Balanced Fortunes

Last updated : 14 March 2006 By Greg Farrimond

Last Weeks game typified Man Uniteds Season, Saturdays typified Sunderland. United got another lucky win and Sunderland went down fighting and I had to feel sorry for them. The spirit amongst the players at Sunderland is fantastic and something that any premier league team can learn something from. Not only have they gone down fighting, the fans have stood by them.

This season we have seen uproar from local rivals Newcastle and Boro even though they haven’t had anywhere near as much trouble as the Black Cats, yet the Sunderland fans have stayed loyal.

Sunderland Chairman Bob Murray
Sunderland were a lot better than us last season, but it seems this year they haven’t had the support a premier league team needs from their chairman like we have. Bad decisions by the board have crippled their season and the final straw was sacking manager Mick McCarthy who, in my eyes, has done nothing wrong at all, he coped well with the resources available. Personally I wish Sunderland a speedy return to the top flight..

As for us, we have had a week of mixed emotions, well 2 weeks f you count the carling cup final. Last Mondays game, as I said in my last article, left a bitter taste in my mouth. I was gutted and upset yet at the same time very pride. On Saturday I felt relieved and a bit worried. We need consistency if we want a UEFA Cup spot and at the moment we are pretty inconsistent. One week we’re amazing (Spurs away and Man U at Home) and then we fail to turn up (United in the final and Sunderland away).

I think if we lose at City on Saturday, a UEFA cup spot may seem too distant for us, but who knows, we have shown this season anything can happen at WAFC. I am extremely proud of our season, no matter what. We are on 43 points in mid march. I would have taken 40 at May. Realistically we have at about 5 more wins in us. That could get us a UEFA cup spot.

Prediction for Saturday, head says 1-1 draw but I’ll go for 2-0 to Wigan.