SUNDERLAND v DERBY - JEWELL IN DENIAL?
Paul Jewell takes the rock bottom Rams to the Stadium of Light this weekend aiming to end a four-match losing streak. He reportedly turned down the Republic of Ireland and Wigan positions to take up this role. He must love a challenge!
Jewell inherits a side four points from safety at the bottom of the League. A team with the unenviable record of the least goals scored and worst defensive record in the Premier League. A team where only 3 outfield players have managed to score this season and none at all away from home. And finally a team that has not scored a League goal in 10 hours and 11 minutes. It’s not too late to change your mind Paul.
Roy Keane’s Sunderland have problems of their own. They have dropped into the relegation zone for the first time this season after a run of 8 matches without a win. The Black Cats have not kept a clean-sheet since the opening game of the season and they were on the end of their worst defeat in 25 years last weekend at Everton. The 7-1 score line at Goodison was their biggest defeat since an 8-0 thrashing at Watford in 1982 when soft rock classic ‘eye of the tiger’ was number one in the charts. To put this defeat into perspective, when Sunderland were last thrashed in such a manner, hapless Black Cats keeper Craig Gordon was not even born and manager Roy Keane was a mere eleven-year-old boy kicking lumps out of unsuspecting kids in the playground.
Back to the present and form suggests a narrow home win. The Paul Jewell effect could upset the balance but I don’t expect him to make that much of an effect on such a desperately poor side. I expect Sunderland to score and with Derby seriously struggling for goals a home win is a good pick on Premier 10.
TOP TIP: Finally some joy for Roy (home win)
Tags: 01/12/07, Derby, Sunderland
