April 26th, 2008

EPL Round 36: Sunderland AFC vs Middlesbrough FC

By: Lucas | Comments 2 Comments

safesmall.jpgSecond-half substitute Daryl Murphy is the hero today, heading home from a Grant Leadbitter corner in the 92nd minute to give Sunderland a thrilling 3-2 win over local rivals Middlesbrough. The win moves Sunderland to 13th in the table with 39 points - and more importantly guarantees that they will not be relegated this season.

If I may exclaim at this point: Fuck Yes!
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April 5th, 2008

EPL Round 33: Fulham FC vs Sunderland AFC

By: Lucas | Comments 3 Comments

roadwarrior1.jpgSuddenly Sunderland are road warriors, with their second straight win away from the Stadium of Light. Danny Collins, Michael Chopra and Kenwyne Jones were all on target as they sent poor little Team America (fuck yeah) closer to oblivion with a 3-1 win at Craven Cottage.

Sitting now 10 points clear of danger with 5 games left, the Mackems can breathe a little easier today. Looks like the Tyne-Wear Derby in a couple of weeks won’t have the big “R” word hanging over it as the mags also won their third straight today over a hapless Reading side.


March 29th, 2008

EPL Round 32: The Tao of Andy

By: Lucas | Comments Add Comments

yin-yang-redthumbnail.jpgA Taoist proverb tells us “To bend like the reed in the wind, that is the real strength.” I would like to revise it to read “To bend like Andy Reid in injury time, that is real awesome.”

Andy Reid opened his Wearside account today at the Stadium of Light, with a goal at the death to give Sunderland a 2-1 win over West Ham United. Kenwyne Jones leveled the game after half an hour, following Freddie Ljungberg’s 19th minute goal for the Hammers.

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March 22nd, 2008

EPL Round 31: Aston Villa FC vs Sunderland AFC

By: Lucas | Comments 2 Comments

pancho.jpgJust fell out of bed, wondering who emptied their septic tank in my mouth while I was asleep. Off to the pub now to watch the match, I’ll have more to write later.

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March 15th, 2008

EPL Round 30: Sunderland AFC vs Chelsea FC

By: Lucas | Comments 1 Comment

chelsea.jpgThe lineup, it is a-changin’

Carlos Edwards is back in the squad for Sunderland today and starting against big bad Chelsea. Also making a reappearance after some time is Irishman Roy O’Donovan. No Kieran Richardson in the squad though (and I just put him back in my fantasy team, HA HA HA HA HAAAAfuck).

For Chelsea their Peruvian prick Pizarro is absent, so no chance for him to show the Mackems in person just how classy he is.

Something has got to change if Sunderland are going to start scoring goals (which they need to do to, you know, win games and stay up). Can’t have Kenwyne all by his lonesome up top, where his talents are pretty much wasted. This is obviously a huge test and an improbable task, but even a draw today would be good.

(I have a bachelor party to attend today, so it’s unlikely that I’ll catch the replay of the match at 1:00pm; but I’ll have more to write later in this space, and that’s a promise I intend to keep unless I forget.)


March 10th, 2008

EPL Round 29: Sunderland AFC vs Everton FC

By: Lucas | Comments Add Comments

A day late, and a dollar short,
And I ain’t got a match report.
Because the game, I did not see,
So take it from those who know better than me:
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March 9th, 2008

Ten To Go

By: Lucas | Comments 1 Comment

Sunderland’s season now has ten games remaining; ten games to get the results necessary to ensure their EPL survival. Last week’s hugely disappointing draw at Derby represented probably our last best chance to win on the road, and SAFC were able to manage approximately jack shit against the league’s worst team (possibly in the league’s history). From here the home schedule gets vastly more difficult, making it that much more vital for Sunderland to get something - anything - on the road.

Here’s how I see the rest of the campaign playing out, beginning today, when the Black Cats welcome Everton to the Stadium of Light:
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March 1st, 2008

EPL Round 28: Derby County FC vs Sunderland AFC

By: Lucas | Comments Add Comments

ram.jpgKieran Richardson is back in the lineup again, giving Roy Keane what looks like his best hoped-for starting XI for the rest of this season: Noz, Higginbotham, Bardsley & Evans in front of Gordon; Andy Reid & Deano with Kieran in the middle with Chops and Murphy playing on the wings with Kenwyne lonely up front again.

This game is vital and Sunderland must win it, even considering they have done absolutely nothing on the road this season. Derby is terrible and simply cannot score goals, but they play tough and their home is called “Pride” Park after all. It isn’t a six-pointer, because Derby’s season is already a lost cause, but 3 points today will be hugely important for the Black Cats’ Premiership survival hopes (and could move them ahead of the circus sideshow, if they cannot get a result at Blackburn - and does anyone expect them to?).


February 23rd, 2008

EPL Round 27: Portsmouth FC vs Sunderland AFC

By: Lucas | Comments 1 Comment

Good morning, Mackems. Yes, morning. As in AM. As in Six-thirty-in-the. This is what my life is thanks to Sunderland AFC: I get out of bed earlier on the weekends than during the week.

I’m a little groggy this morning: I have not had any caffeine yet (I just ground up the last of our Certified Fair Trade, Shade Grown Ethiopian whole bean coffee - really good stuff actually), and I admit to having enjoyed a bit of wine and whiskey last night while I and my gal watched season 3 of Dr. Who (David Tennant is Scottish!?). The punchline is: the Sunderland match isn’t even being shown live here; I have to wait another 2 hours for the tape-delay (meaning I’ll be at the tavern at 9am this morning, watching SAFC on one television, while on the other is Man Utd vs clown shoes). Dear god what have I become?

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February 15th, 2008

Stuff. Rumors. Items. Sheep.

By: Lucas | Comments Add Comments

Some items and rumors to keep you busy while you wait another week for the next Sunderland match. You could also kill time by helping police find these dastardly hooligans.
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