Sunderland - Beware the speedy counterattack

[jono_t2000]

In both legs majority of passes played by Sunderland were in their own half.

Letting Coventry have the ball and advance on them and releasing a speedy counterattack to Mayenda or Isidor seemed like their number 1 plan

Souza will be absolutely crucial in this fixture breaking up those counterattacks imho.

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

Souza needs to be ready to do 120+ minutes

Same goes for a bunch of others but he does look to be especially crucial for this game

It's not only defending he has to do though. He has to use the ball well and impose himself that way because we need to be controlling the possession against them. He's got to outshine Bellingham, which I'd back him to do

 

[Kevincarterversion2.0]

Vini also crucial for dealing with Bellingham. I think CW will start with Brewster on right so he can support Hamza against their winger.

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

Choudhury v Le Fee is a match up I'm pleased with

 

[Upton_Blade]

Choudhury v Le Fee is a match up I'm pleased with

Said the same last night. I reckon Choudhury will do just fine with him.

 

[bakeblade]

In both legs majority of passes played by Sunderland were in their own half.

Letting Coventry have the ball and advance on them and releasing a speedy counterattack to Mayenda or Isidor seemed like their number 1 plan

Souza will be absolutely crucial in this fixture breaking up those counterattacks imho.

The Robbo Anel partnership is, unfortunately, perfect for them

 

[Carlton Blade]

In both legs majority of passes played by Sunderland were in their own half.

Letting Coventry have the ball and advance on them and releasing a speedy counterattack to Mayenda or Isidor seemed like their number 1 plan

Souza will be absolutely crucial in this fixture breaking up those counterattacks imho.

But they barely created anything with those counters. Their decision making is horrendous and they only send 3 or 4. They only looked at all effective in attack ladt night when they actually got the ball to stick up the pitch and pushed up 30 yards.

 

[SUFC Guy]

Much prefer facing Sunderland than Coventry. We just need to deal with their pace up front and if we can do that then we'll be fine. We have more than enough attacking talent to keep them busy for large parts of the game. We just need to keep their counter attacks in check. Technically we are the better side, but we know that carries no guarantees.

Another nervy day in store for us

 

[MBH]

But they barely created anything with those counters. Their decision making is horrendous and they only send 3 or 4. They only looked at all effective in attack ladt night when they actually got the ball to stick up the pitch and pushed up 30 yards.

We created enough from counters to get enough goals to win over 2 games and coventry managed to score just 2 goals in 210 minutes of football. Coventry lost. We played the same way against Sheffield United at the SOL and Sheffield lost as well. So this defensive tactic produces results and is very effective.

So lets think on this:

Coventry had 75% possession each game and scored just 2 goals in 210 minutes of football
Sunderland had 25% and scored 3 goals (barely created anything with those counters?) - and of course ran out winners

Football has a long history of teams playing defensively going right back to Catenaccio under Herrera; who won European Cups and league titles playing defensively. Greece of course famously won the Euros playing like this under Rehhagel:

UEFA Euro 2004 final - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

"Writers in France's Le Parisien wrote that the Greeks were "heroes of modern mythology who entered into legend and broke the hearts of all of Portugal", and Spain's Marca commented on Greece's style of play, saying "all winners deserve to win and although the debate as to whether they played football or anti-football is valid, the only thing that matters here is winning".

All Sunderland are bothered about is winning. If we play the same way as we played against you at the SOL, against coventry twice and other times this season we know before the game starts that you will have 75% of the possession. The question is - what will Sheffield United do with it and will they be anymore successful than Coventry at scoring?

My main gripe with this tactic is that it is work in progress and last night we gave the ball away far too much inviting wave after wave of attack. Coventry were wasteful in front of goal. However both Mayenda and Isidor are like shit off a stick pace wise and Mundle/Watson give us additional counter attacking options - as does Roberts (if he gets his act together).

Both games against Sheffield United were fairly equal and I expect it to be no different at Wembley. I can't see the game being won by anymore than 1 goal.

This game of course has a hammer blow at the end - promotion to the PL - where Sunderland will likely be mullered - but the money is too great not to try our best to get there and considering we nearly lost our club 8 or so years ago due to poor governance and sheer footballing incompetence at Board level (yet again) - if we do get there I'll consider Sunderland back on a good footing.

I'm just pleased we are back and competing to get back to the top flight. Also it's the longest we have ever been out of the top flight so we need to be back in pretty sharpish.

Sheffield United are a very effective team and deservedly pushed Leeds and burnley all the way. therefore they are a team to be respected - but not feared.

For some reason playing Sheffield United at Wembley seems like a strange match up - not sure why. It could be that it's one of those rare occasions where we will play at Wembley and be the underdogs (previously we have played teams such as Charlton, Norwich, Wycombe, Tranmere, Portsmouth - its nearly 30 years ago that we played Liverpool there and over 10 years since we played Man City there).

so Sheffield United go into the match as clear favourites and will be invited to do the vast majority of the running.

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

Sunderland mainly counter attack down the wings but it will start with someone keeping the ball and driving through the middle.

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

It's interesting that when we played Sunderland the first time Tom Watson ran us ragged all game. Since Brighton agreed to buy him in the summer he's barely played and been on the bench a lot. He hasn't played a single minute of either play off matches and has been on the bench. It seems the sale has worked in our favour.

 

[LBA_Blade]

Much prefer facing Sunderland than Coventry. We just need to deal with their pace up front and if we can do that then we'll be fine. We have more than enough attacking talent to keep them busy for large parts of the game. We just need to keep their counter attacks in check. Technically we are the better side, but we know that carries no guarantees.

Another nervy day in store for us

The goal threat in general is coming from Isidor however Mayenda scored against us in January and one to be careful of, looking at their assists, Roberts is their biggest threat playing down their right however we line up, if we can disrupt play and slow it down a bit they will struggle. We have the advantage that although not pretty hoofball into Moore (at 6ft 5) isn't the worse of ideas if we have support runners.

 

[MBH]

The goal threat in general is coming from Isidor however Mayenda scored against us in January and one to be careful of, looking at their assists, Roberts is their biggest threat playing down their right however we line up, if we can disrupt play and slow it down a bit they will struggle. We have the advantage that although not pretty hoofball into Moore (at 6ft 5) isn't the worse of ideas if we have support runners.

I hear what you are saying about Moore but remember coventry had scored 19 headed goals this season - 7 from corners. They scored 1 headed goal against us in 210 minutes of football. so for coventry it wasn't quite as straight forward as get the ball into the box from the wing. that tactic didn't particularly work for them as Ballard and co lapped those balls up.

Perhaps playing the ball on the floor might be the better tactic?

 

[MBH]

It's interesting that when we played Sunderland the first time Tom Watson ran us ragged all game. Since Brighton agreed to buy him in the summer he's barely played and been on the bench a lot. He hasn't played a single minute of either play off matches and has been on the bench. It seems the sale has worked in our favour.

Remember that Watson isn't first choice and when he played against you at BL that was only his 7th senior appearance and BTW it was by far his best appearance for us. He then got injured and is only recently back to fitness.

 

[Balham]

I hear what you are saying about Moore but remember coventry had scored 19 headed goals this season - 7 from corners. They scored 1 headed goal against us in 210 minutes of football. so for coventry it wasn't quite as straight forward as get the ball into the box from the wing. that tactic didn't particularly work for them as Ballard and co lapped those balls up.

Perhaps playing the ball on the floor might be the better tactic?

Coventry lined up in both legs with Haji Wright up front. He's tall (1.93m / 6'4") but he's good-not-great in the air, winning 2.68 aerial duels per 90 mins (68th centile on fbref)

By comparison, Kieffer Moore is slightly taller (1.96m / 6'5") and wins more than double that number of aerial duels with 5.40 successes per 90 mins (91st centile on fbref)

If we do go with the tactic of targetting the big man I'd back us to be better at it than Coventry.

 

[LBA_Blade]

I hear what you are saying about Moore but remember coventry had scored 19 headed goals this season - 7 from corners. They scored 1 headed goal against us in 210 minutes of football. so for coventry it wasn't quite as straight forward as get the ball into the box from the wing. that tactic didn't particularly work for them as Ballard and co lapped those balls up.

Perhaps playing the ball on the floor might be the better tactic?

I suppose we do have the bigger pitch at Wembley to think about. Sunderland are quick however if we go with our game plan and give them something to think about, like some decent set pieces recently etc. I can see it being a 2-0 either way as both teams can get on the attack but the first goal is crucial, if we don't get it, we can't let our heads get down. Although Premier League football is tough to watch with us in it, ultimately the Championship will be tougher next season if we don't go up. Although granted Burnley and Leeds won't be there, they would have been replaced with Ipswich, Southampton and Leicester and a revitalised Coventry. Then there are the unknowns of how good actually are Birmingham City and Wrexham now too plus the teams that are around the playoffs that can be difficult Watford, Norwich, West Brom etc.

 

[MBH]

Coventry lined up in both legs with Haji Wright up front. He's tall (1.93m / 6'4") but he's good-not-great in the air, winning 2.68 aerial duels per 90 mins (68th centile on fbref)

By comparison, Kieffer Moore is slightly taller (1.96m / 6'5") and wins more than double that number of aerial duels with 5.40 successes per 90 mins (91st centile on fbref)

If we do go with the tactic of targetting the big man I'd back us to be better at it than Coventry.

Coventry are the most successful team with headed goals not only in England but amongst the top team for headed goals in Europe, so there are few teams who do it better. Do we know how many headed goals Moore has scored this season and also how many SU has scored?

 

[MBH]

I suppose we do have the bigger pitch at Wembley to think about. Sunderland are quick however if we go with our game plan and give them something to think about, like some decent set pieces recently etc. I can see it being a 2-0 either way as both teams can get on the attack but the first goal is crucial, if we don't get it, we can't let our heads get down. Although Premier League football is tough to watch with us in it, ultimately the Championship will be tougher next season if we don't go up. Although granted Burnley and Leeds won't be there, they would have been replaced with Ipswich, Southampton and Leicester and a revitalised Coventry. Then there are the unknowns of how good actually are Birmingham City and Wrexham now too plus the teams that are around the playoffs that can be difficult Watford, Norwich, West Brom etc.

the Wembley pitch and the occasion are the big unknowns. Maybe our defensive style wont work so well...dont know.

As for the championship, I agree with you - that league seems to be getting better year on year as well - and if Sunderland do go up we would be yet another parachute team the year after. the more parachute clubs there are clearly the more/less competitive the championship will get (depends on your perspective) and that league might get spoiled as well as the PL?

 

[LBA_Blade]

the Wembley pitch and the occasion are the big unknowns. Maybe our defensive style wont work so well...dont know.

As for the championship, I agree with you - that league seems to be getting better year on year as well - and if Sunderland do go up we would be yet another parachute team the year after. the more parachute clubs there are clearly the more/less competitive the championship will get (depends on your perspective) and that league might get spoiled as well as the PL?

Agreed there, apart from this years PL which has been random in positioning of teams like Man United and Spurs, in general most have been in their "expected spot" the 3 up coming down and the likes of the mid-table teams in mid-table/potential Europe. The structure is at risk of imploding especially with the more competitions that UEFA add and the more teams the could have entry. Imagine if the PL would have had 12 European spots out of 20 which could have been potentially possible at some point this year. I think it still is possible that 8th gets you into the conference league. The richer are getting richer and the gap is getting bigger, within 20 years, it has gone from needing to spend £20 million to be competitive to over £100million to have a chance of survival. The last team to do it (Forest) Gambled and it paid off from 2022-2025 they spent £250million and were at risk of going down due to breaching FFP.

It's a big if the Saudi League will ever get more than just a career pay off but sometimes don't blame the player blame the game. If I got offered 10 x my salary to work a year in Saudi, I probably would although it's not £40million or whatever, it would be hard to turn down

 

[Balham]

Coventry are the most successful team with headed goals not only in England but amongst the top team for headed goals in Europe, so there are few teams who do it better. Do we know how many headed goals Moore has scored this season and also how many SU has scored?

Off the top of my head, only one of Moore's 6 goals was a header (Bristol City) but we're not swinging crosses in at head height, we're using the aerial route to Moore to get us up the pitch quickly and then get the flair players into the game. Wilder isn't a fan of head high crosses in open play; his tactics for crosses revolve around low cut backs.