He says Sunderland are going to play on the front foot and test us out when they pay us a visit. That could leave a few gaps so we won't have to keep passing it around to find spaces. Will, hopefully, be a good game for us if they do.

Every team who have tried that have been hammered, so good luck Tony!

I doubt he's going to give us his game plan so readily.

Now that's fighting talk.
A difficult game plan if you haven't got the ball.

They’ll all fancy their chances of getting at us after what happened at City. What happened at City will then happen to them.

If I was the Sunderland manager, privately, I'd be more concerned about the possible backlash.

Eight games left for Sunderland, they probably need to win all 8 to stand a chance of getting to the Play Offs so might as well have a go.

Play like we all know that we can do, and a few words from TM won't mean nowt.
We'll win comfortably if we maintain our League form.

They did cause us problems in the first half in the reverse fixture with their pressing, but as i felt at half time in that game, there was no way they could maintain that tempo for 90 minutes. Plus we are are a much better side now than we were back in October and won't be as benevolent infront of goal, nor as poor as we were in that first half.

As long as we have the majority of our team injury free we’ll be okay. Could really do with Brownhill back though.

Double bluff..

Sunderland will play on the front foot, that's how they've recruited and Mowbray goes about things.

Interestingly I saw a rumour on Twitter today that Amad Diallo has caught the eye of VK this season and we could look to loan him from United.

I've quite liked him from what I've seen and would be a solid 'Tella replacement' if we can't get him back.

Absolute cock from Mowbray.
They'll come for a point, defend for their lives and with a bit of luck and plenty of gamesmanship try and nick a win.
We'll need to be patient again.

Just a bit of waffle really, but I think it's the right way to go for them. The few times we've wobbled this season is when teams have really had a go at us. We actually seem to prefer them to sit back in numbers while we pick them off.

Blackpool at the Turf in the 2nd half, Sheff Utd away, Millwall away eventually although they left it too late to win. Maybe teams just can't sustain it, but it's the only way anyone has troubled us. Sitting back like Blackburn, Preston or even Boro for that last half hour.. it never works out.

Feel for them losing Ross Stewart, to injuries, and Ellis Simms, recalled by Everton. They were looking good for the playoffs before that. Always a difficult match after the international break but we should have enough to do them.

Good.
Don’t think Sunderland have the players to defend and other than Blackpool few teams have succeeded with that approach.
He’s probably watched the Hull game and thinks that is their best chance. TBF Hull played well and that game could have easily been a draw.
Will make for a better game to watch and will 100% leave them exposed at the back to us breaking the lines and the way Tella is playing we will score.

His approach could be to try and score first and then shut up shop…..that would make a lot more sense than going toe to toe with us.

We'll see them off with comfort whichever approach Mowbray chooses to adopt.

They will wonder who this Barnesiesta up front for us, as he's nothing like the Ashley Barnes who as up front for us in the previous fixture

Being serious though, they have a good away record and will be hoping that our confidence has taken a knock

Up to us to deal with that and respond accordingly

Lancasterclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 21, 2023 10:05 am

They will wonder who this Barnesiesta up front for us, as he's nothing like the Ashley Barnes who as up front for us in the previous fixture

Being serious though, they have a good away record and will be hoping that our confidence has taken a knock

Up to us to deal with that and respond accordingly

If anything the city game might have improved our confidence in a strange way.

We didn't look out of place for good periods of the game, we caused arguably the greatest current club side in terms of form some problems, and Sunderland haven't got a goal scoring machine backed up by Mahrez, KDB and Foden...

Andreshotboots wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 21, 2023 10:22 am

If anything the city game might have improved our confidence in a strange way.

We didn't look out of place for good periods of the game, we caused arguably the greatest current club side in terms of form some problems, and Sunderland haven't got a goal scoring machine backed up by Mahrez, KDB and Foden...

My only concern is that people like Maatsen has absolute shockers 2nd half, and that might knock them off their stride

Guess we will see!

As long as they don't play with nine men we will be fine.

Mowbray is a decent manager, Sunderland would do well to keep hold of him.

I said this elsewhere but play like we did in the first 30 mins on Saturday at the Etihad and we will splatter every team we play for the remainder of the season