After last Sunday’s non-appearance of the newly-discovered good form, there was a mixed bag of European football to take my mind off Sunderland for a bit. Man Utd on Tuesday was as dull as ditchwater in terms of good play, while Barca did to Arsenal what Arsenal usually do to their opponents – pass them to death for half the game without scoring. A much better game, but Liverpool on Thursday – well, it was hard to feel any sympathy for them, and that’s nothing to do with last weekend. The stupidity of Babel in grabbing his opponent’s face twice while his other hand was on the ref’s shoulder, coupled with such persistent fouling and moaning by Agger and Insua that Mascherano, the Prem’s top clogger, hardly featured. And I know that the ref should have clamped down harder on Befica’s anti-Torres tactics (kick him as hard and as often as possible), but you can’t see Liverpool turning that one around unless they change their attitude.

Anyway, enough of that lot, what about us? Still no Hutton, still no Reid, but the rest of them, McCartney and his “personal problems” aside, are in relatively good order, with Bent and Campbell out to prove a point to ‘Arry – despite their protestations that they have nothing to prove. The pair of them would love to stick it right up the cheerful Cockernee wideboy, make no mistake and prove that they’re much nicer people than Defoe. I don’t know exactly what it is about that bloke, but I just can’t find it in myself to be anything but irritated by him. After last week’s admission by Bruce that he made too many changes, he looked to have repeated it today when we lined up...

Gordon
Ferdy Turner Da Silva Richo
Hendo Meyler Catts Steeeed
Bent Campbell

But it took approximately ten seconds to prove us doubters wrong as we won a corner, Richo slung it in for Campbell’s diving header to be parried, and Bent put the rebound away. Are you watching, Fabio? Only half a minute on the clock, and we beat our own record for the Prem’s fastest goal of the season. We really went at Spurs, making a mockery of those who reckoned before the match that a draw was the best we could hope for. Hendo produced a trademark nutmeg to break into the box, but there was no pen when he was knocked over, but not long after this Meyler fed Campbell who bustled his way into the box but was forced away from goal. Da Silva made a great tackle as Spurs tried an attack, then Catts gave the ball away to allow another break by the visitors only for Ferdy to get it away. Steed had a shot comfortably saved before Gordon’s first piece of action on 25, when he went down low to his right to take a header. What looked like a perfect, if a bit scary, tackle by Meyler was deemed illegal. After a Richardson run and cross, Steed fired in a shot which was parried then handled in fairly obvious fashion. 28 gone, and it was low and hard from Bent beneath the keeper for 2-0. Happy days indeed.

Spurs responded with a spell of pressure on the half hour, but it was us who showed next with Steed’s ball in being flicked wide off the head of Campbell. Modric and Bale were always dangerous, although Ferdy at right back did well against the latter. Catts was booked on 34, and five minutes later Gordon was there again with an important save. When Campbell burst into the box from the right and went over a defender, the penalty decision was maybe a bit iffy (I’ll see it again on the telly later), but Bent fired low and hard to the keeper’s left, and it was tipped past the post. Arse biscuits. A third on 40 would have really killed them off, you would think. The ref conjured up three added minutes, Hendo chipped in but Bent was offside, and we ended the half pressing the visitors. Well worth our lead at the break, and we predicted mass changes by ‘Arry for the second period. The moral of the story is that if we get slightly dubious penalties against spurs, Gomes will save them. Only two efforts on target from the visitors, and plenty from us.

After Makin and Summerbee did the draw, on came Defoe (at least if he’s on the field he’s not nicking your stereo) and Krancjar for Bentley and Essou Ekottou (spelling questionable) as Spurs attempted to change things, but it was us who showed first again. Hendo found Bent but the low cross was cleared, then after the corner Campbell, who was being a real nuisance to the visitors’ defence and midfield, was knocked over on the edge of the box. Defoe raced away and we feared the worst as it became one on one with Gordon, but Flash was up to the task. He followed that with a header tipped over on 50, then Steed got in a great tackle and broke, but found no support. Turner did well to force Defoe wide, making him shoot across goal rather than in to it, and we produced a period of patient attacking football. Nothing daft, just sensible stuff with bits if crisp interpassing. Nice. Modric produced a comfortable save from Gordon, then the we broke into the box from the right again, and there was a clear penalty for another push. Down low and hard to keeper’s right, but tipped onto post and the rebound was collected. He might be funny, but he’s not bad at stopping penalties.

Henderson was barged off the ball by the flag, then chaos ensued from the free kick and resultant corner, ending with Ferdy slotting home Gomes’s punch away. Even the scoreboard had his name in lights before we realised the ref had spotted something we’d all missed. Bugger. Bent’s header from Steed’s corner was easy for the keeper, then Gordon saved again. On came Crouch for Pavluychenko, they won a couple of corners, and the tallest man on the field headed beyond Gordon to make it 2-1. We feared the worst, but this is a new-look Sunderland. On came Jones and Zenden for Bent and Steed, and Kenwyne was straight in the thick of things when he swung at and missed Campbell’s cross, then Zenden took a touch when a first timer seemed the best option, and it was charged down for a corner. Ferdy headed Zenden’s freekick wide, then Campbell fed Hendo, who charged into the box, found the bye-line, and chipped a cross to the back post, where Bolo made no mistake with a sweet left-foot volley back across the goal and in. Happy days again. With a couple of minutes left, Bardsley replaced Campbell, five were added, and Phil played fullback on the halfway line. A couple of minutes of “boo-h’ray” football ensued as we played down to the whistle.

3-1, the Brucester’s tactics and formation exonerated, justified, and successful. Yet another proper game of football at the SoL, and they played All Right Now as we left. Despite being awarded three penalties, we still moaned at the ref for good reason – three penalties but no bookings while we got two for being no dirtier than Spurs and committing far less fouls. Still , we’re looking at the ninth place I predicted rather than the nineteenth that looked possible six weeks ago. Great game, football, and it’s even better when we play well and win.

Man of the Match? Very difficult as there was a team full of good performances today, but I’ll give it to Richardson for being solid in defence and creative in attack.

More of the same for the remaining games, please.

Keep the faith

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