pommpey
THE FUTURE ... AS IT USED TO BE
- Banned
- #1
A simply huge win tonight for United. In equal parts it was enthusiastically inspiring then frustratingly banal. Nevertheless, the three points we justifiably earned tonight puts a hell of a dent in Boro's ambitions to overhaul us and shows Hecky that being robustly stubborn will bring nothing but mediocrity and failure. The changes he made tonight worked for large parts of the match. We still have flaws and weak links however and he needs to address that as the pressure builds. Middlesbrough will never give up because they know we have weaknesses and can bottle events like this and are susceptible to injuries. But we just have to concentrate on the next game and not fucking lose. Ten Nine games left, twenty seven to gain and we need at least eighteen from wins and draws to make it certain. Boro have also some pressure on them and as long as we can keep more than four points between us we will get there. What we do with this flawed, aged and somewhat underhorsepowered squad if promoted is another debate. One thing is for certain, if we play what we have been playing in both boots on pitch and tactics we will be simply slaughtered. But there is a whole world of water to travel under the bridge before then.
The changes Hecky made were evident straight away. The midfield, which looked like two sets of two with Berge and Doyle dropped back to allow McAtee to run at them with NDaiye instantly showed great progress with passes and throughballs aplenty, albeit much of them misplaced but well intended. Sunderland looked rattled through this but typically we couldn't finish or capitalise. It was a definite positive development mainly because Doyle was all over the place getting involved instead of sitting deep holding Egan's hand like Norwood does. McAtee and NDaiye again carved chances and got into their box and Jebbo looked pacey and difficult for their particularly lumpen centrebacks to deal with. He had a decent shot at goal which was well saved but Berge later Kozluked a clear chance into the stands as they backed off. Sunderland couldn't offer much back and they endeavoured to play it out only to have it intercepted by the marauding Doyle. We found ourselves trapped in our corner and Berge whacked it out straight to their midfield who, as we drove outfield, found one of their players completely unmarked to run on goal and score as Berge and Lowe blamed each other, standing like fucking statues. It was a well taken and in fairness deserved (because they made the most of a meagre chance which we don't) Then we went shit and Sunderland were suddenly not allowing us to play in their half, no matter what we did. This is where Hacky shows weakness because it called for a switch in strategy rather than riding it out. Fodders made a decent low save and we looked rattled now as they won corners and pressed us into defence. They gave away the ball in midfield and Berge pounced feeding Baldock who rolled it into McAtee's path and he, doing what we've been screaming for for weeks, continued his run into the box, shimmied and clipped a fucking lovely drive into the far corner past their keeper.
Second half and we are actually expecting to win. It's the only result really. Grinding out a draw will just pile on the pressure and after ten minutes we are slightly on top with Doyle on FK duties he did what he threatened to do in the first half and curled a teasing cross unchallenged into the far corner. Was Berge offside? Yes, he was. So fucking what? We've had that kind of shit go against us in the past. It was good to see us weather Sunderland's inevitable storm for the next half hour although I didn't think reverting the team to the Luton staring lineup was a wise choice. It did fuck all to ease our confidence.
Foderingham 6/10: A couple of good stops. His distribution sometimes is pretty pissy.
Baldock 6.5/10: Good gains on RWB from Bogle. Although he's not as advanced and threatening he did set up McAtee's goal and added some robustness down that flank, if losing half a mark for mixing it up unnecessarily at times
Anel 6.5/10: Fairly solid outing from him with some deft touches and interceptions but again goes onto the yellow card roster having just been fucking banned for a pointless foul. We are gonna need him in the next ten games
Egan 7/10: Unremarkable game for Egan. Did his job okay and dealt with threats accordingly
JLT 6.5/10: Another typically robust if somewhat chaotic game. Equal parts to blame for their goal with Berge and Lowe
Lowe 3.5/10: A real weak link for us. His reading of the game is poor as is his positioning. Seems we are just waiting for the return of RND now
Doyle 8/10: Such an upgrade. In the Norwood role he covers more grass and gets stuck in. There's still work to be done but it was encouraging to see him driving the team up the pitch today, much like Michael Brown used to. Deserved his goal.
Berge 4/10: Better, but still lacklustre, slow and somewhat labouring. This deeper role had him more involved but he was nevertheless unproductive and at times simply fucking static.
McAtee 7.5/10: Full point for his superb goal and some dogged endeavour running at their robust midfield and backline. A bit isolated from NDaiye. One would hope a MGW/NDaiye partnership would start to grow where both run at backlines and through like last year. That, is how his goal came.
NDaiye 7/10: Again, our only real threat and source of inspiration with his slippery runs and dogged tenacity even when out of possession
Jebbison 6.5/10: Lower mark because he was, effectively starved of chances. A good attempt on goal in the first half which was well saved
McBurnie 7/10: Good outing from him both in defence and trying to get in and amongst it up front
Norwood 5/10: On for the first time for ages as a sub and did a bit of spadework in midfield. Would love to see him paired with Doyle instead of Berge
Fleck 4/10: Looks pounds overweight and too stocky to be effective now
Sharp 5/10: On the deck most of the time
HJ&SMcC 8/10: Firstly for changing shit round. Then for sticking by it, until they put the Luton team on then 4/10: for making us shit our pants in the final minutes.
Crowd 8/10: Heard throughout the match, in a big stadium. Well done you lot.
Sky Sports 1/10: Cunts. Goodman should never commentate on a team he so profoundly despises again. He spoke utter shit and with such a forked tongue. Also, protracted stills on people is dogshit sports coverage. I don't give a fat cow's cunt who the Sunderland chairman is bumming this week nor do I give a shit what is happening anywhere except on the pitch. Sky needs to alter it's editorial guidelines that if the ball is live, the director switches to the game play. Their colouring is better than SUTV though which always looks like there's summat wrong with your brightness and contrast.
pommpey
The changes Hecky made were evident straight away. The midfield, which looked like two sets of two with Berge and Doyle dropped back to allow McAtee to run at them with NDaiye instantly showed great progress with passes and throughballs aplenty, albeit much of them misplaced but well intended. Sunderland looked rattled through this but typically we couldn't finish or capitalise. It was a definite positive development mainly because Doyle was all over the place getting involved instead of sitting deep holding Egan's hand like Norwood does. McAtee and NDaiye again carved chances and got into their box and Jebbo looked pacey and difficult for their particularly lumpen centrebacks to deal with. He had a decent shot at goal which was well saved but Berge later Kozluked a clear chance into the stands as they backed off. Sunderland couldn't offer much back and they endeavoured to play it out only to have it intercepted by the marauding Doyle. We found ourselves trapped in our corner and Berge whacked it out straight to their midfield who, as we drove outfield, found one of their players completely unmarked to run on goal and score as Berge and Lowe blamed each other, standing like fucking statues. It was a well taken and in fairness deserved (because they made the most of a meagre chance which we don't) Then we went shit and Sunderland were suddenly not allowing us to play in their half, no matter what we did. This is where Hacky shows weakness because it called for a switch in strategy rather than riding it out. Fodders made a decent low save and we looked rattled now as they won corners and pressed us into defence. They gave away the ball in midfield and Berge pounced feeding Baldock who rolled it into McAtee's path and he, doing what we've been screaming for for weeks, continued his run into the box, shimmied and clipped a fucking lovely drive into the far corner past their keeper.
Second half and we are actually expecting to win. It's the only result really. Grinding out a draw will just pile on the pressure and after ten minutes we are slightly on top with Doyle on FK duties he did what he threatened to do in the first half and curled a teasing cross unchallenged into the far corner. Was Berge offside? Yes, he was. So fucking what? We've had that kind of shit go against us in the past. It was good to see us weather Sunderland's inevitable storm for the next half hour although I didn't think reverting the team to the Luton staring lineup was a wise choice. It did fuck all to ease our confidence.
Foderingham 6/10: A couple of good stops. His distribution sometimes is pretty pissy.
Baldock 6.5/10: Good gains on RWB from Bogle. Although he's not as advanced and threatening he did set up McAtee's goal and added some robustness down that flank, if losing half a mark for mixing it up unnecessarily at times
Anel 6.5/10: Fairly solid outing from him with some deft touches and interceptions but again goes onto the yellow card roster having just been fucking banned for a pointless foul. We are gonna need him in the next ten games
Egan 7/10: Unremarkable game for Egan. Did his job okay and dealt with threats accordingly
JLT 6.5/10: Another typically robust if somewhat chaotic game. Equal parts to blame for their goal with Berge and Lowe
Lowe 3.5/10: A real weak link for us. His reading of the game is poor as is his positioning. Seems we are just waiting for the return of RND now
Doyle 8/10: Such an upgrade. In the Norwood role he covers more grass and gets stuck in. There's still work to be done but it was encouraging to see him driving the team up the pitch today, much like Michael Brown used to. Deserved his goal.
Berge 4/10: Better, but still lacklustre, slow and somewhat labouring. This deeper role had him more involved but he was nevertheless unproductive and at times simply fucking static.
McAtee 7.5/10: Full point for his superb goal and some dogged endeavour running at their robust midfield and backline. A bit isolated from NDaiye. One would hope a MGW/NDaiye partnership would start to grow where both run at backlines and through like last year. That, is how his goal came.
NDaiye 7/10: Again, our only real threat and source of inspiration with his slippery runs and dogged tenacity even when out of possession
Jebbison 6.5/10: Lower mark because he was, effectively starved of chances. A good attempt on goal in the first half which was well saved
McBurnie 7/10: Good outing from him both in defence and trying to get in and amongst it up front
Norwood 5/10: On for the first time for ages as a sub and did a bit of spadework in midfield. Would love to see him paired with Doyle instead of Berge
Fleck 4/10: Looks pounds overweight and too stocky to be effective now
Sharp 5/10: On the deck most of the time
HJ&SMcC 8/10: Firstly for changing shit round. Then for sticking by it, until they put the Luton team on then 4/10: for making us shit our pants in the final minutes.
Crowd 8/10: Heard throughout the match, in a big stadium. Well done you lot.
Sky Sports 1/10: Cunts. Goodman should never commentate on a team he so profoundly despises again. He spoke utter shit and with such a forked tongue. Also, protracted stills on people is dogshit sports coverage. I don't give a fat cow's cunt who the Sunderland chairman is bumming this week nor do I give a shit what is happening anywhere except on the pitch. Sky needs to alter it's editorial guidelines that if the ball is live, the director switches to the game play. Their colouring is better than SUTV though which always looks like there's summat wrong with your brightness and contrast.
pommpey
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