and Itchen mixed up in my mind.

it will be a decent crowd in terms of numbers, and cannot complain about the prices, but i do think it is a shame they have persisted with selling the Chapel and the family corner and keep the Kingsland stand closed. In my opinion if any stand was to be closed it should be the Chapel. The Kingsland offers best views and is a very popular place to sit, i think not having that available will impact sales and the atmosphere.

I can't see many Sunderland fans bothering to travel down for this.

Me and my brother were planning to go tonight but doubt we will now seeing only chapel seats are available, why the hell have they not opened up the kings-land corner!? Ridiculous.

Me and my brother were planning to go tonight but doubt we will now seeing only chapel seats are available, why the hell have they not opened up the kings-land corner!? Ridiculous.

You and your brother are idiots then. Get down the ground and support the team rather then blabbering on about what seat you will be in. Ludicrous.

streams?

1500 Sunderland fans. Fair play to them.

1500 Sunderland fans. Fair play to them.

The ****e they've had to put up with over the years its pretty impressive that anyone still turns up to watch them.

Sunderland have gone with a strong lineup. Should be a good, tough game.

Assume Hesketh is injured. Looking forward to watching some of these!

Sunderland are playing a surprisingly strong team though, guess they're looking for a morale boost. Defoe's the only regular starter out and he's on the bench

Back 5 looks ok, Stephens resorting to the position he played when we signed him. Midfield is decent. We need JRod at the top of his game, and Isgrove to show why Barnsley fans love him.

Strong bench though, which is good if we need them. Sunderland's team is stronger than I thought it would be. Strong back 5. Still winnable.

Nine changes! But still interesting that you could say there are 6/7 first team regulars there. Shows how we're developing.

Pretty well as expected, but surprised to see José starting. Virgil must need a rest. Assume Stephens at RB and Yoshida CB?

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--------------McCarthy------------

Stephens Yoshida Fonte McQueen

----------------Reed

------------JWP---Højbjerg

---------------Boufal

--------Rodriguez Isgrove

It's not 100% clear where the goal scoring will come from, but personally quite excited to see the likes of Isgrove and Reed back in the mix. Also... good luck BOUFAL !

Sunderland are desperate, and we have taken rotation to it's very extreme.

Not sure about this. Fingers crossed my pessimism is misplaced. COYS.

All the more reason to not expect Fonte to be asked to do it again.

Incorrect.

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streams?

Looks like Bertrand available for Sunday then? Good news.

Sunderland are desperate, and we have taken rotation to it's very extreme.

 

Not sure about this. Fingers crossed my pessimism is misplaced. COYS.

It's not that extreme. Yes, nine changes, but I think our whole eleven have first team experience and 6/7 are regulars.

And the bench is strong.

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