League 1 - Ipswich Town vs Sunderland AFC Preview & Matchday Thread
Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2021 7:35 am
Ipswich Town v Sunderland
Saturday 18th December 2021 – 15:00
Portman Road
Pre-Match Thoughts - Frosty
Well, the wheels fell off at Barrow so I guess we are yet another season without a trip to Wembley in sight, unless we can make the playoff final. It probably shouldn’t have come as such a surprise to me as it was a cup game coupled with telly coverage, however, I really thought it a winnable fixture. So much for having depth at the club. How sad, too bad, never mind.
This season which had most of excited about at the beginning just feels so much the same as any other recent season. We had a number of resets and bright hopes during the early Evans tenure which petered out, but Gamechanger really did seem to be a new dawn this year.
We are already speculating on what has gone wrong to date, a stubborn previous manager, one dimensional tactics, poor coaches, lack of an assistant manager, poor or non performing players and more recently the Ashton effect. The fact is we really don’t quite know what is and what isn’t working at the moment looking in from the outside.
The frustrating thing about the current situation of a caretaker manager is that it doesn’t really provide any future direction, and worse, while we await a future appointment we are burning through further fixtures which we can ill afford to do.
We are in the absolute mid table position of 12th as it stands today, with similar points differentials to both zones of the table. I personally don’t believe we will be drawn into a relegation fight, however, I am not so confident of making big inroads into the Top 6 either. I guess what we have to remember is that history shows that plenty of sides in the past have suddenly got into gear post Christmas and made moves up the League tables. Perhaps the season can still surprise, I still am hopeful. (or in your opinion perhaps delusional)
Sunderland visits us this weekend, not a great fixture to try and recapture form, however by all accounts it will be a good sized crowd at PR on Saturday which should create atmosphere.
Not sure too many of us will be picking a Town win in this weeks poll, they already have beaten us once this season at the Stadium of Light 2-0 a few weeks back, although we didn’t do ourselves any favours by not taking our chances.
The one thing that is almost certain is that we will have no real idea of what tactic Lee Johnson will employ for this weeks re-match. I looked over their past few fixtures and he has used 3-4-2-1, 3-4-3 and 3-5-2 in recent times without losing a league game since the start of November.
Let’s just hope regardless of the final result we give a full effort over the 90 minutes as otherwise the remaining morale in the squad will further erode and make a new managers starting job even harder.
Have a great day if you are going along and compliments of the season to everyone.
The Opposition – Sunderland
Founded 17 October 1879 as 'Sunderland and District Teachers A.F.C.' by schoolmaster James Allan, Sunderland joined The Football League for the 1890–91 season. They replaced Stoke, who had failed to be re-elected, becoming the first new club to join the league since its inauguration in 1888.
During the late 19th century, they were declared the "Team of All Talents" by William McGregor. Sunderland won the league championship in the 1891–92 season, one season after joining The Football League. Sunderland successfully defended the title the following season. In the process, they became the first team to score 100 goals in a season, a feat not matched until 1919–20.
Sunderland came close to winning a third successive league championship in the 1893–94 season, finishing second behind Aston Villa. However, they regained the title in the 1894–95 season.
Sunderland came close to winning another league title in the 1897–98 season, when they finished as runners-up. That season was their last at Newcastle Road, as they moved to Roker Park the following season. After coming second in 1900–01, the club won their fourth league title in the 1901–02 season.
The club won the league again in 1913, but lost their first FA Cup final to Aston Villa, in a very tough loss. This was the closest the club has come to winning the league title and the FA Cup in the same season.
Two seasons later the First World War brought the league to a halt. After the league's resumption, Sunderland came close to winning another championship in the 1922–23 season, when they were runners-up to Liverpool. They also came close the following season, finishing third, four points from the top of the league. The club escaped relegation from the First Division by one point in the 1927–28 season.
The club's sixth league championship came in the 1935–36 season, and they won the FA Cup the following season, after a victory against Preston North End at Wembley Stadium.
The remainder of the decade saw mid-table finishes, until the league and FA Cup were suspended for the duration of the Second World War.
For Sunderland, the immediate post-war years were characterised by significant spending. This, along with record-breaking transfer fees, led to a contemporary nickname, the "Bank of England club". The club finished third in the First Division in 1950, their highest finish since the 1936 championship.
The late 1950s saw a sharp downturn in Sunderland's fortunes, and in 1958 they were relegated from the highest division for the first time in their 68-year league history.
Sunderland's absence from the top flight lasted six years. After the close call in the previous season, the club was promoted to Division One in 1964 after finishing in second place. At the end of the decade, they were again relegated to the Second Division.
Sunderland won their last major trophy in 1973, in a 1–0 victory over Leeds United in the FA Cup Final. Since 1973 only two other clubs, Southampton in 1976, and West Ham United in 1980, have equalled Sunderland's achievement of lifting the FA Cup while playing outside the top tier of English football.
By winning the 1973 FA Cup Final, Sunderland qualified for the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, the club's only appearance in European competition to date.
After spending six seasons in the Second Division, Sunderland were promoted to Division One in the 1975–76 season, however, they were relegated the following season back into Division Two.
Sunderland appeared in their first League Cup final in 1985, but lost to Norwich City.
In 1987, Sunderland saw one of the lowest points in their history, when they were relegated to the Third Division of the English league for the first time, but were promoted straight away the following season.
In 1990, they were promoted back to the top flight in unusual circumstances. Sunderland lost to Swindon Town in the play-off final, but Swindon's promotion was revoked after the club was found guilty of financial irregularities and Sunderland were promoted instead. They stayed up for one year before being relegated on the final day of the following season.
Sunderland's next outing in a major final came in 1992 when, as a Second Division club, they returned to the FA Cup final. There was to be no repeat of the heroics of 1973, as Sunderland lost to Liverpool.
After promotion from Division One in the 1995–96 season, Sunderland began their first season in the Premier League, but finished third from the bottom and were relegated back to the First Division.
In 1997, Sunderland left Roker Park, their home for 99 years. The club moved to the Stadium of Light, a 42,000-seat arena that, at the time, was the largest stadium built in England after the Second World War.
Sunderland returned to the Premier League as First Division champions in 1999 with a then-record 105 points. At the end of the season Sunderland finished seventh, with Kevin Phillips winning the European Golden Shoe in his first top-flight season, scoring 30 goals.
Another seventh-place finish in the 2000–01 season was followed by two less successful seasons, and they were relegated to the second-tier with a then-record low 19 points in 2003.
Former Ireland manager Mick McCarthy took over at the club, and, in 2005, he took Sunderland up as champions for the third time in less than ten years. However, the club's stay in the top flight was short-live as Sunderland were once again relegated, this time with a new record-low total of 15 points.
Following Sunderland's relegation from the Premier League, the club was taken over by the Irish Drumaville Consortium, headed by ex-player Niall Quinn, who appointed former Manchester United captain Roy Keane as the new manager.
Under Keane, the club rose steadily up the table with an unbeaten run of 17 games to win promotion to the Premier League, and were named winners of the Championship.
At the start of the 2009/10 campaign, Irish-American businessman Ellis Short completed a full takeover of the club, and Steve Bruce was announced as the next manager on 3 June.
Sunderland started the 2010–11 season strongly and they eventually finished 10th — which was still their highest top-flight finish for 10 years.
Bruce was sacked in November 2011, and replaced by Martin O'Neill. In February 2012, Quinn left the club with immediate effect. O'Neill was sacked in March 2013 and Italian Paolo Di Canio was announced as his replacement the following day. The appointment prompted the immediate resignation of club Vice Chairman David Miliband due to Di Canio's "past political statements". Sunderland went on to survive relegation with one game to go.
Di Canio was sacked after a poor start to the 2013–14 season, and reports of a complete breakdown in relations with his players. Gus Poyet was announced as his replacement, and led Sunderland to the 2014 Football League Cup Final, where they were defeated by Manchester City.
In March 2015 Poyet was sacked, and veteran Dutchman Advocaat was appointed as the club's new head coach, saving the club from relegation. Eight games into the 2015–16 season he resigned from the position. Sam Allardyce was appointed the next manager in October 2015. Sunderland remained in the relegation zone for much of the remainder of the 2015–16 season, but Allardyce was able to save the club from being relegated with improved form in the second half of the season.
In July 2016, Allardyce left the club to be announced as manager for the English national team following the dismissal of Roy Hodgson. Former Everton and Manchester United manager David Moyes was appointed as his replacement on a 4-year contract. Under Moyes, Sunderland made the worst ever start to a Premier League season, taking just 2 points from their opening 10 matches. The club was relegated to the second tier for the first time in ten years at the end of the 2016–17 season, finishing bottom of the table with 24 points. On 22 May 2017, Moyes resigned as manager of the club. On 15 June 2017, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, product of the Sunderland's academy, having joined the club aged eight, was transferred to Everton for a fee of £25 million, rising to a possible £30 million, a record for a British goalkeeper.
Following relegation, Simon Grayson was announced as the new manager of the club. Under Grayson, the club made a very poor start to the 2017–18 EFL Championship season (which was documented in the Netflix series Sunderland 'Til I Die), taking only 2 wins in 14 games. was sacked, and Wales head coach Chris Coleman replaced him in November 2017.
In April 2018, after a second consecutive relegation, this time to League One, the club was sold to a group led by Stewart Donald, chairman of Eastleigh F.C. and Coleman was released from his contract.
St Mirren manager Jack Ross was appointed as manager in May 2018 to take charge of what is only the club's second ever season in the third flight of the English football league system. In their first season in League One the team finished 5th and reached the playoff final, but lost to Charlton Athletic at Wembley.
On 17 October 2019, Phil Parkinson was unveiled as the Sunderland manager on a two and a half year contract.
Sunderland finished the season in 8th place, their lowest ever league position, with the final standings ultimately being determined by points per game due to football's suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parkinson was sacked in November 2020 and was replaced by Lee Johnson the following month.
Later that month, the club reached an agreement with Kyril Louis-Dreyfus for him to purchase a controlling stake. The takeover was completed on 18 February 2021. In May 2021, the club again fell short of promotion by losing to Lincoln City in a 3–2 aggregate defeat, meaning that Sunderland would remain in the third tier for a fourth consecutive season.
The Manager – Lee Johnson
Form Guide
Ipswich Last Match – Currently in 12th place with 28 points
20 Nov Sunderland 2 - 0 Ipswich Town
23 Nov Ipswich Town 0 - 2 Rotherham
28 Nov Ipswich Town 2 - 1 Crewe Alexandra
7 Dec Charlton 2 - 0 Ipswich Town
11 Dec Wigan Athletic 1 - 1 Ipswich Town
Sunderland Last Match – Currently in 3rd place with 42 points
23 Nov Shrewsbury 1 - 1 Sunderland
27 Nov Cambridge Utd 1 - 2 Sunderland
4 Dec Sunderland 1 - 1 Oxford Utd
7 Dec Sunderland 5 - 0 Morecambe
11 Dec Sunderland 2 - 1 Plymouth
Match referee – Thomas Bramall
IPSWICH TOWN 1 SUNDERLAND 2