Back from the game - Sunderland (A)

[melonhead]

i think i love you ramona

[glenroyal]

Was alerted to your site via a reference to our away seating at the SOL. Thought we could have at least let you guys sit in the middle up there. Ridiculous really. Good luck at Newcastle though, take your binoculars.

In Berkshire only the twitchers have binoculars, the rest of us Royals use opera glasses.

BTW - thanks for the thoughts.

[3 veesinarow]

'sfunny how an outsider looking in can cut through the hysterical dross spouted by the usual suspects and offer wise words of encouragement and rationality, especially as his side spanked us, but are by no means out of the woods themselves. Hats off to you sir.

FWIW, for the first time I now feel a sense of doom about this season, having finally lifted my RTG's onto my forehead and peered out blinking into the cold light of day, but nothing is going to make me slag off McDermott. I know the window is opening again soon, but I can't help feeling the Russians didn't do enough first time round and nothing makes me confident they will this time. That's where I think the vitriol chiefly needs to be aimed. Why does McDermott need to go after 16 Premier League games? Ferguson wobbled when he hit the top of the managerial tree, took a while to sort it out and save his job... I wonder what happened to him?

[Jackson Corner]

The best and most realistic post of the week and it's come from a Sunderland fan thank you my friend.

[John Peel]

Was alerted to your site via a reference to our away seating at the SOL. Thought we could have at least let you guys sit in the middle up there. Ridiculous really. Good luck at Newcastle though, take your binoculars.

As for the match, well both sides have been low on confidence and i guess a good start with home advantage helped us. Would have been interesting to know what would have prevailed back in August with both clubs full of optimism.

As a Sunderland fan who has experienced a 15 pt and 19 pt relegation season, i know how you may well be feeling at the moment. That said, ive watched some of your home games and i think you just have to pick up points there. (Obvious statement.) With the Russian, Kebe and Roberts to come back in, i think you have a chance at the Madjeski.

I know you will be despondant at the moment, and im sure we will be too over the next set of tough fixtures, but like us in our relegation seasons, you havent spent a lot. Its not easy to attract players when you come up in your inaugural season. Roy Keane kept us up a few years ago and then signed assholes like Cisse, Diouff and Chimbonda. That caused a disharmony and ultimately his departure imho.

Most fans in the game respect what McDermott has done for you and its always easy to target the manager. As a few have noted, if the players arent up to it, what can he do. Ofcourse he will have to take responsibility, but confidence is massive in football and like us, you seemed a bit short of it last night. It sometimes can appear that the effort aint there, but its probably not the case.

Centre midfield is crucial at any level, and we have been awful there this season. The main reason our flair players have not performed. It did appear that that is also your issue at the moment. Particularly away from home. Sometimes one signing or a returning player can give you a spark when all seems lost. McLean did that for us last year as an unknown 21 year old. Been awful this season until the last few games.

Good luck this season and i hope you stay up at the expense of big spending QPR for starters. As long as its not us If you go down and keep the squad together, dont be surprised to see yourselves doing well in the Championship as the confidence will be back in players who maybe just cant quite cut it in the Prem. Think WBA, a yoyo club for many years, that accumulated cash and have now stabalised themselves very well. They are the model of what most clubs should be doing. Not just throwing silly money at it. Maybe the transfer window can help you out,even if just a couple of loans. Things can change, in particular confidence.

I think this is the best post I have ever seen from an away fan in Hob Nob. Spot on. And I take from this - choose the WBA yo-yo model for a few years, not the QPR, Portsmouth and others model.

[Royal Tezza]

Ramona, tek a bow son

[Ramona1234]

Ha Ha , that positive response was enough to even warm the heart of Pompey fan. Thought Id dip into your fixtures, as a geek, and you've got 4 out of the next 6 at home. Arsenal, West Ham, Swansea and WBA. Its not beyond you to pick up 7 pts there, or maybe 8 ? You beat Everton after all !!! Probs not a lot down for you at City and Spurs. I guess its a crucial month now and if you can pick up some home points, you may go away and make yourselves tough to beat rather than go for it and get picked off. Its gonna be a slog, but thats life in this unforgiving league.

Will keep my eye out on your results now. If you lose at home to Arsenal and draw with West Ham, its gotta be McDermott out hasn't it For the record, most didnt and dont want O'Neill out as he is too earnest and lovable I think in the end though, we need a top young coach involved in some capacity. Martinez, Clarke and Rodgers have shown the way for the next era I feel. We've always got bogged down in that North East passion nonesense that is like a monkey on our backs now. As if other fans dont care as much about their clubs. Technique and pace are the new physical presence and competitiveness.

Anyway, I'll leave it there. Have a right Royal Xmas and maybe Santa will help you jump through a few blue and white hoops. That was sickeningly unfunny. GOODBYE.

[Compo's Hat]

Highlight of the evening apart from arriving late to miss the first goal and leaving early to avoid the third on a truly woeful night was updating my fb to say floyd had been arrested for losing the head on the third goal and a whole host of gullible people believing it. Certainly cheered me up on a night where i fail to see where the next point is coming from now.

Roll on the Championship in August where away games might bring some hope!

[Maguire]

Highlight of the evening apart from arriving late to miss the first goal and leaving early to avoid the third on a truly woeful night was updating my fb to say floyd had been arrested for losing the head on the third goal and a whole host of gullible people believing it. Certainly cheered me up on a night where i fail to see where the next point is coming from now

Weakest "banter" ever. Pretty sure everyone went "funny if true" when they read that.

[Plymouth_Royal]

Ha Ha , that positive response was enough to even warm the heart of Pompey fan. Thought Id dip into your fixtures, as a geek, and you've got 4 out of the next 6 at home. Arsenal, West Ham, Swansea and WBA. Its not beyond you to pick up 7 pts there, or maybe 8 ? You beat Everton after all !!! Probs not a lot down for you at City and Spurs. I guess its a crucial month now and if you can pick up some home points, you may go away and make yourselves tough to beat rather than go for it and get picked off. Its gonna be a slog, but thats life in this unforgiving league.

Will keep my eye out on your results now. If you lose at home to Arsenal and draw with West Ham, its gotta be McDermott out hasn't it For the record, most didnt and dont want O'Neill out as he is too earnest and lovable I think in the end though, we need a top young coach involved in some capacity. Martinez, Clarke and Rodgers have shown the way for the next era I feel. We've always got bogged down in that North East passion nonesense that is like a monkey on our backs now. As if other fans dont care as much about their clubs. Technique and pace are the new physical presence and competitiveness.
Anyway, I'll leave it there. Have a right Royal Xmas and maybe Santa will help you jump through a few blue and white hoops. That was sickeningly unfunny. GOODBYE.

Unfortunately a number of our fans couldn't comprehend that when Rodgers was here and some still can't now. I don't think we will modernise our style whilst a lot of the more seasoned supporters refuse to embrace change.

[Compo's Hat]

Highlight of the evening apart from arriving late to miss the first goal and leaving early to avoid the third on a truly woeful night was updating my fb to say floyd had been arrested for losing the head on the third goal and a whole host of gullible people believing it. Certainly cheered me up on a night where i fail to see where the next point is coming from now

Weakest "banter" ever. Pretty sure everyone went "funny if true" when they read that.

Going by my phone it's safe to say you're not everyone.

[maffff]

just the overall shape

or lack of.

[maffff]

Highlight of the evening apart from arriving late to miss the first goal and leaving early to avoid the third on a truly woeful night was updating my fb to say floyd had been arrested for losing the head on the third goal and a whole host of gullible people believing it. Certainly cheered me up on a night where i fail to see where the next point is coming from now

Weakest "banter" ever. Pretty sure everyone went "funny if true" when they read that.

Going by my phone it's safe to say you're not everyone.

I found myself at the game having a conversation on twitter with the person stood next to me. It was just that good......

Oh, and joining in on your "we're gonna win the league" chant.