The lads put in an almost perfect away performance at Stamford Bridge to defeat Chelsea away for the first time since 2014, and climbed up to second in the Premier League table. The last time a newly-promoted team achieved this feat at the end of the day’s fixtures was Nottingham Forest, 31 years ago.
I think it’s right about time that we all do get carried away, man!
That away end was absolutely bouncing, and when it is like that, when we make an away game feel like a home one and get right behind the lads – this group embraces it. They react and give us the same
energy back. About 10 minutes before the end, a phase of play involved about five different players all running at the ball, harrying the opposition ,and putting blocks, kicks, tackles, and everything else on the Chelsea player. Each defensive action was greeted with a roar in the away end, and you can see just how much both sides of Sunderland – those on the pitch and those in the stands – are equally spurred on by this.
Davey Atkinson may not be with us anymore, but you can just bet he’d be the most carried away man in England right about now. We need to make every game like this. We need to be as vociferous as we can, to spur these lads on and give them every ounce of energy that we have – as they are doing it themselves. Let’s get carried away, let’s enjoy it, and keep this momentum going. Most of this squad have been here for less than ten games, and look at the visible connection that we have with them already, how they all threw themselves into that away end as it exploded, with half the people down the front upside down having lost their phone, keys and whatever was left of any pre-season pessimism. Look at some of the quick passing moves, and slick play – again just nine games in. All of these can only exponentially grow.
We may have snatched the victory in the 93rd minute, but this was far from a smash-and-grab. We controlled large swathes, and created the best opportunities. We deserved this.
Xhaka shows his class – again. But he wasn’t the only one
Despite Alejandro Garnacho catching us on the break and putting Chelsea one up four minutes in, we started the better side before this with a few half chances and high-pressing, and the rest of the first half followed this narrative. We controlled large parts of the game thanks to a £28m two-man midfield facing up against one that cost £206m and out-performing them. Moises Caicedo, for me, has arguably been the best performing defensive midfielder in the entire league in 2025 as a whole – but Granit Xhaka just absolutely schooled him today. The captain completed just 29 passes and only created one chance today – measly compared to some of his numbers this season – but he dictated the midfield area all game, with Sadiki his usual self alongside consistently harassing and running through Chelsea passing lanes.
They set the tone for the rest of the team – we may not control the ball but we do control the space. Defenders are taught to defend the space, and that’s how we stop sides getting through our lines in the central areas of the pitch. It requires the utmost discipline and energy – but Xhaka at 34 had (before this weekend’s fixtures) covered 89km in the Premier League this season, the most of all players in the entire league. Sadiki himself was fifth on the list, having completed over 87km before the Chelsea game. They continued along the same vein down at the bridge.
Change in shape creates more options
Although on paper we lined up in a 3-4-3 with Lutsharel Geertruida easily slotting in for the concussed Omar Alderete at LCB, the Dutchman and Trai Hume consistently pushed on to become the third man in midfield in possession, and thus it became a hybrid 3-4-3/4-3-3. Even Dan Ballard and Nordi Mukiele on occasion took turns in this fluid system and driving us centrally up the pitch.
Geertruia, however, was very impressive. Due to the form of others, he has only played a bit-part role this season. But today he was outstanding, and started the move that led to the winner – only then after getting floored by Reece James at his own box, was also the first man arriving in support to drive covering Chelsea defenders away from Chemsdine Talbi. Regis got everything spot on today.
Strong performances from Regis’s starters and finishers
Brian Brobbey also really introduced himself to Sunderland today. His hold-up play was outstanding, proving to be a real outlet for us on the counter attack.
Reinildo was maybe my man of the match, though. I’ve not seen many full backs deal so easily with the triple threat of James, Pedro Neto and Estevao so easily that he essentially locked down the entire Chelsea right-hand side, with Enzo in front of him working as hard as ever to pin James back. I can’t talk about everyone who played well today, but it speaks volumes that a side who’s second 11 stuck five past Ajax midweek just resorted to basically long shots because they couldn’t create anything in the middle or out wide for the entire second half.
Playing this way, full of energy, pace, physicality and crucially, quality, everyone should fear playing us. Especially with the only head coach in the history of Premier League football to hold a Ph.D leading us with aplomb.
