View From The North Stand
One man's views on Sunderland AFC - County Durham's premier football club.
| TALKING POINT | | | EATING OUT |  | | | EATING IN | | | | PAST TIMES | | |
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The business end - View From The North Stand
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| NERVY TIMES: Keane looks a tad worried, but fear not |
SIR Alex Ferguson, one of Roy Keane's managerial mentors, calls this time of the season 'squeaky bum time'.
I don't wish to get personal, but my posterior is not squeaking, more squelching at the moment.
Long story short, I'm worried.
Confidence from a fortnight or so ago (remember: "we'll finish on 43 points") has ebbed away, and we're left with the prospect that this season's relegation battle is going to go right down to the wire.
This week, I have sat bashing numbers into boxes on online score predictors, scouring fixture lists and form guides. It didn't exactly make for enjoyable reading.
Once the headache subsided, the cold facts appeared. I think we'll have just enough on the table to avoid relegation - by the skin of our teeth.
I don't expect us to win tomorrow, nor pick up a point. If we do, fantastic, but I just can't see it happening. We're low on confidence on the road, and despite Aston Villa's little blip, I think they've got what it takes to beat us.
Defeat tomorrow could put us in the relegation zone, but don't fear. We've got quite a gentle run after that, West Ham, Fulham, Man City, where I believe we will pick up the points we need to stay up.
So, that said, don't worry about tomorrow. If you're going down there, enjoy your day, we could end up in the drop zone but fear not.
For what it's worth, I think the teams in the bottom three right now: Bolton, Fulham, Derby, will be the ones plying their trade in the Championship next season.
If we apply ourselves to our final eight games like we did against Chelsea last week, we'll have no bother whatsoever.
I'm stunned that I'm sitting here now, wondering what might have been if John Terry was dismissed in the first half.
I didn't think we'd be at the races at all, Chelsea had the quality in every department and a bench worth more than £100m.
But what we lacked in quality, we more than made up for it in courage.
Andy Reid had the best game of his fledgling Sunderland career, and his match-fitness is improving by the day.
It seemed in the second half he decided to play a free role across the midfield, and it worked.
Carlos Edwards, although quiet, will have been delighted with an hour under his belt, while Roy O'Donavan surprised us all with a tenacious performance.
For what it's worth - tin hat on, here - I didn't think it was a penalty against Terry. It looked to be 50-50. If anything, I expected Mike Dean to award a foul against O'Donavan, not because it was a foul, just that is the way the decisions go against us and for Chelsea.
Terry had kind words to say about Sunderland afterwards, which is rich, since we booed him for 80 minutes, but his conduct towards referees needs to be looked at.
He does his best to get every player on the opposition into the referee's notebook, and the officials fall for it every time.
If the refs started handing out yellow cards for unsporting behaviour, because that is what it is, I'm sure Mr Terry would be thinking before yelling.
But that's just wishful thinking.
4:42pm Thursday 20th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Stevie Freestein II, Swadlincote on 5:04pm Thu 20 Mar 08
An interesting and informative opinion, credit where it's due, this can only add to Mr Mason's reputation.
An interesting and informative opinion, credit where it's due, this can only add to Mr Mason's reputation.
Posted by: Giddup Sausage, Sunderland on 5:10pm Thu 20 Mar 08
Nice one, Rich, think SAFC will be lucky19672 this season and scrape into 16th position.
Nice one, Rich, think SAFC will be lucky19672 this season and scrape into 16th position.
Posted by: Flavonoids, London on 5:14pm Thu 20 Mar 08
Keane realises that it takes time to turn pebbles into rocks, but he is slowly building a decent squad. We need to keep faith, and as my boy Harry says, we have the best chance of success for a long time.
Keane realises that it takes time to turn pebbles into rocks, but he is slowly building a decent squad. We need to keep faith, and as my boy Harry says, we have the best chance of success for a long time.
Posted by: Thomas67 on 5:15pm Thu 20 Mar 08
A decent summary of the current situation I would only disagree with one point. I think either Fulham or Bolton will escape leaving a space up for grabs.
A decent summary of the current situation I would only disagree with one point. I think either Fulham or Bolton will escape leaving a space up for grabs.
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