Cats facing cru ahead – So, no
It can’t be denied that Sunderland are in very decent nick at the moment.
The nonsense they supplied from October to Christmas looks to be behind them.
They have now lost only one of their last 13 games and taken 26 of the last possible 33 points. If they maintain this form, they will be promoted.
The problem is that maintaining this form means beating some rather awkward opposition, who hold no compunction about deliberately attempting to prevent them from winning. Scoundrels.
Since this good run began with victory at Doncaster on December 29, Sunderland have won most of the fixtures we thought were winnable.
I shall avoid saying “expect”. Who’s daft enough to follow Sunderland and expect or assume anything?
Saturday’s win at Oxford United was workmanlike, unspectacular and dragged out the fixture’s final 88 minutes to about a fortnight. But it was deserved and it’s nice to know that a 1-1 draw with Oxford isn’t mandatory after all.
The match before was, quite frankly, easy. Rochdale were pitiful at times and Sunderland didn’t break sweat. Not that anyone broke sweat that night. It was like downtown Siberia.
But the two games before were very each a very big deal this season. They were crunch games. In fact they couldn’t have been crunchier with added gravel.
The six-pointer against Ipswich Town dealt a crucial and a significant blow to the opposition. The six-pointer against Portsmouth – didn’t.
Those two games encapsulated Sunderland’s mixed bag of results against other teams around the top of the division this season and last.
It is difficult not to conclude that the top sides will stand or fall by how they fare against each other.
Next up are Bristol Rovers; a decent, mid-table side with nothing to lose when they arrive at the Stadium of Light. As we said, only an idiot would expect or assume anything.
So I’m going to expect, nay assume victory on Saturday. After that come two bigger looking fixtures. g O fl O h m
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