In the week building up to the game I’m usually flitting between being nervous and being excited but playing on Thursday evening seems to have put a lid on that as far as I’m concerned and it’s only now I’m feeling anxious.
We are the home side and we have to win, it’s as simple as that. Bragging rights hinge on this game and anything other than defeat for Sunderland will ensure that Wearside have the advantage in the banter stakes when normal service resumes after the weekend. That simply can’t be allowed to happen. I don’t want to hear about the production commemorative Sunderland mugs celebrating a rare derby day win again, like what happened five years ago!
Tickets for this game sold out within hours and not one seat inside the ground is available. A complete sell-out for a third time in a week will ensure an electric atmosphere inside the ground. For those that are lucky enough to be there, enjoy!
For those like me who are having to work and miss parts of the game or couldn’t get tickets or whatever rest easy. The game is live on Sky and even though it’s a relatively early start (for us here in the UK anyway!) I’m sure plenty of people will be up to watch it! We need streams people, so if you happen to find one on your trawls round the web then please share it by leaving a link to it in the ‘comments’ section below.
I will be on hand to provide with you with team news as soon as it becomes available. The full team-sheet will be added in at the bottom of this article but both teams are carrying injuries so neither side is playing at what you could call full strength. To view the injury statuses for both sides read my match preview by clicking here.
Really I don’t need to go any longer. We all know what is at stake here and what the game means to everyone on both sides of the divide. All I’ll say is let’s do this!
Howay the lads!
Newcastle: Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Steven Taylor, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Jonas Gutierrez; Cheik Tiote, Yohan Cabaye; Sylvain Marveaux, Moussa Sissoko, Yoan Gouffran; Papiss Cisse
Subs: Rob Elliot, James Perch, Massadio Haidara, Vurnon Anita, Hatem Ben Arfa, Adam Campbell, Shola Ameobi
Sunderland: Simon Mignolet: Phil Bardsley, Carlos Cuellar, John O’Shea, Danny Rose; Adam Johnson, Alfred N’Diaye, Sebastian Larsson, James McClean; Stephane Sessegnon; Danny Graham
Subs: Kieran Westwood, Matthew Kilgallon, Jack Colback, David Vaughan, Kader Mangane, Mikael Mandron, Jordan Laidler
Mr Big Dave, after all the bullying you have been doing, it seems you still have some punters on your team 😉 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
It’s all Richietoons fault 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
santitary towel who are these bullies that you ❓ only weak poewple allow themselfs to be bullied 😕
batty(Quote)
I can’t see Pardew being sacked but is there a chance he could resign.
Unlikely but as I say it would take a calamitous run of results for him to be sacked. More chance of the silver fox getting caught with his pants down
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Sidekick-Laurent blanc might fancy it, but big name usually equates to wanting big kitty. That means no. Would take him if he was willing though.
Newkie(Quote)
“Santitary Towel”
I honestly think my 5 year old son could come up with something better than that 😀
“only weak poewple allow themselfs to be bullied” No **** Mr obvious that’s why Bullies pick on them
Santii(Quote)
MM aye mate that richie has a lot to answer too cannot say to much its monday 😀
icedog(Quote)
santitary you have a kid 😯 didnt think you had it in you 😉
batty(Quote)
santitary serious though who are the bullies 😕
batty(Quote)
santitary well our average manager fits rite in with our poor team
batty(Quote)
Our poor team of International trophy winning players who have all of a sudden turned into Sunday league players. Get a grip Batty or get of the sauce 😉
Santii(Quote)
Give the job to Maradonna if only to see him and Di Canio square up on Derby day 😆 😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
Man this Sunderland defeat isn’t feeling any better today. Still thoroughly pissed off 🙁
I fear for our survival now, I fear that after the 0-3 home defeat that our morale has been destroyed and am not convinced Pardew is reaching the players. Maybe the manager is also fatigued after a draining season ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
santitary fffs celtic could win that french leauge 😆
batty(Quote)
Santii….”International trophy winning players”….. is that our team ? 😕 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
ive heard joey barton is gonna win player of the season , my daughter could take a corner batter than cabaye
batty(Quote)
MM yeah mate I and my ( cronies) were accused by Santii of bullying 2 people of the blog but when he was asked to back up his claims he went very quiet I chose to ignore me rather than have the decency to back up his claims 😳
Toby @ 604 there is a chance that the pressure might get to him but i’m not so sure, by the way what was that you were saying earlier about Big Al ??
Big Dave(Quote)
Holy **** just seen the news about those bombs in Boston. Feel for those people’s families.
Santii(Quote)
Batty I was thinking the same about the French league mate… 🙁 The days of old when France were a world soccer power are well behind us. Things aint gonna change any time soon either with that crouton of a manager 👿
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM@592 ,my feelings exactly ,been saying we need to keep it short as there is no sign of improvement in doing it the conventional way or even mix it up a little so we arn’t so predictible ,lets face it every team is totally relaxed when we get a corner as they know we are gash at them. 😳
KIMTOON(Quote)
change of mood,,i remember the day batty got a scum fan down a back lane and told him to roll a dice and if he got between 1 to five he would beat the **** out of him,the scum fan asked what if i throw a six batty said you get another throw 😀 is that being a bully 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
Ice@607….you’re right I forgot it was Monday 🙁 “Richietoon Day”… 🙂
Munich Mag(Quote)
@MM
Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Sissoko, Debuchy, Coloccini, Mbiwa, Santon, Krul, all of them players are full internationals and the majority of them have won eague titles. I might be missing others but cant think of them now. Thats the majority of our first team.
Santii(Quote)
Batts @ 616 the french really do love Joey so I wouldn’t be surprised if he won something 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Iwas joking @612 by the way 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
santitary benny santo krul colo wouldnt say they are full internatiols if so then crouch and owen are 😕
batty(Quote)
@Batty
Joey Barton win player of the year lol dont make me laugh. You clearly know nothing about Ligue 1.
Santii(Quote)
Just in case you thought I had finally lost it that is 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
munich spot o 616
batty(Quote)
Ice @ 621 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
😳 619
batty(Quote)
Big Dave
King Al wrote a piece for The Sun today reporting on the derby. Didn’t have a good word to say.
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
santitary well clearly i know more than you which isnt hard 😆 bullie
batty(Quote)
Santi ,what bombs 😕
KIMTOON(Quote)
Clearly Batty 🙄 😳 😆
Santii(Quote)
Kim we know you haven’t lost it 😉 well not totally 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
Regarding our group of top French internationals…Santii see my comment @619 mate.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Dave ,he was questioning if the French guys truely understood the Derby importance,as in were they really up for it like.
KIMTOON(Quote)
santitary you love abit of stirring ,@627 was aimed at dave @ 624 ,cant stand people who havent got the bottle to answer a question what you have been asked time after time you t@pot
batty(Quote)
Dave ,that’s good 😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
TLR cheers i’ll have a wee look now
Big Dave(Quote)
I agree they are not as good as in previous era’s. I would say they are slightly better than the current England team though and look were the majority of there players are.
Santii(Quote)
santi i bet more on the french and italian leauge more than the english leauges so know quite alot about them and do pretty well
batty(Quote)
@MM 🙄
Santii(Quote)
Kim
There have been explosions at the finishing line of a marathon in Boston USA. Two people reported dead and 25 plus injured. Other explosive devices were found
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Batts @ 639 same here lad if you have a problem with someone atleast have the balls to sort it out. don’t run away and hide like a child hoping it goes away
Big Dave(Quote)
@Kim
http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/explosions-boston-marathon-finish-line-18960342#.UWxlRcrm_Cl
Santii(Quote)
dave @646 seen it happen many times on theses blogs they accuse then dont back it up tottal tossers
batty(Quote)
Santi & Toby ,thanks .Bloody hell that’s awfull ,why on earth did someone do that 😕 Sounds like carnage 🙁
KIMTOON(Quote)
now there stepping up security for sundays londo marathon 😕
batty(Quote)
3rd explosion at jfk library 😕
batty(Quote)
TLR just checked that out and I tend to agree with everything Big Al says 😥
Batty @ 648 the problem for them is that everyone else see’s them for what they are 😳
Big Dave(Quote)
Has that just happened Batty i didn’t see that?
Santii(Quote)
Batty ,bloody hell it gets worse 😯
KIMTOON(Quote)
yep just happend about 3 milesaway 😕
batty(Quote)
Piers Morgan @piersmorgan 3m
BREAKING: CNN now reporting 2 dead, 46 injured, many critically.
batty(Quote)
On ITV news now
KIMTOON(Quote)
Sorry for the late reply Groucho @528. Normally we seem to play as a condensed unit as do most teams, pushing up from the back to force offsides and staying tight to reduce the amount of passing space for the other team. But yesterday almost right from the start we seemed to get too stretched. The amount of space in the midfield was often enormous for them. That is up to Pardew to correct at half time at the latest but more normal would be to scream at the lads to tighten up. What happened yesterday? I have no idea but it has happened before to us. Also we seemed too often disjointed on attack, either Cisse or Gouffran attacking completely alone. That just won’t work often enough. We need more players in the box on attack but then ready to track back quickly. Other teams can manage it, why can’t we more often?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
The longer it goes on the more I question whether Pardew can get us playing good football. He didn’t last year – but he built a defensively strong team and had players coming up with magic each game. He hasn’t this year but has been beset with injuries, and many teams and coaching set ups that aren’t used to juggling Europa struggle.
Next year is Pardew’s time to prove last year wasn’t a fluke.
I expect 8th minimum, fighting for top5/6. I fear that if he doesn’t get that he’ll lose the fans.
Unfortunately I am very much of the opinion that if the board were pressured into getting rid we wouldn’t push on and get someone better.
Those (where are ya B&B!) that don’t agree are just ignoring our previous.
Come on, the boards record:
Keegan – the only one with any credibility
Kinnear
Shearer
Hughton
Pardew
Every single appointment under the board has been someone with zero stock. It’s worked out with the last two (so far..), but for me it just shows if we got rid of Pardew we would have no guarantee of someone better.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Yes several coordinated explosions in Boston. Two dead, more than 20 injured, a lot of blood on the sidewalk. Tragic, stupid, senseless. 😥
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2 @658 imo mate the players have never looked fit this season by a long chalk,toon have a far better class of player than the scum so where did it go wrong,got to look at the manager/coachs imo i know a lot is down to the players themselves but if they cannot motavate them something wrong somewhere imo mate
icedog(Quote)
ST-I think Pards, and our club as a whole are just far more comfortable as the plucky underdogs, a culture we have had for yonks but with pards in particular. He got average players playing very well, but top players not so much. Our defence has just been shocking this year.
Then again, maybe we overrated our players after last years performance. You only need to look at Tiote and Santon, the fans have gone reet off them. Weren’t we valuing them both at 20 mil a season ago, or two in Tiote’s case. Colo is worth **** all now, Krul and Benny were out too long, Cabaye has been poor all season. Cisse and Ba well… 😕
Newkie(Quote)
Just seen the pictures on itv of Boston ,just terrible scenes 100 being treated now . How does a fun event without any political meaning become a terrorist target 😯 utterly senseless loss of human life. 🙁
Also just seen images of Toon fans after the game yesterday 👿 why trash their own city 😳 mindless idiots.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Good comments ST@659. The board’s record (which probably really means Ashley’s record) in hiring managers is medium to poor. No high quality manager has been hired by the regime except Keegan and possibly he was past his best before date. We need a European manager who has worked with many international level players from many countries. Methods are changing rapidly now. I understand the move by Pardew to bring in coaches with local experience like Carver and Beardsley but is it going to prove good enough? And is Pardew good enough at this level with so many foreign players? I have stronger and stronger doubts as the season progresses.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Toonsy must be finding it very hard to write a match report ,it’s getting all too common for him to have to write a depressing one on yet another loss. 🙁
KIMTOON(Quote)
“How does a fun event without any political meaning become a terrorist target 😯 utterly senseless loss of human life.”
If it is a terrorist attack then Religion it poisons everything (The name of a very good book im reading at the minute :D)
Santii(Quote)
Icedog I agree with you about fitness mate. It has always looked questionable this season. We still have some dead wood in the side who will never make it at this level if we are to aim for top 6. Are the combination of Ash/Llam and Pardew up to the job of strengthening the side and removing the dead wood? It doesn’t look that way to me. We need a new manager, with his own chosen coaches and a new approach to the game but will we get it next season even if we start poorly? Sadly I have my doubts mate.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Santi .they are saying it looks like a well executed terrorist attack on news.
KIMTOON(Quote)
@GeordieTwo
or you could say Ashley only hires yes-men. Managers giving a golden opportunity, last chance to make it big..
Big Sam doesnt jump for anyone so he was booted (thankfully) and Ashley quickly learned KK wasnt going to be a Yesman so was booted too.
mark(Quote)
MARK/G”2 its a sad state of affairs at the mo i agree sadly
icedog(Quote)
Ice its made even worse considering how Di Canio has said how bad Sunderlands fitness was when he came in. I would hate to hear what he thinks about our fitness 😀
Santii(Quote)
Yes it certainly looks that way Mark @669. What has made it a bit more complicated was the team’s performance under Pardew last season. I just don’t understand how things have gone wrong so quickly. The Ba vs Cisse situation didn’t help, nor did Colo wanting to leave. Some of the younguns have been relative failures but too much may have been expected of them. We certainly weren’t ready to compete in Europe and play well in the league. I can’t see any way out of next season being the final decider for Pardew. He must get these players to perform better and more consistently or he must be gone.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
SANTII aye your reet there bud
icedog(Quote)
Ice and Mark would you go for a new manager if Pardew clearly can’t get the team going next season? I think it must be done or we’ll have another wasted season like this one. This experience needs to be a stepping stone to better things for us. Going into Europe should have opened some management eyes about how a deep, quality squad is essential. And no more lies about poor players being fantastic from either Pardew or Llambias. That has been completely exposed as untrue now. The only reason they were saying it was that those players were cheap to pay. That won’t work at this level with the high expectations of the supporters after last season. Wake up and smell the coffee now Ash/Llam and Pardew.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2, yes I would go for M Jol as he has the experience, gets player motivated, takes no **** and can work on a shoestring.
Other than that, Laudrup and give him a massive contract too good to refuse as he’s going to get better, so why not with us.
mark(Quote)