Winners and Losers v Sunderland

[king canary 7,609]

Winners

Us! - We're second in the League! 

Grant Hanley- some absolutely heroic blocks to keep us in it today. His commitment can never be in doubt

Josh Sargent- remember when the idea of a Sargent goal was a joke? It's an absolute laugh riot at the moment.

Teemu Pukki- the form of Sargent led to some questions about his role but his cameo suggested Smith needs to find a way to get them both on the pitch without shunting Sargent out wide.

Dean Smiths in game management- 60 minutes of crap then three subs that changed the game. Criticism for the first half is due but the credit for changing the game outweighs it.

Aaron Ramsey- very impressive 30 minutes, feels like he'll be starting next game.

Issac Hayden- there is always a player who's reputation grows the more he doesn't play and having watched Sunderland slice through our midfield like butter one too many times I've decided it's him.

Losers

Dean Smith for 60 minutes- wow were we poor. After winning two on the bounce it was frustrating to see us come out and act like a team pressing us was some great shock. He can count himself lucky we weren't out of the game by the time his subs changed things.

Kieran Dowell- when he's bad he's really bad.

Onel Hernandez- the full Onel- nice running, lots of step overs, no end product. Back to the bench with you Argos.

Milot Rashica- benched one week, out of the 18 now. An underwhelming end to an underwhelming spell is surely on the cards.

Alex Neil- Sunderland are good. Stoke are not. Bad call Alex.

[king canary 7,609]

Oh and one more loser to add...

Mrs Hanley- I'm assuming certain activities are off the table for a couple of days after one of those blocks...

[Ulfotto 635]

On Hernandez I think one of the main reason he starts to support McLean at LB. If Bryam is fit to start then Todd is back in all day long.

[king canary 7,609]

2 minutes ago, Ulfotto said:

On Hernandez I think one of the main reason he starts to support McLean at LB. If Bryam is fit to start then Todd is back in all day long.

I'd start Ramsey over both to be honest. 

[Ken Hairy 3,773]

We're 4th 😉

[king canary 7,609]

Just now, Ken Hairy said:

We're 4th 😉

We were second when I wrote this, I swear.

[Feedthewolf 4,846]

I'd add Sam Byram to the 'winners' list. Looked very assured at LB, and will be an absolute godsend for us if he can stay fit for the next couple of months.

I'd also add Liam Gibbs and Danel Sinani to the losers. Poor old Gibbs, was doing brilliantly until his injury and will surely find it very difficult to get back in the team once Sara's up to speed and Hayden gets going.

As for Sinani, he was equally as aimless as Onel and Dowell today. Can't see him being much more than a bit part once everyone's fit, his decision-making isn't good enough and he doesn't track back effectively enough. Considering we got him from the Luxembourg league, he's actually doing really well compared to realistic expectations, but I can't see him getting regular starts this season.

[Robert N. LiM 4,378]

Another winner: Tim Krul: booed all game, crucial save, lovely time-wasting antics. Must have been a very satisfying result for him.

[Crafty Canary 496]

Onel is a one trick pony. OK as a Championship squad player but not a regular starter and certainly not good enough for the Premier League.

[king canary 7,609]

11 minutes ago, Feedthewolf said:

I'd add Sam Byram to the 'winners' list. Looked very assured at LB, and will be an absolute godsend for us if he can stay fit for the next couple of months.

I'd also add Liam Gibbs and Danel Sinani to the losers. Poor old Gibbs, was doing brilliantly until his injury and will surely find it very difficult to get back in the team once Sara's up to speed and Hayden gets going.

As for Sinani, he was equally as aimless as Onel and Dowell today. Can't see him being much more than a bit part once everyone's fit, his decision-making isn't good enough and he doesn't track back effectively enough. Considering we got him from the Luxembourg league, he's actually doing really well compared to realistic expectations, but I can't see him getting regular starts this season.

I think Sinani has done enough the last few weeks to be allowed an off performance- Hernandez is just the same every week.

[Branston Pickle 3,661]

Tim needs to be careful - think that’s a booking for time wasting for the second game on the bounce (or is it two in three?).  I though todays was harsh, but there’s times when all keepers take the pee.

I’ve long thought we’ve been poor at putting blocks in, but we were there with them in spades today…we limited them to few really good chances as a result.  

I thought we always looked a threat today and there were several decent penalty shouts on top of the goal, and all in all it was a hard-worked win.

[TheGunnShow 5,940]

Onel is an impact sub. His brand of direct-running rip-roaring chaos is much more likely to come up with circumstances that make his shaky decision-making less of an issue when opposition defenders are fecked chasing another sod around for 60 minutes.

Didn't get a chance to follow this match today (seeing an old friend for lunch in Manchester, tried out a Central European dumplings and pasta place, excellent as well) but it looks like the kind of match we'd have bottled under pressure and didn't play all that well. Doesn't matter, it's not sustainable if all your wins are like that, but in a league as competitive as the Champs, there will invariably be some in that mould.

Onwards and upwards.

[CANARYKING 639]

45 minutes ago, Crafty Canary said:

Onel is a one trick pony. OK as a Championship squad player but not a regular starter and certainly not good enough for the Premier League.

Lost count the number of times the ball was lofted towards him and the defender ran in front to head clear, Onel stood waiting. Shame he’s such a great fellow.

[Unthank Canary 11]

Add our supporters who attended the game  to the ‘winners’ list. Crazy time to start their journey this morning and still a few hours from getting home. The 3 points  must have been all the sweeter for them. 

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

1 hour ago, king canary said:

Oh and one more loser to add...

Mrs Hanley- I'm assuming certain activities are off the table for a couple of days after one of those blocks...

There are other positions available

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

I would give Onel one more go and then its Ramsey and Todd out wide for me.

[Feedthewolf 4,846]

5 minutes ago, keelansgrandad said:

There are other positions available

Can she play left back?

[Don’t be Krul 399]

Thought Byram was a massive plus. Brings a lot of experience and organisation and we looked more assured with him on the pitch. Pity at the expense of young Gibbs, that injury looks a couple of months out to me.

Thought Sargent's endeavour was 1st class, be he does need to learn how to defend

[Petriix 2,839]

Can't agree about Dowell. He was involved in everything good we did in the first 60 minutes. He's just not an 8.

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

59 minutes ago, Feedthewolf said:

Can she play left back?

Don't tell me Sick Note is injured again. I thought he did well today.

[Creedence Clearwater Couto 1,280]

20 minutes ago, Petriix said:

Can't agree about Dowell. He was involved in everything good we did in the first 60 minutes. He's just not an 8.

It’s strange how much stick he gets… always involved with our best attacking intent. 

Plays lovely football, one of the first on the team sheet for me.
 

[KeiranShikari 1,420]

15 minutes ago, Creedence Clearwater Couto said:

It’s strange how much stick he gets… always involved with our best attacking intent. 

Plays lovely football, one of the first on the team sheet for me.
 

100% this.

Once Sara is ready he'll be in the middle with dowell replacing Sinani out wide.

[GenerationA47 752]

1 hour ago, TheGunnShow said:

Onel is an impact sub. His brand of direct-running rip-roaring chaos is much more likely to come up with circumstances that make his shaky decision-making less of an issue when opposition defenders are fecked chasing another sod around for 60 minutes.

Didn't get a chance to follow this match today (seeing an old friend for lunch in Manchester, tried out a Central European dumplings and pasta place, excellent as well) but it looks like the kind of match we'd have bottled under pressure and didn't play all that well. Doesn't matter, it's not sustainable if all your wins are like that, but in a league as competitive as the Champs, there will invariably be some in that mould.

Onwards and upwards.

Loving this pitch for “TheGunnShow’s Report against…” where you, playing the anti-Ricardo, talk about notable aspects of your day away from the game you’re not attending! 😂

[TheGunnShow 5,940]

9 minutes ago, GenerationA47 said:

Loving this pitch for “TheGunnShow’s Report against…” where you, playing the anti-Ricardo, talk about notable aspects of your day away from the game you’re not attending! 😂

Well, if you're ever in Manchester, The Spärrows is an excellent spot for lunch. Not cheap, but the pierogi and indeed the spätzle are excellent.

Need to find an excuse to go back and give the Tyrolean goulash a smash.

[CirclePoint 202]

3 hours ago, king canary said:

Oh and one more loser to add...

Mrs Hanley- I'm assuming certain activities are off the table for a couple of days after one of those blocks...

II bet Mrs. Hanley is very impressed with Hanley's b0llocks today...😂

[duke63 542]

3 hours ago, Robert N. LiM said:

Another winner: Tim Krul: booed all game, crucial save, lovely time-wasting antics. Must have been a very satisfying result for him.

Have  a read of his instagram referring to the 'Stadium of Shhhlight'.  😂😂

[duke63 542]

I thought Todd was very good when he came on.

Looking for the ball, moving it quickly, nothing spectacular but making the game work in our favour... and one sprint back from the opposite goal line to chase down the ball.

Edited August 27, 2022 by duke63

[AJ 1,222]

3 hours ago, king canary said:

I'd start Ramsey over both to be honest. 

On today's 30 minute showing I'd be tempted, but as with all our wide players I'd question his consistency. But then the thing is this season it doesn't really matter if a player can't perform for the full 90 minutes as you've got so many subs to burn!

[GenerationA47 752]

45 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

Well, if you're ever in Manchester, The Spärrows is an excellent spot for lunch. Not cheap, but the pierogi and indeed the spätzle are excellent.

Need to find an excuse to go back and give the Tyrolean goulash a smash.

As it happens, I’ll be staying there either side of the Blackpool away game.. would be ideal to try it out.. if I & my host weren’t vegetarian 😞

 

[yellowrider120 763]

1 hour ago, KeiranShikari said:

100% this.

Once Sara is ready he'll be in the middle with dowell replacing Sinani out wide.

That would be a mistake as Dowell is not a 'wide player'. We saw this last season when Smith gave him a run wide right. He's an advanced attacking midfielder or nothing.