NaijaFox

The overriding sentiment when we’re actually winning games. However, given the rapidity of games this season I see them as useful breaks for the team.

A clash of the league’s two most consistent teams… (Excepted from a QPR fan forum, where gallows humor seems to be running amok )

Winners win scrappy games…

Phewwwwww…that was rather nervy.

To be frank, Sunderland has played much better than I had expected…

That was Kel.

Not sure we can afford to “rest” him off the entire match day squad when Yunus is also not available. Huge pressure on Casadei - good luck kid!

Jack Clarke is leading the league in scoring playing out wide on the left

Going by their fan forum, it looks like their strongest lineup (apart from long-term injuries). Bellingham is JOBE Bellingham

We are missing McAteer, Ndidi, Yunus, Doyle, Praet, Cannon, etc., and still have a strong XI and a serviceable bench. COYFs!

What happened to Wilf? Not in the match day squad at all.

Canon and Praet back and fully fit in January should ease some of our AFCON concerns Re Iheanacho and Ndidi.

Good presser, and great update on McAteer (as well as Cannon). On Sunderland, I would be much more concerned with Jack Clarke than with the ‘other’ Bellingham. He’s leading the league in scoring playing out wide, and operates in an area of the field we often leave defensive gaps - the right side of our defense. Fatawu will likely have to track back quite a bit.

The shootings in Brussels that caused the Belgium game to be abandoned at half-time because players didn’t want to continue. Casadei was away on international duty playing for the Italy U21 team, so I don’t think he’s going to start.

He looks pretty okay in the gym pictures from at Seagrave, so hopefully it’s nothing serious.

Lashing heavy tropical rains which occurs in most of sub-Saharan Africa (and with seemingly worsening ferocity and effects due to climate change) in the European summer season makes meaningful or fan-friendly (and/or spectator-friendly, for the telly) football difficult, if not well nigh impossible.

If Praet and Tom Cannon are back fully fit by then, that should lessen the impact of Iheanacho and Ndidi’s absence. Meanwhile, given how much Daka has played (or more precisely, not played) this season, “miss” would be a charitable adjective. Nevertheless, let’s just hope their teams get knocked out early () - and, more importantly, they all return UN-INJURED!

Only disappointment was Wilf not getting a goal…

That was Ndidi, but Casadei did largely what was ‘asked’ of him today.

It is! At least that’s what was said on telly (on ESPN) during the Liverpool game

Duck!! Hopefully not a Brendan-style “3/4 months” which would mean he’s done for the season.

Same here. First couple of games were flawless, but have been experiencing issues lately. With no other options, here’s hoping it improves as the season progresses.