|
|
|
|
SUNDERLAND v WEST BROMWICH ALBION Could Albion have really picked a worse time to travel to the Stadium of Light? With the imminent arrival of Manchester United and Ireland legend Roy Keane as the club’s manager, what looked like a potentially easy three points is now looking a different proposition altogether. Sunderland have got off to a terrible start this season, losing their first four league games before suffering an embarrassing Carling Cup exit to bottom of the league Bury in midweek. Under previous boss Niall Quinn the Black Cats looked clueless and set for another relegation struggle but with Keane set to be unveiled on the pitch before the game with Albion, the Mackems have been given a massive lift. As well as Keane, the Sunderland faithful will have another new face to look out for following the arrival of Tobias Hysen in a £1.7million deal from Swedish champions Djurgarden. Hysen, the son of former Liverpool defender Glenn, has been likened by many to Arsenal star and fellow Swede Freddie Ljungberg. The Mackems will be hoping that left-winger Hysen fills the gap left in the squad following the sale of the influential Julio Arca to Middlesbrough. Albion too will have a player making his league debut, former Sunderland star Kevin Phillips. After an impressive 75 minute run-out against Orient in midweek ‘SuperKev’, the Black Cats record post war goalscorer, looks set to be handed a starting role alongside John Hartson. With Sunderland low on confidence, if Albion can grab an early goal you have to fancy their chances of coming home with all three points. However, with the arrival of Keane, Sunderland’s squad are sure to be out to impress and for that reason I go for a repeat of last season and a 1-1 draw. TEAM NEWS Albion In goal Swiss international Pascal Zuberbuhler will start with Luke Steele providing back-up on the bench. After being rested for the Carling Cup tie at Leyton Orient, Chris Perry will return to the side in place of Paul McShane to partner captain Curtis Davies in the centre of defence. Paul Robinson will start at left-back whilst former Newcastle star Steve Watson should return at right-back in place of Martin Albrechtsen. Neil Clement and Thomas Gaardsoe are both still injured. In midfield Baggies' boss Bryan Robson looks set to return to his favoured quartet of Ronnie Wallwork, Nigel Quashie, Zoltan Gera and Jonathan Greening. Despite good performances in midweek Darren Carter and Richard Chaplow look likely to return to the bench. Jason Koumas is not yet considered match fit whilst Senegal wideman Diomansy Kamara is still missing due to injury. Up front, new signing and former Sunderland hero Kevin Phillips looks set to make his Albion league debut partnering John Hartson. Nathan Ellington has recovered from his niggling hamstring injury but looks set to start on the bench. Young striker Stuart Nicholson - a midweek goalscorer - looks likely to miss out altogether. Probable Squad: Zuberbuhler, Steele, Watson, Albrechtsen, Robinson, McShane, Perry, Davies, Greening, Gera, Inamoto, Wallwork, Quashie, Chaplow, Carter, Phillips, Ellington, Hartson, Nicholson. Sunderland England Under-21 keeper Ben Alnwick will start in goal with Darren Ward his deputy on the bench. In defence Sunderland boss Niall Quinn has major selection problems and will be without Stephen Wright who picked up an ankle injury in his side's Carling Cup defeat at Bury. Steve Caldwell (knee) and Clive Clarke (groin) will also definitely miss the game whilst Nyron Nosworthy (abdomen) is rated very doubtful. Utility man Rory Delap faces a late fitness test following an ankle injury but should be fit. In midfield new signing Tobias Hysen looks set to make his Sunderland debut after receiving international clearance on Friday. Sunderland's other new signing William Mocquet will also figure if he receives clearance in time. Black Cats' boss Quinn will definitely be without the injured Andy Welsh (ankle) and Spanish star Arnau who starts a three game suspension following his sending off at Bury in midweek. Jonathan Stead and Stephen Elliott look likely starters up front following the sale of Scottish international Kevin Kyle to Coventry City this week whilst Chris Brown could return to the bench after recovering from an ankle injury. Probable Squad: Alnwick, Ward, Wright, Cunningham, R Elliott, N Collins, D Collins, Leadbitter, Whitehead, Hysen, Mocquet, Delap, Lawrence, Murphy, S Elliott, Stead, Brown. LAST MEETING AT THE STADIUM OF LIGHT
Sunderland:
Davis, Nosworthy, Breen, Stubbs, Hoyte, Whitehead, Miller (Lawrence 53),
Bassila, Arca (Stead 80), Gray, Elliott (Le Tallec 57).
Subs not used:
Alnwick (gk), Caldwell Goalscorer:
Breen 7 Albion:
Kirkland, Watson, C Davies, Clement, Robinson, Gera, Wallwork, Johnson,
Greening (Kamara 76), Campbell, Earnshaw (Ellington 82).
Subs not used:
Kuszczak (gk), Albrechtsen, Chaplow
Goalscorer:
Gera
94
Referee: Richard Beeby (Northamptonshire)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Halliday (North
Yorkshire), Barry Sygmuta (North Yorkshire)
Half-Time:
Sunderland 1-0 Albion
Attendance: 31,657 Conditions: Cool and cloudy
BAGGIES RUB ‘ZOLT’ INTO SUNDERLAND WOUNDS WITH LAST GASP STRIKE AT STADIUM OF LIGHT!!! A
last gasp header from Zoltan Gera saved Albion’s blushes as they were
within seconds from going down to their fourth successive defeat.
Sunderland had taken an early lead when Gary Breen powered a header past
Kirkland
and it looked likely the Mackems would hold out for their first
Premiership victory of the season until Hungarian star Zoltan Gera
leapt like a salmon to head in a corner from Diomansy Kamara to nick a
point for the Baggies. The
game began with Sunderland on the attack as they went searching for an
early goal that would calm their nerves. In the seventh minute it arrived as
Dean Whitehead swept in a dangerous right-footed corner which was met by
ex-Blues defender Gary Breen who rocketed a header past Kirkland and into
the roof of the net. Neil Clement then almost gifted the Black Cats a two
goal lead when his short ball fell straight to the feet of Stuart Elliott,
the little Irish man teed up Julio Arca but luckily for
Albion the Argentinian missed
his kick and Davies was able to sweep up and clear away the danger.
Albion finally created their first chance when Zoltan Gera fired in a
right footed shot from just outside the box but keeper Davis did well to
hold onto the ball. At the other end Kirkland was then forced into action
comfortably saving a Dean Whitehead 20 yard effort. Jonathan Greening then
missed a golden chance to level the scores, the ex-Middlesbrough man
somehow slicing a left foot shot over the bar with the goal gaping after
a lovely move between Earnshaw and Watson had setup the opportunity. Neil
Clement sent a curling left footed free kick from 20 yards out just over
the bar as the Baggies finished the half strongly. Earnshaw was even
closer when he raced onto a flick on from Kevin Campbell but his first
time shot whisked wide of Davis’ left hand post. Greening then clipped in
a dangerous left footed cross but Sunderland keeper Davis was on hand to
palm the ball away to safety. Mick
McCarthy made two early changes with Liam Lawrence and Anthony Le Tallec replacing Tommy Miller and Stuart Elliott.
Albion
were struggling
to trouble the Black Cats defence and almost paid the price as at the
other end Whitehead let fly with a right footed shot but Kirkland was
equal to it to make the save before Watson cleared away the danger as Gray
looked to steal in from the rebound. The
change had hardly made any effect before Julio Arca hit a left rocket from
25 yards out however the ball whistled well wide of
Kirkland’s
left hand upright. Kamara soon began to sparkle for the Baggies though as
he outpaced the Mackems defence following an Earnshaw through ball but the
former Pompey striker let fly with a left shot which sailed just over the
bar.
Moments later Albion made their second change when Nathan Ellington came
on to replace Welshman Earnshaw, the change almost had an immediate effect
as the former Wigan man cut inside Breen before rifling a right footed
shot towards the bottom corner of the net which Davis did superbly to tip
behind for a corner. As the clock ticked into injury time Nyron Nosworthy
was on goal line duty to tremendously head away a Wallwork goalbound
header after keeper Davis had fluffed a Robinson left wing cross. Despite
the heroics it was not enough to prevent Robson’s men from snatching last
gasp equaliser when Zoltan Gera climbed highest to head into the back of
the net following a Kamara corner-kick. CURRENT CONNECTIONS Recent Albion signing Kevin Phillips spent six years at Sunderland (1997-2003) where he scored 130 goals in 235 appearances thus becoming the club's record post-war goalscorer. Baggies' midfielder Darren Carter spent three months on loan at Sunderland during the 2004/05 season before moving to Albion from Birmingham City in July 2005. PAST CONNECTIONS Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Sam Allardyce, Mark Angel, Brett Angell, Peter Barnes, Jack Boyd, Frank Cresswell, Shaun Cunnington, Danny Dichio, Andy Dibble, Tony Ford, Carsten Fredgaard, Sid Glidden, Don Goodman, Bernt Haas, Danny Hegan, Jim Holton, Kevin Kilbane, Archie McKenzie, Sandy McNab, Andy Marriott, Jimmy Millar, Joe Murphy, John Nevin, Jimmy Nicholl, Barry Siddall, Colin Suggett, Stanislav Varga, Ike Webb 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; Former Baggies' boss Brian Little had trials with a player at Sunderland. A full guide to Sunderland can be found here whilst a full fixture history can be found here |
||||
|
|
|||||
