Sunderlands view of whether they can catch us

https://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/so-can-we-catch-barnsley.1465725/

Of course they can catch us and Luton if we have a wobble.

Some of them suggesting we're having one now though, having had 3 goalless draws.

Considering two of those draws were against them and Pompey, and suited us because it kept both at arms length, I don't see anything that constitutes a wobble.

Another one suggests we've looked under pressure since we came up on the rails. Again, it may look like that from the outside, but we've lost Moore at the time we hit 2nd spot, and haven't lost since.

Last but not least someone comments that we "bottled it" on Tuesday because we didn't "put them away". Power, 1 on 1 with Davies and didn't even manage to force a save comes to mind.

As I say, I've every respect for Sunderland. They're a good team, but I'm not seeing much to suggest were not handling the pressure well. In fact, we're doing it with several key players missing.

Browny and McGeehan back fresh for Walsall away, and some good signs from the young lads we've blooded over the last few games.

I'm as excited and nervous as the next bloke, but not concerned.

 

They really rated Moore so think it will ruin our season.im not sure how many appreciated that we'd lost 2 other key players who will return after this week I think a Wembley loss could work against them in April and if it happened Portsmouth could well overtake them.

 

Scoreboard pressure does strange things. On paper the Donny game looks the toughest. We will see.

 

Their best effort on goal Tuesday came from their goalkeeper.

Were bound to drop points between now and the end of the season, the question is though will Sunderland gain enough points to out do us? I'm not really sure. We will see its going to be as equally exciting as it is arse twitching.

COYR!

 

A lot of people are basing the Donny game being tough because they played well at Oakwell, months ago.

Same as some Sunderland fans were thinking they would come and turn us over based on a sublime 30 minutes they had at their place.

It's bonkers thinking. Every game is different for various reasons such as form and personnel changes.

 

True and Stendel did make a brain fart of a team selection for that match.

 

Yup. Hedges and Bahre in starting line up.

 

Apart from the goal-bound shot in the first half that Davies tipped round the post.

 

Sunderland have yet to play Pompey twice and they both can't win both games. I can't see either winning both so there are points dropped there.

 

Ones in the checkatrade final.

 

Think pompy and sunderland are two similar "effective" teams odd flair player but overall not fantastic.
Pompy did the black cats at fratton earlier in season but against 10 men.
Donny can play football that is easier on the eye, they also outplayed pompy at fratton and were unlucky to draw. It will be a big test this friday, they are a good side.

 

Doncaster on a poor run at the moment. Form since 1st January. Maybe a derby match is what they need, maybe it will be another loss

 

I wouldn't describe that run as all that bad. There have been some tough games amongst that lot and also no home defeats.
Friday will be a tough test and there's no getting away from that. I'd be happy coming away with a draw and our unbeaten run still intact.
I'd be even happier with a win of course.....

 

It's wide open and could easily go either way. Tomorrow is a massive game for us especially playing first, if we can find the win it will put a lot of pressure on Sunderland.
Also I'm hopeful that the fixture back log may catch up with them.

 

We normally kick start a faltering sides season when they’ve been on a bad run or just sacked their manager .
However I’m unable to call this one on Friday tbh.
We’ve got goals in us despite losing our top scorer but we’ve also got a goal drought in us by not taking the opportunities so that depends on the day imo.
It’s a Derby so form , league position etc goes out of the window it’s who wants it on the day .

 

Dunno, I'd say 3 wins in 11 and no wins in 5 for a play-off team is pretty poor. They've been a bit fortunate that teams around them haven't been great.

 

I'd go for 4 wins 2 draws and 3 defeats until end of season.

Wins against Coventry, Fleetwood, Blackpool and Shrewsbury

Draws against Burton Albion and Plymouth

Defeats against Doncaster, Bristol Rovers and Walsall.

That's my most pessimistic outcome.

 

You’ve got us to beat Coventry so I’d say that’s optimistic tbh.

 

Daft thing looking at fixtures 88 pts might be enough. Got this feeling us and Sunderland will go to jelly with us staggering over finishing line whilst Luton will pull away unscathed by the traumatic events unfolding.

 

As pointed out elsewhere Sunderland's run-in is pretty intense. Including their Football League Trophy game they have 10 games in 34 days until the end of the season. Out of interest I check our run-in from 2015/16 (including the final) and we had 8 games in 35 days. After this next round of games Sunderland won't play a league game until the 3rd April, by which point we'll have played another 2 games (Walsall away and Coventry at home). Gives us more opportunity to put some distance between us and them.