Sunderland (A) 18/10/2025 - Build Up & Matchday Thread.

[sycophantia]

Gone for a narrow Wolves win in the prediction thread, actually think it might be a bore draw but, yer know I'm a Wolves fan. Surely we have to win one soon and we're due a clean sheet?

..........................Johnstone
Jackson......Santi.........Krejci.......Hugo
...............Joao...................Andre
...........................Munetsi
......Arias..........JSL/Tolu*........Rodrigo**

*not sure if Larsen is fit.
** I know its a bit lazy going with the 'play him further forward' concensus but I think it's worth a go given our options, obviously it will Hwang there.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

Gone for a narrow Wolves win in the prediction thread, actually think it might be a bore draw but, yer know I'm a Wolves fan. Surely we have to win one soon and we're due a clean sheet?

..........................Johnstone
Jackson......Santi.........Krejci.......Hugo
...............Joao...................Andre
...........................Munetsi
......Arias..........JSL/Tolu*........Rodrigo**

*not sure if Larsen is fit.
** I know its a bit lazy going with the 'play him further forward' concensus but I think it's worth a go given our options, obviously it will Hwang there.

I’d be happy with your team but we just know he’ll go with Hwang unfortunately

 

[Carsy]

Lopez not worth a shout?

 

[sycophantia]

Lopez not worth a shout?

Possibly, Tbh Ive not seen that much of him, it feels like he is one for the future which would make him a bit of a luxury signing given how much he cost.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The Hwang situation is so strange. Vitor evidently took a very brief look at him last season and decided it was a no, he was barely even getting 5 minutes off the bench in any circumstance.

Now he's back in the team (when we have other options), he's bloody awful every week, keeps getting hauled off having contributed less than zero and then he starts again the next time.

Please make it stop. I don't hate him, he's not a wanker like Guedes, but he's really poor.

 

[NicholasG1973]

The Fer Lopez situation makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever.

From the brief spells I’ve seen him, he looks decent - definitely good on the ball - possibly a little lightweight but looks like he might have the creativity we seem not to have anywhere else.

I can’t see any way in the world that he can be a worse option than Munetsi.

I don’t care how far he runs, how well he presses, how much of a nuisance he is……..Munetsi is a shit footballer.

 

[Lupo]

Kocowa

 

[Lupo]

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

Can't imagine that Vitor picks Hwang because Jeff asks him to, but at the same time there is no obvious alternative reason. Anyway, at some point Vitor will change the team and this game might be it. Maybe JSL and Tolu to start, with Rodrigo coming on for the last 20-30 minutes - and scoring!

 

[Tredman]

There is absolutely zero chance Hwang is picked for football reasons.

 

[Mel Evo]

There is absolutely zero chance Hwang is picked for football reasons.

He seems like a nice chap. But I’m afraid to say it’s hard to disagree with this. There is no other logical explanation at all.

 

[Loki]

Massive game this. Play Hwang and we`re already at a disadvantage before a ball is even kicked.

 

[Tredman]

He seems like a nice chap. But I’m afraid to say it’s hard to disagree with this. There is no other logical explanation at all.

His pathetic clutching of his head every time an opposition player goes near him rules out the ‘nice chap’ part for me.

 

[Mel Evo]

His pathetic clutching of his head every time an opposition player goes near him rules out the ‘nice chap’ part for me.

Yeah, that’s frickin annoying alright. Anyway, he’s simply got to stop playing. It really is as simple as anyone else, even playing out of position, would offer almost infinitely more.

 

[Jinky]

The Fer Lopez situation makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever.

From the brief spells I’ve seen him, he looks decent - definitely good on the ball - possibly a little lightweight but looks like he might have the creativity we seem not to have anywhere else.

I can’t see any way in the world that he can be a worse option than Munetsi.

I don’t care how far he runs, how well he presses, how much of a nuisance he is……..Munetsi is a shit footballer.

Limited as Marshall may be, he contributes to good things happening going forward and he’s also useful defensively because he’s a big lad who can throw himself in front of the ball and win headers.

Fer started one game for us and got an assist. So there is that - but in that same game, he was also dispossessed several times and was really exposed for his lack of tracking back.

It’s not difficult to see why Vítor favours Marshall. That said, I’d have both of them AND Rodrigo ahead of Hwang.

 

[NicholasG1973]

Limited as Marshall may be, he contributes to good things happening going forward and he’s also useful defensively because he’s a big lad who can throw himself in front of the ball and win headers.

Fer started one game for us and got an assist. So there is that - but in that same game, he was also dispossessed several times and was really exposed for his lack of tracking back.

It’s not difficult to see why Vítor favours Marshall. That said, I’d have both of them AND Rodrigo ahead of Hwang.

I hear you, but we’re playing PL football and no decent sides at this level carry players because of “effectiveness” - they have to be able to do more than that.

“Stick the big lad up top” stinks of small team mentality and I just don’t think you can have a player at this level that can’t do the basics. I obviously include Hwang in this.

If we’re going to “carry” a player, I’d much rather it was a Sarabia/Podence style player who was capable of match-winning genius (all be in more sporadically than we’d like) than the big bloke who’s in there to defend corners and run around like a lunatic.

 

[Langers]

Limited as Marshall may be, he contributes to good things happening going forward and he’s also useful defensively because he’s a big lad who can throw himself in front of the ball and win headers.

Fer started one game for us and got an assist. So there is that - but in that same game, he was also dispossessed several times and was really exposed for his lack of tracking back.

It’s not difficult to see why Vítor favours Marshall. That said, I’d have both of them AND Rodrigo ahead of Hwang.

I'd play you ahead of Hwang TBH mate. Even as the tall option up front.

 

[Mel Evo]

I hear you, but we’re playing PL football and no decent sides at this level carry players because of “effectiveness” - they have to be able to do more than that.

“Stick the big lad up top” stinks of small team mentality and I just don’t think you can have a player at this level that can’t do the basics. I obviously include Hwang in this.

If we’re going to “carry” a player, I’d much rather it was a Sarabia/Podence style player who was capable of match-winning genius (all be in more sporadically than we’d like) than the big bloke who’s in there to defend corners and run around like a lunatic.

Indeed. Sarabia’s standing continues to improve with the dawning realisation of the quality of player we can look forward to watching in the months ahead and the lack of any meaningful contribution.

Short-term Munetsi is miles ahead of Hwang in terms of bringing something to the team though.

 

[Tredman]

Indeed. Sarabia’s standing continues to improve with the dawning realisation of the quality of player we can look forward to watching in the months ahead and the lack of any meaningful contribution.

Short-term Munetsi is miles ahead of Hwang in terms of bringing something to the team though.

Its not even a tallest dwarf competition. Not sure what you call it to be honest other than a total shit sandwich.

 

[lemonjelly]

We've taken the lead in our last 3 games. All of us are desperate to build on that no doubt.
Lose this weekend & we have a lot to do just to get back on terms with Sunderland, and we risk being adrift.
Performances have been improving a little. Not drastically like we all want. Vitor also seems to be making more positive comments now.
JSL has been carrying an achilles injury that seems to be improving.
Defensively we're looking a bit better, & Andre is looking more like his old self.
Hoping these little glimmers of hope result in our first 3 points this season, acknowledging there's still much to do.