"Alice in Sunderland" (with apologies to Charles Lutwidge Dodgson)
For both sets of supporters this match comes under the heading of “Unfinished business” following the drawn League One game last weekend. The exotically-named Max Power has had his red card rescinded and is therefore available for selection, and a prime Black Cats’ message board is divided on whether he and the other “first choice” men should be played, or rested. The reward of winning on Saturday is tantalising, of course - Sunderland fans are drooling at the thought of Newcastle United or Middlesbrough in the 3rd round, in much the same way that we would relish certain local “big clubs” … just watch the winner get F C Halifax Town.
Sunderland’s current League One form is readily available on the preview for last Saturday’s game, just add a 4-2 home win against Barnsley to be fully up to date.
Dean Keates has the twin worries of (a) lack of firepower up front - (we managed one shot on target in 90 minutes against Portsmouth) and (b) a defence that has leaked more readily since we signed a defender player/coach. The heights of a comfortable play-off position earlier this season are attributed to the relatively poor quality of the opposition at the time, and now the reality of coming up against the more talented outfits is beginning to show in our results.
One thing is certain - the financial rewards of progressing in this, the “real” Cup competition, will definitely play a part in the mind of our beloved Chairman, and any words of motivation emanating from him will no doubt be cascaded down to the entire squad…
Prediction? With both sides being well and truly “up for it” there can surely be no possibility of our keeping a clean sheet. We will have to score, and probably the most optimistic forecast will be for a 2-1 home win - Cook and Ginnelly on target.
Great preview Welsh. I fear that with eleven men and an axe to grind Sunderland might give us the hiding that the first 25 minutes last Saturday promised.
Fearing a hammering on Saturday. They’ll be well up for it but you’d hope we are too. Cook was great against them last so I trust Deano to stick him back in.
Anybody know how many have sold or if they have sold out yet?
Depends on whether Sunderland play a full team although their squad is so big they could leave a few out and still be strong.However I cannot see us winning.0-2 I regret to say.
Would play a 3 5 2 Saturday .bring Fitzwater back into a 3 , Devlin and Leahy wingbacks, bring Ronan into the middle 3 and flash gordon and the Cookie Monster up top . We need to be more solid against the black cats don’t want to be 2-0 down after 20mins UTS
Think 3-5-2 could work and like the look of this team
Gives us the option of Ismael/Morris/Ronan as number 10 or could even scrap the extra man in midfield and play one striker with 2 attacking wingers of Ismael/Morris/Gino/Ferrier as more of a 3-4-3
We stand as much chance of beating Sunderland on Saturday than we do of seeing a photograph of the surface of the planet Mars!
Woah, hang on a minute…
So it’s a studio mock up… v… us keeping a clean sheet, and one of our forwards actually scoring a goal.
I remember us beating Sunderland away 3-0 when they WERE a great club, and we had just gone 17 matches without a win… mind you that was in the days when everyone wore hats, and entrance fees were 2/6d, but, miracles might happen!
Can’t see anything other than a strong Sunderland win, but with a decent performance anything can happen.
But it’s a league one game virtually. Anybody pretending this is mission impossible are as delusional as they were when they wrote us off for the first game.
and the Cookie Monster 
up top . We need to be more solid against the black cats don’t want to be 2-0 down after 20mins UTS
. How about giving him ago at wingback in place of Leahy .
