Sunderland v Leeds Utd Match Thread

[JoeDenver]

How do you know he isn’t. Not everyone reacts the same way.

You could have a point with Mes in the locker room, but the TV coverage didn’t do him any favors in my book.

[Victor_OTT_17]

Would have been a huge 3 points tonight and that could have hurt Sunderland and upset their form. It also would have done wonders for our self belief. Now Sunderland players won't feel bad and we won't feel as good. A win could have changed our season. Now, Blunts is a must win if we are to go up this season...

[Jaydog]

Didn’t see him laughing about it I’ll admit, that would annoy me too.

Bamford did the same after a missed pen or the like.
Its just a normal human reaction to me. I’ve done it because sometimes its all you can do.

[DDB220]

Would have been a huge 3 points tonight and that could have hurt Sunderland and upset their firm. It also would have done wonders for our self belief. Now Sunderland players won't feel bad and we won't feel as good. A win could have changed our season. Now, Blunts us a must win if we are to go up this season...

Very restrained mate - are you on a promise tonight ?

[Jaydog]

Let JD get his posse together - run him out of town and string him up boys.

I have a lot of sympathy for him tbh.
He will pay for that many times over. Teams may now develop very spinny ball free kicks.
I can see players shining it on their shorts cricket style.

[Victor_OTT_17]

Just calling it as I see it. She's asleep full of cold so I wouldn't be interested tonight ...

[DDB220]

Two tough away games out the way. With our injury issues I would have settled for 2 draws beforehand. So I will not allow the shitty situation to prey on my mind after next Thursday.

[Lufc76Cor]

Didn’t see him laughing about it I’ll admit, that would annoy me too.

Who knows what he was laughing about, it was after the final whistle and in conversation with someone, wasn't like it was as it happened

[DDB220]

I have a lot of sympathy for him tbh.
He will pay for that many times over. Teams may now develop very spinny ball free kicks.
I can see players shining it on their shorts cricket style.

Some dirt in a hidden pocket perhaps

[Ellandback1]

Didn’t see him laughing about it I’ll admit, that would annoy me too.

Not really laughing. He was having a moment with Regis Le Bris who he knows from his days at Lorient.

[DDB220]

Bamford did the same after a missed pen or the like.
Its just a normal human reaction to me. I’ve done it because sometimes its all you can do.

Was that when you cut your mates toes off with the angle grinder when you got distracted by a furry woodland creature post.

[Carrick Dave]

Some suggestion that the knee to the head a few minutes earlier might have affected his perception in some way.

[Jaydog]

Was that when you cut your mates toes off with the angle grinder when you got distracted by a furry woodland creature post.

It was Weasels fault. As ever…

[Jaydog]

Farke should get some plaudits for tonight.
Gave Piroe a start who was excellent. Took his goal well.
But all this just detracts from that.
Shame.

[DDB220]

Some suggestion that the knee to the head a few minutes earlier might have affected his perception in some way.

It wasn’t that bad - he took so long to take the sting out of Sunderland.
Just a loss of concentration, coupled with a laissez - faire approach to gathering the ball.

[Tyzy]

Some suggestion that the knee to the head a few minutes earlier might have affected his perception in some way.

It's a shame he wasn't subbed !

[Cjay]

First game really mate - as a pair they did ok and will get better ………. Hopefully.

Very true


We can hope.


Still think we need another option, they share similar problems Amps and Gruev do ironically.

They are samey.

But in a different way

[Carrick Dave]

It wasn’t that bad - he took so long to take the sting out of Sunderland.
Just a loss of concentration, coupled with a laissez - faire approach to gathering the ball.

You’re probably right - we’ll never know.

[60sUnited]

Sorry but little sympathy...ranks in the top 5 goalkeeping gaffs I have seen in 50 years...absolutely incredulous that that happened....absolutely gobsmacking !!

[Cjay]

Farke's explanation

I have none. Thirty years in pro football. I have lost and won many points in football, but never experienced this. Game was over. Meslier takes the ball in and it's over with his clearance after a perfect away performance.

To lose two points in this way is heartbreaking, horrendous, so sad for our lads. I feel for my lads because they have done everything right after a difficult time. We were excellent. Difficult week with three games in six days and had to deal with so many injuries to key players.

Last guys did great tonight. No team has scored here other than Sunderland. Tough to take. Feels like a loss when we would have said an away draw here would have been a great result.

So proud of the lads in these circumstances. What can I say? Only thing missing is, after eight minutes, the home side buzzing, we were in total control of the game at HT. Dominated the game. Created chances. Rock solid against the ball. Not much in xG second half. Needed to bury the game with a third goal. Normally already won. This happened. No explanation. So proud of how we reacted today.



Meslier explanation

No, because after this nobody wants to hear any words. Does need to explain it. Struijk said he never seen anything like this. He said the ball bounced in a different direction. I cannot tell you if it did, but this is what Pascal said.

Illan is more or less in tears in the dressing room.




Great performance

Every other opponent has lost here. Today had a different centre of our game. Difficult for our lads. Always had Ampadu and Gruev as DMs in there at winning the ball back. We played with two ballers there today. Two of the best midfielders in the league with passing. Against the ball it can be challenging with them. Could not go for quick transition because we don't have the defensive machines to win the ball back.

Had to change the rhythm of our game. After the first eight minutes we took control.



International break hopes

Solomon and James will hopefully come back. Hoping Wober will be back soon. Will last a bit.

Gruev news: I don't like October signings, but it is our professional duty to see if there is something out there. Neither of our deep sixes are available for weeks. Ilia surgery tomorrow.

Out of coincidence there may be something out there.



Left players on so long because of the break?

When I looked at my bench, there was no winger. Sunderland always use their wingers. Isaac and Sam did everything right. Tried to leave them on as long as possible because I wanted a third goal and did not want us defending a 2-1 lead.




Spend some days thinking about the midfield balance?

Problem is I have the next 10 weeks to think about this problem. We have to be professional on checking the free agent market. It would be hard to bring someone in free to fulfil this role perfectly. Always tricky. Have to adopt our style of play and the height of our pressing, our shape against the ball. Change our initial approach to this season.

Not feeling sorry for myself and we give up with a white flag. No, we want to show ourselves




Can you educate Ao as a six?

In positioning, we have to work a lot, but I won't make Joe Rothwell a different player. Can't make them different players. We have to work with what we have got. If my job would be easy, everyone would do it. I have to earn my money. No complaints about those topic. We will find solutions.