Alex Charlton says…
If you’d asked me how we would fare against Aston Villa, Forest and United before the start of the season, then I maybe would’ve been happy to pick up a point of two.
However, we’ve started better than I imagined — both in terms of points and performances — and how we played against Crystal Palace makes me feel confident that we can pick up points when up against it.
I genuinely believe we should be picking up at least three points from our next three, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we beat any of
our opponents.
For me, the game against Villa is the most important, as we’re at home and we are playing against a team who look lost. If we get the first goal, it’ll be very difficult for them to come back. Indeed, bagging all three points will build confidence and then I wouldn’t be surprised if we secured another win.
The cherry on top, though, would be playing a part in Ruben Amorim’s sacking.
Anthony Gair says…
I’m so positive about the side we have now that I wouldn’t ever bet against us, barring some kind of disaster or backroom nonsense.
I’ve been looking forward to Villa since the full time whistle against Brentford, I’ve even used a holiday to have the day off (you’re welcome, whoever’s taken the overtime!). I think we’ll beat Villa, but it won’t be the easiest thing we do this season.
They’re a formidable side on paper and it’s just a matter of time before they start to click. I see them as a slightly better version of West Ham; however, I think after Sunday, Unai Emery will probably find himself without a job — or teetering on the precipice of the decision.
Nottingham Forest is the game I think we’re most likely to lose in this current state. With big lovable Ange in charge down there, he loves to play exciting football, so I think Régis Le Bris will ‘anti-football’ the hell out of the game and we’ll come away with a 0-0 draw.
Also, I know one it’s just one of those things as a Sunderland supporter, but you just know for a fact that Man Utd will sack Ruben Amorim the week before they play us — thus making them the best team in the world the week they play us — but in their current state, I’d fancy us over them!
I’m taking seven points from the next three games, but obviously circumstances change very quickly in football, so who knows?
Ciaran McKenna says…
Before the season started, the next three games seemed much more worrying and daunting than they do right now.
Aston Villa are established European contenders with stars all over the pitch, but now, they seem relatively toothless and possibly vulnerable to the dangers that a motivated and roaring Stadium of Light can provide.
Nottingham Forest are coming off a terrific league campaign which saw them qualify for the Europa League (albeit controversially), with a successful and hard-to-defend-against tactic behind them, but everything seems to be up in the air as the questionably-appointed Ange Postecoglou tries to force his game plan onto a squad that on paper, seems unlikely to adapt to said game plan.
Manchester United had a big transfer window, signing some terrific players. They would be hungry to correct the misery of a fifteenth-place finish, but the manager is under pressure, the team seems to be struggling to play under Ruben Amorim’s system and they just scraped past Burnley a few weeks ago — who I believe are a worse side than ourselves.
Overall, these three teams still have great players and an ability to be very dangerous, but I think there’s definitely potential for us to pick up some points over the next three games, and I’ll always back the Lads to make us proud.
John Wilson says…
I’ve just given myself a talking-to and I’ve decided that there’s no rhyme or reason why this can’t be a new dawn for our club. We’ve been so used to being disappointed and being let down that it’s in our psyche to be negative and expect the worst.
I have a growing belief in this team, management and structure that we’ll compete this year, and that “every little thing, is gonna be alright”.
That said, I’m going to put my neck on the line and put my head above the happy clapper’s trenches and predict four points from the next three games.
I won’t be crestfallen if we draw or even lose against Aston Villa but I’m hopeful of another home win. I think we’re capable of a draw at Nottingham Forest or Manchester United, but one of them will be great.
Four out of the next nine up to the next international break would be a very satisfying start to the season.
Malc Dugdale says…
Out of the three games, I think Nottingham Forest may well be the most challenging, which feels weird to say given the other two are Manchester United and Aston Villa!
Watching the Manchester derby at the weekend, United were all over the place.
City could’ve scored five or six and it’ll be interesting to see if they still have the same gaffer when we play them. Even by Sunderland’s standards, Ruben Amorim would’ve been down the road by now so based on that, it’s a great time to both play the Red Devils and to get something, so I’d hope for at least a point there — and ideally more.
Villa is also a great chance to grab points from a team that ordinarily we would worry about getting anything from.
Reading the chatter on social media, they have a lot of injury issues in the middle of the park and are really struggling to get any attacking spark going. I’d like to see a three point return there and with our home crowd behind them, it has to be ‘banker’ of the three, if there ever is one at this level for Sunderland,
For Forest away, I’d be very happy to get a point.
I lived on the outskirts of Nottingham for about ten years and watched them as a second team along side the lads. My kids were surrounded by Forest kits at school, but defiantly wore their red and white stripes as dictated by Dad!
Forest have done what we are aiming to in the coming couple of years: gone up, stayed up and qualified for Europe. Even though they’ve had a couple of stinkers of late, with six goals against and none scored against West Ham and Arsenal, and have also parted ways with a good coach due to what seemed to be a clash of opinions with the owner, they can be very good on their day as they showed against Brentford.
In summary, I’d love to get six or seven points but I’d settle for one win and two draws, and five points on the table.
It’s hard to say which points will be from which games and where we may falter, as just about the whole league seems to be up and down just now, barring us and a few others, so hopefully that trend can continue up to the next international break.
Nic Wiseman says…
With the fortunes of the teams we’re due to play not so good, you have to think we have a good chance of putting some more points on the board.
Our next opponents are Aston Villa, who’ve yet to score this season and have ground out two 0-0 draws against Newcastle and Everton. With a vibrant Stadium of Light thumping, we have to fancy our chances of payback for that 1-4 reverse during the Gus Poyet era.
Forest under Ange Postecoglou are likely to have a soft underbelly and won’t like it up ‘em.
It was a strange decision to get rid of Nuno Espirito Santo, and then it’s onto Old Trafford and a Manchester United side that looked very poor in the derby. None of these teams will be filled with assuredness and we have to be confident of getting something from all three of these very winnable games.
Our solid start to the season will have boosted our confidence and as the team gels further, exciting things could be on the horizon. And the first game after the international break is against the league’s nascent whipping boys, so it could be a very happy few weeks!
