On recent evidence, probably not. If you came thinking this was going to be another intense post after the previous one, I'm afraid it won't. Previewing a Sunderland match just doesn't have the same amount of appeal as say, previewing, I don't know a match against Newcastle. Whoops. Cross that out.

Click to continue reading...

The final international break of the year is over. How good does that sound?

Real football returns tomorrow, and unlike many Premiership weekends, it is Saturday that looks the tastier of the days. Liverpool and City play each other at lunchtime, United face Everton in the evening, Chelsea are involved and we have a very tricky trip to Sunderland to negotiate.

Click to continue reading...

Sunderland

Position: 8th, 5-2-5 (17 points, +1 goal differential)

Recent Form: DWLDL

Home Form: 4-1-1

Last Meeting: Arsenal 0-Sunderland 0 (2/21/09)

Back in action at the Stadium of Light tomorrow, for what I expect to be a very tricky match.

Click to continue reading...

what do you want from me?

Well; in the press anyway. What he can say he will say and for the most part we're going to be looking worse for it. However, the way that Darren played in our system was all well and good; but lacked a certain 101 cutting edge that we now have with our striking collective.

Click to continue reading...

So, are we going to bounce back from our lacklustre display against the old enemy or will the players put in another shocker against Steve Bruce's men?

The defeat against Stoke doesn't worry me. We played well, it was just unfortunate. Even more unfortunate it came before a big game but I think we would have lost at Arsenal in those circumstances 99 times out of 100.

Click to continue reading...

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce faces a battle to keep hold of star skipper Lorik Cana.
The Daily Mail says Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has not given up hope of signing Cana, despite the Albanian midfielder moving to Sunderland this summer.
Cana was tracked by Wenger last season and the Arsenal boss could make a fresh move next year. Click to continue reading...

Wenger interested in Black Cats captain.

Join Our Facebook Fan Page for the Latest News/Rumours/Forums/Videos/WAGS/Funny Stuff/Features!

Arsene Wenger has not given up hope of signing Lorik Cana, despite the Albanian midfielder moving to Sunderland this summer.

Click to continue reading...

All and sundry are reporting that Harry is close to agreeing a deal to bring in Sandro Ranieri Guimarães Cordeiro, or just Sandro to you and me.
This story popped up just before the summer transfer window closed and guess what, the same guys that stated we were about to sign him then, have gone all out on yet another exclusive and told us that now we're near to agreeing a deal to bring this lad in during the January sales. Click to continue reading...

Steve Bruce's Sunderland side have been one of the surprise packages of the season so far. With 16 points from nine games they sit above Liverpool in the Premier League table and have picked up some impressive results.

On their visit to Old Trafford the Black Cats took a point from Manchester United, but were within a whisker of taking all three.

Click to continue reading...

Just as the referees' apparent lack of fitness stole the headlines in the aftermath of Sunderland's last game, their latest encounter – and encouraging performance – was lost amongst the furore surrounding that red balloon.

Journalists, match officials, and former referees were left to scramble through the rule book to work out whether the goal should have been chalked off, as confusion reigned at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Click to continue reading...

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has brushed off his furious touchline clash with Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, following his side's 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light.
The Black Cats further dented the Reds' fast-fading title hopes, thanks to a controversial Darren Bent goal, his eighth of the season flying past goalkeeper Pepe Reina after taking a wicked deflection off a beach ball that had been thrown on to the pitch by a Liverpool fan. Click to continue reading...

Controversies played a major part in the game, as Sunderland came off strong at the Stadium of Lights against a Liverpool side, which was without the services of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. It took the Black Cats only 5 minutes to grab the lead, as Darren Bent got the back of the Reds net, as [. Click to continue reading...

Can it get any worse for Liverpool? The club played one of their worst first-half performances against Fiorentina in the Champions League a few weeks ago and lost 2-0, which was followed by a very unconvincing display in the 2-0 loss against Chelsea. In addition, the club has already lost to Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur in the league.

Click to continue reading...

Darren Bent staked a further claim for a place in England's World Cup squad as Sunderland heaped further misery on Liverpool.
However, he did so in controversial circumstances as the visitors were left fuming over the fifth-minute strike which secured the Black Cats' first victory over a 'top four' team since their return to the Barclays Premier League. Click to continue reading...

When Steve Bruce ended his playing career, everyone seem to know that the next logical step for him was to have a career in club management. His no-nonsense and inspirational defender's display was supposed to provide a springboard for him to inspire, motivate and drive a club forwards as manager.
Even when other former players are finding the transition to club managers difficult, Steve Bruce has proven himself to be a very good Premiership-level manager. Click to continue reading...

...pese a y por lo visto esta noche en Old Trafford. Se esperaba un choque de lujo entre el poderoso anfitrión y una de las sensaciones de la Premier League, pero lo que seguramente no entraba en los planes de nadie –menos aún en los de Ferguson- sería el atrevimiento del conjunto visitante en una de las catedrales del fútbol europeo. Click to continue reading...

This evening Man United could go three points ahead of Chelsea in the Premier League. Man United face Sunderland at Old Trafford and tomorrow, Chelsea play Liverpool at Anfield.
Today's game won't be a walk over, especially considering the form Sunderland striker Darren Bent is in right now. Click to continue reading...

Throughout the history of football, there has always been players that seem impervious to harm, hurling themselves at all sorts of challenges with no regard for personal safety (or the safety of the opposition for that matter). This years batch of players are no different. The premiership being the most physical league in the world (citation?

Click to continue reading...

Premiership clubs have spent a lot of money on new players this summer and even though it is still too early to make final judgment, some of them have already started to prove their potential. Six games is definitely not enough time for players to show all they've got, but a couple of summer signings have made a big impact already and I felt obliged to create the top 5 list.

Click to continue reading...

Burnley v. Sunderland 12:45 GMT Team news: Burnley captain Steven Caldwell is still troubled by the groin injury which has kept him off the pitch this season. Michael Duff is back from his ankle injury, but is expected to start on the bench. Sunderland summer signing Lee Cattermole is a doubt for the trip to Burnley, still suffering [. Click to continue reading...

Wigan Athletic

Last Season: 11th, 12-9-17 (45 points, -11 goal differential)

Recent Form: WLLLW

Away Form (last season): 4-4-11

Last Meeting: Wigan Athletic 1-Arsenal 4 (4/11/09)

Back to league action tomorrow with a home matchup against Wigan.

Click to continue reading...

In the old days, Reid loved doughnuts more than corner kicks
I was leaning all week towards Everton's Steven Pienaar - his goal last night in the Europa League only further confirming his chance as a Funny Feeling Friday selection - but, having selected Everton's Rodwell just a few weeks ago - and seeing as Pienaar is already owned by about 7% of managers - I went with an unlikely selection, the less than 1% owned Andy Reid. Click to continue reading...

Arsenal vs Wigan: team news, injuries, tactics, prognosis By Phil Gregory Wigan Athletic, Arsenal's opponents on Saturday, arrive at the Emirates Stadium on the back of their first home win of the season against West Ham. Roberto Martinez, Wigan's manager since the departure of Steve Bruce to Sunderland, has undertaken wholesale changes at the club. Click to continue reading...

1. A Change Of Tack
I don't know about you, but personally I think this blog has become just a little too considered in recent weeks at the expense of our bread and butter.
Perilous flirtation with the threat of legal action has been discarded in favour of sound reasoning, and that has to change. Click to continue reading...

How do this pair sleep at night?

Take a look around at the teams forking out big money in this transfer window, and then take a look at whats going on at Anfield. Then ask yourselves, why is this happening?

In case you didn't know, Tom Hicks and George Gillett bought Liverpool with loans and debts.

Click to continue reading...

A rock at the back, what a defender
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce keeps adding quality talent to the squad - bringing in defender Michael Turner (4.5M) today on the last open day of the transfer window.
Turner joins fellow big names Darren Bent and Lee Cattermole at the Stadium of Light, and though the Black Cats lost 1-0 at Stoke this past weekend, things are surely looking up in Tyne and Wear. Click to continue reading...

Phil Brown gets set to sell much coveted centre back.

Sky Sports News understands that Hull City have given Michael Turner permission to talk with Sunderland.

Hull City manager Phil Brown has opened talks with a Premier League defender ahead of the likely departure of Michael Turner.

Click to continue reading...

One in, one out.
Not much new news this morning, the latest being the casualties from yesterday's Europa League matches. Those claimed Andy Johnson and will force Jack Rodwell and Steven Pienaar into the dreaded "late fitness test".
Spurs have lost Gomes for a while and so Cudicini will sit behind their make-shift back line. Click to continue reading...

After the opening round's somewhat surprising outlay of points, there is already a wave of activity happening on the fantasy transfer market. This means some players are set to rise in value, and if you are after a short term monetary gain, then jumping on these players at the earliest opportunity is the way to make it happen. Click to continue reading...

Read part 1 here.

The Manchester City Experiment

In an ideal world (read: my ideal world) Manchester City will finish in the exact same spot as last season. I'd love to see the cash they shelled out for players this summer come to naught in the table.

Click to continue reading...

Lee Cattermole is currently one of the hottest prospects in England and he has had the best possible development for a young player. He took one step at the time in his career and is now on the road to become one of true England greats. His latest switch to Sunderland will additionally help him mature and grow as a player, and maybe even help him win the place in England World Cup squad.

Click to continue reading...

Aston Villa v Wigan Athletic Live Streaming & Match Preview
Premier League - Aston Villa vs Wigan Live Online - Click Here
Saturday, 15th August 2009
Kick Off : 15:00 GMT
Venue : Villa Park, Birmingham

Aston Villa kick off their new season with a home match against last seasons mid-table opposition Wigan Athletic.

Click to continue reading...

Aston Villa v Wigan Athletic Live Streaming & Match Preview
Premier League - Aston Villa vs Wigan Live Online - Click Here
Saturday, 15th August 2009
Kick Off : 15:00 GMT
Venue : Villa Park, Birmingham

Aston Villa kick off their new season with a home match against last seasons mid-table opposition Wigan Athletic.

Click to continue reading...

The Premier League kicks off tomorrow - here is the second part of our preview, you can read Part One here.

Man Utd

It could be a difficult season for United. Ronaldo is irreplaceable, and only time will tell if Owen is a suitable replacement for Tevez. Giggs, Scholes and Neville are all a season older.

Click to continue reading...

The Premier League kicks off tomorrow - here is the second part of our preview, you can read Part One here.

Man Utd

It could be a difficult season for United. Ronaldo is irreplaceable, and only time will tell if Owen is a suitable replacement for Tevez. Giggs, Scholes and Neville are all a season older.

Click to continue reading...