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Roker Report

https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/ | 730 entries published

Sunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!

Latest Entries

Dan Ballard Is Playing Like A Beast!

After another impressive team performance at Anfield on Wednesday night there were several candidates for our own man-of-the-match from the 1-1 draw with Liverpool. You could take your pick from our defenders and midfielders really, but one thing for certain is that Dan Ballard added to his list of impressive performances which stretches back to […]

2 months ago | 3 reads

What Does The Future Hold For Dan Neil At Sunderland?

If Dan Neil is about to depart the club when the January transfer window opens, it will mark the end of a tumultuous period in the club’s history in which he has played a significant role. There is a photograph of a young Dan Neil in the Wembley crowd on the day Sunderland took on […]

2 months ago | 2 reads

Matchday Musings: Sunderland Unlucky Not To Beat Liverpool

In any regular season, a trip to Liverpool would cause a shudder amongst Sunderland supporters, but this has been far from an ordinary campaign for the Black Cats. After the forgettable 1-0 loss to Fulham, Regis Le Bris correctly reverted to a back four, which allowed our attacking players to get more involved against Bournemouth. […]

2 months ago | 1 read

Talking Points: Another Excellent Night On The Road For Sunderland

A sign of continuous progress It says so much that the overwhelming feelings coming out of this game amongst both the fans and the players is that of pride and a tinge of disappointment. We are newcomers here! We really should have no right to be coming away from Anfield disappointed to have not won, […]

2 months ago | 3 reads

On This Day (4th December 2008): Roy Keane Resigns As Sunderland Manager

Like everything in life, all good things must come to an end at some point and this day in 2008 was the end of what was once described as a ‘magic carpet ride’ by chairman Niall Quinn. Roy Keane’s departure as Sunderland manager was one that all fans knew would come at one point, but […]

2 months ago | 2 reads

Two Up, Two Down: Positives & Negatives From Sunderland’s Trip To Anfield

Lars Knutsen says… Talbi was the goalscoring star, but this was another fantastic team performance. We at least matched Liverpool in terms of pace, shape and determination. To go ahead at Anfield, home of the current Champions, was almost a “coming of age” for this Sunderland team. We are back, we are competing and deserve […]

2 months ago | 2 reads

Sunderland AFC: A Club Brimming With Hope And Pride!

There was something broody and a sense of foreboding about the build-up to kick off on Saturday — this was the first home game I’ve been able to get to this season, and my first Premier League match at the Stadium of Light since April 2017. The rain battered the stadium and it has to […]

2 months ago | 3 reads

Score Predictions: Dare We Dream Of A Win At Anfield?

Martin Wanless predicts… Score prediction: Liverpool 1 Sunderland 1 Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Le Fee This is a really interesting game and one from which any point will be a bonus. If we play at our best, we’ll be able to get something; so fingers crossed we are! ‘The Champion’ Malc Dugdale predicts… Score prediction: Liverpool […]

2 months ago | 3 reads

Starting XI: Liverpool vs Sunderland – Is This How We’ll Line Up Tonight?

The lads turned in a much better display on Saturday, reverting to our familiar 4-3-3 (ish) formation that’s served Regis Le Bris so well during his tenure in charge. But, having gone to a back five against Chelsea and Arsenal recently, will we stick with what worked on Saturday, or go back to a more […]

2 months ago | 2 reads

On This Day (3rd Dec 1960): McPheat Magic As Sunderland Stun Title-Bound Ipswich

Alan Sleeman writing in the Sunday Sun declared “The heat is on at Roker. And I’ll wager this – the next team that leaves Roker with a point will be wearing asbestos outfits! For believe me Alan Brown’s boys were in blistering form”. Ipswich arrived fourth in the league and staking a serious claim for […]

2 months ago | 1 read

Match Preview: Will Sunderland Cause An Upset At Anfield?

Well, here we are – the first meeting since promotion between Sunderland and last season’s Premier League Champions, Liverpool. Never could I have imagined that by the time we played them, in December, that we’d be above them in the table and actually feeling like we’re capable of going there and getting something, but this […]

2 months ago | 1 read

Régis Le Bris Rewrites the Rules: Finishers Revolution

The Bournemouth game showed again how revolutionary this team is being managed. Pundits and commentators continue to be baffled by the way the club is operating. Comments that the likes of Trai Hume, Brian Brobbey, Dan Neil, and Romaine Mundle will be unhappy at not starting games. But they’re all missing the point. The players […]

2 months ago | 1 read

Talking Tactics: From the Jaws Of Defeat – Bournemouth (H)

Sunderland returned to the Stadium of Light staring down the barrel of a long winter without a win in their previous three games to face a Bournemouth side level on points as they fought it out for fourth place on Saturday afternoon. With torrential conditions afoot once again and a 2-0 deficit within the opening […]

2 months ago | 0 reads

On This Day (2nd Dec 1899): New Boys Hogg The Headlines

There was a Sunderland old boy back on Wearside in the shape of Notts County’s Jimmy Chalmers but this latest game was about a new arrival – debutant Billy Hogg. Chalmers had scored twice for the Lads during their final ever match at Newcastle Road, but since embarked on a wandering career that saw him […]

2 months ago | 0 reads

Trips To Liverpool And Manchester City Will Test Sunderland’s Mettle!

When Sunderland’s 2025/2026 fixtures were released, the notion of facing trips to last season’s runaway Premier League champions and their four-time champion predecessors within the space of three days might’ve felt somewhat unlikely. However, the fixture computer — a device that may or may not be running Windows 2000 — doesn’t seem to care for […]

2 months ago | 1 read

Sunderland Do Not Know When They’re Beaten

“It shows once again that this team has strong character… they are never beaten. They want to fight.” Those are the words of Régis Le Bris from after Saturday’s game, the interview which was broadcast on Match of the Day later that evening. As I watched the show, I couldn’t have agreed more with what […]

2 months ago | 1 read