Premier League Managerial Changes: Do They Guarantee Success? Stats
6 HRS AGO - The twenty Premier League teams for next season are very close to being finalised, with the final Expand
6 HRS AGO - The twenty Premier League teams for next season are very close to being finalised, with the final place being decided this weekend in a £120m game between Crystal Palace & Watford. Both clubs have had new managers in the last 10 months and both are (almost) reaping the rewards. This means that 15 of the [...]Premier League Managerial Changes: Do They Guarantee Success? Stats
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GARY ROWELL: Di Canio spark saved Sunderland
3 DAYS AGO - SUNDERLAND’S final position of fourth bottom wasn’t what Ellis Short had in mind when, Expand
3 DAYS AGO - SUNDERLAND’S final position of fourth bottom wasn’t what Ellis Short had in mind when, back in August, he followed up a great away draw at Arsenal by splashing out £22m on two players. Collapse
Sunderland Play Tottenham Hotspur Away – Match Preview
5 DAYS AGO - With relegation fears now gone Sunderland travel to White Hart Lane for the final game of a Expand
5 DAYS AGO - With relegation fears now gone Sunderland travel to White Hart Lane for the final game of a disappointing season. What started with Martin O’Neill and hopes of a comfortable top-ten finish, has ended with Paolo Di Canio in charge battling hard to avoid a drop into the second tier. Sunderland rallied against Southampton and Stoke to gain respectable draws. Despite not [...] Collapse
Seven Games To Save Our Season 1994/95
7 DAYS AGO - With seven games remaining of the current Premier League season, Paolo Di Canio was given the task Expand
7 DAYS AGO - With seven games remaining of the current Premier League season, Paolo Di Canio was given the task of waking up a slumbering Sunderland and halting what seemed like an inexorable slide into the Championship. With one game remaining, his task was complete – with a bit of help from Arsenal – and safety was secured.
Seven, it would seem, is our magic number. Peter Reid took temporary charge in 1994/95 with the same number of games remaining and the same remit; survival. At the time, such was the state of the club, the aim was to remain in the second tier of English football and to halt a slide towards another ignominious stint in the third tier of English football.
Reid arrived at Roker Park in April, with the side he’d inherited having won just one of their seven games played in March, losing the other six and sat in 20th position in the league. Relegation, much like this season until Di Canio’s arrival, looked inevitable.
With the club perched just two points Collapse
Captain's Blog: Saying Cats Didn't Save Themselves Sells Ellis And Paolo Short
5/15/2013 - It wasn't achieved in a particularly convincing manner, but Sunderland will once again be a Expand
5/15/2013 - It wasn't achieved in a particularly convincing manner, but Sunderland will once again be a Premier League club next season. The recriminations will soon begin and sweeping summer changes are expected this summer, and there won't be a single one of us who won't welcome them.
Those inevitable recriminations, blame-mongering, and witch hunts just don't feel right at the moment though, certainly not from my perspective anyway. Before the club moves on - as it must with a matter of fresh purpose and haste - I think we can afford a brief pause to credit the people who got us out of the mire.
There are those who will tell you that we were ‘lucky' to stay up. They'll bleat on for what seems like an age, obsessively insisting that Wigan ‘deserved' to stay up on account of their more commitment to a more fluid and attacking brand of football than our own. They will almost certainly mention, at length, that it was Arsenal and Swansea who got the job done when Sunderland could Collapse
Seven (Potentially) Deadly Sins Of Sunderland's Season
5/14/2013 - Craig Clark: The Ill-Fated Flirtation With 4-4-2
It was almost like Martin O’Neill wanted to Expand
5/14/2013 - Craig Clark: The Ill-Fated Flirtation With 4-4-2
It was almost like Martin O’Neill wanted to be sacked. As Sunderland slept walked their way into a relegation battle, the Northern Irishman’s attempted final answer to the problem was to pair Danny Graham and Steven Fletcher up front. It was a partnership that never looked like working and brought the worst out of both players as well as meaning Stephane Sessegnon was shifted to the right hand side of a midfield four
At one stage in the defeat to QPR at Loftus Road the system was working so badly that O’Neill decided to shift the lumbering, paceless Danny Graham onto the right as Sessegnon was offering no protection to his full back. Take a moment to consider that. That leaden footed man pretending to be a striker instead pretending to be a fleet footed winger. If it wasn’t us, I’d be crying with laughter.
4-4-2 was introduced at the Hawthorns, where the Lads were defeated 2-1 before an injury to Fletcher Collapse
Quick Kicks: Thoughts And Reaction From Sunderland 1-1 Southampton
5/13/2013 - What The Gaffer Said
Paolo Di Canio was in no mood for excuses after the game. He told the Expand
5/13/2013 - What The Gaffer Said
Paolo Di Canio was in no mood for excuses after the game. He told the official website:
Today’s point is a very important point.We didn’t deserve to win the game because Southampton did a better job than us.With 15 minutes to go we were 1-0 up and could perhaps taste the victory, but it didn’t happen.I needed more from the players. I have to be honest, after the first 25 minutes I could have made changes.I expect much more - my demands are very high.At this moment that is the minimum, the players should know this without me telling them. I will have to make sure I select the right players.We have to move on and make sure we’re fully focused on our next game. I want to see a different performance from Sunderland.Even after Tuesday’s result – whatever that may be – I want to see a professional performance at Spurs because we need to build a different mentality for the future.
Which is all true, of course, and we have all Collapse
Sunderland Play Southampton At Home – Match Preview
5/12/2013 - After the solid and valuable point gained against Stoke, Sunderland face another side around them Expand
5/12/2013 - After the solid and valuable point gained against Stoke, Sunderland face another side around them in the final home game of the season. Southampton are the visitors to the Stadium of Light and they bring with them bad form- No wins in five matches and no goals in three. The “Pocchetino effect” appears to be [...] Collapse
Opponents Talk – Southampton Home
5/10/2013 - Last Monday’s draw against Stoke City and other midweek results have left Sunderland needing Expand
5/10/2013 - Last Monday’s draw against Stoke City and other midweek results have left Sunderland needing three points to practically seal their place in next seasons Premier League, while Southampton, under boss Mauricio Pochettino are not quite over the line themselves with two games to go. This week we have Southampton fan Chris to give his views [...] Collapse
Sunderland play Stoke City at home – Match Preview
5/6/2013 - Another Monday night fixture is on the agenda for Sunderland, as they still look for the necessary Expand
5/6/2013 - Another Monday night fixture is on the agenda for Sunderland, as they still look for the necessary points to escape potential relegation this season. Sunderland have three games and three chances to get to the ‘safety net’ of 40 points that could secure top flight football for next season. Sunderland however, slammed back down to [...] Collapse
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Paolo Di Canio
16 HRS AGO - Paolo Di Canio
This article sheds some insight on Paolo Di Canio and his future.
GARY ROWELL: Sunderland’s win against Newcastle was crucial
3 DAYS AGO - IS there a Sunderland fan out there who’s favourite moment of the season doesn’t Expand
3 DAYS AGO - IS there a Sunderland fan out there who’s favourite moment of the season doesn’t include the Newcastle game in some way? Collapse
Opponents Talk – Tottenham Hotspur Away
6 DAYS AGO - This is it, the final game of the season, and for Sunderland, a game where they can breathe easy, Expand
6 DAYS AGO - This is it, the final game of the season, and for Sunderland, a game where they can breathe easy, due to their Premier League status being secured thanks to Arsenal’s victory over Wigan midweek. For Spurs however, they are still fighting for fourth place and a spot in next season’s Champions League. The final guest [...] Collapse
Big Time' Bardsley's Night Out Not What Anyone Wanted To See
5/16/2013 - Anyone who's ever read this site will know that none of the writers, myself included, are Expand
5/16/2013 - Anyone who's ever read this site will know that none of the writers, myself included, are particularly big fans of Phil Bardsley. From my own personal standpoint, he's just an extremely limited player who's limitations have come to the fore of late, and with his contract nearing it's end, it's about time we moved on.
This week we've had soundbites from Paolo Di Canio saying that he wants to give Connor Wickham a slap for 'acting like a Playboy model' rather than a footballer. We've also heard of dressing room cliques which have tore the team apart.
So you have to wonder what Di Canio will do once he or someone at the club notices how Phil Bardsley and Matt Kilgallon have been spending their evenings.
Pictures circulated on Twitter and on Fans Forums of the pair in a local casino well into the small hours. Obviously this isn't a crime, but with a game left of the season where the players should be fully focussed on trying to win back that single shred of respect they once had Collapse
Rose & Wickham Set for U21 Euros This Summer
5/15/2013 - Sunderland striker Connor Wickham along with on-loan defender Danny Rose have both been called up Expand
5/15/2013 - Sunderland striker Connor Wickham along with on-loan defender Danny Rose have both been called up by England Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce for this summer's European Championships held in Israel.
Rose, who has returned to this weekend's opponents Tottenham Hotspur already due to injury and his ineligibility to play against his parent club, will miss the opening game of the tournament having been sent-off in a racially-charged game with Serbia earlier in the season.
Wickham has spent a large part of this season injured for Sunderland but has managed to get himself fit when required for the Young Lions and will be a key contender to lead the line for Pearce's strong looking side.
Hopefully Israel in the summer will be a little warmer for the player branded a 'playboy' by Paolo Di Canio this week.
Former Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson also makes the squad.
England Squad For Under-21 European Championships
Jack Butland, Declan Rudd, Jason Steele, Steven Caulker, Nathaniel Clyne, Collapse
Talking Tactics: Southampton (H)
5/14/2013 - Lineups
Paolo Di Canio, somewhat worryingly, again opted for a similar side to that which Expand
5/14/2013 - Lineups
Paolo Di Canio, somewhat worryingly, again opted for a similar side to that which struggled in the first half against Stoke City. Phil Bardsley replaced the suspended Craig Gardner at right-back, which meant that Jack Colback again lined up on the left wing with James McClean on the right (the above graphic is wrong, as Colback and McClean did not switch wings until the fifteenth minute, when it had become abundantly clear that the original strategy wasn't working).
Di Canio's willingness to play an actual right full-back in that position is logical, but seemed odd given that Colback has now had two solid performances there in recent weeks. Colback would ultimately end up back on the left wing after half-time, when Sunderland went 4-4-2 and brought Connor Wickham on for the ineffective James McClean.
As for the visitors, Mauricio Pochettino also opted to start with just one up front, but he surrounded Rickie Lambert with two adventurous wide men (Rodriguez and Lallana) and Collapse
Leicester City 0 Sunderland 2 1984
5/13/2013 - VETERAN striker Pop Robson came up trumps as Sunderland guaranteed First Division survival with a Expand
5/13/2013 - VETERAN striker Pop Robson came up trumps as Sunderland guaranteed First Division survival with a last-day victory at Leicester. Collapse
Cheered By Both – Kenwyne Jones, Sunderland and Southampton
5/11/2013 - Southampton make their first Premier League trip to the Stadium of Light on Sunday since the Expand
5/11/2013 - Southampton make their first Premier League trip to the Stadium of Light on Sunday since the 2002/03 season as Sunderland go in search of the double over the Saints following a rare away win in a disappointing season back in December. Southampton have enjoyed a successful first season back in the top flight and play [...] Collapse
Promoted to the Premier League. Job done? | Stats Analysis
5/9/2013 - “We are Premier League, we are Premier League” Being a Hull City fan, I heard this a Expand
5/9/2013 - “We are Premier League, we are Premier League” Being a Hull City fan, I heard this a lot over the weekend. A lot! And I loved every single chant of it. The incredible roller coaster ride that was the final day of the Championship season has been very well covered (Amber Nectar and From Boothferry to [...]Promoted to the Premier League. Job done? | Stats Analysis
EPL Opta Stats & Blog | eplindex.com - soccer stats - Our EPL Stats are Powered by Opta stats | English Premier League stats & blog | Subscribe to the EPL Stats Centre at eplindex.com Collapse
Opponents Talk – Stoke City Home
5/4/2013 - Sunderland will be looking to take one step close to Premier League security, and bounce back from Expand
5/4/2013 - Sunderland will be looking to take one step close to Premier League security, and bounce back from their 6-1 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa when they face Stoke City at the Stadium of Light this Monday, as we welcome Stoke fan Dave to Sunderland World. Stokes loyalty to Tony Pulis has [...] Collapse
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Season Tickets Back on Sale
23 HRS AGO - Season cards are back on sale at the Stadium of Light, as The Club looks forward to the 2013-14 Expand
23 HRS AGO - Season cards are back on sale at the Stadium of Light, as The Club looks forward to the 2013-14 season.... Collapse
Tottenham vs Sunderland | Match Preview
5 DAYS AGO - Andre Villas-Boas’s Tottenham side welcome Sunderland to White Hart Lane today, with the Expand
5 DAYS AGO - Andre Villas-Boas’s Tottenham side welcome Sunderland to White Hart Lane today, with the North London side hoping they can secure Champions League qualification, with a little bit of help from Sunderland’s arch rivals – Newcastle United. The two sides have had contrasting seasons, Tottenham Hotspur have been battling for the top four for the majority [...]Tottenham vs Sunderland | Match Preview
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The Premier League Shockers – How common are the shocking upsets?
7 DAYS AGO - Ok, so Landry was talking about the ‘other’ type of football, however the sentiment Expand
7 DAYS AGO - Ok, so Landry was talking about the ‘other’ type of football, however the sentiment remains true for ‘real’ football. One of the most beautiful things about the beautiful game is the potential for a freak, unexpected result. An incredible, unbelievable result. There’s nothing that neutral football fans enjoy more than seeing an underdog grabbing a [...]The Premier League Shockers – How common are the shocking upsets?
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Wigan's Achievements Should Be Praised, Not Mocked
5/15/2013 - Last night, I dreamt that Dave Whelan committed suicide. Realising that the FA Cup victory last Expand
5/15/2013 - Last night, I dreamt that Dave Whelan committed suicide. Realising that the FA Cup victory last weekend was the pinnacle of all that he has achieved at Wigan football club he decided to go out on an almighty high, driving himself off a cliff in tribute to his favourite film. In a way it was quite fitting. Dave, tormented throughout his life by the leg break he received in the 1960 FA Cup Final, ending any chance of him reaching the highest level, had finally gained retribution and and won a Wembley final. He had put that tragic chapter of his life to bed and decided he could die happily, and chose to do so in the most extravagant way imaginable; a fantastic moment of performance art that would deserve to win a posthumous Turner Prize in any year.
He had to go out on a high. It was the only way to match the remarkable things he achieved with Wigan, of which the FA Cup win was the high point. Yet many football supporters don't seem to understand just how special what they've done Collapse
Mid Table Mediocrity
5/15/2013 - Manchester United may have cruised to the Premier League title, but Old Trafford is relegation Expand
5/15/2013 - Manchester United may have cruised to the Premier League title, but Old Trafford is relegation fodder when it comes to... Collapse
Five Reasons To Feel Confident About Arsenal Vs Wigan
5/13/2013 - It really shouldn't have got to this stage but we're relying on Wigan Athletic to get beat off Expand
5/13/2013 - It really shouldn't have got to this stage but we're relying on Wigan Athletic to get beat off Arsenal to help ensure our Premier League survival tomorrow night. It's depressing however you look at it considering things were very much in our own hands up until around 5pm on Sunday night.
In an effort to try and think positive about this fixture and donning our Arsenal-tinged glasses, we bring you five reasons to remain confident that the Gunners will do us a big favour.
1. Wigan's Poor Record At Arsenal
Wigan have only won once in ten attempts at either The Emirates or Highbury in their history. A mild worry is that was last season when goals from Jodi Gomez and Franco Di Santo ensured that Thomas Vermaelen's 20th minute goal counted for nothing.
The game was slightly a misnomer though. Arsenal were in the midst of an injury crisis and forced to turn out the likes of Andre Santos, Johan Djourou and an on-loan Yossi Benayoun, and despite this went on to dominate the second half as Collapse
Sunderland Vs Southampton: Player Ratings
5/12/2013 - Simon Mignolet - 8
Was our saviour once again. A hard fought draw would have been a disastrous Expand
5/12/2013 - Simon Mignolet - 8
Was our saviour once again. A hard fought draw would have been a disastrous defeat without him and was extremely unlucky to see one world class save land at the feet of Jason Puncheon for the equalising goal.
Phil Bardsley - 5
This was a game which summed up Bardsley's Sunderland career. Could have been the match-winner when his deflected shot gave us the lead but Southampton exposed his poor positional play for the equaliser.
John O'Shea - 6
A solid performance by the captain, threw himself in the way of Southampton shots and kept Lambert relatively quiet.
Carlos Cuellar - 4
Looked shaky throughout, conceded possession too easily and one sloppy bit of play almost let Southampton in on goal.
Danny Rose - 6
Possibly could have done better for the Southampton goal but had another fine game in what was possibly his last for the club. Should have signed off with an assist but saw his cross wasted by Graham.
James McClean - 3
Started on the right and may well have given Collapse
Belgian’s Taking over the EPL | Hazard, Dembele, Fellaini, Benteke et al Stats
5/10/2013 - The Belgians are coming, you have been warned. If we didn’t already know about the remarkable Expand
5/10/2013 - The Belgians are coming, you have been warned. If we didn’t already know about the remarkable number of talented players coming out of Belgium in recent years we do now. Many people have already earmarked them as dark horses for next year’s World Cup with a view to them becoming genuine contenders for the European [...]Belgian’s Taking over the EPL | Hazard, Dembele, Fellaini, Benteke et al Stats
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What will Fergie's imminent departure mean for the Premier League?
5/8/2013 - When I heard, I was in shock. The seemingly unthinkable had occurred. The greatest manager of our Expand
5/8/2013 - When I heard, I was in shock. The seemingly unthinkable had occurred. The greatest manager of our age was stepping down from his post as one of the most commanding figures in the modern game. The realization that the usual whispers and murmurings of his impending retirement, that had initially fallen upon upon deaf ears, were not something dreamed up on a fancy, was hard to take. There has not been a day I have lived without Sir Alex Ferguson at the helm of English football's now most successful and famous club; Manchester United, and the days ahead certainly seem shrouded in mist and fog as a result.
As the reverberations of Sir Alex's imminent retirement continue to travel, it is worth considering what impact this has on the Premier League.
This is assuming of course, as indeed I think many are, that we will be one of the 20 teams comprising the best league in the world come August (as a result of our battling point at home to Stoke City on Monday night and Wigan's graciousness Collapse
Get Your '73 Memorabilia Signed
5/3/2013 - It is nearly 40 years to the day since we last won a major trophy, but that is no reason...
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