August’s review
September’s review
October’s review
Overall Position: 6th
Played: 4
Won: 1
Drawn: 2
Lost: 1
Points: 5
Sunderland were riding high heading into November, sitting in fifth place in the Premier League after nine games, and had the chance to ascend into second if we secured victory against Everton.
Pre-match narrative overload with this one, as it meant the return of favourite son Jordan Pickford, and not-even-a-partially-liked-uncle, David Moyes.
Regis Le Bris, fresh from the outstanding performance against Chelsea, named an unchanged team which meant lining up with five at the back.
It worked well away at Chelsea, but was attempting the same strategy at home to Everton a wise move? The first 30 mins suggested not as the lads looked laboured and sloppy in possession before going behind to a superb solo effort from Ilyman Ndiaye.
A few players lost their heads after that with Sadiki, Mukiele and Reinildo all threatening to let their tempers boil over. As the half drew on Sunderland found their rhythm and finished the stronger side heading into the break. Still, work to do, strong arm emoji etc etc.
We came out in the second half much as we’d ended the first and got back into the game thanks to Captain, Leader, Legend: Granit Xhaka. Although really we can thank James Tarkowski who hung out one of his massive tree trunk legs and diverted the ball past a helpless Pickford who would’ve almost certainly saved the initial effort. Sunderland continued to dominate and probably should’ve had a penalty from a Michael Keane handball but couldn’t find the winner.
Two points lost or one gained was the cliched debate post-match, and in Xhaka’s illuminating interview with Sky Sports he seemed to feel like it was the former. Xhaka explained that standards had slipped in training the previous day and that that sloppiness had continued into the first 30 mins of the match. Not your standard, media-trained, stock-answer which only makes us love him more.
Xhaka was the only player anyone was talking about in the lead-up to the next game, as he prepared to face former side Arsenal. Everyone seemed to forget about the other former Arsenal player in the Sunderland team, Dan Ballard, as it was the defender who made the difference at both ends of the pitch. Ballard put us ahead with a thunderous drive after being set up by Mukiele in the Arsenal box. Arsenal came back into it in the second half, first through Saka with an excellent low finish after Le Fee had conceded possession, and second through Trossard with a superb strike from the edge of the box after he’d gained just half a yard from Noah Sadiki.
Sunderland pushed and pushed for a way back into the game and it eventually came in the form of Brian Brobbey; Ballard flicking the ball on to the Dutch powerhouse who finished with a flying flick-volley beyond the flailing Gabriel. Daylight Brobbery, it was not.
Still time for one more heroic Ballard intervention as he flung himself at the ball to block a near-certain Arsenal winner at the death. An extraordinary display from a player who has been in extraordinary form ever since his stoop-like-a-salmon header against Coventry sent us to Wembley just a few months prior.
Into another international break (seriously, how many of these do we need?) in the highest of spirits having gone toe to toe with a side many believe will win the Premier League and Champions League double this season. In hindsight, Sunderland could’ve done without the break in momentum, as shown in the following game against Fulham… was this the worst display of the season so far?
It wasn’t that Sunderland played badly as such, but the performance was flat and Fulham looked a side belying their recent form of four defeats in their last five. Rumours were swirling before kick-off that Marco Silva’s job was under pressure and perhaps it was this additional impetus that gave the Cottagers the edge over a jaded looking Sunderland. It rained a lot, Raul Jiminez scored… that’s about it.
After their previous two losses of the season, against Burnley and Manchester United, Sunderland had bounced straight back with a win and were hoping to do so again, this time against Bournemouth. The Cherries had been flying high in the league table in second place heading into November, but were without a win in their last three games which included a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Aston Villa.
Hume and Geertruida came out as Chemsdine Talbi and the returning Omar Alderete came in but things got off to an awful start. Linked with a move to Sunderland in summer, former Xhaka teammate Amine Adli put Bournemouth ahead after just seven minutes. Things went from bad to worst after quarter of an hour when Robin Roefs was caught off his line and Tyler Adams lobbed him from inside the centre circle.
Our heads didn’t drop though and a great bit of “experience” from Reinildo got us back in the game as he won a penalty that Enzo Le Fee calmly converted. Early in the second half, as many fans were still finishing their pints or running back from the bog, Bertrand Traore drew us level with his first Sunderland goal, catching also-linked-with-Sunderland-in-the-summer Djordje Petrovic off guard at his near post. Cometh the hour, cometh the man as Brobbey, the hero against Arsenal, entered the fray and within 10 minutes had nonchalantly guided a precise header into the bottom corner. The Dutchman showed incredible strength as he held off his man like he wasn’t there, and it was enough for the victory. Apparently, it was the first time Sunderland had won a game from 0-2 down in 300 years… or something.
Another extraordinary month done and remarkably Sunderland were still on the cusp of the Champions League places with a whopping 22 points from 13 games. At the start of the season people looked at the December fixtures with fear… and while they still look a tough set of games, such is Sunderland’s form, desire and commitment we head into December with confidence.
