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DATE: Saturday
17 September 2005 MATCH PREVIEW BY: Dale Brookes So here we go again facing another side tipped for relegation and I have to admit I have a really bad feeling about this one. After having won on our last three visits to the Stadium of Light added to the fact that they are yet to win a Premiership game this season just makes me think that the script is written for a defeat. There’s no doubt the Mackems will be fired up for this game knowing that they are facing a team which at the moment is low on confidence and if we play anything like we did against Wigan then we can forget one point let alone three as that performance was just pathetic and needs to be improved on immensely if we are to get anything from Saturday’s game. Going back to the Wigan match and we were absolutely awful in every department on the pitch and fully deserved to lose in my opinion. There was absolutely nothing positive I could take from the game to be honest and if we keep playing the long ball then I really fear the future of us being a Premiership club. I just don’t’ understand it though because we started very well at Manchester City and got a well earned point which could even have been three had Gera not missed an open goal. We even started brilliantly at home to Portsmouth knocking the ball around like Man Utd but I think what has done us is that 4-0 mauling at Chelsea. We don’t seem to have recovered from that and our defence has been shocking ever since. Hopefully that will change starting Saturday and we can get back to the way we started the season especially at Manchester City. Right prediction time again then and as much as I am hoping we can get a win at Sunderland, I sadly can’t see that happening because I think the stats are against us and I can see nothing other than a home win with the score being 2-1 to Mick McCarthy’s men. COME ON YOU BAGGIES!!!
Albion: Boss
Bryan Robson is almost certain to sweep the changes following his sides
third successive defeat with Curtis Davies in line to make his first
Premiership start in place of out of form defender Thomas Gaardsoe.
Meanwhile Zoltan Gera is facing a race against time to be fit after
missing last weekends 2-1 defeat at home to Wigan due to injury. Other
places are up for grabs though with Johnson, Kanu, Kamara, Earnshaw,
Inamoto, Chaplow, Moore & Scimeca all giving the manager food for thought.
Sunderland:
Manager Mick McCarthy
has no fresh injury worries going into the game at home to West Brom on
Saturday, as his side continue to look for their first Premiership win of
the season. There could still be changes though with Matt Piper having
impressed in the reserves in midweek which may see him recalled to the
squad.
This Season: Sunderland currently lie bottom of the Premiership with no points from five games. The Black Cats have scored just two goals so far this season, Andy Gray and Anthony Le Tallec the scorers of them. Last Season: Were promoted to the Barclays Premiership after finishing as Champions in the Coca-Cola Championship. Knocked out of the FA Cup in the 4th round by Everton and beaten in the 2nd round of the Carling Cup by Crewe Alexandra. Marcus Stewart was Sunderland's top goalscorer last season with 17 league and cup goals. The Manager: After five and a half years in charge of the Republic of Ireland, Mick McCarthy returned to club management in March 2003 when he was named as Sunderland’s new boss replacing Howard Wilkinson. Born in Barnsley of Irish parents he started his professional career at his hometown club as an 18-year-old in 1977. He spent six years at Oakwell before moving on to Manchester City for £200,000. In 1984 he won the first of his 36 Irish caps. In 1987 and after four years at City Mick moved to Scottish giants Celtic where he would spend just two years before moving on to French club Lyon. In March 1990 Mick returned to England joining Millwall for whom he would become player/manager one year later. He spent four years in charge at Millwall before becoming Eire boss in early 1996. Squad List (Squad numbers in brackets):
Goalkeepers:
Kelvin Davis
(1) Defenders: Midfielders:
Carl Robinson (4) Strikers:
Jonathan Stead (9) Ones To Watch: Jonathan Stead - Good in the air, is not a consistent scorer, but can also cause problems with his pace. Stephen Elliott - Very good Championship player but the little Irish man is yet to prove his class in the Premiership. Is quick and does have an eye for goal though. Julio Arca - Has a superb left foot with which he can deliver excellent set pieces as well as crosses. The Ground: Sunderland moved to the Stadium of Light in July 1997 after spending 99 years at Roker Park. The current capacity of the ground is 49,000. The record attendance for the stadium is 48,353 - set in April 2002 against Liverpool. The stadium was officially opened by HRH The Duke of York. A number of photos of the ground can be found here
Albion's first ever meeting with the Wearsiders came in a friendly game in May 1890 at Sunderland's Newcastle Road ground, Albion ran out 5-3 winners. Albion first met Sunderland in league action during the 1890/91 season. The first game between the sides at Stoney Lane in September ended in a 4-0 defeat for Albion however Sunderland would later have the points won deducted due to fielding an ineligible player. The return game a few weeks later at Sunderland ended 1-1, George Woodhall scoring the Albion goal. Albion's biggest league win against Sunderland is 6-4, coming at The Hawthorns in February 1937. Three years previously on the same ground Albion had recorded a 6-5 victory. Albion's biggest victory in Sunderland came on New Years Day 1966 when Albion ran out 5-1 winners at Roker Park, Tony Brown grabbing two of the Albion goals. Albion's heaviest league defeat against Sunderland came in October 1892 when the club lost 8-1 at Newcastle Road. Other heavy defeats have included 7-1 in 1896 and 6-1 in 1935, 1937 and 1977. Albion have won on their last three visits to Sunderland. The Black Cat's last victory in the fixture came in April 1999 when they ran out 3-0 winners. Last Meeting At The Stadium of Light
Sunderland 0-1 Albion
Sunderland:
Poom, McCartney (Bjorklund 22), Breen, Whitley, Smith, Oster (Kyle 55),
Williams, Byfield, Babb, Robinson, Arca.
Subs not used: Myhre,
Stewart, Thornton Albion:
Hoult, James Chambers, Robinson, Kinsella,
Gaardsoe, Moore (Koumas 29), Clement, Dobie (Dyer 75), Horsfield (Hulse
53), Johnson, Gregan. Subs not
used: Murphy, Hughes Goalscorer: Koumas 93
Referee: Tony Leake (Lancashire) Fourth Official: Nigel Miller (Co. Durham) Half-Time: Sunderland 0-0 Albion Attendance: 32,201
An injury time strike from Jason Koumas put the Baggies
within touching distance of an instant return to the Premiership.
Sunderland had dominated the game from start to finish, but had failed to
break down a solid West Brom defensive unit. Carl Robinson & Kevin Kyle
were the guilty party for missing the best chances and they unfortunately
paid for the price as three minutes into stoppage time Welshman Koumas
struck to send the visiting supporters into ecstasy, while leaving the
Mackems fans to dwell on what might have been at the final whistle. Current Connections Darren Carter spent three months on loan at Sunderland last season before moving to Albion from Birmingham City during the summer. Joe Murphy moved to Sunderland from Albion in August after having spent three years at The Hawthorns. Past Connections Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Sam Allardyce, Mark Angel, Brett Angell, Peter Barnes, Shaun Cunnington, Danny Dichio, Andy Dibble, Tony Ford, Carsten Fredgaard, Don Goodman, Bernt Haas, Danny Hegan, Jim Holton, Kevin Kilbane, Andy Marriott, Sandy McNab, Jimmy Nicholl, Barry Siddall, Colin Suggett, Stanislav Varga and Colin West. Denis Smith managed both Albion and Sunderland. Malcom Crosby was Smith's assistant at both clubs and also had a spell as the Black Cats boss. Former Albion assistant manager Frank Burrows had a spell coaching at Sunderland. ALL TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS SUNDERLAND
LAST TEN MATCHES AGAINST SUNDERLAND
Tickets for this game are now on general sale. Albion have been allocated 3,000 seats, priced £25 adults, and £18 seniors and under-16s. |
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