Sunderland Vs Tottenham: Match Thread

[cjsimba]

I'm sure that was said mostly in jest but I don't think anything Defoe does here would affect Toronto wanting to sign him up. Defoe would score an absolute shedload in the MLS (that doesn't mean I want him starting ahead of Soldado though!).

My Dad spoke to Defoe this week at a charity event. Jermain said that the talk of him moving to Toronto is all media bollocks...

Also (on Tuesday) Defoe said he had been told he would definitely be starting today at Sunderland, in a 4-4-2. So the plan obviously changed a bit mid-week...

 

[Spurger King]

I know what you mean, we are Spurs of course so the likelihood of us blowing it is high, however I can equally see both Scouse clubs pressing the self destruction button.

Probably after Suarez does something mind-numbingly stupid like pull a knife on some unsuspecting defender.

 

[hughy]

My Dad spoke to Defoe this week at a charity event. Jermain said that the talk of him moving to Toronto is all media bollocks...

Also (on Tuesday) said he had been told he would definitely be starting today at Sunderland in a 4-4-2. So the plan obviously changed mid-week...

I can't see how it could even be possible. Don't they have a lot of plastic pitches in the MLS?

 

[Jenko]

Delighted for Paulinho. He has a great knack of getting into excellent positions - it's just his finishing that lets him down on occasions.

Agreed, and when it improves he'll be a fantastic weapon - Lampardesque (except not fat)

 

[Sweetsman]

Just watching Chamber of Secrets and noticed that Pa Weasley has an uncanny facial resemblance to Michael Dawson. Furthermore, you never see them together.

 

[parklane yid]

Very pleased with result today, been a great week,

Paulinho was excellent and seems to be getting better n better

Dembele was leading by example and driving toward

Capoue looked solid at back and good passing

Holtby is beginning to look like the complete number 10 andhe puts in so much effort and passion

Walker top draw again

Townsend on the left in tens minutes looked lethal andgreat service

The whole team look together and passionately behind avb

Negatives:

Defoe was wasteful and can't help wondering if soldado would and buried those chances

Still havnt seen enough from chadli yet

 

[TheSecretNonFootballer]

Probably after Suarez does something mind-numbingly stupid like pull a knife on some unsuspecting defender.

My money is on him scratching someone's eyes out with a rake.

 

[Jenko]

Horrible last 20 mins, should have scored 5 or 6. But some excellent performances: Capoue, Walker, Dembele and Lennon were all excellent, and not a poor performance in the house. Townsend on the left - it has to be this next time.

 

[Jenko]

Still think AVB is too negative to be a premier league manager Still not happy with the intent and speed of passing, but that was a lot better today COYS!

I say the same thing about Mourinho...

 

[murichej]

this is interesting. Kyle Naughton completed most passes today. not bad.

 

[Spurger King]

this is interesting. Kyle Naughton completed most passes today. not bad.

Credit where it's due. Naughton had a good game today. Looked a lot more comfortable with Chadli in front of him.

 

[Mr Pink]

Credit where it's due. Naughton had a good game today. Looked a lot more comfortable with Chadli in front of him.

He did. He looked more comfortable and confident on the ball and was involved in some nice link up and interchanging as well.

 

[RuskyM]

Defoe played well. Should have scored, but that was his best performance of the season.

Lamela's not played because Lennon's on form and Chadli offers much more defensive protection. Can you imagine Lamela keeping the ball alive for our equaliser?

I've been critical of Paulinho before, but no one else attacks the six yard box from midfield like he does, as was demonstrated by his goal today. He can have a rest now as we can turn out pretty much any team on Thursday.

It worked today.

Naughton was excellent, his best game for Spurs.

Lennon can have a rest now as we can turn out pretty much any team on Thursday.

I am very glad to be proved wrong.

 

[SpurSince57]

We carved out plenty of 'real' opportunities. Plenty.

We murdered them. It was a 2-1 massacre. The fact that there are people negatively dissecting this to the nth degree baffles me. We've gone from mass manic depression to complaining that we didn't dominate for 90 minutes and kill the game off. Two away wins, both times coming back from a goal down and this time with flashes of absolute domination. At times we passed them to death. At times we absolutely dominated and embarrassed them. Poyet's team aren't the mugs they were at the start of the season with Di Canio in charge and this was a very very good result.

If nothing else perhaps we can take this a sign that we're at least heading in the right direction. A bit of improvement here and there is needed but it's all looking a lot rosier now than it has done for a few weeks.

Well, yes and no. If Defoe hadn't fucked up two sitters it would have been a several-one massacre, because I'm pretty certain they'd have just imploded if either of those chances had gone in. As it was, the last 20 minutes or so were altogether less comfortable than they should have been. We were altogether fortunate that Sandro didn't have a penalty awarded against him.

I agree, there were several encouraging signs and for the first 25-30 minutes of the second half we were excellent, but we didn't capitalise on that possession and advantage and somehow let them back into it; that concerns me. Lloris looks worryingly shaky and we're still not getting enough of the chances we create on target, never mind into the back of the net.

I don't mean to sound negative, just realistic. Some of the comments have been a bit 'Never mind the quality, feel the width'—or, 'We won, so what?' Next Sunday we've got Liverpool.

 

[millsey]

Credit where it's due. Naughton had a good game today. Looked a lot more comfortable with Chadli in front of him.

Had no dangers running at him though

 

[millsey]

Very pleased with result today, been a great week,

Paulinho was excellent and seems to be getting better n better

Dembele was leading by example and driving toward

Capoue looked solid at back and good passing

Holtby is beginning to look like the complete number 10 andhe puts in so much effort and passion

Walker top draw again

Townsend on the left in tens minutes looked lethal andgreat service

The whole team look together and passionately behind avb

Negatives:

Defoe was wasteful and can't help wondering if soldado would and buried those chances

Still havnt seen enough from chadli yet

Agree with most of this. Not sure on Holtby complete number 10, but hes playing well. Said for weeks and weeks play Townsend on the left! Him and Lennon would cause so much problems and they can switch at times during games

 

[SpurSince57]

Credit where it's due. Naughton had a good game today. Looked a lot more comfortable with Chadli in front of him.

As you would, if you have fuck all to do.

 

[Mr Pink]

As you would, if you have fuck all to do.

Defensively obviously, but on the ball he was quite decent actually.

 

[nightgoat]

Well, yes and no. If Defoe hadn't fucked up two sitters it would have been a several-one massacre, because I'm pretty certain they'd have just imploded if either of those chances had gone in. As it was, the last 20 minutes or so were altogether less comfortable than they should have been. We were altogether fortunate that Sandro didn't have a penalty awarded against him.

The chance from Holtby's through ball was a sitter and he should have scored. The header was a tight angle with not much space between the keeper and the post. Probably a six-times-out-of-ten-you-score chance, not really a sitter. The other time he hit the post was actually a pretty difficult chance.

Also, as I suspected, all the post-match focus is on the penalty Sunderland should have had with absolutely zero mention of the penalty we should have had in the first half when Brown went all WWE on Dawson.

Not a perfect performance by any means, but definitely a step in the right direction performance.

 

[SpurSince57]

Very pleased with result today, been a great week,

Paulinho was excellent and seems to be getting better n better

And if he could convert better than one chance in 15 we'd all go crazy.

Dembele was leading by example and driving toward

Why are we playing him deep?

Capoue looked solid at back and good passing

Liked him a lot. I was a tad worried about misunderstandings between him and Dawson, but they did well.

Holtby is beginning to look like the complete number 10 andhe puts in so much effort and passion

Disagree with the 'complete number 10' bit, but total commitment.

Walker top draw again

Most of their threat came down that flank and he dealt with it superbly. Was also great going forward.

Townsend on the left in tens minutes looked lethal andgreat service

Can we please play him there full time?

The whole team look together and passionately behind avb

Negatives:

Defoe was wasteful and can't help wondering if soldado would and buried those chances

I can't understand those who claim Defoe had a good game.

Still havnt seen enough from chadli yet

He's getting there. Great work for our equaliser.

General agreement.