Sunderland have a very difficult task.

[Peter 0]

Just looked at Sunderland fixtures for last 9 games, and very daunting they are.

McCarthy just won Manager of Month so will lose next game, hope its in the league. If draw on Saturday which is highly likely have to fit in replay as well.

Playing three matches each week for rest of season except midweek around 27/4, if replay will need to rearrange Palace (A) on 21/4 and slot in as above.

Week commencing 18/4 must play WBA (H), Palace (A) and Wigan (A).

As well as playing Sheff U (H) 9/4, Ipswich (A) 12/4 and the mighty Canaries 4/5 (H).

Also with suspensions if they emerge as title contenders by end April it will be a huge effort, can''t see them doing it, were practically home.

[ZLF 271]

I have to agree Peter - their fans are very bullish but I am confident that they will lose at least two of these games and draw a couple too which takes them well below our minimum target of 85 points.

We are in the fantastic position of still having our fate in our own hands - and I am confident that the 4 more wins we need to get to 85 points will be got - just may take a bit longer than we would like.

As far as a cup replay is concerned I had a feeling that they are now settled on the day with extra time and penalties if still level. Heres hoping for a bruising encounter with an injury, some suspensions and a psychological loss after penalties!

OTBC

[susie b 0]

Agree, they have a difficult run-in, Peter, and lots of games in not many days. I have the feeling, though, that the FA Cup semi will be decided on the day and that there aren''t any replays any more. Can anyone confirm this?

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

It will be very tough for them. They''ve got to play some very hard teams in the next few weeks. I think they''re nailed on certainties for the play offs but I think top two might be a bit too far. Glad Mick McCarthy won manager of the month as well. They aint going to win their next game!!

On that point why do so many teams lose after their manager has just gained the MOTM accolade? You''d think it would be a shot in the arm rather than the opposite. Might be complacency. Who knows!

[Canary Poirot 1]

Well if Mick McCarthy won manager of the month and assuming that is a curse then Sunderland won''t win their next league game - V Wimbledon.....Yeah right!

ps FA Cup semi-finals don''t have replays anymore, do they?

[susie b 0]

Sunderland at Wimbledon looks like a cast-iron three points to the Mackems, and probably will be. However, assuming that Wigan send the Franchise to their inevitable fate on Saturday, could it just be that the Wombles will relax a bit and play well enough to get something out of the game? Well, not likely, but you never know!

[no1canary 0]

to answer the semis question. they don''t have replays. thats why they play at neutral grounds (old trafford for this one) so there is no need for a replay. extra time and penalties are used.
and yes sunderland have got a very hard task ahead of team. can''t see them getting more than 85 pts. the max they can get is 92 pts but they''re never going to win the rest of their games so we r nearly there!

[westoncanary. 0]

Sunderland fans may well be bullish but I do have a soft spot for them. Was anyone else at the Everton away match around 92/93? I was there with my brother sat in the away end at Goodison, looking at all the empty seats when all these sunderland fans started drifting in. It turned out their match at Tranmere had been postponed and rather than go home, they had decided to come to our match. They didn''t take the p**s out of beating us in the semi-final the previous year(to my surprise), but led us in chants of "If you all hate Ipswich", and "Scotlands no.1"(at Bryan Gunn, who was inspired that day).
They really did create a great atmosphere and were happy to swop scarves at full time. That said, I hope they do have a couple of bad results and make the next month or so a bit easier on the nerves!! OTBC